(In limba romana mai jos)
I have recently been feeling a bit down because I feel so inadequate. I have this whole list of things that I feel need to be written about--like my current series in English on the Lectures on Faith, or one that I'm planning in Romanian about the discourses of Alma the Younger, but I'm not a spiritual genius, and I don't feel particularly insightful as I study or write. Mostly I just feel like somebody needs to write about these things, for two reasons.
First, as people who aspire to be members of the Lord's church, as He defined it in D&C 10:67-68, we sure preach a lot of stuff that violates the standard He gave us in those same verses, and we teach for doctrines the commandments of men (Matt 15:9). I cannot stress enough how important it is to realize that any teaching that is not faith in Christ, repentance, and coming unto Christ, is not His doctrine. Our talks, our lessons, our manuals and publications and handbooks are all full of commandments that are not doctrine, and it's not healthy for us. We need to invest a lot more effort in understanding what Christ's doctrine is, so that we can actually be His church, and not just another worldly imitation. (Hence my series on the Lectures on Faith.)
Second, in September of 1832, only two and a half years after the LDS Church was established, the Lord gave Joseph Smith a revelation that is quite shocking if you think about it: He declared that the "whole church," "the children of Zion, even all," was "under condemnation" (D&C 84:55-56). If you read the whole passage of D&C 84:54-58, you will find that we are condemned because we do not believe the Book of Mormon and have treated its teachings lightly. And unless we manage somehow "not only to say, but to do according to that which [the Lord has] written," a scourge and judgment will be poured out upon us.
And lest you doubt that this condemnation still rests upon us today, consider the fact that Ezra Taft Benson, whose teachings we study this year in Relief Society and priesthood quorums, taught this same principle when he was president of the Church. You can read a bit of it in our lesson manual.
We need to spend a lot more time with the Book of Mormon: reading it, studying it, applying it to our lives today, and praying for understanding. I worry that we pass through it superficially only once every four years in our Church curriculum. I can't do anything about the worldwide curriculum, but maybe by writing about the Book of Mormon and my own efforts to learn from it, I can help myself and a few others. That's all I want, even if I'm not very good at it.
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In ultimele zile, m-am simtit un pic abatut, pentru ca ma simt asa de neadecvata. Am o lista lunga de lucruri, despre care simt ca trebuie scris: de exemplu serie mea despre Prelegeri Despre Credinta in engleza, sau o serie care vreau sa scriu in romana despre discursele lui Alma cel Tanar. Dar nu sunt o persoana foarte spirituala, si nu ma simt prea profunda cand studiez sau scriu. Simt numa ca cineva ar trebui sa scrie despre aceste lucrurile, din doua cauze.
In primul rand, noi aspiram sa fim membri al bisericii Domnului, cum defineste El biserica in D&L 10:67-68, dar chiar predam foarte mult care incalca standardul care ne-a dat in aceste versete, si invatam ca doctrina niste porunci omenesti (Matei 15:9). Nu pot sa subliniez prea mult cat de important este sa intelegem, ca orice invatatura care nu este credinta in Hristos, pocainta, si sa venim la Hristos, nu este doctrina Lui. Cuvantarile, lectiile, manualele, si publicatiile noastre sunt pline de porunci care nu sunt doctrina, si asta nu este sanatos pentru noi. Trebuie sa investim mai mult efort sa intelegem ce este doctrina lui Hristos, ca sa fim biserica Lui, ca sa nu fim inca o imitatie lumeasca. (De aia scriu acuma serie despre Prelegeri Despre Credinta.)
In al doilea rand, in septembrie 1832, numai doi ani jumatate dupa organizarea Bisericii SZU, Domnul a dat o revelatie la Joseph Smith care este foarte socant: El a declarat ca "intreaga Biserica," "copii Sionlui, chiar tuturor," sunt "sub condamnare" (D&L 84:55-56). Daca citim versetele 54-58, aflam ca suntem sub condamnarea pentru ca nu credem Cartea lui Mormon si ca l-am tratat usor invataturile lui. Si chiar daca cumva reusim sa "nu numai sa vorbim, ci sa facem potrivit celor scrise" de Domnul, "ramane un flagel si o judecata de revarsat" asupra noi.
Daca cumva nu crezi ca aceasta condamnare inca ramana asupra noi astazi, trebuie sa consideri ca Ezra Taft Benson, al cui invataturile studiem anul acesta in Societate de Alinare si cvorumurile de preotie, a predat acest principiu cand el a fost presedintele al bisericii. Poti sa citesti niste extrase in capitole 9 si 10 in manualul nostru.
Trebuie sa petrecem mai mult timp cu Cartea lui Mormon: sa citim, sa studiem, sa aplicam in vietile noastre, sa ne rugam pentru intelegere. Imi face griji ca trecem peste Cartea lui Mormon numai foarte superficial, odata in patru ani, in planul nostru de invatamant. Nu pot sa face nimic despre planul bisericii, dar poate ca daca scriu despre Cartea lui Mormon si eforturile mele sa invat din ea, pot sa ma ajut pe mine si poate ca ajut si pe altii. Atata doresc, chiar daca nu sunt prea capabila.
Wonderful article and I think you are very good, don't discredit yourself. The mere fact that you are trying to do this puts you ahead of the rest. I am going to be taking some time to really consider your words and I appreciate you taking the time to write. Remember, that the worth of souls is great and if you save even one how great shall be your joy! Thank you.
RăspundețiȘtergereThank you for the encouraging words!
RăspundețiȘtergere