Do as the Lord Has Done



I like to mark my scriptures as I read them. Some might say I go overboard, marking entire pages of particularly meaningful passages. But if I feel like marking something or jotting down an insight, cross reference or quotation, or even pasting a small note in between pages, I’ll do it.

I know some people have a marking ‘system,’ perhaps highlighting a certain topic in one color, words from the Savior in another color, gluing themed paper tabs to the outside of papers, etc. I don’t have a system, but there is one pattern I’ve unintentionally followed that has proven to be a real blessing in my life—for the almost thirty years that I’ve had this particular set of scriptures.

What is that pattern? I’ve tended to use the same pen and/or pencil in my scripture bag, until I lose it or wear it out. Typically, I’ll use it for a few years before swapping it out for something else. The blessing here is that I can tie marked passages or insights to a time in my life—the purple pencil years, the blue ink-pen-that bleeds-through years, the black-ballpoint-pen era, and so on. (Although, to be fair I think I always have a smudgy red pencil kicking around because that is still the dominant color in my scriptures!)

I received my scriptures from my parents almost thirty years ago. They are a beautiful blue leather set, a richer color than the navy ones typically sold today. The cowhide is also more supple than the samples I now see on store shelves, but of course that may be due to years of carry and use. The edges of the pages are a shiny silver that has all but worn off. The original bookmarks have torn away, and the two-and-a-half blue ribbons that remain to keep my place are ones that I have added over the years.

Altogether, there are a half-dozen distinctive colors that I’ve used at specific, specially remembered times—pages and passages that had particular meaning as I went through a specific chapter in my life. It is enlightening to reminisce and tie a marked insight to the challenges and blessings I experienced at that time.

For example, as I served as a missionary for two years in England, I’d occasionally use a different colored pencil to highlight passages, but I almost always made notes with a fine-tipped black ballpoint pen. Recognizing my handwriting in that ink brings back awesome memories of England!

I broke those new scriptures in while taking a New Testament Institute class. I deeply studied the Book of Mormon the following year as I moved to Utah and attended BYU. I put those scriptures to good use, studying while using a red pencil to highlight verses, and scribbling notes with the aforementioned blue pen that bled through just a little too much. The bad news—those red blotches and bled-through patches are a little, well, blotchy and bled through. But the good news? I can see what stood out to an eighteen-year-old me as I really dug into the scriptures for perhaps the first time.

 This week, I was again studying Christ’s visit to the people of the Americas shortly after His resurrection. 3 Nephi 27 has a handful of navy scribbled stars, a half sheet of paper I glued in during my mission days, and markings in every color. What jumped out at me though, are two notes I scribbled to myself as an eighteen year-old preparing to be a man, and in particular trying to understand the responsibilities of preparing for a mission.

Those two statements are “Do EVERYTHING in Jesus’ name” and “Do as the Lord has done.” Those notes are next to verses 7 and 21. While I don’t remember writing those notes, I perfectly remember the blue pen that made them, the one with the little metal tab broken off from the cap. And I remember reading the Book of Mormon intently as I tried to learn if God really existed, and if He really wanted me to go on a mission. And I remember the deal I made with God and with myself.




As I finished the Book of Mormon that fall, probably just weeks after writing those two statements to myself, I knelt and prayed, preparing to ask God if the Book of Mormon was really true. I knew that if it was, there was no question on whether I would serve a mission. As I knelt in the almost pitch-dark basement bedroom that night, I just couldn’t ask the question. I knew with my whole body and soul that the Book of Mormon was true, that Joseph Smith had translated it through the power of God, and that Christ’s primitive Church was again on the earth.




Some particularly well-marked pages

I felt that asking God if it was true would be like looking into the clear sky on a summer day and asking if the sky was blue, and if the sun was real. It would be absurd to ask—it was all staring me right in the face. The Holy Ghost told me the truth much more clearly than the sunny day would have told me the answers to the other questions. I had a tearful moment of gratitude and humility as I thanked God for His love and His witness. I gratefully, excitedly promised to keep up my end of the deal and serve a mission.

To back up a bit though, I would not have had that experience if I hadn’t spent a year or so re-reading the Book of Mormon, trying to seek the Spirit, asking God to help me understand what I read, pondering those things and applying them. As an 18 year-old, the power of the Book of Mormon inspired me to try to do everything in Jesus’ name and to do as the Lord has done.

Now I am sure as I worked and studied and goofed around that year, I did many things the Lord didn’t do, and were not worthy of His name. But the scriptures motivated me to think about and consider things of the Spirit. I remember being a little more careful about who I spent time with at that age, and I recall being more mindful of the music I listened to and the movies I watched. I wasn’t perfect—I was an 18-year-old punk in a lot of ways—but the power of the word of God helped me try to be more like Christ in small and simple ways.

The scriptures contain the word of God. For an interesting study session, go to LDS.org and search the scriptures for “power of the word,” and see the dozens of scriptures that show all the things that have been done by the power of the word of God. It is impressive and interesting to note that the same power by which the world was made will also help one eighteen-year-old make a small positive change in his life.

One could write volumes on what it means to do everything in Christ’s name and to do as the Lord has done. Here is one way I see that happening. As a young man, I always felt a distinctive difference when I walked into the chapel, no matter what else was going on. If I was playing ball or at a dance or skateboarding off the stage in the gym, if I walked into the chapel to cut across the building to go home, or went through it to make sure doors were locked, I felt like that was Christ’s chapel. There were just some things you didn’t do and some things you’d always do in the chapel. I’d quit dribbling the basketball, I’d lower my voice, I’d quit running and walk quietly through that chapel. I realized later that feeling was the Holy Ghost telling me this place was different—that this is where we worship the Savior.

To me, those statements in verses 7 and 21 are like that chapel personified. There are just some things you don’t do and some things you always do if you have associated yourself with the Savior, if you are doing things as His follower and representative or disciple, if you are striving to do what we know He has done.

I won’t write those volumes—not today anyway. But I will testify that when the Lord inspires me, through the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Ghost to make a change, He gives me power and support and confidence as I try to do as He has done. And though I know I can never be exactly like Him in this life, those experiences keep me progressing and trying and repenting and getting on track again, working towards perfection. Those two scribbled reminders, bleeding through the pages, are more applicable today than ever, helping me stay on the narrow path to the Savior.

How grateful I am for those scriptures, and for the Spirit’s ceaseless teaching!

Jesus Wept

The Book of Mormon, as “another witness of Jesus Christ,” blesses us in many ways. One of its greatest benefits is that it teaches us more about how God interacts with His children. In addition to clear insights on how we can learn about Him through personal revelation, the Book of Mormon also offers us further information about the characteristics of God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.

Joseph Smith taught: “Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach Him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer. When we understand the character of God, and know how to come to Him, He begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to Him, He is ready to come to us.”

Joseph also taught that if we don’t comprehend the character of God, then we can’t comprehend ourselves. Additionally, to cement in the disciple’s mind the importance of this principle, Joseph and other early Church leaders taught in Lectures on Faith that we must possess a “correct idea of (God’s) character, perfections and attributes” if we are to “exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.” Clearly it is desirable to study the character of God.

Volumes can be written, and have been written about God. I’m sure my contribution to these volumes is insignificant, yet I feel compelled to write about a simple characteristic of the Savior as found in John 11:35: Jesus wept.

So what is the significance of this two-word verse? I probably asked myself a version of that question a dozen times as a youth. It was always a ‘go-to’ scripture for quote-unquote “memorization,” or for sharing a scripture that you liked—right up there with “And my father dwelt in a tent.” If you grew up a Mormon, and especially if you attended seminary you probably rattled that scripture off a handful of times, and perhaps even made light of it.

As a missionary in Northeast England, I found new meaning in the thought of Christ weeping as I more closely studied the Book of Mormon. In fact, a certain passage became my favorite—the scripture that taught me more than I’d ever learned before about the character of Christ.

To best appreciate this passage, think of the devastating natural disasters that have occurred in your memory, or even just the last decade or two. Mines collapsing, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, fires, floods. Remember for a moment some of those images that flashed across TV news programs; destruction that just cannot be comprehended without being witnessed… and even upon witnessing it you still just can’t quite grasp what is happening.

The people who lived in the Americas at the time of Christ’s death endured destruction of every imaginable kind, and then waited and toiled and wept in complete darkness for three days. Imagine, your home is destroyed, you can’t find your children or your aging parents or your spouse—you don’t know if they are alive, or if they were enveloped in a fire or flood or earthquake or mudslide. All you can do is cry out for them, for three days in total darkness, wondering if an answer will ever come.

Imagine you’ve spent three days calling out, asking everyone you encounter if they’ve seen your precious lost one. You are exhausted, hungry, disoriented, thirsting, completely drained from lamenting and weeping and hoping. Finally, daylight comes and you try to put your home and family and life back together. Your sadness and mourning dissipate as you are reunited with many whom you thought were lost.  Your "mourning (is) turned to joy, and (your) lamentations into the praise and thanksgiving of the Lord Jesus Christ" (3 Ne 10:10).

Days later, as you are gathered at the temple, the Savior appears. Jesus Christ, the resurrected Son of God, who atoned for your sins and your shortcomings and your sadnesses and your heartaches, teaches and blesses and explains and ministers to you, and prays in your behalf in ways so precious they cannot be written. Just days ago you were surrounded by darkness and death and fear and worry, and then, according to the scriptures, “no one can conceive of the joy which filled (your soul) at the time (you) heard Him pray for (you) unto the Father” (3 Ne. 17:17).

But the priceless moment was not yet over. The multitude of 2500 was kneeling with the Savior as He prayed, and in verses 19 and 20 we read that Jesus tells the people to arise. He then says, “Blessed are ye because of your faith.” Imagine! The Savior Himself praying—for you!—and then envision Him telling you that you’re blessed because of your faith! He then continues, “And now, behold my joy is full.”

We read that Jesus then wept, and took hundreds of children, “one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. And when He had done this He wept again.” Finally, He tells all the adults to behold the little ones, as angels ministered to them in the closing verses of 3 Ne. chapter 17.

When I first seriously pondered those verses, imagining myself at the scene, I was probably first converted to the emotional beauty of the picture that was painted. It’s amazing to think about, isn’t it? Going from the devastation and dark to the light, and The Light, and to imagine Christ weeping for the people as He prayed for them. It made me think of the tenderness of Christ and His love for all of the children of God.

I later came to understand deeper meaning and insight into the character of Christ as revealed in these verses. In very real ways, Christ did, and does, and will yet pray for me; as He suffered for my sins, as he advocates to Heavenly Father in my name now, and as He will yet plead for me after this life, when I approach His judgment seat.

I am one of Christ’s ‘little ones,’ as are you; and He has wept, and I imagine He does weep, and will yet weep for us as we fall short and come to Him with broken hearts and contrite spirits. I imagine an infinite amount of His tears are shed for our sins, our heartaches, and our joys. In very real ways, angels minister to you and to me as they did at Christ’s command over two thousand years ago, as I believe they will thousands of years from now.

There are a handful of instances in the scriptures in which we can read of the Lord weeping, and studying each one helps us better understand the character of God. Consequently, studying these episodes helps us better comprehend ourselves, and helps us develop “faith in God unto life and salvation.” I’ll briefly lay out a few of those occasions in which we can read of the Lord weeping.

In the aforementioned John 11:35, Jesus has come to the burial site of Lazarus. We read about Christ raising Lazarus from the dead in verses 30-44. Just as importantly, we read of Christ weeping as He saw beloved friends and family and disciples grieving over Lazarus’ death. We read of His praying to the Father and of His power and humility and reverence and gratitude to the Father on our behalf. There is much to learn about the character of God in these verses!

In Moses 7:28, Enoch sees the Lord weeping over His children, and marvels, “How is it thou canst weep?” In this chapter we learn of God’s love for us as His workmanship, and as the children to whom He gave knowledge, agency, and the commandment to love each other. It seems to be the fact that His children do not love each other that truly causes God to weep. What parent can’t relate to this notion? And what can we learn from pondering God weeping over His precious children and the choices we make?

In Luke 19:41, Jesus rides triumphantly toward Jerusalem, in a sort of humble makeshift parade (at least that is how I envision it). As they approach the city, Jesus “weeps over it.” It is easy to put yourself in His shoes and find reasons to weep, isn’t it? Christ could have been weeping because the people largely rejected Him or disbelieved on Him. He could have wept because of the murder of His beloved cousin John. He could weep because of the pain and misery He saw coming—the very mission He was sent to perform.

He could have wept because of the rejection of His own family members, or the thought of being betrayed with a kiss by one of His chosen special witnesses. Jesus had every right to feel sad, and literally every single reason in the history of mankind to weep over. But what do the scriptures say He wept over? “If thou hadst known… the things which belong unto thy peace!” He wept because He could see their impending earthly and spiritual destruction. They could not see the way to eternal peace, though it dwelt among them and would soon die for them.

Think of it… Jesus Christ, who knows all things from beginning to end, who certainly knew that for many His message would fall on spiritually deaf, mocking ears, wept for those who would not listen. We can learn much of His character from pondering this passage, and the longsuffering and diligence with which He ministered in His mortal mission.

This thought is echoed in another passage in the Book of Mormon. In Jacob Chapter 5, we read the Allegory of Zenos, in which the history of mankind is represented in a parable of a vineyard. In verse 41, the Lord weeps as He looks at His vineyard, or children, and laments to His servant, “What could I have done more for my vineyard?”

What a poignant, incomparable thought. There are a couple ways to read the allegory: either the Lord of the vineyard is God the Father, and the servant is Jesus the Christ, or the Lord of the vineyard is Christ himself, and the servant is the prophet. In either case, we can learn much about the character of God. This could be the Father saying, essentially, “I gave everything I had, and did all I could, even sacrificing my beloved, only begotten Son, yet you would not listen and follow.” His glorious work and glory would not be enjoyed by all of His children.

Or, we can envision this statement from Christ himself, who gave all, whose entire mission is to bring us back to the Father, who suffered infinitely in scope and severity and humility and submissiveness, all so that we might not suffer even as He did. And the thought that in spite of that, some of His beloved younger brothers and sisters would still choose to suffer caused Him to weep.

These are the main passages I have found in my study of why and when the Lord weeps. We can also envision Him weeping in the garden, as He took upon himself all of the sins and trials of each of God’s children, collectively and individually. We read in the Gospels that even as He approached the Mount of Olives, He grew sorrowful, heavy, and was “sore amazed.” Jesus told the twelve His soul was “exceeding sorrowful, unto death.”

We read of His agony, of His praying for the bitter cup to pass, of His freely partaking of that cup, and of Him sweating great drops of blood. We can envision Him crying for us, as He felt the pains and endured the punishment that we all deserve, taken by Him because of His love for us.

I can also envision Him weeping on the cross, if He had any tears left to shed. Not simply because of the pain or humiliation of this torturous death, but as He beheld His mother, and His family, and His friends and followers. I can see Him weeping as He gave a few last words of instruction and comfort—to the thief, to His mother, to John. And I can envision Him weeping as He cried out for His Father from the cross, in those closing moments of Atonement when Father withdrew His presence from His Beloved Son.

I’m grateful for the scriptures, which teach us the character of God. I’m especially grateful for those passages that seem personalized and have greater meaning to us, as the verses in 3 Nephi 17 do for me. And I testify that not only does learning more of the character of God help us better comprehend ourselves, it helps us come closer to Him, as Joseph Smith taught us years ago.

I’m thankful for a God who loves us, who lived and died and atoned for us, who created us, who pleads for us, who carries and tries and prepares and strengthens us.

And I’m thankful for a God who weeps.

On Dry Ground (Helaman Ch. 8 & 12)

Moses parting the Red Sea

Throughout the book of Helaman, the prophet Nephi gives many examples of how the Lord has shown His power to His children. In Helaman Chapter 8, Nephi reminds us of God's miracles with the children of Israel, for example their crossing the Red Sea on dry ground.

In Helaman Chapter 12, Nephi again recounts many ways the Lord has and will demonstrate His power to us, including the ability to "dry up the waters of the great deep." This week, I have been thinking of why the Lord used this teaching example. More importantly, I've been reminded of a miracle that-- to me, anyway-- is no less impressive than parting the sea.

Before you hear of my miracle, first let's consider why the Lord uses this example for teaching us. In the case of the Red Sea, He caused a great wind to create a gap in the sea so Moses and the children of Israel could cross it. The Egyptian soldiers, with their swords and horses and chariots, were swallowed up in the depths of the water as they pursued Moses and his people.

This story is amazing, isn't it? It's exciting, and even a little scary to envision those walls of water, towering above you as you faithfully follow the prophet. But to me, the most significant, poignant point of this account is a seemingly small detail that begs the question, why did God make the ground dry?

Think of it... They could have crossed over on damp sand. They could have walked carefully around a few puddles. They could have splashed through an inch or two of ankle-deep water as they walked to safety. But the Lord caused the ground to be dry, as we read in several accounts throughout the Old and New Testament, the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. In all of those accounts, including Nephi's retelling, the ground was dry.

The Lord may have made the ground dry so the Israelites would have more courage in walking between the walls of water. He may have made the ground dry so they could more quickly get across, creating just enough distance between them and the Egyptians as the water came crashing down. Could it be that the dry ground was just an inconsequential little detail or coincidence? I don't think so.

I believe the Lord wanted to demonstrate His absolute power to deliver us, His absolute attention to our lives and our trials, and His absolute ability to get us through them. God made it clear through this event that He is real, and that He loves us, and that He is omnipotent-- the Creator of Earth and Heaven. The Israelites had more trials ahead, and God blessed them with this faith-promoting miracle-- the undeniable delivery across the dry ground. There is no way the children of Israel could have seen this event in any other light.

MRI showing the growth at right

This past year, God gave our family a miracle that is just as powerful as those from the Old Testament days. In February of 2015, just a couple weeks after we moved from the Seattle area to the Portland area, our then-fourteen-year-old son Liam was diagnosed with an unusual growth between his brain and inner cranium. The condition required neurosurgery to repair, and his recovery was slow. He was in the hospital for a week, lying in bed, barely moving after the day-long surgery. He spent several weeks afterward recovering gradually at home.

We were so grateful he was able to get through the surgery and have no problems with the eye which this condition had affected, and that he hadn't had adverse effects prior to the surgery. Doctors were shocked that he had not had dizziness or headaches or problems before his surgery. The condition would have likely soon caused damage to his optic nerve, and probably meningitis. But he'd had no real discomfort before the diagnosis. There were, however plenty of headaches and dizziness as he recovered from surgery, and it was several weeks before we felt okay about him walking around unaccompanied by my wife or me.

We were still grateful for this miracle. He had gotten the diagnosis, received amazing care, and had an incredible surgery to repair the linings around his brain. His neurosurgeon had dealt wonderfully with this issue which she had never seen or heard of ever presenting in a patient this way before, and there was no cancer or malignancy. These were all miracles that were the result of priesthood blessings and prayers and fasting by people all over the U.S and Canada, some of whom we have never even met. But it is only now, almost a year later, that I can see a greater miracle has happened.

Liam recovering in the hospital

Liam had many visits with occupational therapists during his stay in the hospital and for several months afterward. They gave him exercises and tests, and kept us appraised of his progress and challenges. A few months after the surgery, Liam was still having some issues processing and following verbal instructions. The therapists let us know he would likely need someone to accompany him at school all day, making sure he captured all the instructions the teachers gave him. Or, at the very least they could get the teachers to write out all of their instructions especially for Liam, essentially giving him a transcription of what they would talk about at class.

Although I was just heartbroken about how he would probably have to go through high school, potentially with someone walking with him from class to class, I was still grateful. At this point, the Lord had certainly done enough to show us He was mindful, loving and powerful. Our son was safe and healthy and humble and happy. However, the Lord must have really wanted to show us how mindful, loving, and powerful He is. He wanted to show us the "dry ground."

As the summer closed, and as we prayed for Liam's continual improvement, we decided to let him try to go to school on his own, without the accommodation that was recommended. We figured we'd see how bad it was for him, then decide which course of action to take with the therapists once he got started back at school. About five months after his brain surgery, he started high school as a freshman, in a new city in which he'd never attended school.

As Liam began the school year, he worked hard, doing homework every day. He must have checked his online grade tracking every day of that first quarter. He was doing well-- working hard, occasionally bumping into a tough challenge here or there, often having to research topics online at home as he figured out what the teachers needed from him. But he was able to get through that first quarter with the best grades he had ever gotten-- all A's and A-minuses!

Liam today with his sisters

In fact, Liam finished the first semester and is now in his third quarter with a 3.95 GPA for the year-- all A's and one A-minus. He's not taking any special classes, and has had no accommodations. He is working harder than he ever has, and we are prayerful and grateful, and just plain amazed at the way the Lord has blessed him!

I know the Lord does not always just remove obstacles for us, the way He did when parting the Red Sea. I also know that He does not heal every faithful, believing person who has a setback like the one Liam and our family faced. But I do know He chose to show our family His power and love in a way that we could never have expected. He surpassed every hope I had for Liam’s recovery, not only healing Liam and restoring his health, but also blessing him with the capacity, desire and capability of doing things he has never done before, academically and physically.


The Lord got us through this trial, leading us figuratively across dry ground in a way for which we'll be ever grateful. How has the Lord shown you His love and power?

I Went Up into the Mountain

Nephi's People Near the Mountains

There’s just something singular about being in the mountains, isn’t there? I can go to beautiful places in my favorite cities and towns, see historical monuments, or go to a scenic park, but nothing compares to the solitude, peace, and perspective I gain when I get up to a higher elevation, away from the mundane cares and noise of city and suburban life.

I have great memories of mountain adventures I experienced in my youth… Campouts, fishing adventures, backpacking, trips to Grandpa and Grandma’s (who lived in the Sierra Nevada mountains just outside Nevada City). While the survival skills, fishing techniques, cardiovascular gains, and physical strength we attain in the mountains are great, they do not compare to the spiritual growth we can experience there.

Nephi had an epic vision, of which he wrote an extensive record. As he begins this account, he tells us that he was “caught away in the Spirit of the Lord… into an exceedingly high mountain.” In my view, you can’t overestimate the significance of this starting point for such a majestic vision. It was important to Nephi that he include this mountain scene.

Mountains are prominent throughout the scriptures. We have just a small portion of Jesus’ life and ministry recorded, yet mountains play a pronounced role in what is known about His life. He apparently took comfort there, and seemingly felt he could best commune with the Father from a mountain setting. Luke mentions that Christ was “wont” to go to the Mount of Olives—he went there often. After the Last Supper, Jesus sung hymns with his disciples on the Mount of Olives immediately before descending—literally and figuratively—to the Garden of Gethsemane, and all He faced there.

We read of Jesus going up to a mountain to pray on multiple occasions. He often taught his followers on mountains. He and Peter, James and John were transfigured on a mountain. Prior to calling his twelve apostles, Jesus went up into a mountain to pray. When he ordained the twelve, it was on a mountain. Satan certainly made an error in his trying to tempt Jesus, taking Him to a high mountain. This seemed to be a setting Jesus longed for, and one where He apparently felt closest to His Father.

Fun with the kids

Nephi, too, spent time in the mountains. At a turning point in the Book of Mormon, Nephi is told by the voice of the Lord to get up into the mountain. There, he was commanded and instructed to build the ship that would carry them to the promised land. Nephi tells us he “did go unto the mountain oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things” (1 Ne. 18:3).

Me, fishing at age 9

I’ve had spiritual experiences in the mountains too, and the Lord has shown me great things there. One such experience stays with me, almost thirty years later. As a young man, I attended an early morning Easter Sunday meeting, on the side of a hill, watching the sun rise, and listening to testimonies being shared about the Savior—the Risen Son. I don’t recall the specific words spoken, but I remember the Spirit telling me Jesus Christ is real, and that He lived, suffered, and was resurrected for us—that His Atonement is real. This was with a group of people I didn’t know well at all—a new Church group in a new town. As I sat there with mostly total strangers, I’d never felt less alone—I felt God’s infinite love.

The Book of Mormon, and in particular Nephi, has taught me to seek the Lord, to pray often, and to draw near to Him. And an effective, enlightening way to do this is to ‘get up into the mountain.’ I wonder what great things the Lord is waiting to show to me and to you?