“And he [Alma] beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word.” Alma 32:6
I love what Alma said when he spoke to the humble and poor in spirit in about 74 BC, as it says above. Are we humble and poor in spirit? Why? Are you being forced to be humble, or are you just a humble person by nature? What a wonderful quality if you posses that ability to be humble. I am learning daily how to be made even more humble. With the recent earthquake in Utah and the horrible COVID-19 are we becoming more humble?
Today I am very proud to be an American. I just finished listening to the White House Press Briefing of March 30, 2020. I am so thankful for a great nation and great people. We truly live in a country that God has blessed for an amazing people. I can honestly say there is a Spirit over this land that is unique in all the World. Having this “Choice Land” reserved for us, as long as we are righteous, is a tremendous blessing. I feel this earthquake in Utah on March 18, and the Pandemic that has spread all throughout the World has made many of us more humble and able to be taught. I find more people are living and loving just as we were after the 9-11 catastrophe. Trials really do make us humble.
During this Virus pandemic we have been hit with a very difficult challenge. One that affects the World. It’s so sad to see what’s happening in New York, Italy, Spain, Washington State and may other places. We are losing great people to this deadly virus but there is hope in this loss. All tragedy will instill only one of two feelings inside. One of grief, sorrow and fear, or one of hope, humility and looking to God. It is my choice to look to God. He is the answer.
Many people believe the worst thing in life is death, misery, pain, and tragedy. I don’t think these are the worst things in life. The worst thing by far to me, is losing our faith in God, and not following Him. If we choose to follow the Savior, He has removed the sting of death and the sorrow of physical pain. He has died for us that we may live with Him again. He truly loves us. If you don’t believe this, I urge you to figure it out. Read the Bible and Book of Mormon, pray to Him, He is real and He will answer you. If you are fearful of death it most likely means you are fearful of life! Fear and Faith are not compatible. If you are angry and hate God, you just don’t understand the purpose of life. All of us die, but remember we are made alive again through Christ. Death IS NOT the worst thing in life. Turn to humility not to anger or fear.
When people ask me “why does God allow bad things to happen?.” As if bad things are so bad and God is so mean? Isn’t that the purpose of life to learn how to overcome obstacles and grief? Once we figure this out, we in essence are prepared to die. Death is not fearful to me; it is only challenging to know that when I die I want to be prepared to meet my Savior. I jokingly tell my wife I don’t fear death and know I will probably live until 110 because there are so many things I need to learn, I will need at least that much time to learn my lessons of life. It seems each day I live I learn to repent a little more. Hugh Nibley said, “Who is righteous? Anyone who is repenting. No matter how bad he has been, if he is repenting he is a righteous man. There is hope for him. And no matter how good he has been all his life, if he is not repenting, he is a wicked man. The difference is which way you are facing. The man on the top of the stairs facing down is much worse off than the man on the bottom step who is facing up. The direction we are facing, that is repentance; and that is what determines whether we are good or bad.” Hugh Nibley, Approaching Zion, pg. 301-302
At today’s press conference I saw men and women of America that I am truly proud of. These people are the leaders of great American companies like United Technologies, or Raytheon, Proctor and Gamble, My Pillow, Jockey International, Walmart, CVS and many more. One by one each one of these great Americans stood up and thanked the President and Vice President and members of the FDA, EPA, and other government agencies for working hand in hand with them to fight this fight of this evil pandemic the invisible enemy. We have come together as a nation and as people who love this country to support and help people we don’t even know, in places we have never visited and we still serve them. I had tears in my eyes as these leaders of huge companies said they will provide millions of masks, hundred of ventilators, nurses and doctor gowns, medical equipment, clothing and so much more as gifts to our nation. One of the CEO’s gave their hourly and salaried workers 15 million dollars in their fund to help his 500 employees. What generosity.
It is easy to be humble when forced to be. The biggest thing to learn is to be humble simply because of the word even during the good times. Alma 32:14
I have a wonderful aunt who always told me that she never worried in life when she had a trial. She only feared when she had no trial. She said she always turns to the Lord during trials and they strengthen her. I love my dear Aunt Beth who passed away at 93 just a year ago. She is a rock of hope and faith.
I just heard that Israel has donated 6 million doses of hydroxychloroquine which was just approved by the FDA to treat Corona Virus 19. Israel loves our country. I saw that hundreds of American pharmacies donated over 16 million doses of the same drug to help us heal. GM and Ford have converted their factories to make ventilators. I heard Pres Trump say America donated millions of dollars’ worth of medical supplies that America doesn’t need and shipped them to Italy. Two huge Navy hospital ships with over 1,000 beds are now in NY and California. The Army Corp of engineers just built a 2,900-room hospital in NY in 4 days, amazing. Red Cross donations are up, service is up, love is stronger, and people are coming together just like during the 9-11 attacks. I love being an American we have been blessed with the Spirit of the Lord to lead out in these days of tribulation. Of course, other countries and people are just as important as Americans. We are all special in the Lords’ eyes. We American have just been asked to do more for many.
My wife and I have had sacrament in our home the last few weeks as many of you, and they have been some of the best moments I have ever shared with my dear eternal companion. We felt such humility and grace as we partook of the bread and water representing our dear Savior. The spirit taught us both, of how import we are as partners in this wonderful world. I am thankful for the opportunity to share the sacrament in my home. That may have never happened if we didn’t have this virus. In that sense the virus has blessed my life. I pray harder and weep often on how I can help the Lord’s people during this difficult time. The fast that President Nelson called for was a great blessing in my life.
I have ministered more; I have checked up on my neighbors more and I have asked for more forgiveness as I see so many others seeming to do more during this crisis than I am doing. I am so blessed and need to wake up even now to give back to the Lord all that He has given me. I have been forced to be humble once again. If only I could learn to be humble just because of the word. I had a great bishop who told me over 30 years ago, that all the Lord wants is a humble people, and if we aren’t humble we will be forced to be humble, or die without Christ in our lives.
During this difficult time for small business I have felt their pain. I have the great privilege of working with Rod Meldrum. His love and desire to bless the lives of others is huge and sincere. He is a simple warrior who loves the Lord and shares His gospel with millions. I help Rod during the times we have the FIRM Foundation Expos and I see how challenging it is, but how rewarding it is. I see people so touched by the messages of hope and love at our conferences, it makes me want to be around these great people forever. We usually have thousands come live to our conferences every six months and this time because of the virus we just didn’t know what to do. Our Conference Center was closed. Rod and I and many others thought and prayed on what we should do. We looked at just cancelling the whole thing, but the more we talked about that, the more I heard from our friends and guests say they sure hope we still have our conference. They would say do what the Church is doing and have a virtual conference which is what we finally decided to do. Now we can enjoy two weekends of wonderful messages. As the Prophet has told us, “this will be the best conference ever.” I am so excited to hear our leaders share their testimonies with us.
During our FIRM conference we are having amazing speakers video tape themselves and we are filming some of them as we produce over 60 new videos available by internet to the world with great information to be shared the week after General Conference. Our guests and friends are ecstatic as they get two wonderful weekends of the Gospel now. Our speakers obvisously are not Prophets nor Apostles, but they are great people who have the Spirit of God in them. We will have amazing speakers like Tim Ballard a true American hero, former congressman Chris Cannon, Jewish Scholar Avraham Gileadi, the founder of the atomic clock, David Allan, BYU Professor Craig Ostler, former Super Bowl champion Burgess Owens, Archaeology expert Wayne May, the wonderful son of Sister Mary Ellen Smoot, Steve Smoot, a truly spiritual Navajo teacher, Betty Red Ant LaFontaine, Publisher and ship sailor Boyd Tuttle, health expert Cindy Jorgensen, Attorney and Historian Jonathan Neville, emergency medical expert, Jeff Midgley, Authors and speakers Rhonda and Ferrell Pickering, Jewish convert, David Kay and many more. Please see a bio of them all here.
For information about our “Virtual Expo” visit our website https://bookofmormonevidence.org/, or to purchase tickets which are just $40 to view over 60 new presentations and over 250 total presentations from the comfort of your home on any computer and over a 3 month period of time here.
It is a great time to be alive. We thank the Lord for these challenges. We don’t believe the worst thing is physical death but spiritual death. Many cynics scoff and say many Christians, “all they do when there is a tragedy is pray. Prayers can’t help!” These cynics are wrong, prayers really do help. They help us be humble and give it to the Lord. We can’t fix innocent people dying but we can be humble and pray for others and hope they never experience spiritual death. The Lord will take those who die needlessly unto His Own Bosom and bless them and live forever with them. We that are left on earth need to still learn and read and study and pray so we may be worthy when we die, to have such a privilege as to live with the Savior forever.
Yes, I say to the Lord, “thank you for the challenges and trials of life and may I become stronger in my love of Thee during these difficult times.” It’s ok to be forced to be humble, but I am learning more and more to try and be humble just because of the word.
UPDATE: Just as I was preparing this article My friend Ron Gloshen sent me the following news! 3/31/2020
“A 6.5-magnitude earthquake has reportedly hit central Idaho. The quake was felt in Boise, around 70 miles from the epicenter, 44 miles west of Challis, Idaho.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports the magnitude 6.5 temblor struck just before 6 p.m. MDT. It was centered 73 miles northeast of Meridian, Idaho. The depth of the quake was 10 kilometers according to the USGS.” KIRO 7 News
Let’s just be humble. This forcing to be humble can really challenge our faith.
Thanks to Liz Lemon Swindle who is one of my favorite artists. Does the picture below capture the Love of the Savior? Absolutely!
