December 4, 2008

Brant Gardner fireside announcement

"Mesoamerica in the Book of Mormon: Deepening our Understanding through Cultural Context" 

"Join us for a thought-provoking evening presented by Brant A. Gardner, Mesoamerican scholar and author of Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon. Brother Gardner is a popular speaker whose knowledge and faithful insights have fascinated many."

Date: Friday, December 5, 2008

Time: 7:00 pm

Who: Everyone interested

Where: Sharon Park 5th Ward 150 E. 600 North Orem, UT 84057

The presentation will be made in the chapel. Refreshments will be served after the presentation and a question and answer session.

For further information, please contact Allen Wyatt (801-226-2398).

For more on Brant Gardner's work see the blog series "Likening With Care." 

The Book of Mormon is plausible as an ancient document because:

This post is a continuation of the LoGP series "Likening With Care." 

Brant Gardner recently threw a quick list together to argue the Book of Mormon is plausible as an ancient text (not that it is proved to be one).

[Gardner]
1) It has a plausible geography that correlates in specific ways with real world geography.

2) It has a plausible political geography that correlates with specific cultural divisions, times, and geography, all in the right times and places.

3) It has a plausible historical setting in that known socio-political trends of the region are appropriately reflected in the text.

4) It has appropriate descriptions of kin-based cities and later city hierarchies (beholding kings) that accurately represent the nature of Mesoamerican political systems but are unlike anything Joseph could have known.

5) It accurately represents the military use of particular weaponry, even though Joseph could not have known how those would have been used in battle arrangement.

6) Accurately represents certain military tactics that were not typical for Joseph's contemporary armies, but which are represented in textual information of Aztec tactics

7) Presents an authentic function of Mesoamerican warfare for tribute relations rather than concepts of victory that come from any nation Joseph Smith would have known.

8)Presents the story of the Mulekites moving from one cultural area and Nephites moving north to find them, creating a clash of languges. This is mirrored in known history by the movement of Zoquean speakers into the Grijalva River valley and meeting with Maya speakers from the south. The time periods for both the secular history and the Book of Mormon history are the same.

That is enough for now.

[LoGP]
Where can we get specific demonstrations of these points, Brant?

[Gardner]
I have documented them. Unfortunately, they are scattered through 6 volumes.1

FOOTNOTES

[1]
Brant Gardner, MormonApologetics.org, March 26, 2008. It deserves note that Gardner's commentary is more substantive than simply demonstrating his above listed hypotheses. Some of these items will be discussed in an upcoming fireside.

December 2, 2008

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin Dies, Age 91

SALT LAKE CITY - 2 December 2008

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, the oldest living apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died last night, age 91.

Elder Wirthlin had gone to bed at his Salt Lake City home, and died peacefully at about 11:30 pm of causes incident to age. His oldest daughter, Jane Wirthlin Parker, was present. A member of the family had been staying and caring for Elder Wirthlin, whose wife, Elisa Young Rogers Wirthlin, died in 2006.

He had continued to work at his office right up until the Thanksgiving holiday.

Funeral arrangements will be announced

________________________________________________

Elder Wirthlin's last conference address:

Come What May, and Love It

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
 
The way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.
Elder Joseph B. WirthlinWhen I was young I loved playing sports, and I have many fond memories of those days. But not all of them are pleasant. I remember one day after my football team lost a tough game, I came home feeling discouraged. My mother was there. She listened to my sad story. She taught her children to trust in themselves and each other, not blame others for their misfortunes, and give their best effort in everything they attempted.

When we fell down, she expected us to pick ourselves up and get going again. So the advice my mother gave to me then wasn’t altogether unexpected. It has stayed with me all my life.

“Joseph,” she said, “come what may, and love it.”
I have often reflected on that counsel.

I think she may have meant that every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result.

There may be some who think that General Authorities rarely experience pain, suffering, or distress. If only that were true. While every man and woman on this stand today has experienced an abundant measure of joy, each also has drunk deeply from the cup of disappointment, sorrow, and loss. The Lord in His wisdom does not shield anyone from grief or sadness.

For me, the Lord has opened the windows of heaven and showered blessings upon my family beyond my ability to express. Yet like everyone else, I have had times in my life when it seemed that the heaviness of my heart might be greater than I could bear. During those times I think back to those tender days of my youth when great sorrows came at the losing end of a football game.

How little I knew then of what awaited me in later years. But whenever my steps led through seasons of sadness and sorrow, my mother’s words often came back to me: “Come what may, and love it.”

How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can’t—at least not in the moment. I don’t think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement or deny the reality of pain. I don’t think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.

If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.

Over the years I have learned a few things that have helped me through times of testing and trial. I would like to share them with you.

Learn to Laugh
The first thing we can do is learn to laugh. Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to Adam? Or have you had an encounter with an overhanging cupboard door left open at the wrong place and the wrong time which has been cursed, condemned, and avenged by a sore-headed victim?
There is an antidote for times such as these: learn to laugh.

I remember loading up our children in a station wagon and driving to Los Angeles. There were at least nine of us in the car, and we would invariably get lost. Instead of getting angry, we laughed. Every time we made a wrong turn, we laughed harder.

Getting lost was not an unusual occurrence for us. Once while heading south to Cedar City, Utah, we took a wrong turn and didn’t realize it until two hours later when we saw the “Welcome to Nevada” signs. We didn’t get angry. We laughed, and as a result, anger and resentment rarely resulted. Our laughter created cherished memories for us.

I remember when one of our daughters went on a blind date. She was all dressed up and waiting for her date to arrive when the doorbell rang. In walked a man who seemed a little old, but she tried to be polite. She introduced him to me and my wife and the other children; then she put on her coat and went out the door. We watched as she got into the car, but the car didn’t move. Eventually our daughter got out of the car and, red faced, ran back into the house. The man that she thought was her blind date had actually come to pick up another of our daughters who had agreed to be a babysitter for him and his wife.

We all had a good laugh over that. In fact, we couldn’t stop laughing. Later, when our daughter’s real blind date showed up, I couldn’t come out to meet him because I was still in the kitchen laughing. Now I realize that our daughter could have felt humiliated and embarrassed. But she laughed with us, and as a result, we still laugh about it today.

The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable.

Seek for the Eternal
The second thing we can do is seek for the eternal. You may feel singled out when adversity enters your life. You shake your head and wonder, “Why me?”

But the dial on the wheel of sorrow eventually points to each of us. At one time or another, everyone must experience sorrow. No one is exempt.

I love the scriptures because they show examples of great and noble men and women such as Abraham, Sarah, Enoch, Moses, Joseph, Emma, and Brigham. Each of them experienced adversity and sorrow that tried, fortified, and refined their characters.

Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others.

Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others.

Remember the sublime words of the Savior to the Prophet Joseph Smith when he suffered with his companions in the smothering darkness of Liberty Jail: “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;

“And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.”1
With that eternal perspective, Joseph took comfort from these words, and so can we. Sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that will ultimately suffer us to overcome.

The Principle of Compensation
The third thing we can do is understand the principle of compensation. The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.

One of the blessings of the gospel is the knowledge that when the curtain of death signals the end of our mortal lives, life will continue on the other side of the veil. There we will be given new opportunities. Not even death can take from us the eternal blessings promised by a loving Heavenly Father.

Because Heavenly Father is merciful, a principle of compensation prevails. I have seen this in my own life. My grandson Joseph has autism. It has been heartbreaking for his mother and father to come to grips with the implications of this affliction.

They knew that Joseph would probably never be like other children. They understood what that would mean not only for Joseph but for the family as well. But what a joy he has been to us. Autistic children often have a difficult time showing emotion, but every time I’m with him, Joseph gives me a big hug. While there have been challenges, he has filled our lives with joy.

His parents have encouraged him to participate in sports. When he first started playing baseball, he was in the outfield. But I don’t think he grasped the need to run after loose balls. He thought of a much more efficient way to play the game. When a ball was hit in his direction, Joseph watched it go by and then pulled another baseball out of his pocket and threw that one to the pitcher.

Any reservations that his family may have had in raising Joseph, any sacrifices they have made have been compensated tenfold. Because of this choice spirit, his mother and father have learned much about children with disabilities. They have witnessed firsthand the generosity and compassion of family, neighbors, and friends. They have rejoiced together as Joseph has progressed. They have marveled at his goodness.

Trust in the Father and the Son
The fourth thing we can do is put our trust in our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

“God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.”2 The Lord Jesus Christ is our partner, helper, and advocate. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to be successful. If we do our part, He will step in.

He who descended below all things will come to our aid. He will comfort and uphold us. He will strengthen us in our weakness and fortify us in our distress. He will make weak things become strong.3

One of our daughters, after giving birth to a baby, became seriously ill. We prayed for her, administered to her, and supported her as best we could. We hoped she would receive a blessing of healing, but days turned into months, and months turned into years. At one point I told her that this affliction might be something she would have to struggle with the rest of her life.

One morning I remember pulling out a small card and threading it through my typewriter. Among the words that I typed for her were these: “The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him.”

She did put her trust in God. But her affliction did not disappear. For years she suffered, but in due course, the Lord blessed her, and eventually she returned to health.

Knowing this daughter, I believe that even if she had never found relief, yet she would have trusted in her Heavenly Father and “[left] the rest to Him.”

Conclusion
Although my mother has long since passed to her eternal reward, her words are always with me. I still remember her advice to me given on that day long ago when my team lost a football game: “Come what may, and love it.”

I know why there must be opposition in all things. Adversity, if handled correctly, can be a blessing in our lives. We can learn to love it.

As we look for humor, seek for the eternal perspective, understand the principle of compensation, and draw near to our Heavenly Father, we can endure hardship and trial. We can say, as did my mother, “Come what may, and love it.” Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

NOTES
1. D&C 121:7–8.
2. John 3:16.
3. See Ether 12:27.

December 1, 2008

Remember "Kolob Sunday"?

From the "backburner never got around to posting" department:
 
A question by message board participant "battlefieldboy" once sparked BYU professor Daniel C. Peterson's memory of the good old days:

battlefieldboy:
I have other Questions like how come the Church doesn't teach about Kolob anymore is it because it was such a silly notion that we would be laughed out of mainstream christianity. Kind of like believing the world is flat.

Daniel Peterson:
Actually, I didn't realize that we had ever been in "mainstream Christianity," or that we even aspired to join.

You're right, though. When I was a boy, the second Sunday of every month was "Kolob Sunday," when sacrament meeting talks were turned over to contemplation of Kolob and we attended dressed in spacesuits. There were at least thirty or forty hymns in the hymnal dedicated to Kolob. Every fourth year in the Sunday School and seminary curriculum was focused on Kolobology. Our stake used to run a group of observatories up on Mt. Wilson, above the Pasadena area, that we used to search for Kolob, and occasionally we got to go down to the even bigger Kolob-searching facility on Mt. Palomar, jointly run by the stakes near San Diego. But now there's only one rarely-sung hymn left, and we've sold off the observatories.

P.S. With John Gee and Bill Hamblin, I just published an article in the book Astronomy, Papyrus, and Covenant, focused to a certain extent on Kolob. I didn't realize that we don't do that anymore. Whoops.1


FOOTNOTES
[1]
Conversation posted to the MormonApologetics.org message board, August 11, 2007.
The article to which Peterson refers is "And I Saw the Stars: The Book of Abraham and Ancient Geocentric Astronomy" by John Gee, William J. Hamblin, and Daniel C. Peterson in Astronomy, Papyrus, and Covenant by John Gee and Brian M. Hauglid.