MM: Suicide

Suicide is a difficult topic in our society.

Often, people condemn those who've committed suicide to hell or damnation, and this can be very difficult for those who knew and loved the people who chose to take their lives. We want the best for them, and often the suicide occurred because of very difficult and misunderstood circumstances.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are grateful that we are not the one who will be judging at the last days. I have been thinking about suicide quite a bit lately, because I have had some friends who have lost family because of it. However, tonight, as I was studying, I found a very comforting article by Elder Russell M. Nelson. It's called Suicide: Some Things We Know, and Some Things We Do Not. 

This is a talk given back in 1987, but it is as true today as it was then. If anyone you know is suffering from the loss of someone who has committed suicide, I would recommend reading it. It is a talk of hope.

Elder Nelson makes the point that although the taking of human life, including our own, is a sin, the prophets have NEVER stated where such souls will end up. The Lord does hold us accountable for our own choices, but he is also a kind and just God who understands the circumstances of our decisions in ways that we simply cannot.

Many people who choose to commit suicide are suffering from chemical imbalances and other extraneous circumstances. It is hard to say how much control they really have in the end. Suicide is a tragedy, both for those who leave this earth prematurely, and especially for those who are left behind.

I also read another article tonight about a mother whose son committed suicide. It was called Sustained by God's Love. One of the things that really helped the mother feel loved and comforted after her son's death was the fact that no one in her congregation condemned her son. They simply showed love and did their best to serve them at that challenging time.

Instead of being judgmental toward those who have committed suicide, we should do our best to comfort the families that are left behind. I think telling people that their son/daughter/father/mother/other family member/friend who died is going to hell is akin to taking a knife in someone's back and twisting it around and digging deeper. They already have a gaping wound. We don't need to make it worse.

We are never asked to judge whether people are going to heaven or hell. That judgement is reserved alone for the Lord. Instead, we are told to love one another, and to do our best to help others be happy.

In one portion of Elder Nelson's talk, he quoted President Joseph Smith who said:

“While one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard. … He is a wise Lawgiver, and will judge all men, not according to the narrow, contracted notions of men, but, ‘according to the deeds done in the body whether they be good or evil,’ or whether these deeds were done in England, America, Spain, Turkey, or India. … We need not doubt the wisdom and intelligence of the Great Jehovah; He will award judgment or mercy to all nations according to their several deserts, their means of obtaining intelligence, the laws by which they are governed, the facilities afforded them of obtaining correct information, and His inscrutable designs in relation to the human family; and when the designs of God shall be made manifest, and the curtain of futurity be withdrawn, we shall all of us eventually have to confess that the Judge of all the earth has done right.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, ed. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938, p. 218.)

The death of a loved one is a tragedy and everyone experiences grief in different ways. Listen to those who are suffering. Even after a few weeks or months, they are probably still struggling with it. Everyone deals with sorrow in their own way and time. It is not our place to tell them when they should be "over it." Really, they probably never will be.

I know I wouldn't be.

Personally, I have been blessed to not yet experience personal loss. The thought of losing any of my family members terrifies me. Even understanding the Lord's Plan of Salvation, and knowing that their is life after death and I can see my family again, I am unprepared for the separation.

However, I also know that when the time comes that my family members leave this earth, I know the Lord will give me strength where I have none, and peace that will help me keep going. The Lord loves all of His children, and He will judge each of us perfectly so that we can be in the place that will bring us the most comfort and joy.

Elder Nelson ended his talk with these words:

As I think about the worry and agony of those whose loved one has taken his or her own life, I find deep comfort and faith in the Lord’s promise and blessing to us who remain in mortality: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27.)

I pray that those who have lost loved ones to this terrible tragedy will find comfort and joy in Christ. He can help you through any trial, and give you the strength to move forward. We pray for you and your families as you continue to do your best to continue on, when the future seems so dark. We love you, and wish you peace and joy in the memories of those who are gone.

They will live again.

I know this is true.

Mormon Monday: Resurrection,Judgement, and Grace; Part 5 of the Plan of Salvation

I got a bit derailed last week, but this week we're back on track!

Here are the previous parts of my Plan of Salvation series:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4
Part 6

After we die, we exist in the spirit world. Then, once everyone has had a chance to accept or reject the gospel, Christ will return in his glorious second coming. Then, everyone who has died will be resurrected. We believe that our bodies are sacred and that when we die, our spirits and our bodies are separated. Then, during the time after we die and until we are resurrected, we exist solely as a Spirit. 

However, we believe that we were created in the image of God, and that God has a perfect body of flesh and bone. Therefore, because of Christ's atonement, we will all overcome physical death and be reunited with our bodies. However, once this resurrection occurs, our bodies will be perfect. Thus, one aspect of Adam's fall is rectified. 

Then, once everyone has been brought from corruption to perfection, we will be judged by our Heavenly Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Our Father wants all of His children to return and to live with him, but He will never force anyone to do anything. Choice is our greatest gift, and He has offered us salvation, if only we will choose to accept it. For those who accept Christ's sacrifice for them and who kept God's commandments to the best of their ability, they will be saved in the last day. 

I think that nowhere is this better expressed then in the book of Alma 11:42-45:

 42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.

 43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.

 44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.

 45 Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption.

I love these versus, because it so clearly explains what will occur when our spirits and bodies are rejoined.

Often people ask if Mormons believe we are saved by grace or by works. Really, we don't believe they are separate. We believe that the definition of grace is "the enabling power of God." This means that through Jesus Christ, we will have to ability to do anything, including obtain perfection. However, God has never allowed his children to sit idly by and let someone else do the work for them. Without the grace of our Savior, NO ONE would get to heaven. However, if we don't allow Christ's grace to work through us and change us, we won't be enough like our Father in Heaven to be able to dwell in His presence. Grace isn't simply saying that we accept Christ and then we're saved. Grace is doing our best and relying upon our Savior. As we do that, his grace (enabling power) will magnify all that we do and allow us to do things that are only possible through our Savior. 

If you want to read an incredible talk about the grace of our Savior, go to this link. It changed the way I thought about grace. 

It is only through the grace of Jesus Christ that anyone is saved. Unfortunately, discussions about grace often come down to semantics. Often, Christians have more in common than we'd like to believe. I don't know very many Christians who really believe that if they accept Christ and then go out and kill someone that they will be saved because they accepted Christ. Most I know, in our faith and out of it, believe that they need to do their best and that their Savior wants them to treat others will love and respect. A true disciple of Christ will be judged on the way that they treat those around them and on who they become. (Matt 25)

 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 

For my final note to this topic, I'm going to geek-out for a second and quote from one of my favorite television shows. One of my favorite quotes from the Stargate universe goes like this:

“Judge yourself by the intentions of your actions and by the strength with which you faced the challenges which stood in your way. The universe is vast and we are so small. There is really only one thing we can ever truly control--whether we are good or evil.” 

― Oma de Sala

We can't control what this life will throw at us, but we can control how we will react to the challenges that we will face. Every decision we make is important, and the Plan of Salvation is a plan of hope. God will be as merciful as He can be, while still assuring that justice is met. If we will accept the Savior's atonement, the demands of justice will be satisfied. However, if we throw his sacrifice away and treat it as naught, we will have to pay for our own sins, and that is a far less pleasant option.

Next week, I'll talk about the kingdoms of glory that are in store for Heavenly Father's children after they are judged.

Dakota's Foot Obsession

Ever since Dakota was a puppy, she has loved licking.  When I was younger, I enjoyed it, so I allowed her to do it at her leisure.  However, as I've gotten older, I like it far less, so in our home she is no longer allowed to lick faces or arms.

Thus, the dog has settled on licking feet.

She has an obsession with it.  In fact, I called it her foot fetish, until my brother-in-law informed me that the word "fetish" can also have a sexual meaning.  Who knew?

I sure didn't.  It can be used in a non-sexual way as well, and that was the way I intended it, but for those who would think of some other meaning, I am calling it a "foot obsession" now.

Here is our crazy dog:

If she spots a bare foot, she will run over and lick and lick and lick until your foot is a drippy mess.  It tickles, so it's kind of funny, but usually we'll eventually put a stop to it.  If I'm not really paying attention to her, she'll do it for a while.  She does it to everyone's feet: Grig's, Kevin's, and mine.  Havelock never has bare feet, so she doesn't do it to him.

As weird as it might be, for some reason it makes her happy.  I'm sure I have weird things that I do that make me happy too.  I think we all have a few weird quirks that others might not understand,

For example, I love folding laundry.  I think it is because when I was a kid, that was one of the few chores I could do while watching television.  So I have good feelings associates with it.

I know some people who really like watching Glee, and I just can't understand that.

So, before we go judging someone's (or some dog's) weird obsessions, maybe we should take a look at our own.

Or maybe we should just make her stop licking our feet.  Sometimes it really drives Grig nuts, so we quickly put a stop to it.  It's hard to be consist though, because of Kevin.

When Dakota licks Kevin's feet he laughs so hard that it's hard to make her stop, because it is so cute!  Ah, the tough decisions of life. 

To stop licking, or not to stop licking.  That is the question.