Moses 7

This week’s study is very much a continuation of last week, and it should be noted that a lot of the knowledge that we assume and we have about Enoch stands independent of traditions within the wider world of the Abrahamic faiths. 

We learn more about Enoch and his preaching as we begin reading Moses 7. We learn that he taught that which had been taught by Adam. Enoch did not cease from his teaching. One of the things that he shares is his theophany, or vision of the Lord:

And it came to pass that I turned and went up on the mount; and as I stood upon the mount, I beheld the heavens open, and I was clothed upon with glory; And I saw the Lord; and he stood before my face, and he talked with me, even as a man talketh one with another, face to face; and he said unto me: Look, and I will show unto thee the world for the space of many generations (Moses 7:3-4).

This is very reminiscent, or foreshadowing, of the visions of Nephi (see 1 Nephi 11-14) and John (see Revelation) in a couple of ways. I think the use of a mountain is unsurprising when we consider Moses’ experience on Sinai, or the Saviour on the Mount of Transfiguration, or the brother of Jared saw who his vision of the pre-mortal Christ on mount Shelem (Ether 3:1), also Ezekiel being shown his vision after being caught away in the spirit into a very high mountain (Ezek 40:1). Paul speaks in a similar manner of being caught up or carried away in the Spirit:

I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter (2 Cor. 12:2-4).

We can also think of Isaiah’s use of the imagery of the mountain of the Lord’s house. Mountains are symbolic of the presence of the Lord, and perhaps, in the absence of a Temple serve some of that same function.

In seeing future generations Enoch is experiencing a similar vision. Just as Nephi’s focussed on his immediate context of his family, Enoch begins by looking to Shum and to Canaan, lands with which he was familiar. 

He saw the consequences that would befall the people, but he called “upon all the people… to repent” (Moses 7:12). We read of the great faith and impact of Enoch:

And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him. There also came up a land out of the depth of the sea, and so great was the fear of the enemies of the people of God, that they fled and stood afar off and went upon the land which came up out of the depth of the sea (Moses 7:13-14).

The earth trembled, mountains moved and rivers changed course because of the faith and the power of Enoch. We often hear that faith can move mountains, Enoch shows that this isn’t just a pleasant and encouraging aphorism, it is true. 

It’s interesting that when I Googled ‘faith to move mountains’ every result I found highlighted the fact that the Saviour was being metaphorical- and he was, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. We read in Ether 12:30:

For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove—and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith.

For me, Enoch and the Brother of Jared’s experiences adds power to the metaphor- there isn’t anything so big as a mountain in our lives, and if a literal mountain can be moved through faith in, and discipleship of, the Lord Jesus Christ, then the metaphorical ones shouldn’t be an issue for the Saviour in our lives. We all have different mountains to move, and they could be physical, emotional, spiritual, mental. For each of these, while we must seek the appropriate professional help, there is also hope available through the atonement of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

One of my favourite examples of the importance of hope is found in the memoirs of Rabbi Hugo Gryn. 

As I light the menorah in my comfortable London home, surrounded by our children, the oldest of whom is getting married tomorrow, I go back to Chanukah forty-two years ago, the bitter, cold winter of 1944, to a miserable Nazi concentration camp called Lieberose in Silesia. From our less-than-meagre rations we saved our margarine, from bits of wood carved out bowls for oil lamps, and out of blanket and uniform threads fashioned wicks of a sort. Then on the first night of Chanukah, in our crowded barrack-room (Block 4 it was), the melted fat in its place, we sang the blessings about God’s miraculous saving power. And then disaster! Margarine  does not burn! It just fizzled out. 

And my anger over precious and seemingly wasted calories, and the less than good-natured teasing of non-Jewish fellow prisoners. Though I was then a middle-aged 14-year-old, I burst into tears. My father, who also saved his rations, and whose idea the celebration was in the first place, and without whose support I would certainly not be alive to tell this tale, tried to comfort me.

‘You and I,’ he said, ‘have seen that it is possible to live as long as three weeks without food. We once lived almost three days without water. But you cannot live properly for three minutes without hope!’

The idea that we ‘cannot live properly for three minutes without hope’ has been the catalyst for much study and prayer in recent weeks. The celebration of Chanukah is the Jewish festival of light, where a candle is lit each evening. This fire, this light, in the Old Testament times was and is a symbol of God’s presence. We recognise, that even in the darkest times we can find the presence of God, the light of Christ, the Holy Ghost that will give us hope for our current circumstance and for the future.

As I think of this hope, this faith that we can all find in our lives I am led to leave the theoretical and consider: “What is one of my mountains?” I suffer from imposter syndrome, I used to think it was shyness, but it is more insecurities and anxieties. I live my life worried that someone is going to expose me as a fraud- someone is going to discover one day that I can’t do all the things that I suggest I can. Somehow, I have blagged my way through life, and really I’m a big fraud. I know logically this is ridiculous, but this does not stop me thinking that I’m rubbish, or that I’m not worth the nice things that are sometimes said about me. 

Let me share how faith and discipleship has helped me move this mountain a short distance, I think it’s important to realise the mountain isn’t quite out of my line of sight yet. Over the last twenty years while I have served as Bishop or in other callings, the passage of scripture I have turned to the most in my interviews has been Alma 7:

And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succour his people according to their infirmities (vv 11-12)..

As a Bishop I often used this passage of scripture to talk about the blessings that the atonement brings outside of forgiveness of sins. That all the pains and sicknesses are taken up through the Saviour’s love, as I reflect on my own mountain I recognise that the atonement can remove these feelings of inadequacy. 

But it is only recently that I came across another scripture that caused me, as Joseph Smith, to reflect on it again and again:

And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true (Mosiah 4:11-12).

If I want, not just my sins, but my feelings of inadequacy to disappear then I must turn to the Saviour. As we turn to the Saviour and understand who we are, and who he is can we hope to find peace in our lives. We can recognise our relationship to God, as expressed by Elder Uchtdorf:

This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.

It is not enough, however, to just have a logical knowledge of these things; as Elder Uchtdorf mentioned ‘discipleship is not a spectator sport’. I have to allow these truths to sink deep into my heart and to act on them. It takes conscious effort most of the time to remind myself of this, but I have experienced and live in hope that it becomes a natural part of who I am, to allow this knowledge to unconsciously affect every aspect of my life.

With regard to the faith to move mountains there is a saying that I often think about when I read this:

            If you ask the Lord to move a mountain, don’t be surprised if he hands you a spade.

Again, this is not to be taken literally, nor are we expected to move a mountain a spade at a time, rather that the important truth that we should: “Pray as though everything depended on God; work as though everything depended on you” (attributed to St. Augustine). This mountain isn’t something new, I remember these feelings of inadequacy as a teenager, as a missionary and when I returned home. The ways I have managed to allow these truths to sink deep into my heart and begin to transform these weaknesses into strengths have all been rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Zion

We know that the people and the city of Enoch were named Zion by the Lord:

And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them. And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion (Moses 7:18-19).           

Not that City of Enoch

It seems strange to identify what we’re not talking about today, but just for clarity. We read about a city of Enoch in Genesis 4:

And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech (17-18).

Almost the same description is found in the JST recorded in Moses 5, except with a slight addition in verse 42:

And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bare Enoch, and he also begat many sons and daughters. And he builded a city, and he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch (emphasis added).

We learn further in Moses 5 that this Enoch and his sons were part of the secret combinations begun by Cain. Thus, Enoch the son of Cain and the city that holds his name stands very distinct from the city of Enoch we read of in Moses 7 and throughout later revelation.

What is Zion?

Again, just as with the rounded image of Enoch that we gain from Latter-day scripture, we learn about the City of Zion only through restored truths. We stand independent in the truths that we know. McConkie and Millet suggest:

In an Old Testament setting, Zion usually has reference to the holy mount or, by extension, to the city of Jerusalem. 

When we read about Zion in the Old Testament it is usually interpreted to mean Jerusalem, or possibly the wider land of promise. Latter-day Saint understanding of a specific land or people related to Enoch is not found elsewhere. Though we do read that it was not just Enoch that was ‘translated’ but also:

             … Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven. (Moses 7:21)

In exploring the full meaning of Zion today, we read in the Doctrine and Covenants:

Therefore, verily, thus saith the Lord, let Zion rejoice, for this is Zion—THE PURE IN HEART; therefore, let Zion rejoice, while all the wicked shall mourn (97:21).

In the Guide to the Scriptures it outlines that “Zion also means a place where the pure in heart live.” It has become synonymous with the gathering of Israel together as Zion, whereas in the past (and potentially in the future) it refers to a specific place, today it is a state of heart, where people, the pure in heart, gather. We become a Zion community as was Enoch’s society which was taken up into heaven:

And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them. And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion. And it came to pass that Enoch talked with the Lord; and he said unto the Lord: Surely Zion shall dwell in safety forever. But the Lord said unto Enoch: Zion have I blessed, but the residue of the people have I cursed. And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold mine abode forever. (Moses 7:18-21).

Thus those who seek to bring forth Zion are working to gather all those who are pure in heart, and to maintain Zion among those who have gathered. We read in the Doctrine and Covenants the command that is still in place today:

Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion (D&C 6:6).

In order to do such we must be pure in heart. We must be part of Zion, the pure in heart, to encourage and strengthen others as Zion. We also read that this should be our focus, in reading the JST of Matthew 6:33 we see:

Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you (JST Matthew 6:38).

The Saviour is our first focus in our lives, but then we have a responsibility to establish and to sustain Zion.

This seems to be the context in which Nephi uses the term ‘Zion’:

And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be (1 Nephi 13:37).

This is the first time that it is seemingly used in this way in the Book of Mormon, it is more commonly attached to Jerusalem as noted above, McConkie and Millet highlight this:

In the Book of Mormon we encounter what the world would consider to be an unusual form and meaning for the word Zion… Here and in numerous other places (e.g., 2 Nephi 26:29-31;2 Nephi 28:20-21, 24;3 Nephi 16:16-18) Zion seems to represent the gathering place of the believers, the society of the pure in heart, the setting for the Saints. This concept from the Book of Mormon was enforced through the early revelations given to the Prophet oracles now found in the Doctrine and Covenants.

In fact, this particular expression occurs again and again in the Doctrine and Covenants, a plea with the early labourers in this last vineyard to labour for the cause of the Lord. (See D&C 6:6;D&C 11:6;D&C 12:6;D&C 14:6) The Prophet’s revelatory experience with Enoch and his ancient “city of holiness” in his inspired translation of the King James Version of the Bible (Moses 6-7) was an even more powerful preparation for understanding how and why Zion would be established by the Latter-day Saints.

This idea of building and establishing Zion is linked in the last part of this verse with those who “shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy.” As I write this it is impossible to read this phrase without being reminded of President Russell M. Nelson’s challenge to each of us to be peacemakers (see 1 Nephi 12:12). This was reiterated by Elder Gary E. Stevenson:

Here [we] receive the same enduring invitations from the Lord: to let their light shine before others, to seek righteousness even when persecuted, and to love their enemies.

[We] also receive encouraging words from living prophets of the Restoration: “Peacemakers needed.” Disagree without being disagreeable. Replace contention and pride with forgiveness and love. Build bridges of cooperation and understanding, not walls of prejudice or segregation. And the same promise: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

The hearts of today’s rising generation are filled with a testimony of Jesus Christ and a hope for the future. Yet they too ask, “Can I truly become a peacemaker when the world is in commotion, my heart is filled with fear, and peace seems so far away?”

The resounding response is once again yes! We embrace the words of the Saviour: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

The promise of this verse draws on the writings of Isaiah:

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (Isaiah 52:7).

The prophet Abinadi, later in the Book of Mormon, offers commentary on this verse:

Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God. For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed? Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you that they are his seed. And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth! And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet! And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace! And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever! (Mosiah 15:11-17).

Thus, those whose feet are beautiful upon the mount are the Saviour’s seed, those who bring good tidings, and according to Abinadi those who believe the Lord has redeemed His people, those with a testimony of the Saviour. This places the responsibility upon us to ‘publish peace… henceforth and forever!’

There is so much more in 1 Nephi 13:37. We also read that those ‘who shall seek to bring forth my Zion’ are blessed with “the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost.” This is a great blessing to know that we are not left alone in this work, we will have companionship of the Holy Ghost. The language of the Holy Ghost being promised to those who ‘seek’ is reminiscent of Doctrine and Covenants 4:

Now behold, a marvellous work is about to come forth among the children of men. Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work (1-3, emphasis added).

It is our desire that is most crucial in all of our service. The Lord knows our heart and will bless us as we strive to build `Zion and to publish peace.

Living in unity

One of the characteristics of Zion is that they/we are “of one heart and one mind” (Moses 7:18). When I see this, I am reminded of the relationship that Christ has with his Father; a relationship that we should be seeking to emulate with our Heavenly Father. The Book of Mormon teaches “The Father and I (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Ghost are one” (3 Nephi 11:36 cf 1 John 5:7). While recognising their separate nature it is important in understanding who God is to maintain a unity within the Godhead. This oneness is “a oneness of mind, of knowledge, of purpose, of will” (Roberts, 1903: 29). It is possible to extend this understanding of the unity of the Godhead and describe it as “so complete that each of the distinct divine persons has the same mind in the sense that what one divine person knows, all know as one; what one divine person wills, all will as one” (Ostler, 2001: 463-464). There is a unique oneness among the three members of the Godhead, which according to Jesus all people must work towards: 

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us (John 17: 21). 

James E. Talmage taught that:

the mind of any one member of the [Godhead] is the mind of the others, seeing as each of them does with the eye of perfection, they see and understand alike. Under any given conditions each would act in the same way… their unity of purpose and operation is such as to make their edicts one (Talmage, 1988: 41). 

They are thus “one God, meaning one Godhead” (McConkie B, 1979: 511): 

This unity is so profound that there is only one power governing the universe instead of three, for what one divine person does, all do as one (Ostler, 2001: 464). 

The unity of the Godhead expands the definition of exaltation to mean a unity of individuals with the Godhead: 

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us (John 17: 21). 

Exaltation must be understood as a completion of the unity with the Father, Son (and Holy Spirit).

Exaltation as a unity with the Godhead is therefore possible, as exemplified through the life of Christ. Christ became one with the Father through obedience to his commandments and the aligning of his thoughts and goals to the Father. As joint heirs with Christ to receive the same inheritance of Christ (salvation), we  must strive to develop this unity throughout our lives. Prayer is an example of how this unity is important for the development of our relationship with Christ:

As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7: 7-11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationshi: Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other (BD: Prayer).

The example Christ set, in terms of his eternal destiny and the way he achieved the unity with the Father is crucial. If we hope to receive exaltation we must develop a relationship with Christ during mortality to hope for a continuation of that relationship beyond the grave. To receive exaltation we must know what, and behave as, Christ taught.

Just as Christ developed his relationships with the Father, so should we. However, the relationships he formed in his life were not restricted to his Father. He showed love and compassion to his mother, his friends, complete strangers and even his enemies. He had taught people to love their enemies, and in the Garden and on the cross he showed just how much he loved his enemies as he died for the very people who nailed him there. What can we learn from Christ’s mortal relationships?

Each of our relationships is a prelude to the unity we find with our Heavenly Father. Every relationship is patterned after the eternal relationships we are striving to develop. In our relationships we can be a little more Christlike. We can exemplify more of the patience and compassion he showed in his mortal life. Christ knew what is was to be betrayed, to be hurt and denied by those closest to him. Yet, he still showed love. Interestingly, in my twenty years of conducting Temple Recommend interviews, the most oft discussed question is about a person’s conduct in relationship with our families. We can all do a little better, we can all be a little kinder.

These relationships, for the most part, are taken for granted by most people. Most of you would agree that our relationships with the Godhead and with our families should be preeminent in our lives. It is another relationship that we are all a part of that I now turn. A relationship that we can sometimes overlook or even neglect because our attention we feel is better served elsewhere. This is the relationship we have with each other as members of the Church.

Our relationships to other people are formalised within the Church; as Church members we are given the opportunity to serve one another. Through these service opportunities we are able to “work out [our] salvation” (Philippians 2:12):

And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by labouring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day (Jacob 1:19).

The service that is given by all members of the Church is a prelude to the service and unity that can be found within exaltation (unity with the Godhead):

In the [Godhead] the three are one God, yet each is fully personal; in the Church a multitude of human persons is united in one, yet each preserves her or his personal diversity unimpaired. The mutual indwelling of the persons of the [Godhead] is paralleled by the coinherence [or cooperation] of the members of the Church (Ware, 1993: 240).

Thus, a participation in the work of the Church is a necessary preparation for exaltation. If we hope for exaltation we must spend life developing relationships. The most important is with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But one important way that we do that is in relationship to other people. The Church (including the ward and the Stake) is organised to help us develop unified relationships that prepare us for exaltation. Each of us is an integral part of the Ward and we should each make every effort to develop this service and unity, without which we cannot hope for exaltation. This may be a bold claim to make: that our exaltation depends on how we contribute to the Ward and relate to those people around us. It is nonetheless true, as each of these are indicative of the grace we have received in our lives.

If we are to have the type of relationships we are aiming for there are three things that each of us should have. These were first outlined by President Hinckley:

• A friend
• A responsibility 
• To be nourished by the good word of God

In exploring these things we must recognise that our first responsibility is to ourselves to ensure that we have, and are continuing to maintain, each one of these. We must then go beyond ourselves to ensure that every member of this ward has all three of these things as well.

It doesn’t mean we’re not different

When we become disciples of Christ all our differences are taken away – we become one in Christ. Our most important identity is that of being clothed in Christ, however, it does not mean that the other aspects are unimportant, Christ invites us to come unto Him, and he wants us to come as we are, so that he can mold who we are, not into a homogenous gloop but, into who we can be in all of our diversity. The most important identities we have are as children of God and as disciples of Jesus Christ. Those should be the defining characteristics of who we are and what we do. However, we do not need to give up all of our culture, but only those that are antithetical to the Gospel and to Gospel living. Chieko Okazaki shared the importance of her culture and how she was able to live one aspect, that might seem to be outside of the Gospel, as a Latter-day Saint”

My family is Buddhist. My mother and my brothers are still Buddhist. I am the only Christian and the only Latter-day Saint among my family. My mother respects my religious beliefs. Because I have the fullness of the gospel, does this mean that I should not respect her religious beliefs? No. As you probably know, much of the practice of Buddhism takes place in the home with daily prayers and small offerings of food and flowers before a household shrine. It is a time to acknowledge the existence of God and to feel a connection and concern for the dead in the family. Do I acknowledge the existence of God in my life? I certainly do. Do I feel a connection with and a concern for the dead? I certainly do. Do I believe in prayer? Absolutely. Am I thankful for the bounties of the earth with which the Lord has blessed us? No question about it. So can I pray with my mother at her household shrine when I visit her? Of course I can. My prayers are addressed to my Father in Heaven, not to Buddha. I also understand that the sealing ordinances of the temple link families together eternally, but it seems to me that both rituals turn the hearts of the children toward their parents in a beautiful way. I believe that God has found a way to teach this principle in three different cultures: in the Old Testament culture of Malachi, the prophet who tells us about turning the hearts; in the culture of Buddhism; and in the culture of modern Mormonism. 

Sister Okazaki then suggests three principles to help us explore how our culture and the Gospel can work together:

First, what is the principle behind this traditional practice?

Second, do I believe this principle?

And third, how can I show my support for this principle and participate in this practice without violating a gospel standard?

There are aspects of practice within the Church where an exploration of the interaction between culture and faith would be useful, and indeed, enhance our faith and practice. Sometimes as we are immersed in a particular culture, we can fail to see the blurring of culture and religion, indeed, we may see that aspects of the culture we are in is ‘superior’ to others. We all have to be mindful that our understanding of Gospel principles and practices are influenced by our individual backgrounds. I often use the example of a prism refracting light to explain this:

The prism is the receptacle where our backgrounds, cultures, experiences coalesce to help make sense of life and the expressions and interpretations of new experiences and the development of values and the like form. These form a different spectrum of colors for each individual. This intersectionality recognizes and emphasizes that no two people are alike. Simply speaking, in the context of this book, a Sikh brother and sister in the UK would have different perceptions of Sikhism despite similar upbringings, because of their gender as well as other experiences that may have colored their view.^[1]

We might experience this as members of a global Church. Elder Jackson cautions against the assumption of the superiority of a particular culture when he suggests that “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is hardly a Western society or an American cultural phenomenon. It is an international church, as it was always meant to be.”

A God who weeps

Enoch’s apocalyptic vision continues, and in one of the most evocative scriptures we read:

And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains? And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity? And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever (Moses 7:28-29).

The idea that the Lord weeps is staggering to Enoch and is staggering to me. He loves each of us so much that he ‘suffers’ alongside us. The Lord is heart broken when a person suffers. Through his atonement, and through his love he cries with an individual, he celebrates with them, he strengthens them, and he enables them sometimes to put one foot in front of the other. Blake Ostler suggests that the “purpose of the atonement in LDS scripture is to ‘bring about the bowels of mercy’ so that God is moved with compassion for us, and we are moved with gratitude to trust him by opening our hearts to him.”  The atonement of Jesus Crist is a reciprocal relationship. “The suffering that Christ experienced not only moves us with compassion for him, but it also moves him with compassion for us.”  As such as we study his life and suffering, we are drawn to him, as he has truly been there and done that. A relationship with the Lord is made possible for through the Savior’s life and atoning acts throughout that life (see Alma 7:11-12).

This has allowed me to develop a greater understanding of the enabling power of the atonement for Latter-day Saints. It is not, and has never been, just above the forgiveness of sins. It is about drawing humanity into a relationship with Him that transforms us and makes us new creatures in Christ Jesus. Living in such a close, personal relationship with Him enables us to become like him. That is one of the key aspects of the atonement of Jesus Christ; he wants everyone to come to Him but will not force it.

To know I have someone who weeps with me is amazing in so many ways. 

---

^[1] James D. Holt (2024) Understanding Buddhism. A Guide for Teachers London: Bloomsbury, xiv.