LEAVING THE PATH OF HAPPINESS

I had barely had time to start my first reading of Alma chapter 4 in The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ, when a comment Kathleen had made the prior evening when we were enjoying some television viewing came into my mind. ‘I don’t understand since living the way the church teaches us to live results in happiness why so many people, even when they are aware of this marvelous Plan of Happiness, choose another path.’

Alma begins this chapter with a short report on the tremendous harvest which had been reaped of converts during the first seven years of the reign of the judges. This positive report is quickly followed by a much sadder report of many members of the church leaving the joyful path and walking elsewhere.

Alma makes a long list of the reasons people stumble away from the pleasant path and onto one which can never lead to a fulness of joy:

They became lifted up in the pride of their own eyes and began to wear costly apparel.

They set their eyes upon riches and the vain things of the world.

They began to be scornful one towards another.

They began to persecute those that do not believe according to their own will and pleasure.

They began to have great contention.

There were envying’s.

There was strife.

There was malice.

There was inequality.

They turned their backs on the needy.

They went from one piece of iniquity to another.

In my own experience as I have witnessed those who have chosen to leave the pathway of the Plan of Happiness, I observed they were not doing so necessarily because of those reasons which Alma identified. Ten years ago when I first started writing these Thoughts for a Sabbath day I included the following story which I feel accurately explains why so many choose paths which cause them to leave the Happiness Path.

The story is told of an ancient fox trapper who mastered his craft in the North Country in the early days of the history of the United States of America, long before its vast space began to be filled by the westward migration stimulated by the quest for gold. After toiling for many lonely years in the wilderness, the day finally came when the creature comforts of far off cities pulled at him until he finally succumbed and announced to his few courageous peers that this year would mark his last season of gleaning pelts.

Residing in one of the tent shacks, which clustered together to make up what was generously referred to as the town, was an adventurous young man who had come west to find his fortune. The lad petitioned the ancient trapper that he might become his mentor in the skills of trapping. After a lengthy conversation the old man was persuaded to allow the young neophyte to be his apprentice for this one last season.

As the two journeyed together into the hills and then into the mountains the old master was particularly careful in his duties as he bequeathed his knowledge to his student. He found great excitement in the prospect of leaving his time-tried knowledge as a legacy which would be passed from his novice to a yet unborn future generation. After a season of meticulous care in setting and harvesting his traps, the once trapper now turned tutor returned from the mountains with his student, both being laden with the rewards of a bounteous yield of pelts. The old man could now look forward to his well-earned years of ease with the added joy of knowing that all he had learned over the years would not be lost because of his parting.

Some years later the ancient trapper, yielding to the beckoning call of the wild, and a curiosity to know of his apprentice’s success, returned to the mountains of his own well spent youth. After an extended search he finally found his student who had all the appearances of impoverishment and an ill spent life. He was living in a run down shack with a meager supply of substance surrounding him.

Questions stumbled upon one another as the old man in his haste desired to know the cause of what seemed to be a life of failure on the trap lines.

“Had the fox run out?”

“Had the traps lost their spring?”

“Had the Indians driven the trappers from the mountains?”

To each question came a haltingly humble almost inaudible reply, “no.”

“What then had happened,” queried the master trapper?

Almost too abruptly the answer left the lips of the destitute young man, “I FOUND A BETTER WAY.”

My own experience has been, that even a casual perusal of why the good people I have known have chosen to walk a path other than the one marked by the Plan of Happiness contained in the Lord’s Gospel, is simply because they have become convinced that for them there is a ‘better way’. Not because they have chosen to sink into the depths of iniquity, but because they feel much more comfortable on their own ‘better way’ path.

Alma becomes so convinced about the need to try to help others faithfully walk on the path of the Plan of Happiness that he yields up the position of Chief Judge so that he might be able to dedicate himself to convincing the members of the church to faithfully remain on their covenant path.

I have been blessed to live a life full of opportunity to meagerly attempt to do as Alma, of bearing down in pure testimony, in the spirit of revelation and prophecy. Because of these ample opportunities I have gained a witness that many walk alternate paths, not because of having chosen evil, but because of one or all of the following reasons.

They don’t see clearly the difference between the worldly propaganda of what the ‘good life’ is and the joy one receives by striving to walk the pathway of love and mercy.

They have arrived at a level of personal contentment and feel no need to pay the price for anything greater.

They have not been able to separate the imperfections and judgmental comments of those attempting to walk on the path from the perfection of the Plan.

Numerous attempts to walk the path of happiness accompanied by an equal number of imagined failures has led to a lack of interest in further attempts.

No matter how many ‘better ways’ we find or devise they will never yield the results of the pathway of the Plan of Happiness.

Only when we fully embrace and commit to walking the path of the Plan of Happiness can we reap the reward of the promised consequences.

None of us know the ‘due time’ of another and none of us should ever lose faith in our Heavenly Father’s diligent and dedicated devotion to complete His work and glory by bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children.

I pray that we might all be filled with love, patience and inspiration to accept each other wherever we might be walking, be ready to be inspired when another desires to lean upon us for strength to walk the gospel pathway and be wise enough to redirect our own stumblings which at times divert us from the Plan of Happiness.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

FAITH - HOPE - CHARITY = PEACE - JOY - LOVE

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

There seem to be times – in most of our lives – when it becomes apparent – from our point of view – that improvement learning experiences – are needed more in the lives of our neighbors – than in our own lives!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

One of the strange big changes – which has taken place in my life while I have aged – is that after spending many years – trying to narrow the gap between the Savior’s level of perfection – and – my own meager improvements – is that during the latter part of my life – I daily become aware – of the increased difference – between where I am – and – where he is

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

Of all the testimonies – we should be seeking to gain – that which might be the most important of all – is of the reality of the life – mission – and – Atonement – of Jesus the Christ the Savior of all!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

Even in those moments – of our most sever emotional – or – physical pain – it would be well to remember – He who suffered the physical – and – emotional pains of all mankind!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

Living in the technological age of the early 21st century – removes all wondering – about new developments being on the horizon – the only mystery seems to be – what the new development will be!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

Having a constant curiosity – and – a sense of something lacking – is a safety net – which should help us from becoming complacent – and – cease to search – for a more sure witness – and – a stronger testimony!!

AGENCY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

Probably more times than I should admit, I have heard myself think and at times I have expressed out loud phrases such as: Agency isn’t always all it is cracked up to be, or, it would be good if there were a three strike rule for those who misuse Agency, or, consequences for making wrong choices should be immediate and memorable.

The objects of my thoughts and words about limiting the use and availability of Agency have included teachers, children, friends and most of all politicians. If I were being totally honest and were to completely bare my judgmental-ness I wouldn’t have any space left to take this Thought in a more positive and beneficial direction.

I don’t like to blame The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ for this confession of my personal weaknesses, but as I was reading chapters 1 -3 in the Book of Alma, my unrighteous conclusions concerning the gift of Agency came flooding over me.

No sooner had Mosiah instituted the system of judges among the Nephites in order to avoid the pitfalls which happen to nations which are ruled over by unrighteous kings, than many in the kingdom begin to take advantage of a law which kept the government from having power over what a person believed or what they expressed about their beliefs, even in cases where it was obvious lies were being perpetrated upon the people.

Just a quick review of some of those ‘Agency Misusers’ involved in these chapters might help you understand the magnitude of my frustration, but, hopefully, won’t convert you to being like those of us who would limit in some way further use of agency for those who constantly make wrong choices.

There were those who set out to establish priestcrafts among the people and have power over others. They were those who loved the vain things of the world and who taught false doctrines for the sake of power and honor.

There were those who would persecute others because they believed and acted differently.

There were those who perpetrated contention and affliction in order to gain the desires of their prideful hearts.

There were those who taught inequality claiming that the preacher was better than the hearer, the teacher was better than the learner, the weak were less because of the strength of others.

There were those who indulged themselves in sorceries, idolatry, idleness, babblings, envyings, persecutions, lying, thieving, robbing and whoredoms.

There were those who were consumed with the belief of the superiority of their own wisdom.

There were those who sought to destroy the Church of God.

There were those who justified war in order to gain control of others.

There were those who weakened the nation and opened it to being vulnerable because of their own selfish desires.

There were those who distinguished themselves by putting markings on their bodies so they could easily be identified as someone who had chosen a superior way.

I am sure most have already realized that I didn’t need to go to The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ to make a list like the preceding one. I could just as easily have made it from a current newspaper, magazine, the internet or any news broadcast. It seems that in the passing of 2300 years since Alma wrote his book we have made very little universal progress in using our God given Agency to make beneficial and correct choices.

There are two things we learn about the consequences of Agency: first, some will come as an immediate curse upon us and, second, that even though consequences may not come during our mortal lives they will be administered.

Alma 3: 19

Now I would that ye should see that they brought upon themselves the curse; and even so doth every man that is cursed bring upon himself his own condemnation.

Alma 3: 27

For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth. And thus endeth the fifth year of the reign of the judges.

Although I have as yet been unable to stop my thinking and commenting on how Agency is often wasted on those who either have no knowledge of the principle, or, having knowledge choose to take a chance on the evaporation of consequences, or just don’t believe in the principle. I have become better at applying what I understand about Agency and attending consequences mainly to myself and in fewer instances to others.

Along with my turtle pace progress in tempering my judgmental-ness I have also gained a tremendous belief in the impossibility of our mortal existence being any kind of a test if the Law of Agency were not part of the Eternal Plan of our Heavenly Father.

Therefore, I strongly encourage everyone to gain greater understanding of the laws, doctrines and principles Heavenly Father has given us through his Apostles and Prophets, learn of the immediate and eternal consequences which attend them and strive to make choices in accordance with the mind and will of God.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

The moment we become satisfied – with the absoluteness of our testimonies – will be the very moment – when our testimonies begin to shrink!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

We gain depth of character – by allowing righteous attributes – to sink deeper – and – deeper – into our beings!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

There seems to be a period in every boy’s life – even though it might be brief – and – fleeting for some – when they feel – very assured – and – full of themselves!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

We probably – never fully appreciate – the stewardship of the Holy Spirit – in His role as a comforter – until we have the need – and – feel His balm heal our wounds!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

There has only been one cure discovered – for sleep deprivation!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

There fleeting moments – when witnessing the marvelous capabilities of the young – when – a sense of fear envelopes me!!

BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE

The morning I sat down to write this Thought for a Sabbath was only a couple of weeks before I would complete my 80th Year of mortality and I was also making the transition from the Book of Mosiah to the Book of Alma in The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ . I had just written the following which I planned to include as a face book entry on the day of the celebration of my birth and the completion of my 80th decade of mortality.

Blink!

And the carefree decade of your infancy, toddler and youth evaporates

Blink!

And the troubled decade of your teens vanishes

Blink!

And the hopeful decade of your twenty’s disappears

Blink!

And the training decade of your thirty’s dissipates

Blink!

And the productive decade of the forty’s is gone

Blink!

And the fruitful decade of your fifty’s withdraws

Blink!

And the secure decade of your sixty’s retires

Blink!

And the resourceful decade of your seventy’s fades

Blink!

And the ebbing decade of your eighty’s expires

I wonder what will happen as I ebb through the decade of my eighty’s. I was about to open the Book of Alma in the hope of getting some inspiration on what to write a Thought about as part of the wonderful adventure I have been taking over the last year and a half as I have been making my way through The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I happened to see the third book of ‘Reflections for a Sabbath Day’ that contains some of the radio talks I had written when we lived in Reno, Nevada, during the decade of my forty’s. This reminded me that I had one more talk that I had not rewritten in my Thoughts for a Sabbath day. When I opened that talk I was impressed that it would be very appropriate to rewrite as part of today’s Thought, as it was along the same line of thinking which was going through my mind when I wrote the words to Blink.

Although my memory of the lyrics is blurred the message of the song ' Mañana is Good Enough For Me’ is both vivid in my memory and my everyday reality.

The malady of procrastination has been compared to stepping into quicksand. The longer you wait, the harder it is to get out of your predicament. Procrastination has other characteristics with quicksand, such as; we would be better off if it were completely avoided, it is usually part of the unpleasantries of life, we always know it exists, but continue to fall into it’s trap anyway.

Many times our ability to overcome the debilitating effects of procrastination happens because we don’t understand the cause.

Any one or a combination of any of the following causes could attribute to a person putting off tasks, even some of which one might normally complete with eagerness and joy.

Physical well-being, tiredness, fatigue and mal-nutrition contribute greatly to a person’s ‘put-off until tomorrow’ syndrome, while fitness, healthiness and being well rested help with our ‘get it done now’ abilities.

Emotional well-being, which is determined by many factors such as; we may be over programing our lives, we may have developed a self-defeating attitude, we may be overwhelmed with the envisioned commitment, or we may have developed habits of laziness.

Spiritual well-being, when we lack a firm conviction that there is meaning to life and an eternal purpose for existence it becomes much easier to rationalize inaction in many areas of our lives.

Although I have listed these contributing causes separately, they seldom work independently, but often attack our ability to complete tasks as a heavy inter-twined mangled weight. Therefore, if we are going to show progress in our overcoming the debilitating malady of procrastination we must improve our well-being physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Since overcoming procrastination is an task which effects us during our entire lives, I have come to the conclusion that putting off until tomorrow is not good for any of us. Sterling W. Sill once said: ‘In a dreadful reality, everyday is judgement, and is part of eternity, therefore, each day must bear its full load of responsibility. One of the greatest truths of the world is that the future is now.’(Instructor, June 1961)

Whatever it is…

Take it from someone who knows.

Do it now!

Blink!

And the carefree decade of your infancy, toddler and youth evaporates

Blink!

And the troubled decade of your teens vanishes

Blink!

And the hopeful decade of your twenty’s disappears

Blink!

And the training decade of your thirty’s dissipates

Blink!

And the productive decade of the forty’s is gone

Blink!

And the fruitful decade of your fifty’s withdraws

Blink!

And the secure decade of your sixty’s retires

Blink!

And the resourceful decade of your seventy’s withdraws

Blink!

And the ebbing decade of your eighty’s expires


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

It may be because old men – view the world with dimming eyes – but – every generation seem to be more talented – stronger – and – intelligent!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

If the logic – of each generation improving on parenting techniques – is true – why aren’t the children of today’s generation – perfect??

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

If the logic – of each generation improving on parenting techniques – is true – we need to all pity those poor children – of centuries gone by!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

I often marvel – at how each generation of parents – is absolutely sure – their parenting techniques – are far superior – to all previous generations!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

I often wonder what my grandparents would think – about the parenting techniques – being used by their – great-great grandchildren!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

One of the joys – which comes with having an extended life – is being able to see multiple generations develop – and – grow!!

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE

Besides the written word found in the scriptures and the words of the living Apostles and Prophets of the Lord Jesus the Christ, there have been very few moments of my life when I have not surrounded myself with the written words of those whom I am grateful to have enjoyed as my mortal mentors.

One of those mentors, Hugh Nibley, I was first introduced to shortly after returning from serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Northern half of Mexico during the last part of the 1950’s and the first part of the 1960’s. The year after my return from that mission, the Church had chosen Nibley’s book, ‘An Approach to the Book of Mormon’, as the text for Melchizedek Priesthood quorum members and since I had been called to be one of the instructors for that year it meant I faithfully read the lessons during the entire year. Like so many who had read or heard him speak previously, I continually found myself mentally exclaiming, ‘I have never heard that before’! His response when confronted with this exclamation was always, ‘If you had heard it before, you would have no need to be reading or hearing my words.’

Even today I have an extensive file of his writings which someday our children will have to decide whether to discard or retain, because I will not be able to discard them myself. As I was reading the final two chapters of the book of Mosiah in The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ, one of his essays came flooding back into my mind. It was titled ‘There is no Free Lunch’. The one point of Mosiah’s final words which prompted this memory was his belief that there is no economic system under which mortals are restrained which was ordained of God. I hope I don’t lose too many readers at this point, but along with Socialism, Communism, Fascism and many other isms, he included Capitalism. His main point was than none of them are the financial system which the Lord has ordained for the care of His children during mortality which was called by Joseph Smith, The United Order.

What caused me to take this avenue in my ponderings as I prepared to write this Thought for this week, was that since all four sons of King Mosiah II had rejected his offer to follow him as the king of the Nephites, and fearing lest they might change their minds and cause unrest in the nation later on, he instituted a new system of government where the voice of the people would elect their Chief Judge.

Mosiah 29

6 Now I declare unto you that he to whom the kingdom doth rightly belong has declined, and will not take upon him the kingdom.

10 And now let us be wise and look forward to these things, and do that which will make for the peace of this people.

11 Therefore I will be your king the remainder of my days; nevertheless, let us appoint judges, to judge this people according to our law; and we will newly arrange the affairs of this people, for we will appoint wise men to be judges, that will judge this people according to the commandments of God.

12 Now it is better that a man should be judged of God than of man, for the judgments of God are always just, but the judgments of man are not always just.

13 Therefore, if it were possible that you could have just men to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God, and judge this people according to his commandments, yea, if ye could have men for your kings who would do even as my father Benjamin did for this people—I say unto you, if this could always be the case then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to rule over you.

16 Now I say unto you, that because all men are not just it is not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to rule over you.

21 And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the shedding of much blood.

25 Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord.

26 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people.

27 And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.

38 Therefore they relinquished their desires for a king, and became exceedingly anxious that every man should have an equal chance throughout all the land; yea, and every man expressed a willingness to answer for his own sins.

41 And it came to pass that they did appoint judges to rule over them, or to judge them according to the law; and this they did throughout all the land.

42 And it came to pass that Alma was appointed to be the first chief judge, he being also the high priest, his father having conferred the office upon him, and having given him the charge concerning all the affairs of the church.

43 And now it came to pass that Alma did walk in the ways of the Lord, and he did keep his commandments, and he did judge righteous judgments; and there was continual peace through the land.

46 And it came to pass that Mosiah died also, in the thirty and third year of his reign, being sixty and three years old; making in the whole, five hundred and nine years from the time Lehi left Jerusalem.

47 And thus ended the reign of the kings over the people of Nephi; and thus ended the days of Alma, who was the founder of their church.

Although Brother Nibley was speaking specifically about economic systems, I have strongly felt that what he said about there not being a financial system currently employed by man which was ordained of God, Nibley, by inference, included all systems of governments among those which will fall short of a Theocracy in looking after the welfare of the people. In the words of Mosiah, if righteous men govern, the populaces will enjoy peace, prosperity, happiness, and security and that nation will progress. But if the wicked reign…!

As witnessed in the Book of Alma, which we will be entering starting with next week’s Thought, the voice of the people do not always elect good people let alone righteous people to govern their lives. Sadly, either as a motivation to govern or as a result of having too much authority after having the powers of governing placed upon them, leaders often govern in a way which will facilitate their own prosperity and honor at the detriment and suffering of the governed.

As I enter my 9th decade of mortality my father, Frederick William Riley, takes more and more space in my memory as one of the marvelous mentors of my life. As I was about to write something which ended this Thought with something about ‘going to eat worms’, his counsel to ‘worry and concern myself about those things I am able to control’ suddenly filled my mind.

I can try to be a good and righteous husband

I can try to be a good and righteous father

I can try to be a good and righteous neighbor

I can try to be a good and righteous community member

I can try to be a good and righteous citizen

I can try to surround myself with those who are attempting to be good and righteous

I can try to elect those who are attempting to govern as good and righteous leaders

There was a period of my life when I spent a great deal of thought desiring to be upon the earth when the economies of the world would become a United Order and the Governments of the world would yield to the Theocracy headed by Jesus the Christ. I have come to realize that my life, will surely end before this comes to pass. Therefore, I will follow the counsel of another mentor, Joshua, and strive to attempt to choose to follow the Lord.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

If we nurture them well – there are many of life’s goodness’s – such as happiness – and – love – which never cease to grow!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

Externally generated excitement – most often – has a very temporary existence!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

True excitement – always seem to be generated from within – not from external stimuli!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

One of life’s strange phenomena – is that as our faculties begin – to diminish – our appreciation for the things we experience – increases!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

We should enjoy every experience to its fullest – before our faculties begin to diminish – because as they do – colors lose their brilliance – taste loses it sharpness – smell loses its clearness – and – we become less sensitive to things we touch!!

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

Whenever anything in life – is labeled mini – or – small – we should always expect – to be disappointed – or – pleasantly surprised – or – about to receive an added burden – when it involves us personally!!

WORDS OF LOVE

I don’t know when it was, but I know it was fairly early in my mortal existence I discovered that most peoples differences are as distinct as their fingerprints. I observed it not only in seeing the variety of likes and dislikes, but how their emotions were triggered by different things in different ways.
Naturally, the observance of the differences which existed between each of my friends led me to a periodic realization of the many ways in which I likewise differed from others.

The list of my peculiar nature is extensive, but includes such areas as being much more sensitive to the pain I imagined others were experiencing from a wound, a complete dislike of obnoxiously loud music and a definite preference for soft and soothing sounds, crying while watching movies whether they had a sad or happy ending. The difference which seemed to demonstrate the biggest gulf between what I was attracted to and which none of my friends could see any worth in was the election process with an added attraction to watching political conventions on our small black and white television.

As I have aged I have retained most of these personal uniqueness’s, and have come to realize additional ones. But sadly, I have lost my attraction to the election process and most especially my attentiveness to watching political conventions.

When as a young boy I first sat transfixed in front of our 12 inch television set, the party’s candidates had not been predetermined and the possibility of a surprise candidate added an aura of anticipation. The possible candidates gave wonderful speeches full of hope and ideas for progressing the ideals of Americanism.

The shift was subtle and took a few major elections, but the ‘experts’ gradually persuaded everyone running for office that negative campaigning about an opponent’s political positions was more effective than constructively communicating the candidate’s plans for instituting programs designed for the progress and benefit of the populous. Also by this time most of the mystery of who the political party’s candidate would be had long since been revealed.

We should have seen it coming, but for some reason we all seem a bit shocked that the ‘experts’ were able to convince candidates to take what seemed to be a short step from using campaign speeches based on speaking negatively about another persons political policies to what has become common in the 21st century. Going from mud slinging to character assassination, making critical and demeaning remarks about an opponent’s character, heritage, familys appearance, dress, manner of speech and any other distinctive feature which can be pointed out as negative, but had absolutely nothing to do with governance of a nation, state, county or city.

I am sure that this transformation of the political arena (a word which becomes more appropriate with each election) from one of civility to one of crudeness is the main reason I became a charter member of The Non Political Party Party (N3P). What else was I to do when the ‘expert’ had taken my youthful pleasure and pulverized it and transformed it into something putrid.

If you are wondering why my Sabbath Day Thought has turned into such a rant, I refer you to Chapter 27 of the book of Mosiah in The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ. In this chapter King Mosiah, who during his reign helped to institute a mini period of Zion among the Nephites, expresses some thoughts about how we should interact with one another regardless of circumstances or desires.

And there was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no persecutions among them, that there should be an equality among all men; That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself, laboring with their own hands for their support. (Mosiah 27: 3, 4)

And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. (Mosiah 27: 25, 26)

And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth. (Mosiah 27:37)

Ironically, Mosiah expresses his personal feelings about the equality of all, the elimination of pride and haughtiness, esteeming each other as neighbors, changing the ways of the world for the conditions which create a state of happiness, becoming new creatures and publishers of peace, at the same time his sons and the son of Alma are numbered among the unbelievers who desire to destroy the state of happiness his people are enjoying.

I should mention that one of the differences I noticed between myself and some of my friends was the dislike I had for sarcastic, demeaning, rude and uncouth remarks which they deemed to be a normal part of social exchange. It is small wonder that the non-civil political scene falls upon me as something repugnant and contrary to one who is a proponent of the non-critical, non-personal attack platforms of the (N3P) and more importantly of one who desires to be redeemed of God.

Tears of sadness because of the rebellion of the sons of Mosiah and the son of Alma turn to tears of joy as we read what Mosiah records in the last part of chapter 27 of his book regarding the mighty change which came upon them because of the intervention of an angel of the Lord.

24 For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.

28 Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.

29 My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.

30 I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken of by our fathers; but now that they may foresee that he will come, and that he remembereth every creature of his creating, he will make himself manifest unto all.

32 And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them.

35 And they traveled throughout all the land of Zarahemla, and among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah, zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the scriptures to all who desired to hear them.

36 And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of their Redeemer.

None of us should desire that we nor anyone else should have to endure the traumatic events which brought the son of Alma and the sons of Mosiah unto this marvelous change which drove their destructive desires from their beings and replaced them with souls which burned with the desire to become publishers of the development of peace, love, mercy and grace between all, and will be the key to equality among the children of God.

A most wonderful lesson which can be learned from this chapter is that we do not have to be destructive in our conversations, but can and should be constructive, civil and encouraging.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED!!

It is interesting – how we have a tendency – to measure self-happiness – and – the happiness of others – with different sets of scales!!