Liberty Jail

When Joseph Smith was held as a prisoner in Liberty Jail in Missouri for five months, his isolation allowed him to contemplate his relationship with God. There he was-- all alone. Or so it appeared. He was without his wife, without his children, without his close friends and fellow priesthood holders, and yet, despite all this, Joseph Smith recognized that God was with him, supporting him in his darkest trial. Being human, Joseph had questions about what was going on and why he sometimes felt alone. He wanted to know how long his suffering would last, why it was happening, why now-- the things we all ask when we are faced with a challenge. Now, I recognize that it's important to avoid comparing our challenges, but clearly this was a difficult test. I can't even fathom the pain, both emotional and physical, that Joseph Smith endured. I have no comprehension of just how difficult those five months were. But I do know everything I need to about his faith and character, because at the end of five excruciating months, the prophet Joseph Smith emerged as the greatest version of himself yet, and that is because he relied on the Lord.

During his time in a nasty, isolated jail cell, Joseph's primary concern was his prayers-- he wanted to know that his prayers were heard and acknowledged by God. He understandably felt abandoned. He asked, “Oh God, where art thou?” Even the prophet needed some confirmation that, although he felt sad and alone, that he still had the accompaniment of God. And sure enough, he did. Joseph’s experience in Liberty Jail surely taught him hundreds of important truths, but from an observer’s standpoint, that which I most readily see from this story is that Joseph learned: a) his prayers were always heard—even when it didn’t feel like it, and b) as a son of Heavenly Father and the prophet of the Lord’s church, he was absolutely capable of receiving personal, timely revelation. I am so grateful for the prophet’s example of faith and endurance. He truly exercised hope and steadfastness in his trials.

Each of us is asked to make sacrifices or overcome challenges, just as Joseph Smith was. I think that sometimes we are inclined to compare our challenges—what seems “toughest,” the most painful, the most impossible, etc. But in my first semester at BYU, religion professor Tod Parker shared a quote with our New Testament class that meant a whole lot to me. As stated by President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve in the October 1980 General Conference:

"We may foolishly bring unhappiness and trouble, even suffering upon ourselves. These are not always to be regarded as penalties imposed by a displeased Creator. They are part of the lessons of life, part of the test. Some are tested by poor health, some by a body that is deformed or homely. Others are tested by handsome and healthy bodies; some by the passion of youth; others by the erosions of age. Some suffer disappointment in marriage, family problems; others live in poverty and obscurity. Some (perhaps this is the hardest test) find ease and luxury. All are part of the test, and there is more equality in this testing than sometimes we suspect."

I believe these words are powerful, and so true. Each of us faces challenges. While some may appear “harder” than others, I think we should try to remember that no one escapes testing. Everyone is tried. Every test is difficult, and in spite of our varying challenges, we do share one very important thing in common—something Joseph Smith clearly understood: the way for us to overcome our trials, no matter what they may be, is to rely on the Lord. He is always, always with us.

Baptism for the Dead

The doctrine of baptism for the dead is an essential part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe that God gives all of his children the opportunity to receive his message and to manifest their discipleship through entering the waters of baptism. Because not all of God's children have the opportunity to do this in mortality (while living on earth), God gives them the opportunity to receive the gospel even after death, and a living person then is baptized, physically, on behalf of the deceased individual. There's a few fundamental things I want to point out about this very simplified explanation:

1) All of this centers around the concept of agency-- the idea and LDS belief that all men and women are free to act for themselves. God doesn't force anyone to do anything. People have choice. Of course, sometimes another person's agency affects our lives, meaning that sometimes things happen that weren't brought about by our own choices. However, we still maintain the right to respond to whatever circumstances or struggles we come across. This makes total and complete sense to me because I believe in a God who is fair. He doesn't pick and choose favorites (neither do my mortal parents). He loves us all the same, and loves us so much that he gives us the right to choose what we want for ourselves.

2) The discussion on baptism for the dead also highlights an even greater idea-- the Plan of Salvation. Essentially, baptism into Christ's church is a critical step in our eternal progression. God has a plan. He sent us to earth to receive a body and to exercise our agency (to choose good, or to choose evil). We live on earth, but when we die, our existence is not over. We will be resurrected (as was Christ), we will be judged, and we will receive an eternal increase in one of three different kingdoms or degrees of glory (1 Corinthians 15). Because we must be baptized to receive eternal glory and live with God in the celestial kingdom, he will provide us with the opportunity to be baptized-- whether that opportunity comes in mortal existence, or after.

Thus, baptism for the dead provides all people-- ALL of God's children-- with the opportunity to accept his gospel and his will. Baptism is a physical ordiance, so those who choose to receive the gospel in the spirit life after death are not officially received into the kingdom until someone performs the ordinance on their behalf (someone living on earth). Although baptisms are performed for those who have passed on, performing that act does not impede upon their will and free choice in any way-- it is still their decision to receive it, or not.

Joseph Smith received this revelation about baptism for the dead as he mourned the loss of his brother, Alvin, who had died before being baptized. Knowing that salvation came only to those who are baptized, Joseph was greatly troubled for his brother's soul. The Lord gave Joseph this revelation, now Doctrine & Covenants 137, to comfort him and help him know that his brother was okay. People who die without receiving the gospel are provided that opportunity in the next life, and children who die before the age of accountability (eight years) are not damned. This also makes sense to me. "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgressions" (The Articles of Faith). Latter-day Saints have a view on original sin that differs from most Christians. Although we believe in the reality of the fall (of Adam and Eve), we do not believe that we will be punished for their transgressions. The fall was an essential part of the plan of salvation-- it brought about our agency. It ushered in mortality. And consequently, children who die before the age of eight (when they can get baptized) are not punished. Instead, they are assured exaltation and everlasting life with Heavenly Father. Again, this makes absolute sense to me. The God I worship, a fair and loving God, gives his children-- all of them-- the opportunity to choose to be part of his church. And if they die before the age of accountability, they did not have that opportunity and thus will not be punished for having not received that opportunity.

Well, I love this doctrine. It makes sense to me, and I have a testimony of it. I know that Heavenly Father loves each of his children. I only comprehend a little tiny portion of that love, and even that small portion I understand is so great that it fills me with joy! Heavenly Father is so wonderful. His son, Jesus Christ, provided the way for us to be forgiven and to grow through the gift of his Atonement. This is part of our eternal progression. I believe that baptism is the first principle and ordinance of the gospel, and that choosing to become part of God's church was just about the greatest choice I ever made.

A hymn that explains how I feel when I think about everything God has provided us and how much he loves us is "How Great Thou Art":

O Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all

The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,

I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout

The universe displayed;

And when I think,

That God his son not sparing,

Sent him to die,

I scarce can take it in.

That on the cross,

My burden gladly bearing,

He bled and died,

To take away my sin.

When Christ shall come,

With shouts of acclamation,

And take me home,

What joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow

In humble adoration

And there proclaim,

"My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

The Y

This post is a shout-out to my sister, Mady, who was officially accepted to BYU last night. Woot! Woot! To say we are all very excited about this is a gross understatement! Madyson has worked so, so hard throughout high-school and has a marvelous collection of accomplishments to show for her efforts, the crown of which is now her acceptance to this great school. I am very happy that she will be here next fall.

Right now I am enjoying some down time (can you believe it?) between a class that ended at six and an editing meeting (I am on the editing staff for the school journal STANCE) that starts at seven. I found a nice, familiar corner (complete with couch and ottoman) in the JKB and have a lovely view of campus at dusk. This is a gorgeous university. I love it.

Special Collections

Yes. You guessed it. I have a special collection of teddy bears that I whipped out to decorate our apartment with in honor of V-Day this weekend...

...Ok, kidding. :)

The Harold B. Lee Library on BYU's campus has an incredible selection referred to as the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, located on the first floor. I've spent a lot of time in the library over my four semesters at BYU; it is a beautiful place and easily my favorite building on campus. It is consistently ranked by the Princeton Review as one of the top 5 collegiate libraries in America, and that's not hard for me to believe. The library has always provided an abundance of resources for me, on a range of topics (we're talkin' anywhere from the Buddha, to same-sex marriage, to Idaho topography in the 1800's, and so on and so forth...).

I first visited the Special Collections only last semester~ I went to look at the transcript from an oral interview conducted of my great-great grandfather, George Tilton Hyde. It was there, at that time, that I gained my deep respect and appreciation for the Special Collections unit of our library. As I read over my Grandfather's words, feelings of love and empowerment washed over me; I felt grateful to the library for taking the time to preserve something so special, and even sacred, to my family. The collection features many ancient, fragile, and authentic records. Major work goes into preserving these records, and students/faculty/etc. are not authorized, under just about any circumstances, to remove any items from the collection. When our D&C class went to visit the Special Collections last week, special care was made to not soil or harm any of the showcased books in any way (usually only gloved personnel are authorized to touch ancient records).

Record-keeping was crucial in the early years of the church. But really, record keeping has always been essential to the building of God's kingdom. As I have been reading The Joseph Smith Papers, I have been absolutely astonished at the great lengths Joseph went to to keep accurate and detailed records of the revelations he received, as well as of what he chose to do about those revelations. This applies to the Book of Mormon, as well as to the Bible-- where would we be if prophets and other men of God had not kept those records? I'm grateful they did, and when I ponder this, I realize just how important it is for me to keep my own records. In some areas, I'm not the greatest (so far, financial record-keeping is not my strength; I had better improve that ASAP). But in others, such as blogging (hee hee), letter-writing, and journal-writing, I'm doing all right. When I read the histories of my ancestors, I feel the spirit and I feel a sense of belonging. I feel truth. The same goes for when I read the Doctrine & Covenants. I know that this book is revelation from God, translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Although his language was not flawless, he did dictate the Lord's message as accurately as possible using the English language in the 1830's. The book is true, and is a reminder of the need for each of us to keep accurate records.

The Pearl

This post marks my second for Doctrine & Covenants, and this week the topic is... suffering. I don't know anyone who doesn't suffer. We all do at different points in our lives. It's important to emphasize our reaction and response to suffering-- I distinctly remember a wonderful talk given by Elder Wirthlin in general conference a few years ago, and he said we ought to adopt this attitude: "Come what may, and love it!" He is so right. My question, then, is: when we're in the midst of troubling times, be it personally, as a family, nationally, or whatever, how do we bear it?

That obviously depends on the type of suffering, but either way, we must rely on the Lord. The first type of suffering is the suffering we bring upon ourselves through our actions (ie when we sin). I'd like to focus on a special section in the Doctrine & Covenants. D&C 101, verses 1-3:

Verily I say unto you, concerning your brethren who have been afflicted and persecuted and cast out from the land of their inheritance---
I the Lord have suffered the affliction to come upon them, wherewith they have been afflicted, in consequence of their transgressions;
Yet I will own them, and they shall be mine in that day when I shall come to make up my jewels.

Did you catch that? The Lord, in his great mercy, will count even the transgressors (that's all of us, right?) among his jewels, if we repent and change our hearts and habits.

Continuing on with this discussion of the Saints' suffering (verses 4-9):

Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son.
For all those who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified.
Behold, I say unto you, there were jarrings, and contentions...
They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God...
In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me.
Verily I say unto you, notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards them. I will not utterly cast them off; and in the day of wrath I will remember mercy.

When I reflect on God's mercy, I rejoice! Truly, He is our kind and loving Heavenly Father. Like our mortal parents, our suffering does not make him "happy." But, he loves us, and he knows that when we are chastened, we grow and become better people, if we so choose. Of course, we can become bitter and hard-hearted, and ultimately reject God. BUT, if we repent and recommit to following Jesus Christ, we will be filled with the light and love of our Heavenly Father, and we will be better people because of our experience. It is important to remember that even in our suffering, and even when we sin, God loves us. He invites us to change our ways when we sin, and he will help us to conquer wickedness. We need his help to do this, and the help of our Savior Jesus Christ.

The second type of suffering comes not in response to our sins, but as an opportunity to grow and improve and become more like God. This kind of suffering can be confusing. It hurts. We sometimes wonder, "why me?" Or in the worst case, satan may discourage us and tempt us into believing that, considering our dire circumstances, God must not love us.

Satan is wrong. In fact, if we heed Elder Wirthlin's counsel and choose to embrace our challenges as an opportunity to grow, we will be blessed immeasurably and recognize just how greatly Heavenly Father loves us. The Lord counsels us to "...be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you..." (D&C 68:6). I have a testimony that He will, in fact, stand by us. He will strengthen us and support us, and with his help we will come off conqueror.

Going back to D&C 101, the Lord said we would be his jewels. Similar to a jewel is a pearl. Do you know the story of the pearl? It is one of my favorite processes in nature. Here's a simplified version: At some point, a foreign object, usually a tiny piece of shell or dirt, enters an oyster. The oyster recognizes this irritant, and begins to coat it with a special liquid. Over time, this liquid builds up and creates a pearl. Thus, something that began as a bother because one of the world's most beautiful and precious gifts.


We are all pearls. Accepted into often difficult circumstances, I believe the Lord is trying and chastening us-- coating us-- to become pearls. I have a testimony that God is our Heavenly Father, and that he loves us. If we keep an eternal perspective and rely on him and the saving power of our Redeemer, even Jesus Christ, we will be exalted one day. We will be his jewels. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Just wanted to add this "pearl" of wisdom-- a favorite poem my mom shared with me a long time ago:

The tree that never had to fight,

For sun and sky and air and light,

But stood out in the open plain,

And always got it’s share of rain,

Never became a forest king,

But lived and died a scrawny thing.

The man who never had to toil,

To gain and farm his patch of soil,

Who never had to win his share,

Of sun and sky and light and air,

Never became a manly man,

But lived and died as he began.

Good timber does not grow in ease,

The stronger the wind, the stronger trees.

The farther sky, the greater length,

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In tree and men good timbers grow.

Where thickest lies the forest growth,

We find the patriarchs of both.

And they hold counsel with the stars

Whose broken branches show the scars

Of pain and loss, of gain and strife.

This is the common law of life.

~Douglas Mallock

I got the image of the redwood trees HERE.

I got the image of the pearl HERE.