Jonah 2:8-10

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

Proverbs 28:27

He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

Malachi 3:10

Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Faith

Faith is to trust in what we believe is true without a perfect understanding. To act against the opposition, the odds, the establishment, in essence to swim upstream is only possible by faith that what you're doing is right. The consequences are often far reaching and may take a very long time before people appreciate the faith of such individuals. Christianity didn't die with the crucifixion. Joseph Smith said that a religion that doesn't require the faith to sacrifice all things wouldn't last. Abraham had to prove he was willing to sacrifice Isaac for God, not so God would know but so Abraham could be strengthed by that exercise in faith. After that Abraham knew that no matter what God asks, He will return you a hundredfold if not more for whatever you offer.

Light versus Dark

The Gospel is one truth that illuminates in different spheres. Exactly as the light of the sun is reflected by the many things it touches.

Look at the beautiful landscapes, plants, animals, oceans, seas, and most of all- the children of God. The same sun shines on all of the distinctness of their shapes and forms and helps us to see things as they are in the temporal world. Just as the Gospel of Jesus Christ shines in one unified power of light and truth versus darkness and error.

The light always has dominion as the dark only enters once the light leaves. "For the spirit of God shall not always strive with man..." and once that light leaves our spiritual life begins to darken and we are as lost sheep and the good Shepherd cannot save us from the wolves, unless we cry out to Him for help.

The allegory of Lehi's dream showed that we all must press on through darkness. Many fell away in the darkness and finally arrived in a great and spacious building representing the pride of the world. Not unusual that the people in this place were pointing and mocking those that didn't wander. But, those that kept the commandments are represented those that stayed on the path and were able to enjoy the most precious of all gifts, the love of God. If we don't live God then God's love is something unenjoyable. The same light that sanctifies the righteous will damn the wicked. Our secret works will be found out when we are judged by Him who is all knowing and our final state will be set. Today is the day to start putting the house in order for when Christ arrives we will be able to say we were faithful over a few things, watchful and diligent, waiting on the Lord, despite those that ridiculed, we pressed forward and did not procrastinate our repentance.

When we realize that God is seeking to change us, sometimes we seek to change God to a less demanding God and in effect begin to worship a false god known as pride and selfishness.

It's the same Satanic view of justifying our sin while disregarding the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We are not saved IN our sins but through repentance FROM our sins. We are the ones who must repent. We are the imperfect and unprofitable servants that God wants to bless but can only after all we can do, through His grace.

His love for us never falters. His trust in us varies in our trust in Him. He cannot give us something we refuse to sacrifice for, and that is why the Savior has always only taught repentance to our investigative hearts. If we seek Him, we must be willing to not seek for ourselves but truly leave ourselves and come unto Him.

On the door to heaven it reads "Abandon all selfishness and despair to enter" and it is a hard thing He asks but He knows it is hard and knows we can do it. We have to trust that He knows more than we do.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

To Be or Not to Be

As Latter Day Saints, we are admonished and encouraged by our leaders to participate in politics. To vote and stay informed. But, from Mormon history we learn that the system doesn't always work. The petition to the government for aid from the early Saints was met with disregard for the political implications of being associated with the controversial Mormons. So, we left town and went to make a Zion for ourselves.

Today's political landscapes have moved as well. But, its the same spineless leaders who promise and then give way to special interests. We can take comfort in the Lord as our salvation during all these onslaughts of demagoguery and manipulations.

The system to me is like an old arcade game. Sometimes the quarter works, sometimes it doesn't, sometimes you have to hit the machine and sometimes you just have to walk away. We don't always get what we invested in.

But, we are still encouraged to play the game. Once the game starts working we might still lose. The idea is that politics is a game of chance and favors the skilled orators and cheaters rather than the virtuous and good natured. Luckily, we can take comfort in the Lord as our salvation.

Its not our lot to have everything be perfect, but it is our lot to try.

We have to remember the parable of the Talents that the Lord gave. It talks of servants being given talents and then having to account for their stewardship to the master. The faithful servants weren't afraid to use their talents. The master then said "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." The unfaithful servant said "I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth." and the master replied "Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents."

The struggle to have faith in sharing our gifts with the world is one we have to undertake. We can't be afraid to do share our gifts or participate with what we've been given or how we feel on a subject. Anything the Lord has endowed us with, we must share for the edifying and building up of the kingdom of God on the earth. We must play the politic game as well as any other game that involves us returning good for evil. Remember the wicked servants were the ones who thought to save themselves from the hassle of dealing with an ungrateful or indifferent world.

Knowing that the chance to succeed also has the chance to fail, we must take comfort as the faithful servant and remember the Lord is wise and will sanctify our performance for our good. All these things shall give us experience. We must try because the Lord told us to, and we must remember Nephi's example and faith when he said "I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

We must go forth as the pioneers and make do with what we have and the Lord will open up the windows of heaven and pour out blessings so much we won't be able to receive them.

The Great I Am answers the Shakespearean question of "to be or not to be" by His admonition to be, even as He is. Let us take courage and faith in believing Him that our sacrifice for His sakes will not be in vain, but the least vanity we can do.