In the Information Age, our testimonies should be built on STUDY and FAITH. (D&C 88)

88:3-4

“Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John. This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;"

There is a difference between “having the Gift of the Holy Ghost” and being “sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.” The Holy Spirit of Promise is a name we use for the Holy Ghost when He’s acting in a specific way—kind of like God’s official stamp of approval. He’s the one who confirms whether our covenants and ordinances, like baptism or temple sealings, are truly accepted by God. If the Holy Ghost seals you up to eternal life, it means God is promising you that you’ll make it—that exaltation in the celestial kingdom is yours, as long as you stay faithful.

88:6-7

“He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.”

First, let’s be grateful that Christ was willing to descend below all things that he may understand all things - including us. He knows intimately what it feels like to experiencing the trials that you and I are facing. As we read in Alma 7: “He will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” He experienced pain so that he could succor us and know exactly how to help us and lift us.

Second, let’s talk about the Light of Christ. The Light of Christ is not just a feeling of goodness or spiritual light—it’s also the creative, sustaining force in the universe.

Christ is:

• In the sun (His presence fills all things),

• The light of the sun (the radiance we physically see),

• The power by which the sun was made (the force behind its creation and energy).

His power—called the Light of Christ—is what makes the sun shine, what keeps the universe alive, and what gives us truth and light. When it says He’s “the power by which [the sun] was made,” it means the sun wouldn’t even exist—or shine—without Him. It’s important that we deeply understand this. When we say that we would be “nothing without Christ,” we mean it in a very literal sense. When someone says, “I owe my life to Christ,” it is true in the literal sense.

This continues in verses 11-13. “And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings.” This light is both physical and spiritual. It’s the light that lets you see (physical light) and also the light that lets you understand (spiritual truth).

This means:

Every time you comprehend truth or feel inspiration, every time your eyes perceive beauty or reality, it’s because of Christ’s light working in you.

It continues: “Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space…” The Light of Christ isn’t limited to Earth—it flows from God’s presence and literally fills the entire universe. Everywhere there is space, this light is there—governing galaxies, forming atoms, sustaining time and space. This is pretty deep stuff.

Finally in verse 13: “The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.” This light is:

• In all things – Nothing exists without it

• Gives life to all things – Every breath, heartbeat, cell, and blade of grass exists because of this power

• Is the law by which all things are governed – It’s not just passive; it’s the organizing intelligence behind physical laws (gravity, physics), spiritual law, and moral truth

• Even the power of God… in the midst of all things – This is how God’s influence extends through eternity: through this all-powerful light!

When we truly consider the power of the Light of Christ, we automatically feel more indebted to him. We understand how much we rely on Christ. It also helps us appreciate how Christ can LITERALLY strengthen us. If it’s the Light of Christ that powers the electrical signals in my brain, of course this power can help me understand. Of course this power can give me endurance and the ability to better bear the burdens I’m carrying.

When we read Paul’s words to the Philippians, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” and consider the Light of Christ - we clearly see that Christ can literally strengthen us to overcome all things. It’s a very big concept for us to understand.

88:15-16

“And the spirit and the body are the soul of man. And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul.” We should know that our soul is not just our spirit. I know I’ve referred to my spirit as my soul but clearly it is not.

When Adam fell, there was a separation from God spiritually and his body became mortal and would die. The resurrection redeems us from the fall by restoring our bodies to a state of immortality and, through faithfulness, we can also return to God spiritually. All of this is through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

88:20-26

These verses are profound and explanatory. In verses 20 and 21, we read: “That bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it (earth) forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified. And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.” The earth is going to die. In verses 25 and 26, we read, “And again, verily I say unto you, the earthabideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law— Wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it.” It is going to then be resurrected. Part of Christ’s atonement is the redemption of the planet. After it has been reborn as a celestial planet, “the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.”

The earth will be sanctified having “filled the measure of its creation.” Only those of us who have been “sanctified through the law (of Christ)” will inherit it as their kingdom. We must live according to the law of Christ in order to live there in the presence of God. In other words, we must “abide the law of a celestial kingdom.” We read in verses 22-24:

• “For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.”

• “And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.”

• “And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.”

To “abide” something is “to accept or act in accordance with something such as a rule, decision or recommendation.” If we are willing to live by the rules/laws of the celestial kingdom, we will live there. We must accept or receive the law of Christ but also act “accordingly.” There is no sinful mistakes made in the celestial kingdom. There are no hidden sins or addictions or perversions. There is no envy. There is no gossiping. There is no inappropriate idleness. There’s no anger or hate. There is only Christlike love for each other.

If we cannot live according to those laws, we will inherit another glory. Depending on our faithfulness and obedience, we will inherit a terrestrial or telestial glory. But, there are laws connected to each of those kingdoms. Souls will act honorably in the terrestrial kingdom. Souls must accept Jesus Christ as their Savior in the telestial kingdom.

Those who cannot abide any law are those who are “not meet for a kingdom of glory.” These are those who reject the Savior and want no part of God’s plan. They desire unrestricted poor behavior rather than abide by any of God’s laws associated with each kingdom. They summarily reject Christ’s atonement. The free gift that they are given of salvation isn’t appealing to them. They reject this gift entirely.

The good news is that we will feel absolutely comfortable where we are at. We will desire to be where we are. I don’t believe those who inherit another kingdom of glory are spending each moment “weeping and wailing.” Having said that, I think our goal should be to prepare ourselves to abide by God’s law fully and live with him and eventually inherit all that he has.

88:28

“They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened.” This is an interesting verse. Does this mean that we will look exactly like ourselves. Sort of. Your resurrected body will reflect who you truly are, unmarred by mortal genetics, environment, or experience. And its glory will match your spiritual capacity to receive light. If we can abide a celestial law, our resurrected bodies will reflect that level of glory.

Joseph Smith said that you will be resurrected at the same age as you died; but then quickly transform to yourself in your prime. Children are a different story. Joseph also said, “Children will come forth from the grave as they were laid down, and will obtain all the intelligence, glory, and maturity in the resurrection that they would have had on earth had they lived.” So a child who died at age 2 will be resurrected in that form—but will then grow up in the Millennium, under the care of resurrected beings and Christ Himself, until they reach their full, mature, glorified form. What a wonderful principle for those who have lost children.

88:32-33

“And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received. For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.” This is a key principle for us to understand when considering why some will not receive greater glory. It’s is not that greater blessings or glory are withheld, it’s more about a person not receiving.

This is in the extreme for those who commit the “unpardonable sin.” This sin isn’t pardonable because the person doesn’t want to be pardoned. What good does it do to be pardoned when one doesn’t accept the pardon. Again, it isn’t simply about the pardon being withheld, it’s about the offender being unwilling to receive mercy and grace. It’s hard to imagine but there will be some who do exactly that.

88:35

“That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still.” Whatever the reason is for someone to break a law of God, inherent in this action is the pride that comes with it. We aren’t following God’s rules but rules that we have set for ourselves.

This, on its face, sounds prideful and ridiculous. However, it is becoming more and more common in this world. So many are saying “the church doesn’t work for me.” Or, “I’m happier without the church.” Or, “I want to live according to my truth.” Each of these opinions are versions of people wanting to “become a law unto themselves.”

Those who live like this and do not want to abide by any of God’s laws simply abide only in sin. No “mercy, justice, or judgment” will apply to them. Truly, they will forever “remain filthy still."

88:40

“For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things.” This verse reminds me of the parable of the talents where those how have will be given and those who lack will have what they possess taken away.

People generally don’t bounce back and forth from darkness to receiving light. People don’t live lies and seek after truth. People don’t reject acquiring intelligence and suddenly get more intelligence. Like attracts like. That’s just how it is.

If we want to become more virtuous, we have to exhibit some level of virtuosity. We must demonstrate mercy if we want to become more merciful. With each spiritual quality, if we have it, we will be given more. Developing these attributes is always a progression - not bouncing back and forth like a pin pong ball.

88:45-47

“The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sungiveth his light by day, and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the power of God. Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand? Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power.” The creations of God are the evidence that God lives.

Whether we are looking at how the earth rotates and spins through the galaxy or how the smallest atom is arranged - all of these things show that God exists and there is a divine creator. To think that all of this order happened naturally actually goes against the law of physics. Everything progresses towards disorder if left unattended. Drive by any old house that has been abandoned. It’s the law of entropy. That’s how the natural world works.

The things of God are orderly. If we objectively look at all observable things, our testimonies and gratitude for God will increase.

88:49-50

“The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not; nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall comprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him. Then shall ye know that ye have seen me, that I am, and that I am the true light that is in you, and that you are in me; otherwise ye could not abound.” Your ability to spiritually prosper and overflow with light, knowledge, and eternal life comes only because you are “in” Christ and He is “in” you.

Without that divine connection - without His light sustaining you - you couldn’t abound in anything of eternal value. Read that last sentence again.

88:63-65

“Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you. And if ye ask anything that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation.” There are many verses in the scriptures that talk about “asking and receiving.” How should we apply this principle?

The key here is to consider what is “expedient” for us. To be expedient is to be “suitable or appropriate.” Suitable or appropriate for what or whom? Suitable and appropriate for our growth and God’s plan. If we are good at asking for what will help us or others spiritually progress, we will see that God’s promise here is fulfilled each and every time we ask.

However, if we are asking for that which won’t bless us or other spiritually or help us grow, we will see that those prayers are not answered and - even more troubling - those requests “shall turn unto your condemnation.” How so? If we are consistently asking for that which is inappropriate or unsuitable, we are reinforcing that we are not in tune with the Lord’s mind or the Spirit.

If a child is always asking for candy rather than healthy food, will those mounting requests actually retard that child’s growth? Yeah, probably so. Our character does not grow from as king things that are inappropriate. As our will aligns with God’s we will see more and more of our prayers being answered - which will help us grow spiritually as we see God’s hand more present in our lives.

88:66

There is a consistent theme throughout this chapter. It is:

light → truth → Spirit → union with Christ → abounding

This verse continues this theme: "Behold, that which you hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness—in the wilderness, because you cannot see him—my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth; truth abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you it shall abound.”

We exist in mortality. Mortality can definitely be characterized as a wilderness. We don’t see Christ. He’s not walking the earth. We cannot see him generally - it's part of being proven. However, each of us can hear his voice and feel his presence through the Spirit. What we learn from the Spirit is of most value. We learn truth. Not just truth of this world but of eternity. If this type of truth is found in us, we “shall abound.”

Does that mean that we will be successful in this life? Absolutely, as long as “success” means that we will progress spiritually and use this time in mortality to prepare us to inherit all that the Father has.

88:67-68

“And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.

Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.” Life is about getting better and better at keeping things in perspective. Seeing things as God sees them should be a primary goal for all of us.

If our focus is on Jesus Christ, our “bodies shall be filled with light.” This is a very good thing. This verse promises that we will be able to “comprehendeth all things.” That sounds pretty awesome. This process of becoming 100% focused on Christ is a sanctifying process. As we are better and better at focusing on Christ, we will see our impurities burn out of our bodies.

As we focus on Christ, our wills will become more and more aligned with his. The end of this road leads to Christ finally unveiling his face to us. When will that happen? I think that most of us will experience this at the resurrection. However, some will experience it in mortality.

I think it’s appropriate that we have this as our goal: to behold the face of Christ sooner than later. :)

88:69

He finishes this thought with verse 69. “Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you; cast away your idle thoughts and your excess of laughter far from you.” The greatest promise that we can receive is that will behold the face of God and inherit all that he has. This is God’s promise of the Abrahamic Covenant. This is God’s promise in the oath and covenant of the priesthood. We must always remember these covenants we have made with God.

It’s interesting that he caps this with charging us with casting away our idle thoughts and excess laughter. Why does it matter? Let’s consider each separately:

Idle thoughts:

• It’s about mental and spiritual focus

• Idle thoughts aren’t just “daydreaming.” In scripture, it’s about letting your mind drift into vanity, lust, triviality, or distraction that pulls you away from God’s purposes. A mind that is continually wandering toward unproductive or unholy things is not ready to receive revelation or spiritual power. This is a problem for me which how I am constantly distracting myself with videos or news articles that have no spiritual purpose.

Excess of laughter.

• It’s about the tone of your soul. Are you taking your mortal life seriously?

• Excess of laughter here doesn’t mean God is against humor or joy—many prophets laughed, and joy is a gospel principle.

• But “excess” laughter in scripture often refers to levity, which is making light of sacred things, being flippant about sin, or living without the seriousness that eternity demands.

• The Lord warns against “much laughter” that is “sin,” meaning mocking, irreverent, or frivolous attitudes that erode spiritual sensitivity.

I’ve often said that most sin happens with a “shrug” rather than “rebellion.” We can easily become distracted or flippant. I can confess that 95% of my sin has to do with distraction or flippancy. That’s saying a lot. How much would my spiritual progression be affected if I could stay focused and take my mortal life seriously and take advantage of every day? If I changed this approach to life, I wouldn’t just be repeating the same year over and over again. I would see significant progression as the years happen.

88:77-78

“And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand.” Those who are called to teach are blessed with grace. Those who teach are instructed. This is the main reason Marci and I cherish our teaching calling. We experience this blessing firsthand.

Many who have given a lesson or a talk in church will comment about how they learned more about the topic than anyone who hears their lesson. The Spirit clarifies and illuminates and prepares minds to understand the principles clearly when they’re studying, pondering and planning. I’m grateful for this and see this happening regularly in our lives. Honestly, it’s part of why I write these blog posts. For me, it’s a way to verbalize my impressions and thoughts in ways that I hope bless someone. In a way, I’m teaching and the Spirit “attends.”

88:86

“Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes.” The plan of salvation is based on agency. The war in heaven was fought over agency. We should be grateful for that agency.

As long as we “abide” in it righteously, that agency will be maintained. We can live our lives entirely in freedom - free to make any choice that we want, everyday. However, sin can “entangle” us. Sin brings addictions and consequences that can severely limit our liberty.

• We may become seriously addicted where we lose the ability to choose. Our bodies are the ones making the choice and our spirits are just along for the ride.

• We may have an unwanted pregnancy that severely limits our choices.

• We may view pornography, leading to sexual deviancy that will affect our most cherished relationships.

• We may commit serious crimes and lose most of our freedom to choose in jail.

There are always consequences to sin. One of the biggest is that we lose our future ability to choose freely. Let’s abide in the liberty wherewith we are made free.

88:91

“And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.” This could be read in either direction in terms of order.

1. All things shall be in commotion. The world will be filled with upheaval. Any order will become disorder. There will be no predictability. All worldly systems will be found lacking.

2. As a result, men’s hearts will fail them. They will not hold true to principles. They will be driven by any wind that is currently blowing. They will respond only to those things that benefit them. They will be inherently selfish rather than selflessly looking out for the interests of another.

3. Fear will come upon all people. With the world filled with commotion and the men’s hearts failing, fear will take over. People will be diminished to their base instincts of fight, flight, or freeze.

This is likely the order of things. There is a cause and effect at work. Having said that, it may be that all of these things are happening simultaneously. It may also be that there is a cause and effect the other direction:

1. Fear will come upon all people. For whatever reason, people will be living in fear. Fear is the absence of faith and lack of faith and succumbing to fear is the catalyst for the future problems we will face.

2. Living in fear is a prelude of men’s hearts failing them. The general lack of courage and heart will change the nature of men. They may not stay true to what they believe to be right. Being untethered to commitment to righteous principles will lead to the final stage.

3. All things will be in commotion. With fear driving action and men not staying true to righteous principles, the rules of society will crumble. There will be disorder. There will be panic. All of the basic necessities that we take for granted will disappear and we will quickly see how vulnerable our worldly systems were.

We see this happening now. It’s not some future event. It actually appears that the initial step is that men’s hearts shall fail them. We see that men’s hearts are failing and society is changing. As I compare 18 year olds of the 40’s and 50’s compared with many young men of today, I see a difference. I can’t imagine many of the soft, feminized men of today getting into a boat and storming a beach in the name of freedom. It’s a problem of masculinity and it’s not going to get better any time soon.

88:108-110

“And then shall the first angel again sound his trump in the ears of all living, and reveal the secret acts of men, and the mighty works of God in the first thousand years. And then shall the second angel sound his trump, and reveal the secret acts of men, and the thoughts and intents of their hearts, and the mighty works of God in the second thousand years— And so on, until the seventh angel shall sound his trump; and he shall stand forth upon the land and upon the sea, and swear in the name of him who sitteth upon the throne, that there shall be time no longer; and Satan shall be bound, that old serpent, who is called the devil, and shall not be loosed for the space of a thousand years.” There is a lot in these verses. It’s going to take me a long time to understand what exactly is being said here. Here are some initial thoughts.

It’s interesting that the trump of these seven angles will revel two things:

1. The secret acts of men, and the thoughts and intents of their hearts.

2. The mighty works of God.

How does this happen and what does it look like? I don’t think that there is a video that everyone sees of everyone’s secret acts and thoughts. I don’t think there’s a document circulated. I don’t think angels are reading aloud everything over a loudspeaker.

I do think that all will be revealed through the glory of our resurrected bodies. Just as I believe that the judgment won’t be some literal court case where someone will stand with a clipboard and pronounce our “score” and the reward we will receive. The judgment will happen naturally as a consequence of the many choices we are making each day. The nature of our character at that day will be our own perfect judgment. Our judgment is happening every day as we exercise our agency.

As with judgment, our secret acts will be revealed perfectly as we are resurrected and are clothed with a degree of glory. There may be a lot of surprises then. We may assume that a man has lived righteously but is resurrected with a level of glory that suits him but is not what would be expected by those who knew of him. All fraud and hypocrisy will be revealed. Again, not through a video but through the degree of glory we inherit.

When we see someone compete in the 100 yard dash in the Olympics, all of his or her previous decisions are made manifest. I don’t need to have a video of all of his eating and training habits and choices that he has made the previous year in preparation. All I have to do is see the results of the race to know all of this. All of their commitment and effort is revealed when that starting gun goes off. All of our commitment and intentions and work and thoughts will be revealed when that trump sounds.

I do also think it’s interesting that this verse says that “there shall be time no longer.” I know that there is no time in heaven. I wonder how that will be applied to this world in the millennium?

88:118

“And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” The gospel is true. That means it is also logical. It makes sense. Points of doctrine align. This is important - especially for those who are convinced by study and wisdom - rather than prayer and faith.

I’m seeing a serious uptick in gospel study and learning - especially in the podcast arena. One that we’ve been watching for some time is “Stick of Joseph.” This is a perfect example of those attempting to “teach one another words of wisdom.” We’ve learned how the gospel makes sense in our time but is tied directly to ancient doctrine and practices. Doctrine and church ordinances that seem basic are actually multi-faceted and complex and ancient - reinforcing that Joseph Smith did not simply invent this gospel or copy it from the Masons.

The last line is significant for all of us, regardless of our learning style. We must “seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” I think the wording is instructive. The Lord could have said, “seek learning by study and faith.” I think the additional “and also by” emphasize that both are needed for true learning. To learn the gospel from a strictly scientific method would eventually end in a big question mark. To learn simply by faith would amount to a blind belief, uprooted from any logic.

There are many who have lived their lives in faith. They have followed the principles and attended their meetings and magnified their callings. Unfortunately, many of these same people, when faced with troubling YouTube videos or lengthy PDF’s - suddenly find themselves without a foundation of wisdom found only through study. I’ve listened to someone say that they lost their testimony in three hours! Not good.

I encourage anyone who is reading this to study this gospel and its precepts in a way that will protect you from the evil designs of miserable people seeking company.

As we do, we will follow verse 119. “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.” This verse could be talking about our literal houses or our lives or the church itself - it could also simply be our testimonies. Where we are lacking, we should prepare. If your faith is lacking, or the sincerity of prayer, or what you’ll sacrifice, or the amount and kind of learning you’re seeking - make the necessary changes.

88:121, 124

“Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, from all your lustful desires, from all your pride and light-mindedness, and from all your wicked doings.” We must be taking the gospel and our mortal lives very seriously. This doesn’t mean that our lives shouldn’t be filled with joy! We should laugh! But, this life is not a joke. This life isn’t something that we should take lightly. There are infinite consequences to our daily choices and we should make every decision thoughtfully.

We shouldn’t get carried away in seeking enjoyment or distractions or entertainment. We shouldn’t spend our lives chasing those things that we want. We shouldn’t be pining for power and prestige.

For me personally, light-mindedness is my weakness. My brain loves to coast. I love to do nothing. I love to zone out. It is a big part of Eric’s natural man. I’m not breaking the ten commandments but I am certainly ignoring specific direction found in verses like this one.

The Lord continues: “Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.” As mentioned, I have a problem with being idle. I sometimes watch TV shows that could be considered unclean - meaning I probably wouldn’t watch them in the lobby of the temple…

I can say that I enjoy going to bed early and getting up early. So that’s something.

88:125

After all of this, the Lord puts things in perspective. “And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.” With everything we are asked to do, we must clothe ourselves in charity - above all else.

If we are perfectly serious and valiant and obedient, it will mean literally nothing without charity. Imagine if Heavenly Father was perfectly omniscient and all powerful only. What if he had all that power but didn’t care about others? What if he didn’t want to work to lift others? What if he was a perfectly righteous, glorious being who wanted to simiply enjoy himself for eternity? What would that mean for us? So, if we want to be like our Heavenly Father someday, we must develop Christlike charity in ourselves.

The Lord says that charity is “the bond of perfectness and peace.” Charity is the bond between us. As we have charity for each other, we will naturally experience a unity that is unlike any other team or group. “Perfectness” isn’t sinlessness—it’s fullness of Christlike attributes. Charity is the thread that weaves all virtues together. It’s wholeness. Finally, charity brings peace. Imagine how all of the worldly conflicts - big or small - would disappear with charity!