Why I Teach His Gospel of Repentance

"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" (D&C 88:66).

Several years ago when I was released as a Bishop in our ward in Sandy, Utah, in 1985, I was sitting on the stand as the new Bishop was talking. I was thinking what my church experience would be going forward, and turned in my scriptures to D&C 11. It was not a conscious choice. I was not looking for this particular section, but that is where I found myself when I opened my scriptures. I began reading, and as I did I was bathed in His Spirit. I had never before nor after, experienced anything like this. I was there, but not there, as I was not aware of anything going on around me. I knew I was enveloped in His spirit. I began reading, or more accurately listening to the words I was seeing. 

"A great and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. Behold, I am God; give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my word."

I had read these words before, but this time I was hearing His voice in His words, and it seemed He was speaking to me!

"Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the Kingdom of God.

Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God."

I was overcome with the desire to thrust in my sickle and reap, and to be called of God, but I did not understand what He meant, even though I wanted to. I felt, however, that the meaning of His words would become clear as to what He meant for me to thrust in my sickle and reap.

"Therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you."

At this point it was even clearer that He was speaking to me, and as I was caught up in His spirit, I could hear His voice in these words:

"Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion."

I was not mindful of asking, but perhaps my wondering what I was to do going forward, was the reason for being directed to these verses. He asked me to keep His commandments and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion. It would take me years to fully comprehend and be prepared to be called to do what I desired to do. I had thought that His commandments were the outward things that I had been doing, and did not realize at that time that He had 'another or second' set of commandments (Alma 12:37; Moses 6:56) that he was speaking of. In addition He was commanding me to do what He was asking of me in these verses. And Zion? I did not know much about Zion and the cause of Zion. However, it became clearer as I continued to listen.

"Seek not for riches but for wisdom; and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold he that hath eternal life is rich."

The light was now more discernable and I could not turn away from what I was hearing and feeling. My mind was enlightened by the truth, the light and His spirit in His words! I was excited, but also a little fearful to hear more.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be done unto you; and, if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation."

As I look back on this verse I have come to realize that the next words I heard were the link to what He means by 'doing much good in this generation.'

"Say nothing but repentance unto this generation. Keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed."

His specific call to say nothing but repentance meant that I needed to know what He meant by repentance, not what I thought it meant. I was impressed that it would mainly be to members of the church to whom I would say nothing but repentance, but it would be years before I would learn why. 

At the time of this revelation to me, I did not know all that the call entailed, but the experience was so powerful that I could not deny that I was to be called by the Lord. I knew that He would tell me exactly what I was to do. 

The next words left an indelible impression upon my mind, heart and intellect, and I knew I was receiving this as a personal revelation!

"Behold, thou has a gift, or thou shall have a gift if thou wilt desire of me in faith, with an honest heart, believing in the power of Jesus Christ, or in my power which speaketh unto thee; For behold, it is I that speak; behold, I am the light which shineth in darkness, and by my power I give these words unto thee."

What wonder! He was speaking directly to me! It was His voice I was hearing! And the instructions were getting more specific, but there were admonitions to ensure that I did not take this lightly.

"And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good--yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit."

I knew it was His spirit that I was to trust, and I was experiencing His spirit at that moment! He then promised me the fruits of His Spirit, and at the same time admonished me to put my faith in Him.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; and then shall ye know all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive."

What wonder! What joy! Such a promise! I was standing in the light of His spirit, and could see clearly that I would be experiencing the joy of Him teaching me directly. It was then that He told me the tools I would need in order to do this work and how I was to use the tools.

"Behold, I command you that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called. Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine. And then, behold, according to your desires, yea, even according to your faith shall it be done unto you."

This was what I was supposed to do--search, treasure up and receive His words and know of a surety: His word, His Church, His Gospel and His doctrine. He was to be my Rock. But then again for the third time He said:

"Keep my commandments; hold your peace; appeal unto my Spirit; Yea, cleave unto me with all your heart, that you may assist in bringing to light those things (words) of which have been spoken--yea, the translation of my work (the Book of Mormon); be patient until you shall accomplish it."

Obviously I was not being asked to assist in the translation since that had been completed, but to assist in teaching what I would learn of His words in the Book of Mormon. He again tells me that is my work.

"Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and strength."

This was the fourth time He told me to keep His commandments, but then He said, and this became my work:

"Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed, then if you desire, you shall have my spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men."

But before

"But now hold your peace; study my word which hath gone forth among the children of men, and also study my word which shall come forth among the children of men, or that which is now translating, yea, until you have obtained all which I shall grant unto the children of men in this generation, and then shall all things be added thereto."

I did not comprehend all that He was telling me, but I knew that it would become a life long pursuit of His words to obtain "all" with the promise that more would be added. But the next verse caused me to pause.

"Behold thou art Hyrum, my son; seek the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added according to that which is just."

If He was speaking to Hyrum why did I feel that he was speaking to me? Was I mistaken? Had I imposed what I wanted to hear? No, I had not.

"Behold, I speak unto all who have good desires, and have thrust in their sickle to reap."*

Even though there are three verses between these two, I was directed to this verse and heard and felt the power of His voice in His words, and it was reinforced that He was speaking directly to me, and to then have it reinforced for me after thinking that it may only have been directed to Hyrum, was even more powerful, and I could not doubt!

He was, however, not finished.

"Build upon my rock, which is my gospel; Deny not the spirit of revelation, nor the spirit of prophecy, for wo unto him that denieth these things; Therefore, treasure up in your heart until the time which in my wisdom that you shall go forth."

As I recount this experience, it is colored now by the fact that I have done and continue to do what He asked of me. I have spent the latter part of my life obtaining His word, teaching it and doing what I was called to do in this revelation to me, and He has blessed me with the spirit of revelation and the spirit of prophecy. As I write this and see all that I have learned, His last few words of this Section are a sweet testimony of the promises He kept.

"Behold I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the life and the light of the world. I am the same who came unto mine own and mine own received me not; But verily, verily, I say unto you, that as many as receive me, to them will I give power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in my name, Amen."

I want to say that as soon as I had this experience I went home and immediately began to more consciously seek to obtain His words, but I did not. In fact, it would be many years before I really caught the vision of what D&C 11 was all about for me personally. I have thought about this a lot since and can offer a few reasons, but I now know that certain experiences had to happen in my life before making the preparations complete. 

I needed to recognize this revelatory experience as my Road to Damascus experience and hear God's voice reminding me to "give heed to [His] word" and to experience my own lost and fallen state and my need to repent or to turn to Him. 

And I needed to quit searching for riches. Only then could I be prepared to teach others as I obtained His words. It was not sufficient to know of Adam and Eve's fall, or to know about the Atonement. Without experiencing my lost, fallen and sinful state, and my redemption through Him and His atonement, I would be as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals trying to say nothing but repentance to others without experiencing and receiving His gift of repentance.  

I would re-read D&C 11 many times after this experience, but without the same effect, and I wondered why. I learned later that it was because I had not yet kept His commandments, and had not yet quit searching for riches. 

"Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day" (3 Nephi 27:20). He had to teach me that to repent means to turn to him and rely wholly upon His merits and righteousness, not my own, and then validate that repentance by enduring in faith in Him to the end. 

I also later learned that it was not necessary to repeat the same feelings every time I read D&C 11. He had spoken to me and I had heard His voice in His words. I could not deny it, and the more I did what He called me to do, the more fully did D&C 11 open up to me. He also reminded me that I need not ask again. "Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten your mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou has been enlightened by the Spirit of Truth.... Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?" (D&C 6:15;23)

I knew that this was a direct revelation to me, which is the purest form of the word of God! There is no doubt!

But the paradox was that I would have to search His words to know what it meant to repent and then 'keep His commandment' by repenting. I then realized why he told me four times to keep His commandments. He knew I needed to repent and turn to Him before I could do the work He was preparing me to do. It was a prerequisite to fulfill my calling as He told me in D&C 11, and He knew that I did not completely understand the doctrine of repentance. It was only after having taken a path that many said would take me off the strait and narrow, that I began in earnest to follow the admonition I had received on that day when I was released as a Bishop. I needed to be repenting, and no longer be under the bondage of sin. I needed to be redeemed and under grace. 

Only then could I spend the rest of my life obtaining, giving heed and teaching His words and saying nothing but repentance unto this generation. However, by searching to find how I could avoid the justice of God and receive His mercy, I was doing the searching and treasuring up of His words.

I could write volumes of the things I have learned since receiving this revelation, and have in fact written much of my searching and treasuring up of His words, and the experiences of receiving the Spirit of Revelation and the Spirit of Prophecy. The writing of His words became a way to learn and more completely cause His words to be planted in my heart and mind, and to share them. Many of these writings are also personal to me reflecting what I was learning and experiencing about myself as I learned.

As I have sought to obtain His word He has blessed me as He promised. He did give me more than one gift, and I received these gifts, and rejoice in them, and in Him who is the giver of these gifts. I continue to experience His light, His spirit and His voice in His words. I share His gifts to me with others. My mind has been enlightened and my soul has been filled with joy. I know of a surety His doctrine, His gospel, His church (as defined in the last verses of D&C 10), His rock. I put my faith in Him and rely alone upon His merits. 

He is the sole source of light and knowledge in my life. I have said nothing but repentance unto this generation and along the way learned that I too must continually repent and turn to Him. My faith in Him is that I rely totally upon His merits and His righteousness. I have learned to judge everything that is said in the world and in the church by His words. I see everything through His words including His prophecies. I can clearly see the future as spoken of by Isaiah and other Old Testament Prophets, by the Book of Mormon Prophets and by Jesus himself. 

I know of the darkness within me and the darkness that is in the world, and yet I follow His light which shines in the darkness. I am so blessed to have the Sword of Truth, which is the word of God, and which cuts through all the crap in the world.

I am grateful that Annie recognizes His gifts to me. She knows what I need to do and why. Her gifts of the spirit are different from mine, but our gifts are shared together as one and compliment each other.

I have had countless opportunities to teach both in classrooms--gospel doctrine, primary and High Priests Group. However, some of my most rewarding experiences are spent teaching one-on-one, as well as special assignments. For example, another High Councilor and I were asked by our stake president to teach the Stake Presidency and High Council the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Can you imagine the humility of this Stake President? The high council member assigned with me had left his job as a banker to teach seminary. From his comments, and conversations I had with him, I knew we did not need to collaborate. We spoke the tongue of angels, and when we taught we both taught the words of life we had spent years treasuring up in our minds and hearts. The Holy Ghost brought these words to our remembrance and we taught His words. We both knew that 'what' Jesus taught and 'why' He taught was more important than 'how' He taught.

See Post "Feasting On His Words" for one of the most unique teaching and learning experiences of my life.

The breadth and depth of His words still continue to amaze me. I can now understand more fully what Oliver Cowdery wrote about in his footnote to Joseph Smith History. "Man may deceive his fellow-men, deception may follow deception, and the children of the wicked one may have power to seduce the foolish and untaught, till naught but fiction feeds the many, and the fruit of falsehood carries in its current, the giddy to the grave; but one touch with the finger of his love, yes, one ray of glory from the upper world, or one word from the mouth of the Savior, from the bosom of eternity, strikes it all into insignificance, and blots it forever from the mind. ...the certainty that we heard the voice of Jesus, and the truth unsullied...is to me past description...." And I can now relate! (Joseph Smith History, Oliver Cowdery Footnote emphasis added)

I realized that He has hidden many things as a test for us to see if we are willing to search out His words like the treasures they are. I have spent the last 30 years really focused on seeking to obtain His words, building on what I had previously learned, searching out the priceless treasures, and treasuring them up, and I know I am not finished, and that I will still continue to learn from Him after I leave this life, as we only have a hundredth part of what He said to the Nephites. 

I now know that as part of the Lord's Great and Marvelous work, He will bring forth additional records, and that the bringing forth of these records will cause an irrevocable division among the Ephraimite Gentiles. Those who have feasted upon His words will gladly receive more, but those who have not, will not believe His words.

I have treasured up His words of life and can draw on these treasures now in any setting and at any time. His words are truth, light, spirit even the spirit of Jesus Christ. (D&C 84:45)

I have learned, however, that there is also a frustration and an isolation that comes because of seeking and obtaining His words. Why? Because so few others speak the same language. I understand what Nephi felt when he said: "...I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be" (2 Nephi 32:7). 

While we are supposed to be continually nourished by His words (Moroni 6:4), we are instead fed what Elder Holland calls Spiritual Twinkies or as my seminary teacher friend calls fluff, or that which does not edify or nourish. In fact, sometimes I think we prefer it. I see this even in those close to me and it saddens me because there is so much more. We must stretch our minds to the highest heavens, said Joseph Smith, and not be content with fluff and Spiritual Twinkies and leave His words by the 'way side' (Matthew 13:19).

Should I accomplish my desire, as did Melchizedek, or should I fail to accomplish it, as did Noah and Moses, the important thing is that I remain faithful in keeping God's commandments, and saying nothing but repentance unto this generation. 

The things I have written are the result of wanting to learn and internalize more of His words, and to share with you what I have received through revelation. Some I would call 'study papers' and others 'articles' but most reflect the process of learning His words and how I experience His light and spirit in His words. They also reflect how I heard and experienced His voice in what He revealed to others in the scriptures, and then revealed to me as I came to know the truth (His words). This was the Spirit of Revelation that each of us can experience. I have also written as a method of reaching more people, and to assist them in understanding His words in their hearts. 

Because I rejoice in His words, I have shared them with many, but discovered early on that there is an indifference to His words, or at least His words coming from me. Maybe they just do not understand that by His voice or the voice of His servants the words of God are the same. 

Many just dismiss me, however, and don't see me as His servant, doing His work, spiritually ministering to others. But He never promised me that they would. But I know that it is the message and not the messenger that determines if the message is of God, and that is what matters. I do know, however, that I have been promised that if I labor all my days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto Him, how great shall be my joy with Him in the kingdom of my Father!

Nothing I have written is original. I take from many sources, the most important of which is the Standard Works. Where I do use ideas and even words from others, they, like the words of God have become my words, and I feel at liberty to use them because I know those who may have first used them received them from God, and would want me to use them. They are the first to give God the credit.

I do not give any interpretation of any scriptures, but rely on the Lord to use the same terms and definitions consistently. My experience has been that the more I study, obtain, treasure up, learn and receive His words, the more likely I am to learn as His words speak to me, and as He promised, receive more.

As I mentioned, the Savior is the sole source of truth and light in my life. I listen to what others say, but rely on His words and the Holy Ghost to tell me if what others say is consistent with what He has said. I listen to hear the word of God for I know that whether by His "own voice or by the voice of (His) servants (D&C 1:38), it (the word of God) is the same. 

There are many ways I hear the word of God from others. Blogs, articles, conversations, books, talks, and General Conference have for me become ways to hear the word of God spoken by His servants, even though they do not always teach His words, or more accurately they many times, mingle their ideas with His. I have learned to know the difference, and have been taught why it is so important to put our trust in God. He selects imperfect people to lead us to teach us to put our trust in Him. I have also learned that His servants are any who thrust in their sickle and reap and teach His words. It is the message and not the messenger that determines if one is ministering His words to others.

Another significant learning for me is that the more I seek to obtain and hear His words, the more He gives me. He has led me to find some of the scribes and teachers that He has sent to help us. He sends prophets, but also those with special gifts of knowledge to assist us in obtaining His words. I do not deny the gifts of the spirit and have met others with the gift of knowledge. I believe that this list of others is, by comparison, a short one, but I am so grateful to Him for leading me to them. One most significant for me has been Hugh Nibley. I have read all his works many times, and can say as Elder Neal Maxwell said of him, that Hugh Nibley has been the greatest scholar and defender of the faith (I would say truth) in these last days. Nibley's works can be found on the Neal A. Maxwell website, or the 20+ volumes of his Collected Works found at Deseret Book or at Amazon.

Another is Avraham Gileadi. I was introduced to his work by a friend of mine several years ago, or I should say led to him by the Lord. His first book The Book of Isaiah, New Translation With Interpretive Keys From The Book Of Mormon, which is no longer in print (but can now be found on Kindle. He has also included its content in the ten other books that he has written), made such an impression on me that I could not stay ignorant about Isaiah any longer. Brother Gileadi opened up the Book of Isaiah to me, and I continue to be amazed at his gift of knowledge of Isaiah, other Old Testament Prophets and the Book of Mormon. Isaiah and all the prophet-writers, through their words, minister to me.

Reading his books is an exercise in searching Isaiah as we have been commanded to do (3 Nephi 23:1) because he supports his commentary with more scriptures than is possible to absorb in several readings. He will not say what he cannot show you. 

Isaiah became important to me as I was studying 3 Nephi and read the Savior's words on Isaiah. I also learned that we cannot effectively teach or receive the word of God without the Spirit of Prophecy which is the testimony of Jesus, where everthing comes together in Christ, including knowing the end time events and our response to them is a matter of life and death. 

I now know what the Lord's Great and Marvelous Work is all about, and is not yet finished. I exhort you not to discount the writings of Bro. Gileadi. Every member of the church should read and study his latest book, Endtime Prophecy--A Judeo-Mormon Analysis.

There have been others who have influenced my desire to learn more, including some general authorities, living and deceased. Today I hear the word of God in some of Elder Holland's and others' conference addresses, but recognize that we need to set our sights higher than the pulpit. I also love to read what Joseph Smith and Brigham Young taught. 

Isaiah asks: "Whom shall he give instruction? Whom shall he enlighten with revelation? Weanlings weaned from milk, those just taken from the breast?" (Isaiah 28 Giliadi New Translation). We should want more than line upon line, precept upon precept, and He promises us more. He wants to teach us directly. His answer to us is personal revelation. 

As Joseph Smith said a man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge, and that we must receive personal revelation. Keep in mind that when we search and hear His words we are being taught by Him. His words are truth, light, spirit, even the spirit of Jesus Christ, and we can hear His voice in His words (D&C 18:33-36).

My thinking is that these writings will be of value to some, if not all, of my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; cousins, neices and nephews, and other family members; all of the beautiful sister missionaries who have served in our ward in Metz, France; and my friends, neighbors and fellow ward members. I had previously written a short book called Given By The Finger of God which was my first attempt to write what I had been experiencing through His words, for my friends and family. I printed both a paperback and an e-book. There is now a 5th Edition e-book. I gave copies of this to my children and sent links for the e-book to some of my grandchildren. I also gave copies to all my neighbors in Lehi. I am not sure what I expected, but the response was mostly silence. See Deny Not The Gifts of God.

My blog is entitled fingerofgod. I did not create this blog to attract  followers, but to give me a method to write what I was learning, and to benefit me in my studies, and to share posts with family, friends and neighbors, reminding them to repent and turn to Christ, relying alone upon His merits. Writing has become another way I can spiritually minister to others.

To me it became imperative that I share the scripture narrative and contrast it with the pulpit narrative. I feel so strongly that what the Lord had blessed me with would benefit some of my family members and others. I am still hopeful. I would much rather be like Alma and the Sons of Mosiah and bring many to the love and mercy of our Savior, than like Moses and Noah who taught, but those they were teaching would not hear and repent. In either event I would have magnified my calling by teaching the word of God with all diligence (Jacob 1:19).

Hugh Nibley said that he would rather spend five minutes with Moroni than a lifetime on the stand. 

I now understand what he meant, and I feel the same. 

I did hear His voice and know that He is!

*I footnote this verse because anyone who desires to, and does what He asks, is called of God. While it does not make me special, this calling is special to me because He made it personal to me--just like He would for you if you desire to thrust in your sickle and reap. And I stand as a witness that He will bless you, as He has me, all that He promises in Section 11.

The Greatest Gift

 A shorter version of this post was given by us in Sacrament Meeting in our ward in Metz, France on December 14, 2025. It is also written so that we could share it with you, not only at this Christmas time, but anytime! Annie has translated it into French, which you can read here.

"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it" (Hebrews 4:2 emphasis added). Hopefully His words will profit you, being mixed with your faith.

At this time, we want to share with you the greatest gift we have ever received. But in order to do so, we must lay the foundation of God's plan of redemption. Nothing that you hear today is our opinion or the teachings of men. This is a story told and and caused to be written by our Savior. Those who hear today, will hear His voice, will rejoice in what they hear--that sweet sound of joy and glad tidings, to the living and the dead!

We have been warned not to put our trust in the arm of flesh, not in humans, any human, but only in God. We are told to look to God and live. He does this to protect us, because our tendency is to put our trust in things and people more immediately at hand.

This reveals an important characteristic of God. If we are to put our trust in Him, we must be able to rely on every word that comes from Him. Which means that when God says something, He cannot later say something different. In order to trust Him we must know that whatever He says is not only true, but can be relied upon. He must be unchangeable. Otherwise we would not be able to put our trust in Him. But because He will never say one thing and do another, we can put our trust in Him to save us. 

This brings us to what God says about His justice, which was introduced to us when God said to Adam and Eve that if they partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they would surely die. He could not later change His mind and say that's OK, you will not surely die. Otherwise He would cease to be God.

And die they would. Why? Because God said so, and all who came after Adam and Eve, became subject to God's justice. We are, each of us, subject to the justice of God. But, nevertheless we all shouted for joy upon hearing the news that this earth had been prepared for us. We willingly and gladly came here, to be tested and to receive more.

Let's examine a little more about His justice. It is unforgiving. It puts us under His law, and punishes anyone who breaks His law. We also experience the effects of the fall of Adam and Eve. We all die. We suffer. Satan is allowed to be among us and we become carnal, sensual and devilish, and are shut out from the presence of God.

Martin Luther described his profound struggle with his sins and his inability to satisfy God's perfect standard of righteousness, which led him to an intense alienation from God.

He said:

"Though I lived as a monk without reproach, I felt that I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience. I could not believe that he was placated by my satisfaction [his acts of penance]. I did not love…, I hated the righteous God who punishes sinners…I was angry with God…”

Is it not enough, that miserable sinners, eternally lost because of the fall, must also be crushed by His justice for every single sin? And then be threatened by God's wrath and anger? No matter how hard we try to be righteous or to confess all our sins, we can never meet the demands of God's perfect law. Believe us when we say you do not want God's justice!

Because His justice must be satisfied, God had a choice to make. He could either punish each of us for every single sin, no matter how small, or He could send His Son to suffer for every single sin for everyone, no matter how bad! God decided on the latter. Why? Because He loves us. Christ tells us He is the gospel, the good news, sent by His Father. And good news He is indeed!

Christ willingly agreed to take upon Himself the sins of all of us which caused Him unimaginable suffering. He said: “Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink — Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men” (D&C 19:18-19).

We are reminded of this each time we partake of the symbols of His flesh and blood.

And in doing so Christ met the demands of God's justice for everyone who will receive it. It's done! This justice of God that is so unforgiving and so demanding has been satisfied!

But that is only the beginning of the story. There is a condition, but given as a gift to us. Only those who are repenting, who have turned to Christ, have put their faith in Christ, who are relying 100% on His merits, and not their own, will not suffer God's justice. Otherwise, as He tells us: “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I…” (D&C 19:16-17).

Let us explain. Or better yet, let Christ explain. He does so in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. This parable is about the futility of religion and our good works. 

"Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised everybody else. Two men went up to the temple to pray: one, a Pharisee, the other, a tax collector. The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed thus: `God, I thank thee that I am not like others are, greedy, unjust, adulterers - and I thank thee especially that I am not like this tax collector. I fast two days every week and I give thee a tenth of all my income. But the tax collector stood a long way off and would not even raise his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat on his breast and said, `O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.' I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other…” (Luke 18:9-13).

Do you see what Jesus is saying in this parable? He is saying that as far as the Pharisee's ability to win a game of justification with God is concerned, he is no better off than the publican. As a matter of fact, the Pharisee is worse off; because while they're both losers, the publican at least has the sense to recognize the fact and trust God's offer of redemption and eventually, perfection. 

The point of the parable is that they are both dead in their sins, and their only hope is someone who can raise the dead. "Ah but," you say, "is there no distinction to be made? Isn't the Pharisee somehow further along in his progression than the publican? Isn't there some sense in which we can give him credit for the real goodness he has, for living his religion?" 

To which we answer, don't make the same miscalculation as the Pharisee did. Spiritual death is death. Given enough room to maneuver, it eventually produces forever spiritual death. 

The Pharisee did live his religion as he said. He was a good man and would be considered a faithful member of the Church. But he could never meet the demands of God's justice no matter how religious he is, or how good his behavior. Only those who rely on the merits of Christ, and do not take strength unto themselves, can He work with.

So this is the gift: “I have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they repent.” If you repent. If you understand His doctrine of repentance. If you do not rely on the teachings of men concerning repentance. If you repent, you will stand guiltless, even spotless, at the judgment. His righteousness will save you. Mercy will claim you. He will save you from your sins. What He will not do is save you in your sins. But you must turn to Him and receive His gift. What greater gift can you receive than from God!

His words (another gift) increase our faith and our trust in Him. He is the reason He has said to feast upon His words, to search them, and to enjoy His words of eternal life in this world. His words tell us what repentance really means. Even watering down His definition of repentance by just 5% turns it into a lie. Remember that His words matter because He has spoken them and caused them to be written. It is not enough to be close! And that is precisely why He has made it so simple. We can never claim that we did not understand. But do not be slothful because the way is easy. In other words do not harden your hearts in unbelief.

Repentance means to turn to Christ and to rely (Nephi says wholly, Moroni says alone) upon the merits of Christ. Quit being burdened by thinking you have to justify yourself by your works. Can you experience Him lifting that burden from you? Accept His gift to you. “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” (D&C 88:33). "...there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation" (D&C 6:13).

And He is the gift that keeps on giving. Once we are baptized and are continually repenting, we are no longer under the bondage of sin, no longer under the law, but are under grace,¹ and we continually receive more grace. He recreates us. We will be reborn over and over again as we receive more grace. He changes us from our lost and fallen state to a state of righteousness. We begin to take on the attributes of God, and when He exalts us to His sons and daughters,² we minister spiritually and temporarily to others. We become the saviors of men. We will continue to receive grace for grace until, as He did, we receive of His fulness. 

But there is even more! If we were to guess how many of you will go home, fall on your knees, experience your nothingness in comparison to His goodness, desire to repent or turn to Him, begin feasting upon His words, based on our experience, only a few will. Why? Because you may prefer religion, or your hearts are set upon the things of the world, or you may not believe Him, or you will refuse His gift because it seems too simple. But imagine Christ saying to you, “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world” (3 Nephi 11:14).

This Christmas, our hope is that this will be your best Christmas ever, because you will have received, or desire to receive from Him the greatest gift that you will ever receive--His gift of Mercy! His gift of Love--His Son. We hope that you turn to Christ, who

“Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity (the effects of your sins on others) and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice” (Mosiah 15:9).

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:10-11).

¹Saved by Grace

²Sons and Daughters

Core Values or Good & Evil?

Mitch Romney's talk on Core Values given to the Wheatly Institute at the BYU Marriott School of Business on November 12, 2025, has to have been celebrated--but not by angels! I believe that Satan rejoices when we focus on values rather than on choosing Good or Evil!*

What? Blasphemy you say! How can Satan celebrate a talk on values, especially one given by a prominent politician, who is also a prominent member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? 

For several reasons. First and foremost values deflect us from the Lord's plan of redemption.

Where does the idea of American values come from if not from God? From philosophy, German philosophy to be exact; from Nietzsche and Max Weber mostly, and adopted without question by America. 

"Value creation is the activity that writes a table of laws by which a people is constituted and lives, and which justifies the lives they live. This is, as Nietzsche tells us, the nut in the shell of existence" (The Closing of the American Mind, Allan Bloom).

Weber is of particular interest to us because he was the chosen apostle for the American promised land, creator of the work ethic. 

After Hitler, everybody scurried back under the protective cover of morality, but practically no one turned to serious thought about Good and Evil. Otherwise we would not be talking about values. Values replaced Good and Evil. The doctrine of the Two Ways was dead. So Nietzsche was right when he said "God is dead". Values not only replaced the choice between Good and Evil, but also made God, who is the ultimate Good, of no account because values would override the choice of Good, or substitute values and call them good.

These philosophers understood what “value” really means. It had taken the softening of all convictions and the blurring of all distinctions, for sacred values to be thought of as good, or not so good, or not so bad, or bad, and to come into its own here, not only in American, but in Mormon culture as well. 

And given the fact that God "established the Constitution in this land" so "that every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment" (D&C 101:78), the adoption of values is now, not only dividing us, but is eroding that freedom to choose.

This philosophy is so ingrained in American culture, and gives rise to slogans and terms such as:

We have nothing to fear but fear itself.

I'm OK. You're OK.

Lifestyle and worldview 

Be yourself!

Be original!

Let go!

I have my values and you have yours.

Family values

Business values

Ethical behavior

Core values or those really important values. 

As Romney said:

“We face right now some real challenges, and are highly divided,” said Romney.

“If we share those values and live by those values, then we can bring ourselves back together.”

Values are relative on a scale that we carefully maintain in order to protect our appearance and our worldview. They are also designed to disrespect others' worldviews, so when we speak of choice, we mean there are no necessary consequences, except maybe disapproval. But they are my choices, so respect them, and I will respect yours!

We have no-fault insurance, no-fault divorce and now no-fault choices. Whatever values we embrace, there are no consequences as long as they do not disrupt our chosen lifestyle. 

Values justify what a person choses as opposed to what he could have chosen.

Values take the place of Good and Evil, but the irony is that by replacing the choice between Good and Evil, we have chosen Evil.

Since values are not rational and not grounded in the natures of those subject to them, they must be imposed. They must defeat opposing values. Producing values and believing in them are acts of the will.

Commitment values the values and makes them valuable. Not love of truth, but intellectual honesty characterizes the proper state of mind. There is no truth in values,

It is not the truth of thought that distinguishes them, but its capacity to generate culture. A value is only a value if it is life-preserving and life-enhancing. And I would also say, they preserve one's self identity.

Cultures fight wars with one another. They must do so because values can only be asserted or posited by overcoming others, not by reasoning with them.

The very idea of culture carries with it a value: men and organizations need cultures and must do what is necessary to create and maintain them.

To adapt a formula of Plato about the gods, we do not love a thing because it is good, it is good because we love it. It is our decision to esteem that makes something estimable. We substitute His Goodness with ours.

The physicist wants to save his atoms; the historian, his events; the moralist, his values. But they are all equally relative. Rationality is only the activity of providing good reasons for what has no reason or is unreasonable.

Men’s “worldviews” or “values” determine their history, their present and their future. They are trapped by their culture. Plato's Cave warns that the culture we are born into—its beliefs, media, and social systems (its values)—can become a prison that makes us mistake mere appearances for reality, and I would add, for truth. For example, we more often than not mistake church values and church culture as being Christ's gospel.

Those interested in the business of making money do not seem to recognize, when they use this language, that they are admitting that their “rational” system needs a moral supplement in order to work, hence the creation of ethics and values, or as Romney says 'core values' to make it even more desirable, more special and more accepting. 

A religion must, it seems, be invented for the sole purpose of defending capitalism. Hence the 'Protestant' work ethic.

Contrast values with what God has revealed about only having two choices, or the doctrine of the “Two Ways.” 

No teaching was more frequently taught, nor more emphatically brought home in the earliest Christian literature, than the famous doctrine of the “Two Ways,” which proclaims that there lies before every human being and before the church itself only two roads between which a choice must be made. The one is the road of darkness, the way of Evil; the other, the way of Light. 

Every man must chose between the two every day of his life; that choosing is the most important thing he does, and the two ways, Good and Evil, are absolutely essential to God’s plan. 

There is nothing weak or vicious in the arrangement, for every man is clearly given to understand that as he chooses so he will be judged. He will be judged by God in the proper time and place. Meantime he must be free, perfectly free, to choose his own way.

"Say unto this people: Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you" (Moses 6:33).

"And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the Good.

And it is given unto them to know Good from Evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment" (Moses 6:55-56 emphasis added).

"How long will ye halt between two opinions" (1 Kings 18-21)?

"Choose you this day whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15).

"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself" (2 Nephi 2:27 emphasis added) .

There is no reference to values or culture in the scriptures, but I did find this from Elder Gong where he quoted President Oaks (from a talk given in 2021) as saying, “There is a unique gospel culture, a set of values and expectations and practices common to all [the] members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Gospel culture includes chastity, weekly attendance at church, abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, tea, and coffee. It includes honesty and integrity, understanding we move forward, not upward or downward, in Church positions" (No One Sits Alone, Elder Gerrit W. Gong, October 2025 General Conference).

And yet God has given us our agency to see whether we will choose either Good (God) or Evil (Satan). That is our test here, our only test. Other choices may impact our lives here, they may even align with our culture or values, but they have nothing to do with His plan of redemption. 

See more on only two choices.

*Good and Evil are capitalized as a reminder that God defines who and what is Good and who and what is Evil, and that we are revealing to God every day, every minute, every second, which one we choose. They are antithetical. Good is the antithesis of Evil.

Ask Wally

This column was created as a lark because even when I was young, I like to read Dear Abby. But in that column and other advice columns the answers are provided by the columnist. Here, while it appears the same,  I provide the questions but not the answers. I use the word of God to form the answers.

Wally,

I am having a difficult time with the church, and I don't know how to reconcile what I have been taught, and what I read in the scriptures, particularly concerning being nourished continually by the word of God in Moroni 6:4, and not a watered down version of His words.

I read in the Book of Mormon that the "churches met together so that they could "hear the word of God" (Mosiah 25:20). And there "was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God" (Mosiah 25:22).

I do not understand why we are, it seems to me, required to use General Conference talks in Priesthood and Relief Society classes, and even in Sacrament meetings, when we have the written records which we are taught contain the word of God. It concerns me a great deal and is starting to make me wonder why we even have a General Conference. It is as if General Conference is justified just so the talks can be published and used as our learning curriculum. And it changes every six months. 

Abigail

Hi Abigail,

I have often wondered the same thing. While it is possible to hear the word of God spoken at General Conference, it is best if we believe Christ when He tells us to rely on the written records. In fact He always emphasizes the scriptures (the written records) over the teachings of men mingled with scriptures. Moroni’s admonition to nourish members with the word of God is the Lord's teaching. 

This said, there is a major gap between what is supposed to be taught, and what is actually taught in our meetings. If you are not being nourished by the word of God in your meetings, you can search the scriptures and feast upon the words of Christ while attending your meetings. While this may seem rude, you are at least being fed. That being said, you should not rely alone on others to teach you. It is up to you to seek and know the word of God. If you know or think someone has the gift of knowledge, you should seek that person out and asked to be taught. More

Best to you, Wally

Wally,

I have two questions, but they are related. First, my grandson lost his Church membership at a disciplinary council. Second, my cousin asked that her name be removed from the Church records. 

Questions: 

Are their baptisms still valid, even though neither is a member of record? or

Do they need to be re-baptized, and be members of record of the Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day Saints in order to repent, so as not to be under the bondage of sin?

Mindy

Hi Mindy,

When an adult person is baptized by proper authority, and the baptism was the first fruits of their repentance, then they are baptized unto repentance, or baptized so they can continue to repent. They kept the commandment of their Father to be baptized, and in order to keep the commandment to repent, they must be baptized. 

Let's compare your son's and cousin's experiences, to someone who has not had records removed, but simply has gone inactive. In the latter case, it seems there is no question but that the person was born of the water, baptized unto repentance, and if he decides to turn and repent, there is no need to be baptized again. 

While the Church's position will differ, the baptism in both cases is still a born of the water experience, and both of them, if they decide, can continue to repent without having to be baptized again. But if they want to be in full fellowship with the organized Church, the Church will require a new baptism, which is the Church's right to do so. But according to D&C 10:67-70, only those who repent are of His church, regardless of Church membership.

But, according to the Church, re-baptism is the ordinance required to restore the full blessings and covenant status within the established structure of the Church.

I would say to your Son and Cousin, however, that if they decide to repent, to ask God what is best for them, just repentance, or repentance and church membership. As the fruits of their repentance will include saying nothing but repentance to others, there is no better place to do so than among active Church members.

Best to you, Wally