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8/4/2019 Light of Christ
1/29
Every Christmas season, we have an issue at our home about
outdoor Christmas lights. Weve put them up outside some years,
but its just never been a big priority to my husband. But my kids
like Christmas lights. So every Christmas its a problem. But this
year, I found red and green colored flood lights, and Tom agreedto put them up. And I was so pleased that we would finally be a
festive family for the holiday. But when Katie came home from
YWs the first night they were on, and I said: Did you see our
lights? And she said yes I saw the lights. Nice try Mom, but
theyre pretty lame. The red and green flood lights are supposed
to last for 7 years, so were going to have lame lights for several
Christmases to come.
Ive decided to talk a little today about the issue of light, based on
two talks, one by President Eyring and one by Robert D. Hales.
Henry B. Eyring, gave a talk in General Conf. in April of 2008
called: Walk in the Light. He said:
The scriptures tell us the source and the power of all light.
Every child of Heavenly Father born in the world is given at
birth, as a free gift, the Light of Christ. You have felt that. Itis the sense of what is right and what is wrong and what is
true and what is false. One manifestation of the Light of
Christ is what we call a conscience.
So what is the difference between the Light of Christ
and the Holy Ghost?
Light of Christ -- IT
Holy Ghost HIM
The Light of Christ influences people for good and prepares
them to receive the Holy Ghost.
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In the Dark Ages, when priesthood authority was
absent from the earth, was the Holy Ghost on a Leaveof Absence?
President Gordon B. Hinckley has said:
Christopher Columbus had the influence of the Holy Ghost in
his life. Two millennia before Columbus, Nephi prophesied:
And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who
was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many
waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down andwrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many
waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the
promised land (1 Ne. 13:12).
President Hinckley said: We interpret that to refer to
Columbus. It is interesting to note that the Spirit of God
wrought upon him. Columbus himself declared: With a
hand that could be felt, the Lord opened my mind to the fact
that it would be possible to sail and he opened my will to
desire to accomplish the project. This was the fire that
burned within me. Who can doubt that this fire was not
merely mine, but also of the Holy Spirit urging me to press
forward?
Elder Joseph B. Worthlin goes on to say:
A person may be temporarily guided by the Holy Ghost
without receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (see D&C
130:23). However, this guidance will not be continuous
unless the person is baptized and receives the laying on of
hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/13/12#12http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/13/12#128/4/2019 Light of Christ
3/29
We read in Acts 10 that the Roman soldier Cornelius
received inspiration from the Holy Ghost so that he knew the
gospel of Jesus Christ was true. But Cornelius did not receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. The
Prophet Joseph Smith taught that if Cornelius had notreceived baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Holy
Ghost would have left him.
In 2002, Robert D. Hales gave a talk called: Out of Darkness
into His Marvelous Light where hesaid:
By using the Light of Christ to discern and choose what is
right, we can be led to an even greater light: the gift of the
Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the third member of theGodhead, a personage of spirit. He is the Comforter, the
Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit of Promise. He testifies of Jesus
Christ, His work, and the work of His servants upon the
earth. He acts as a cleansing agent to purify and sanctify us
from sin. He comforts us and brings peace to our soul. The
right to His constant companionship is among the greatest
gifts we can receive in mortality.
Before Katie was baptized, we were trying to plan the day, and we
decided after her baptism, wed invite a few family members and
friends over to our house for a little get-together. And I asked
Katie if she had any ideas about what she wanted to do, and she
said, very matter of factly: After I get baptized, I lets go back to
our house and have a Holy Ghost Pinata.
I know she wasnt quite 8, but it was a disturbing statement on a
number of different levels. It brought a whole new TROUBLINGmeaning to the Gift of the Holy Ghost.
And it made me realize our family needed to discuss who the Holy
Ghost is a little more often who He is -- and the importance He
has in our lives. He is the least-known member of the Godhead.
Unlike Eloheim and Jevohova, we dont even know His name.
8/4/2019 Light of Christ
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But He has a vital mission that is critical to each of us that helps
bring light to our lives as we make our way back to our Father in
Heaven.
In Elder Eyrings talk, he said that
We make choices every day and almost every hour that keep
us walking in the light or moving away toward darkness.
I work part-time for Jetblue airlines in reservations and customer
service. When I was in training, we were told we had needed to
be aware that we have mostly two types of customers. The first
being that we have a lot of customers who are New Yorkers. And
New Yorkers talk fast and want things fast and they yell a lot even when theyre not mad. And when they ARE mad, they dont
say golly or flippin or oh my heck. They say other things. And the
second main type of customers we have is travel agents. And we
were told all we needed to know about the travel agents is that
most of them are New Yorkers.
And I thought Id be okay, because Im from Florida, and South
Florida is considered a suburb of New York. I grew up around a lot
of New Yorkers who wintered in Florida and retired in Florida.These are my people. I wasnt so worried.
But wow. I learned it doesnt matter where people are from
they can be from New York or Los Angeles, or Seattle or Orlando
or SLC and they can be MEAN. And in my experience, its the
WOMEN I deal with who seem to be the worst. Why is that? Not
only can the women be mean, but they can be brutally sarcastic.
We had bad weather in New York at JFK airport a couple weeksago, and one lady was furious and wanted me PERSONALLY to fix
it. The weather. Because her flight was going to be delayed for
an hour and I had ruined her life because I had caused the storm
that delayed her plane.
8/4/2019 Light of Christ
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It used to make me grumpy and sometimes even cry after Id get
off the phones on days like that, with people like that, but then I
decided to try to make it a challenge to see if I could somehow, in
some small way, help my customers have a slightly better day.
And Ive found that a lot of people, as upset as they are, justreally want to vent they just want someone kind to talk to them.
They want sympathy. They want light.
And even if a customer still hates me and blames me personally
for creating the weather, my goal is to try not allow them to
darken my day. Because when I have a bad day, my family has a
bad day. And the reverse is also true when I have a good day, I
can often influence my family to have a brighter day.
What can you do to generate light when you dont feel like it? When you feel like a dim
bulb? (seek it)
What can you do youre around someone who is down all the time? What does it do to you
after a while? (self preservation)
In D&C 50:23, we read:
And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.
Tom came home from work on Friday night, and Fridays areusually his busiest most hectic day of the week, with things
needing to be filed in the courts, but my car battery had died
earlier in the day, so my car was dead , and Katie had to drop off
a check for a registration fee for something, and she was frantic,
and my computer wasnt working so I couldnt work on my lesson,
and one of the water faucets in our bathroom had broken, and we
had to go to a law firm party that night, and I dont like law firm
parties because theyre with lawyers and I didnt have anything towear. And I hit Tom with all this the second he came through the
door. And I did it in a way that had a sharpness to it. It had an
edge, and maybe just a touch of sarcasm in regards to the party
we had to attend that evening.
8/4/2019 Light of Christ
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I was acting like one of those customers I complain about. Lame
light. And Tom quietly and patiently went about trying to fix all
the problems, but the light in our home suffered because of how I
handled that situation. Yes, there were problems that needed to
be addressed but if I had just greeted him warmly, kindly,lovingly, and THEN gently hit him with all the problems, there
would have been a better feeling in our home.
Instead, I WAS personally responsible for the weather in my
home on Friday Night. I brought about the storm clouds.
Thankfully, I am blessed to have a husband who is kind and
patient and forgiving. And the weather is clear. Sunny skies.
Things are fine.
But let me read D&C 50:23 again:
And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is
darkness.
D&C 50:24 and 25 goes on to say:
That which is of God is light; and he that receivethlight, and continueth in God, receiveth more light;
and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the
perfect day.
And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you
may know the truth, that you may chase darkness
from among you.
That is the goal, sisters. That we may chase darkness fromamong us.
Robert D. Hales said in his talk:
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As children, we learned how to keep darkness away by
turning on a light. Light and darkness cannot occupy the
same space at the same time.
Light dispels darkness.We are engaged in a battle between the forces of light and
darkness. If it were not for the Light of Jesus Christ and His
gospel, we would be doomed to the destruction of darkness.
But the Savior said, I am come a light into the world. (John
12:46) He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)
Elder Hales goes on to say:
The Lord is our light and, literally, our salvation. Like the
sacred fire that encircled the children in 3rd Nephi, His light
will form a protective shield between you and the darkness
of the adversary. We need that light.
The problem we face is that in this world, darkness is never far
away. It is always just around the corner, waiting for an
opportunity to come in. We read in Genesis 4:7: If thou doest
not well, the Lord said, sin lieth at the door.
It is as predictable as any physical law: if we let the light of the
Spirit flicker, the darkness of the adversary will surely come in.
Elder Hales said that
Stumbling along, we may become accustomed to the dimness of
our surroundings and forget how glorious it is to walk in the light.
(Ryan companion homesick negative 2 transfers, new
companion almost forgot companions can be fun!)
Do you remember what happened to the Chilian Miners who
were trapped underground for so long? Having been in the
dark for weeks, physically their eyes could no longer take
8/4/2019 Light of Christ
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the brightness of the light. They had to wear sunglasses at
night -- to become accustomed to the light again.
Matthew 5:16 we read:
Let your light so shine before men, said the Lord, thatthey may see your good works, and glorify your Father which
is in heaven.
Have any of you had an experience where, in a simple
way, someone brightened you day? (Honda Odessy woman
waves enthusiastically at me)
We never know who may be depending on us. We never know
what little thing we do will influence someone to move moretowards the light.
When my older son Tommy was five, our Primary in Texas
decided to put on a Christmas Pageant for our Christmas ward
activity. And Tommy really wanted to be part of the Primary
choir, because the Primary president told the children that being
a member of the choir was the most important part. And the
choir also got to hold battery operated candles. He wanted to
hold one of those candles.
He thought if he couldnt be part of the choir, he wanted to be
one of the shepherds, because they got to hold cool sticks. Well,
he got his part, and he wasnt cast as part of the choir, and he
wasnt cast as one of the a shepherds. Tommy was cast as the
Star of Bethlehem. And he was HORRIFIED.
Show picture
To this day, he says he was forced to wear a dress. The primary
president tried to assure him that it was not a dress, but it was
gold lame gown, and it had a gold sequined train. Boys dont like
to wear gowns. With sequins. And his face was surrounded by a
big gold star with battery operated lights on it. The primary
8/4/2019 Light of Christ
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president said that she cast him as the Star of Bethlehem
because at the end of the play,she needed a small child to walk
from the back of the cultural hall, leading the wise men, and climb
on top of the stable next to the angels and be still. And he was a
very obedient little five year old, and there werent many of thosein this Primary, so his fate was sealed. And the play was
adorable, and so sweet, but for years Tommy talked about how he
did not enjoy his role as the Star of Bethlehem.
When he was serving his mission in Paris, we saw a couple news
stories on tv about riots in a Paris suburb where buses were being
set on fire to protest the death of a local teenager. And when we
mentioned it to Tommy he wrote and said: Thats my area!
Thats where I live! In fact, one of those buses was a bus I rode
on just the day before it got torched! And he was so excited,
and I was not so excited. He was living in an area called Sarcelle,
comprised of mostly Arabs and Africans, and the two groups did
not get along with each other. In fact, the only thing they agreed
on is that both groups hated Americans.
But Tommy told me not to worry because just the week before a
gang of teenagers had pulled a gun on him and his companion,and it was no big deal because they were just teenagers. The
logic of a 19 yr old missionary sometimes makes you realize the
Church HAS to be true. And I wrote him back and pointed out
that teenagers with guns did not reassure me all that much.
So he was in a violent, volatile area. And a couple of weeks later,
he wrote to tell us about another experience. He said he and his
companion were on a bus, one of the buses that had not be
torched yet, and hed been trying to strike up a conversationwith an African lady who was sitting near him, but she was not
interested. And the bus came to a stop, and a man who had been
watching him, got up to get off, and when he passed by Tommy,
he spit in his face. And for some reason, that upset me almost
more than the gun had. You know, spit on his shoe, or on his
8/4/2019 Light of Christ
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clothes, or on the ground, but for someone to spit in my sons
face, was too much. And I felt anger.
But Tommy said good had came from the experience. Evidently
the lady sitting on the bus who Tommy had tried unsuccessfully toengage in conversation, saw what happened. And she was
touched that Tommy did not respond to the man with a counter
attack of any kind. He just sat there and took it. And so this
woman, who had ignored his attempts to talk to her about the
Gospel, responded in a Gospel like way. She took a handkerchief
out of her purse, and she wiped my sons face.
And Tommy said he realized that in serving as a missionary, his
role was the same role he had been cast in when he was fiveyears old and he was asked to play the part of the Star of
Bethlehem.
Both roles, he said, required him to be a light in the darkness that
would lead men to Christ. Good came out of what happened on
that bus that day. And it blessed my sons life, and that womans
life, and my life as well.
Tommy served in some spectacular areas during his mission. Heserved in the heart of Paris, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. He
served near Versailles. He served near where Joan of Arc lived.
He served in beautiful villages. He served on the coast of France.
But it was in that dark, crime-ridden violent suburb of Paris where
Tommy had his greatest success, and it is the place he still says
to this day was his favorite area and brought him the most joy.
Ill never meet the woman who wiped the spit off my sons face,
but I will always be grateful that she was willing to move towardsthe light that day. It helped ME move towards the light.
The Explanation of Insects' Behavior
8/4/2019 Light of Christ
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There is a phenomenon called phototaxis that explains the
behavior of insects that are drawn to lights at night. Some
scientiststs believe insects instinctively fly directly towards the
moon at night because it helps them travel in a straight line. And
they confuse lights with the moon. Unless they get zapped by abug zapper, which makes my analogy rather flawed, that instinct
of being attracted to the light is a useful behavior for them,
because it helps them navigate in the dark.
But cockroaches have negative phototaxis. They do not feel the
need to be around lights. If a light is turned on, they will crawl
away in search of shadowy darkness. Growing up in Florida, I
used to DREAD having to go out to the carport of my home for
any reason, because when I would turn on the light outside at
night, there were always cockroaches BIG ONES that would
scurry away. Gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about
them.
Sisters, our challenge in this life is to dispel darkness. And we
have been given the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost to help us
do that. We have been blessed with our Savior as a light to
navigate by. As weve been told, He is the Light of the World.
As Elder Robert D. Hales said:
He is the Light of Bethlehem, born of Mary, His mortal
mother, and His Father, Almighty God.
He is the Light who was baptized by immersion, by John the
Baptist, upon whom the Holy Ghost was manifest in the
Spirit like a dove descending.
He is the Light in whom His Father was well pleased.
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He is the Light at the head of the ancient Church, organized
with Twelve Apostles, prophets, and seventies.
He is the Light of the Atonement fulfilled in the Garden of
Gethsemane and on Golgotha, who took upon Himself thesins of the world, that all mankind may obtain eternal
salvation.
He is the Light of the empty tomb, the resurrected Lord with
a glorified body of flesh and bone, who broke the bands of
death and gained an everlasting victory over the grave.
He is the Light that ascended into heaven before the eyes of
His disciples, with a promise that in like manner He would
come again.
He is the Light that appeared with His Father and restored,
through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the same Church He
established during His ministry on earth.
He is the Light that leads and guides this Church today
through revelation to a prophet, his counselors, and the
Twelve Apostles.
He is my Light, my Redeemer, my Saviorand yours.
I know that God lives. I know that He wants us to receive light, to
seek light, and to generate light.
It is my prayer, sisters, that we do as Paul declared In Romans13:12-13 when he said:
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore
cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour
of light.
8/4/2019 Light of Christ
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What do we do when we dont feel like being a light? When we feel like a dim bulb?
Have you ever had someone do something simple that brightened your day?
Have you ever had someone do something simple that darkened your day?
What do you do when youre around someone negative who threatens to draw you away
from that which is light? Not necessarily someone who is sinful, but just negative? Anti-Phototaxis?
Have you ever seen the effect of someone who is anti-phototaxis?
What are some examples of the Light of Christ?
In the dark ages, was the Holy Ghost on a leave of absence?
8/4/2019 Light of Christ
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President George Q. Cannon (18271901), a counselor in the First Presidency, said:
Columbus was inspired to penetrate the ocean and discover this Western continent for the
set time for its discovery had come; and the consequences which God desired to follow its
discovery have taken place. We believe it was a preparatory work for the establishment of
the Kingdom of God.
The scriptures contain many examples of righteous people who suffered: Abraham, Abinadi,
Joseph of Egypt, Joseph Smith, and even Jesus Christ.
Early in the Book of Mormon, an angel asks Nephi a tough question, Knowest thou the
condescension of God? Nephi answers, I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I
do not know the meaning of all things (1 Nephi 11:1617). Nephis answer is a perfect
statement for us to remember in times of trial. We dont know the meaning of all things. We
dont have all the answers to explain all the tragedies in the world and in our own
neighborhoods. However, we know, we are sure, that God loves His children.
James E. Faust, Your Lighta Standard to All Nations, Liahona, May 2006, 11114
I see the light shining in your faces. That light comes from the Lord, and as you radiate that
light, it will bless you and many others.
You are young women of great promise. You have much to do in your lives. You will do greatwork in your homes, in the Church, and in the community.
In the words of Mormon, Ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of
Christ. 3
A few years ago I stood on the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.
Young Joan of Arc, one of the great heroines in history, became the unlikely standard-bearer
for the French army in the Dark Ages, long before the gospel was restored. Joan had the
Light of Christ and also the courage to follow its promptings and make a difference. Joan was
a peasant girl who could neither read nor write, but she was bright. Long years of war with
the English had impoverished and divided her country. At 17, sensing her life had a purpose,
she left home, determined to help liberate her oppressed country. Naturally, people scoffedat her ideas and thought she was a little crazy, but in the end she persuaded them to let her
have a horse and an escort to go and see the king.
Young King Charles VII of France had heard about Joan and decided to test her. He slipped
into the ranks of the army and let one of his trusted associates occupy the throne. When
Joan came into the room, she barely acknowledged the man on the throne, but promptly
walked up to Charles and curtsied to him as her king. This so impressed the king that he
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gave her command over his 12,000 troops. At first the French soldiers did not want to obey
her, but when they saw that all who followed her succeeded and all who disregarded her
failed, they came to look upon her as their leader.
Clad in a suit of white armor and flying her own standard, Joan of Arc liberated the besieged
city of Orleans in 1429 and defeated the English in four other battles. Twice she was
wounded, but each time she recovered and went on fighting. Her orders seemed to be thoseof a military genius. She marched into the city of Reims and stood with sword and banner in
hand while Charles was crowned king. She fought in the Battle of Paris until she was
captured at Compigne by English allies, who sold her to the English for 16,000 francs. She
was imprisoned, tried as a heretic, and then burned at the stake in 1431.
Although this is a sad ending, it does not take away from Joans greatness. She was
courageous enough to follow the personal inspiration to which all of us are entitled. As the
Lord said to the Prophet Joseph Smith, I am the true light that lighteth every man that
cometh into the world. 4
To other girls in the fifteenth century, Joan of Arc seemed to be very different. Sisters, dont
be afraid to be different in our century! Sometimes we have to be different in order tomaintain Church standards. So I repeat, dont be afraid to be different, but be as good as
you can be. Joan of Arc did not worry about what her friends did, but rather about what she
knew she should do.
We can let the light within us show in many different ways. It may be as simple as a smile or
a wave. I have a Silver Honda Odessey. And so do MANY other women. I get waved at by
so many people who think Im someone else. I got into a strange familys Honda a while
back, thinking it was my family. Well, hello!
Each one of you can be a friend to someone, even if it is only by smiling. You can let the
sunshine that is in your heart show in your face. The Apostle John wrote of a woman clothed
with the sun, and the moon under her feet. We can be the bearers of light. In the Saviorsparable of the ten virgins, 7 each young woman had a lamp. Clearly, this parable has both a
temporal and a spiritual application. Oil can be purchased at the market. But another kind of
oil, spiritual oil that is not for sale, can be accumulated only by our daily good works.
Every Christmas season, we have an issue at our home about outdoor Christmas
lights. Weve put them up outside some years, but its just never been a big priority
to my husband. But my kids like Christmas lights. So every Christmas its a
problem. But this year, I found colored flood lights, red and green, and they say
theyll last for 7 years. And so Tom agreed to put them up. And I was so pleased
that we would finally be a festive family for the holiday. But when Katie came home
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from YWs the first night they were on, and I said: Did you see our lights? And she
said yes I saw the lights. Theyre pretty lame.
So Ive decided to talk a little today about the issue of light. More specifically:
Seeking light. Receiving light. Generating light.
Eyring, may ensign 2008 Walk in the Light
We make choices every day and almost every hour that keep us walking in the light
or moving away toward darkness.
I work part-time for Jetblue airlines in reservations and customer service. And when
I started there, we were told we had needed to be aware that we have a lot of New
Yorkers. And New Yorkers talk fast and want things fast and they yell a lot even
when theyre not mad. And the second main type of customers we have is travelagents. And they told us all we needed to know about travel agents is that most of
them are from New York. And I thought Id be okay, because Im from Florida, and
South Florida is really just a suburb of New York. I grew up around a lot of New
Yorkers. But wow. I learned people can be mean. And it doesnt matter where
theyre from. And its the WOMEN who are the worst. We had bad weather in New
York a couple weeks ago, and one lady was furious and wanted me personally to fix
it. The weather. Because her flight was going to be delayed for an hour and I had
ruined her life.
It used to reduce me to tears and make me grumpy after Id get off the phones, but
then I decided to make it a challenge to see if I could try to make my customers nothate me. And Ive found that a lot of people, as upset as they are, just really want
to vent they just want someone kind to talk to. And even if they still hate me
and blamed me personally for creating the weather, my goal now is to try not allow
them to ruin my day. Because when I have a bad day, my family has a bad day.
But the reverse is also true when Im having a good day, I can often influence my
family to have a good day.
Moroni as he quoted his father, Mormon, who said this:
But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually;
wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, andto serve him, is inspired of God.
Everything we do, whether we work or not, is customer service. Everything we do
inviteth and enticeth to do good or to not do good.
Tom came home from work on Friday night, and my car battery had died, so my car
was dead, , and Katie had to drop off a check for a registration fee for something,
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and she was frantic, and my computer printer wasnt working so I couldnt work on
my lesson, and the one of the water faucets in our bathroom wasnt working, and
we had to go to a law firm party, and I dont like law firm parties because lawyers
arent very fun to be around and I didnt have anything to wear. And I hit Tom with
all this the second he came through the door. Poor customer service. I did not
inviteth or enticeth to do good. And he quietly went about trying to fix all theproblems, but the light in our home was dimmed because of how I handled that
situation. If I had just greeted him warmly, brightly, and THEN hit him with all the
problems, there would have been a better feeling in our home on Friday night.
The scriptures tell us the source and the power of light.
Every child of Heavenly Father born in the world is given at birth, as a free gift, the
Light of Christ. You have felt that. It is the sense of what is right and what is wrong
and what is true and what is false. That has been with you since your journey in life
began. The fact that you were baptized and received the Holy Ghost is evidence
that you chose to walk in the Light of Christ.
When you were confirmed a member of the Church, you were given the right to
have the Holy Ghost as your companion. The Holy Ghost is a powerful source of
light to recognize truth, to follow and love the Lord Jesus Christ, and to find your
way back to God after this life.
For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from
evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to
do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of
Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and
deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of
the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do
good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves
unto him.2
Mormon:
Seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of
Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye
judge ye shall also be judged.
Wherefore, ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know
good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye
certainly will be a child of Christ.
Eyring:
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I pray that we may better feel the illumination of the Spirit of Christ and the Holy
Ghost in our everyday lives. When we walk in the light, we will feel some of the
warmth and the happiness that will be ours when we are welcomed home again
with the hundreds and perhaps thousands of others whom we will bring with us,
who have walked in the light because we did.
This is the true Church of Jesus Christ. There is a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson.
And there are both true servants and angels to help you along the lighted path. I so
testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Before Katie was baptized, we were trying to figure out what we would do for it, and
we decided after her baptism, wed invite a few family members and friends over to
our house for a little get-together. And so I asked Katie if she had any ideas about
what she wanted to do, and she said, very matter of factly: After I get baptized, I
want to go back to our house and I want to have a Holy Ghost Pinata.
Which was disturbing on a number of different levels. It brought a whole new
troubling meaning to the Gift of the Holy Ghost.
But it made me realize it could only help our family and all of us if we discussed
Gospel truths more often.
The Light of Christ is the divine energy, power, or influence that proceeds from God
through Christ and gives life and light to all things. The Light of Christ influences
people for good and prepares them to receive the Holy Ghost. One manifestation of
the Light of Christ is what we call a conscience.
Light of Christ -- IT Holy Ghost HIM
What is the difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost?
The gift of the Holy Ghost is the privilegegiven to people who have placed their
faith in Jesus Christ, been baptized, and been confirmed as members of the Church
to receive continual guidance and inspiration from the Holy Ghost.
A person may be temporarily guided by the Holy Ghost without receiving the gift of
the Holy Ghost (see D&C 130:23). However, this guidance will not be continuous
unless the person is baptized and receives the laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost. We read in Acts 10 that the Roman soldier Cornelius received
inspiration from the Holy Ghost so that he knew the gospel of Jesus Christ was true.
But Cornelius did not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that if Cornelius had not received baptism and the
gift of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost would have left him.
One of Gods Greatest Gifts
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What blessings can we receive through the gift of the Holy Ghost?
The gift of the Holy Ghost is one of Gods greatest gifts to us. Through the Holy
Ghost we may know that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and that His Church has
been restored to the earth. We may have the promptings of the Holy Ghost to show
us all the things we should do (see 2 Nephi 32:5). The Holy Ghost sanctifies us toprepare us for Gods presence. We may enjoy the gifts of the Spirit (see chapter 22
in this book). This great gift from our Heavenly Father can also bring peace to our
hearts and an understanding of the things of God (see 1 Corinthians 2:912).
Spring storm March 2006 bumper to bumper albequeque to Monticello could
only see the lights of the cars just ahead of us.
And so it is with our eternal journey. We travel forward a little bit at a time. In doingso we often move towards the unknown. We need spiritual light to guide us.
Robert D. Hales, 2002,
By using the Light of Christ to discern and choose what is right, we can be led to an
even greater light: the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the third member of
the Godhead, a personage of spirit. 10 He is the Comforter, the Spirit of God, the
Holy Spirit of Promise. He testifies of Jesus Christ, His work, and the work of His
servants upon the earth. He acts as a cleansing agent to purify and sanctify us from
sin. 11 He comforts us and brings peace to our soul. The right to His constant
companionship is among the greatest gifts we can receive in mortality, for by thelight of His promptings and His cleansing power, we can be led back into the
presence of God. 12
Darkness and Light
As children, we learned how to keep darkness away by turning on a light.
Sometimes, when our parents went away for the evening, we would turn on every
light in the house! We understood the physical law that is also a spiritual law: light
and darkness cannot occupy the same space at the same time.
Light dispels darkness. When light is present, darkness is vanquished and must
depart. More importantly, darkness cannot conquer light unless the light is
diminished or departs. When the spiritual light of the Holy Ghost is present, the
darkness of Satan departs.
We are engaged in a battle between the forces of light and darkness. If it were not
for the Light of Jesus Christ and His gospel, we would be doomed to the destruction
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of darkness. But the Savior said, I am come a light into the world. 13 He that
followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 14
The Lord is our light and, literally, our salvation. 15 Like the sacred fire that
encircled the children in 3 Nephi, 16 His light will form a protective shield between
you and the darkness of the adversary as you live worthy of it. We need that light.
Generating the Light
He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, 18 said the Lord,
and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that
light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
And in this world, the darkness is never far away. In fact, it is always just around the
corner, waiting for an opportunity to come in. If thou doest not well, the Lord said,
sin lieth at the door. 21
It is as predictable as any physical law: if we let the light of the Spirit flicker or fadeby failing to keep the commandments or by not partaking of the sacrament or
praying or studying the scriptures, the darkness of the adversary will surely come
in. That wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through
disobedience. 22
In the scriptures we read that some individuals grope in the dark without light and
stagger like a drunken man. 23 Stumbling along, we may become accustomed to
the dimness of our surroundings and forget how glorious it is to walk in the light.
(Chilian Miners)
Let Your Light So Shine
Let your light so shine before men, said the Lord, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 28
We never know who may be depending on us. We never know what little thing we
do will influence someone to move more towards the light. (Tommy Star of
Bethelhem)
When my older son Tommy was five, our Primary in Texas decided to put on a
Christmas Pageant for our Christmas ward activity. And Tommy really wanted to be
part of the Primary choir, because the Primary president told the children that being
part of the choir was the most important part. And the choir also got to hold battery
operated candles. He thought if he couldnt be part of the choir, he wanted to be
one of the shepherds, because they got to hold cool sticks. Well, he got his part,
and it wasnt part of the choir, and it wasnt being a shepherd. Tommy was cast as
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the Star of Bethlehem. And he was HORRIFIED. To this day, he says he was forced
to wear a dress. The primary president tried to assure him that it was not a dress,
but it was gold lame, and it had a gold sequined train. And his face was surrounded
by a big gold start with battery operated lights on it. The primary president said
that she cast him as the Star of Bethlehem because at the end of the play, he had
to walk from the back of the cultural hall, leading the wise men, and climb on top ofthe stable next to the angels and be still. And he was a very obedient little five year
old, and there werent many of those in this Primary, so his fate was sealed. Heres
a picture of him in his role. And the play was adorable, and so sweet, but for years
Tommy talked about how he did not enjoy playing the part of the Star of Bethlehem.
When he was serving his mission in Paris, we saw a couple news stories on tv about
riots in a Paris suburb where buses were being set on fire to protest the death of a
local teenager at the hands of the police. And when we mentioned it to Tommy he
wrote and said: Thats my area! Thats where I live! In fact, one of those buses
was a bus he rode on just the day before it got torched! And he was so excited,
and I was not so excited. He told me not to worry because just last week a gang ofteenagers had pulled a gun on him and his companion, and it was no big deal
because they were just teenagers. And I wrote him back and pointed out that
teenagers with guns did not reassure me all that much.
So he was in a volatile area. And a couple of weeks later, he wrote to tell us of a
cool thing that happened. He said he and his companion were on a bus, one of the
buses that had not be torched yet in this area, and hed been trying to strike up
a conversation with an African lady who was sitting near him, but she was not
interested. And the bus came to a stop, and a man got up to get off, and when he
passed by Tommy, he spit in his face. And for some reason, that upset me almost
more than the gun had. You know, spit on his shoe, or on his clothes, or on the
ground, but for someone to spit in my sons face, was too much. And I didn t get
why he thought that was a cool thing was. He forgot to mention why it was cool.
And I was all set to write him back and express my outrage over, but my husband,
Mr. Festive Christmas Lights, suggested we ask why it was a cool thing.
And he responded by saying good came from that experience. Evidently the lady
sitting on the bus who Tommy and his companion had tried unsuccessfully to
engage in conversation, saw what happened. And SHE was outraged. And she was
touched that Tommy did not respond to the man with a counter attack of any kind.
That he just sat there and took it. Tommy said he wanted to deck the guy, but heknew that that wasnt the right thing to do. And so this woman, who had ignored
his attempts to talk to her about the Gospel, responded in a Gospel like way. She
took a handkerchief out of her purse, and she wiped my sons face.
And Tommy said that he had come to realize that in serving as a missionary, his
role was the same role he had had when he was five years old and he was asked to
play the role of the Star of Bethlehem. Both roles, he said, required him to be a
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light in the darkness that would lead men to Christ. Good did come out of what
happened on that bus that day. And it blessed my sons life, and that womans life,
and my life as well. And it was in that crime-ridden violent suburb of Paris where he
had his greatest success, and it is the place he still says was his favorite area.
Ill never meet the woman who wiped the spit off my sons face, but I will always begrateful that she was willing to move towards the light that day.
Blessed with His Light
Heavenly Father used light to announce the birth of His Son, our Savior (see
Matthew 2; 3 Nephi 1). A new star was visible in both the Eastern and the Western
Hemispheres. It led the Wise Men to the child in Bethlehem. Even wicked King
Herod recognized the sign and feared it. The Wise Men rejoiced because of the
birth of the Christ, who is the Light and the Life of the World. Three days of light
without darkness was the sign God gave to the descendants of Lehi, heralding the
birth of His Son.
We remember at Christmastime not only the light that announced the birth of Christ
into the world but also the light that comes from Him.
The boy Joseph Smith testified that he saw a marvelous light in a grove of trees in
Palmyra, New York, at the beginning of the Restoration:
Just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head,
above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held
me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightnessand glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto
me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the otherThis is My Beloved Son.
Hear Him! (Joseph SmithHistory 1:1617).
Such light will be visible in our heavenly home. Yet even in this life you have been
blessed with a part of that wonderful experience, through the Light of Christ. Every
person born into the world receives that light as a gift (see Moroni 7:16). Think of
the times you have had an experience that makes you a witness that the Light of
Christ is real and precious. You will recognize from this wonderfully assuring
scripture that you have been guided by that light:
And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.
That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God,
receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect
day.
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And I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from
among you (D&C 50:2325).
In a world that is being darkened by evil images and dishonest messages, you have
been blessed to recognize more easily the flashes of light and truth. You have
learned for yourself that light grows brighter as you receive it gladly. It will becomebrighter and brighter until the perfect day when we will be in the presence of the
Source of the light.
In 1832 the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith a true and powerful doctrine
about spiritual light, the Light of Christ:
Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of
space
The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by
which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne.4
President Boyd K. Packer reinforced this truth in saying: The Light of Christ is also
described in the scriptures as the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Christ can
enlighten the inventor, the scientist, the painter, the sculptor, the composer, the
performer, the architect, the author to produce great, even inspired things for the
blessing and good of all mankind.5
He that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light
groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.1
Brigham Young taught: All true wisdom that mankind have they have received
from God, whether they know it or not. There is no ingenious mind that has everinvented anything beneficial to the human family but what he obtained it from that
One Source. There is only one source from whence men obtain wisdom, and that
is God, the fountain of all wisdom; and though men may claim to make their
discoveries by their own wisdom, by meditation and reflection, they are indebted to
our Father in Heaven for all. (Journal of Discourses, 13:148.)
To those who pursue and apply gospel principles, the Lord says, And if your eye be
single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no
darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
(D&C 88:67.)
Intelligence is the ability to use knowledge properly. The Lord has said, The glory
of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. (D&C 93:36.) The light of
which this scripture speaks is the Light of Christ, for Jesus further said, I am the
true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (D&C 93:2.)
Madame Marie Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her work on
radioactivity and was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes. Hurrying to
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cross the street, her husband Pierre was killed by a horse-drawn wagon with a load
of military uniforms.
The night of his funeral, Madame Curie, wrote in her diary:
Your coffin was closed and I could see you no more. . . . We saw you go down into
the deep, big hole. . . . They filled the grave and put sheaves of flowers on it,
everything is over. Pierre is sleeping his last sleep beneath the earth; it is the end of
everything, everything, everything (Curie 1937, 249.
Once when President Brigham Young was asked why we are sometimes left alone
and often sad, his response was that man has to learn to act as an independent
being to see what he will do and try his independencyto be righteous in the
dark.
The parable tells what happened as all ten young women waited for thebridegroom. The bridegroom came at the darkest hour, when least expected. It was
midnight, and the foolish five had run out of oil. You might wonder why the five wise
virgins could not share their oil with the other five. It was not selfishness on their
part. Spiritual preparedness cannot be shared in an instant because we each fill our
lamps drop by drop in our daily living.
The counsel of the Lord to arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard
for the nations should energize all of us. Great opportunities await you dear sisters
to fulfill.
We all have some part of the holy work to accomplish, even though it may seemsmall and obscure.
"I believe one virtuous young woman led by the Spirit can change the world."
Sisters, this is a call to arms, its a call to action, a call to arise. A call to arm
ourselves with power and with righteousness. A call to rely on the arm of the Lord
rather than the arm of flesh. A call to arise and shine forth, that our light may be a
standard for the nations. A call to live as women of God so that we and our families
may return safely home. (Sheri Dew, November 1999 Ensign, We are Women
of God)
Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come
because many of the good women of the world will be drawn to the Church in large
numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect
righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of
the church are seen as distinct and differentin happy waysfrom the women of the
world. (President Spencer W. Kimball, November 1979 Ensign, The Role of
Righteous Women)
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The Explanation of Insects' Behavior
There is a phenomenon called phototaxis that explains the behavior of insects that
are drawn to lights at night. Earthworms and cockroaches, however, have negative
phototaxis because they do not feel the need to be around lights. If a light is turned
off, they will briskly fly away in search of shadowy darkness.
Insects are attracted to light as they use light to navigate. Some scientiststs believe
insects fly directly towards the moon at night because it helps them travel in a
straight line. This was therefore a useful behavior for them, helping them navigate
in the dark. It is an instinct.
However, just because Jesus, the Light of the World shines just as brightly today as
He ever has does not mean that human beings are naturally drawn to that Light. In
the insect world there is a phenomena called photo-taxis which means movement
with relation to light. Most insects exercise what is called positive photo-taxis, which
means that they are drawn to the light. Take a look at your headlights or windshield
after driving on a warm summer night and you will have proven this basic truth. You
will find the remnants of all sorts of critters who instinctively flew toward the light.
Some insects, however, exhibit what is called negative photo-taxis meaning that
they will always seek to move away from the light. In this way human beings, in
their natural state of sin, (and also believers who are persisting in known sin) are
exactly like certain kinds of insects.
We live in a dark world in which hundreds of millions of people seem not to be
attracted to the light.
In May 1982, a massive solar flare erupted from the suns surface. This flare was so
huge that scientific instruments could not even measure it, though it was believed
that the energy this single flare released in just twenty minutes was greater than all
the natural and manufactured energy the earth uses in an entire year.
These flares, while blinding at first gradually lose their brilliance as they travel
through space, eventually disappearing altogether.
Christs brightness and the light He brings, unlike a solar flare, never loses strength,
but rather continues onas bright in this age as it has been in every age.
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A Special Witness of His Light
Now, my brothers and sisters, in this, the last great conflict between light and
darkness, I am grateful for the opportunity to endure hardness, as a [disciple] of
Jesus Christ. 30 With Paul, I declare, The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let
us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
31 I bear my special witness that Jesus Christ is the light and the life of the world;
yea, [the] light that is endless, that can never be darkened. 32
He is the Light of Bethlehem, born of Mary, His mortal mother, and His Father,
Almighty God.
He is the Light who was baptized by immersion, by John the Baptist, upon whom the
Holy Ghost was manifest in the Spirit like a dove descending.
He is the Light in whom His Father was well pleased.
He is the Light at the head of the ancient Church, organized with Twelve Apostles,
prophets, and seventies.
He is the Light of the Atonement fulfilled in the Garden of Gethsemane and on
Golgotha, who took upon Himself the sins of the world, that all mankind may obtain
eternal salvation.
He is the Light of the empty tomb, the resurrected Lord with a glorified body of flesh
and bone, who broke the bands of death and gained an everlasting victory over the
grave.He is the Light that ascended into heaven before the eyes of His disciples, with a
promise that in like manner He would come again.
He is the Light that appeared with His Father and restored, through the Prophet
Joseph Smith, the same Church He established during His ministry on earth.
He is the Light that leads and guides this Church today through revelation to a
prophet, his counselors, and the Twelve Apostles.
He is my Light, my Redeemer, my Saviorand yours.
I know that God lives. I know that He hath called us out of darkness into his
marvellous light.
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What do we do when we dont feel like being a light? When we feel like a dim bulb?
Have you ever had someone do something simple that brightened your day?
Have you ever had someone do something simple that darkened your day?
What do you do when youre around someone negative who threatens to draw you
away from that which is light? Not necessarily someone who is sinful, but just
negative? Anti-Phototaxis?
Have you ever seen the effect of someone who is anti-phototaxis?
What are some examples of the Light of Christ?
In the dark ages, was the Holy Ghost on a leave of absence?
Christopher Columbuss personal study of the Bible greatly increased the influenceof the Holy Ghost in his life. Two millennia before Columbus, Nephi prophesied:
And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the
seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it
came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters,
even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land (1 Ne. 13:12).
President Gordon B. Hinckley said: We interpret that to refer to Columbus. It is
interesting to note that the Spirit of God wrought upon him. 10 Columbus himself
declared: With a hand that could be felt, the Lord opened my mind to the fact that
it would be possible to sail and he opened my will to desire to accomplish the
project. This was the fire that burned within me. Who can doubt that this firewas not merely mine, but also of the Holy Spirit urging me to press forward? 11
President George Q. Cannon (18271901), a counselor in the First Presidency, said:
Columbus was inspired to penetrate the ocean and discover this Western continent
for the set time for its discovery had come; and the consequences which God
desired to follow its discovery have taken place. We believe it was a preparatory
work for the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
The scriptures contain many examples of righteous people who suffered: Abraham,
Abinadi, Joseph of Egypt, Joseph Smith, and even Jesus Christ.
http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/13/12#12http://classic.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=b9d284d4a0a0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD#footnote10http://classic.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=b9d284d4a0a0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD#footnote11http://scriptures.lds.org/1_ne/13/12#12http://classic.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=b9d284d4a0a0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD#footnote10http://classic.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=b9d284d4a0a0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD#footnote118/4/2019 Light of Christ
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Early in the Book of Mormon, an angel asks Nephi a tough question, Knowest thou
the condescension of God? Nephi answers, I know that he loveth his children;
nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things (1 Nephi 11:1617). Nephis
answer is a perfect statement for us to remember in times of trial. We dont know
the meaning of all things. We dont have all the answers to explain all the tragedies
in the world and in our own neighborhoods. However, we know, we are sure, thatGod loves His children.
James E. Faust, Your Lighta Standard to All Nations, Liahona, May 2006, 11114
I see the light shining in your faces. That light comes from the Lord, and as you
radiate that light, it will bless you and many others.
You are young women of great promise. You have much to do in your lives. You will
do great work in your homes, in the Church, and in the community.
In the words of Mormon, Ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is
the light of Christ. 3
A few years ago I stood on the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in
1431. Young Joan of Arc, one of the great heroines in history, became the unlikely
standard-bearer for the French army in the Dark Ages, long before the gospel was
restored. Joan had the Light of Christ and also the courage to follow its promptings
and make a difference. Joan was a peasant girl who could neither read nor write,
but she was bright. Long years of war with the English had impoverished and
divided her country. At 17, sensing her life had a purpose, she left home,
determined to help liberate her oppressed country. Naturally, people scoffed at herideas and thought she was a little crazy, but in the end she persuaded them to let
her have a horse and an escort to go and see the king.
Young King Charles VII of France had heard about Joan and decided to test her. He
slipped into the ranks of the army and let one of his trusted associates occupy the
throne. When Joan came into the room, she barely acknowledged the man on the
throne, but promptly walked up to Charles and curtsied to him as her king. This so
impressed the king that he gave her command over his 12,000 troops. At first the
French soldiers did not want to obey her, but when they saw that all who followed
her succeeded and all who disregarded her failed, they came to look upon her as
their leader.
Clad in a suit of white armor and flying her own standard, Joan of Arc liberated the
besieged city of Orleans in 1429 and defeated the English in four other battles.
Twice she was wounded, but each time she recovered and went on fighting. Her
orders seemed to be those of a military genius. She marched into the city of Reims
and stood with sword and banner in hand while Charles was crowned king. She
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fought in the Battle of Paris until she was captured at Compigne by English allies,
who sold her to the English for 16,000 francs. She was imprisoned, tried as a
heretic, and then burned at the stake in 1431.
Although this is a sad ending, it does not take away from Joans greatness. She was
courageous enough to follow the personal inspiration to which all of us are entitled.As the Lord said to the Prophet Joseph Smith, I am the true light that lighteth every
man that cometh into the world. 4
To other girls in the fifteenth century, Joan of Arc seemed to be very different.
Sisters, dont be afraid to be different in our century! Sometimes we have to be
different in order to maintain Church standards. So I repeat, dont be afraid to be
different, but be as good as you can be. Joan of Arc did not worry about what her
friends did, but rather about what she knew she should do.
We can let the light within us show in many different ways. It may be as simple as a
smile or a wave. I have a Silver Honda Odessey. And so do MANY other women. I
get waved at by so many people who think Im someone else. I got into a strange
familys Honda a while back, thinking it was my family. Well, hello!
Each one of you can be a friend to someone, even if it is only by smiling. You can
let the sunshine that is in your heart show in your face. The Apostle John wrote of a
woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet. We can be the bearers
of light. In the Saviors parable of the ten virgins, 7 each young woman had a lamp.
Clearly, this parable has both a temporal and a spiritual application. Oil can be
purchased at the market. But another kind of oil, spiritual oil that is not for sale, can
be accumulated only by our daily good works.