Ask, and it shall be given you....

SPOILER NOTICE:  If you have not read the book Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns, and you plan on reading it, you probably do not want to read this post.  I am quoting from that book, and the quote may give some of the story away. 

One of the themes that goes through the book is reference to the scripture, "Ask, and it shall be given you..."  Towards the end of the book, the main character says something that gave me a lot of insight into that scripture.  (I think it is funny how sometimes you get insight in political and religious views from a non political or religious book.  That is one of the powerful tools an author can use.)  The character Will Tweedy says the following:

"Grandpa didn't think Jesus meant, by that, that we should ast God for things, or for special favors.  He said we could trust that in the nature of things, without astin', we'll get lots of blessin;s and happy surprises and maybe a miracle or two.  When Jesus said ast and you'll get it, He meant things of the spirit, not the flesh.  Right now, for instance, I could ast, 'Lord, please raise Grandpa from the dead,' but it wouldn't happen.  But I can say, 'Please, God, comfort me.' and I'll get heart's ease.  Grandpa said Jesus meant us to ast for hope, forgiveness, and all like that.  Ast, 'Hep us not be scared, hep us not be greedy, give us courage to try.'"

Will continues, "Ast any such and God will give it to you.  But don't ast Him not to let fire burn, or say spare me from death.  At least, uh, that's what Grandpa said."

There are also scriptures that tell us that with faith we can move mountains, and that with faith anything is possible.   But there is always the disclaimer of, if it is God's will.   I personally don't know anyone that could move a mountain with faith.  I know that I could not do it.  This book made me think.  How often do we pray for more money, a bigger house, and for other monetary blessings?   We may even pray for the Lord to guide us to friends, family, etc that need our help.  But how often do we pray that the Lord would calm our hearts, bring peace to our minds, have His Spirit talk to the Spirit of child who needs comfort?   This is one thing I am going to do more in the next year.  I am going to pray more for the Lord to calm my spirit, give me peace when things may be hard, and to remove anger from my soul.

I think that Will is right.  That the Lord wanted us to ask for things of the Spirit as well as things of the world.  But I think that if we ask for things of the Spirit, they will be more in line with the Will of the Lord and we will be more likely to see our prayers answered.   If we ask to have anger, greed, resentment, bad thoughts and feelings removed, and replaced with calm, peace, and contentment, we will see the Lord work miracles in our lives.

New Sweeping Legislation - The Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA)

WASHINGTON, DC (AP) - Congress approved sweeping legislation, which provides new benefits for many Americans. The Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA), signed into law by President Barack Obama shortly after its passage, is being hailed as a major victory by advocates of the millions of Americans who lack any real skills or ambition.

"Roughly 50 percent of Americans do not possess the competence and drive necessary to carve out a meaningful role for themselves in society," said Obama, a longtime AWNA supporter.

"This is why many of them voted for me. We can no longer stand by and allow People of Inability to be ridiculed and passed over. With this legislation, employers will no longer be able to grant special favors to a small group of workers, simply because they do a better job, or have some idea of what they are doing," said Obama.

President Obama pointed to the success of the US Postal Service, which has a long-standing policy of providing opportunity without regard to performance. Approximately 80 percent of postal employees lack job skills, making this agency the single largest US employer of Persons of Inability.

Private sector industries with good records of nondiscrimination against the Inept include retail sales (72%), the airline industry (68%),and home improvement "warehouse" stores (65%).

President Obama has also set an example, personally selecting hundreds of Nonabled people for top government positions, including many cabinet-level jobs.

Under the Americans With No Abilities Act, more than 25 million "middle man" positions will be created, with important-sounding titles but little real responsibility, thus providing an illusory sense of purpose and performance.

Mandatory non-performance-based raises and promotions will be given, to guarantee upward mobility for even the most unremarkable employees. The legislation provides substantial tax breaks to corporations which maintain a significant level of Persons of Inability in top positions, and gives a tax credit to small and medium businesses that agree to hire one clueless worker for every two talented hires.

Finally, the AWNAA contains tough new measures to make it more difficult to discriminate against the Nonabled, banning discriminatory interview questions such as "Do you have any goals for the future?" or "Do you have any skills or experience which relate to this job?" and "Are you awake?"

"As a Nonabled person, I can't be expected to keep up with people who have something going for them," said Mary Lou Gertz, who lost her position as a lug-nut twister at the GM plant in Flint, MI due to her lack of notable job skills.

"This new law should really help people like me."

With the passage of this bill, Gertz and millions of other untalented citizens can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Said Obama, "It is our duty as lawmakers to provide each and every American citizen, regardless of his or her adequacy, with some sort of space to take up in this great nation."

And my father dwelt in a tent

6. Now, all these things were said and done as my father dwelt in a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel.  1 Nephi 1:6

I have always wondered why Nehi told everyone that his father dwelt in a tent.   I also think that everything in the scriptures, no matter how minor it may seem, was put there for a reason.   It was not easy for Nephi to write on the plates.  It would take time and resources to do so.  So why would he waste the time to tell us that his father dwelt in a tent?    The reason I came up with was the fact that he wanted us to know what type of sacrifice that his family had to give up in order to follow what the Lord told them to do.  In chapter 3 he continues to say: "... for behold he left gold and silver, and all manner of riches. And all this he hath done because of the commandments of the Lord." (1 Nephi 3:16)

Nephi and his family gave up a lot of stuff because the Lord commanded them to do so.  We are familiar with the story of them going back to get the brass plates.  The riches the left behind were so great that they made Labon want them, and to take them by what ever means he could.  They left behind a lot and then dwelt in a tent because the Lord told them to.

I recently had a hard time giving up some of my riches.  At Christmas, I was given some money and a gift card that I could use to buy what I wanted.  So I went to Target and purchased a computer game.  When I was at checkout, the clerk asked me for my ID.  I thought that was funny and went home.  While I was going home I wondered why she asked for my ID.  When I got home I noticed that the game I just purchased had a rating of M on it, or 17+.  I had a battle in my head over that rating.  We have been trying hard to keep that type of stuff out of our home, but I REALLY wanted to play this game.  So the game went back to the store, and I purchased something that the entire family could have fun using.

I have not been asked to live in a tent, and I have not had to give up a lot of my riches.  10% is really not that much if you think about all that the Lord has given you.   But it made me think.  I had a hard time giving up a M rated game.  Would I have a hard time giving up something of more value, or would I be able to follow the Lord's commandment if it included living in a tent?

During the last few weeks, I have been listening to the 2010 October General Conference on the way to work.  And something hit me pretty hard in a couple of the talks.   In the first session, Elder Claudio R. M. Costa gave a talk by the title of, "Obedience to the Prophets."  In this talk he references a talk by President Ezra Taft Benson (when he was the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles).  The talk he referenced was given at a BYU devotional in the Marriott Center in 1980.   The talk called, "Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet" included 14 things that we should know about the prophet, and the importance of having a living prophet on the Earth today.  (I am not going to list the 14 fundamentals here, because I want to you to back and read them yourself).

Then, later that day there was a talk by Elder Kevin R. Duncan called "Our Very Survival".   Elder Duncan then gives the same reference that Elder Costa did, and then lists the 14 fundamentals again.  I then started to think, why do you think that two of the brethren would quote the exact same fireside by President Benson?  I think that it is because we needed to hear it twice for it to sink in.

It makes me wonder what commandment the Lord is going to give through his prophet that we may find hard to listen to.   Why is it so important for us to know what type of revelation the Lord and give us through is prophets?  Will we be willing to live in a tent, and to forsake what the Lord asks us to give up.  If the prophet gave us a laundry list of things to remove form our lives, would we get rid of those riches and live in a tent if commanded to?   Are we going to be to prideful to give up our M rated computer games...  If we can't do that, then how are we suppose to give up the hard things if asked?  Like Pride, Jealousy, and the other sins that many of us want to keep as riches.

Elder Scott gave a talk entitled "The Transforming Power of Faith and Character", on the same day of Conference.   In his talk he talks about how important it is for us to have Faith and Character to be able to do what the Lord asks us to do.  "The bedrock of character is integrity. Worthy character will strengthen your capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit and to be obedient to it. Your consistent exercise of faith builds strong character. A secure foundation for your growing character is laid by making Jesus Christ and His teachings the center of your life."    We need to be able to have Character so when the Lord asks us through his prophets to do something that may be hard, we will have the strength to be obedient to it.  Elder Scott continues:

Material things do not of themselves produce happiness and satisfaction and the joy of attainment on earth. Nor do they lead us to exaltation. It is nobility of character, that fabric of inner strength and conviction woven from countless righteous decisions, that gives life its direction. A consistent, righteous life produces an inner power and strength that can be permanently resistant to the eroding influence of sin and transgression. Your faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His commandments will strengthen your character. Your character is a measure of what you are becoming. It is the evidence of how well you are using your time on earth in this period of mortal probation.

He also tells us that "character is not developed in moments of great challenge or temptation. That is when it is intended to be used."  We need to develop character and be obedient by using our faith so that we can do what the Lord asks us to do.  Even if he asks us to give up our riches and go live in a tent.

Elder Scott continues, "Neither Satan nor any other power can destroy or undermine your growing character. Only you could do that through disobedience. A sterling character is converted into worthless ashes when eroded by deceit or transgression."

Lets make sure that we keep our Character and Faith strong, so that when the Prophets tell us to do something we can be obedient to those commandments.  So that our character is not eroded by deceit or transgression.