riches – Temple Study

Working Toward Zion

July 19, 2013 by Bryce Haymond 10 Comments

Cover of Working Toward Zion, by James W. Lucas and Warner P. Woodworth.

We’re not there yet.

As much as we on the Wasatch Front believe that Zion is here at last, and even though we have one of the lowest poverty rates in the country, still one in ten people who live in our community is living in poverty. Where Zion is a people who are of one heart and mind, and there is “no poor among them,” even we have a way to go yet (Moses 7:18).

But can we have Zion? Can we get there in our world today? There are some who think that we can’t, at least not without force and coercion. Just yesterday I heard,

If your point is, “wow what a shame it is that some people earn millions and others struggle to get by,” yes I would agree with you, and I look forward to the day in the Millennium when this doesn’t happen anymore. Your point appears to be that we need to change things now in our Fallen world, and if you believe this you need to think about how it would come about. It cannot come about without force, so you indeed want to compel other people to act the way you think they should. This is not good… Should people, especially latter-day Saints, consecrate themselves and help others? Definitely. But unfortunately it will not happen before the Millennium.

If we have this mindset, that we won’t make it to Zion until Zion comes to us (in the Millennium), then we have missed the boat. The only way that we will have Zion is if we build it. Zion will not magically appear one day when we least expect it. There must be a people who begin to live by its laws and statutes, who become of one heart and mind, who eliminate poverty and inequality in their surroundings, and who are then ready to welcome Zion into their midst because they have built it. They will find Zion when they find themselves in it. That is how Enoch and his people did it, and it is how we will do it today. [Read more…]

Hugh Nibley Quotes from Approaching Zion

August 23, 2012 by Bryce Haymond 16 Comments

The following quotes are from Hugh Nibley’s Approaching Zion volume, and were compiled by Chad Merrill. I am grateful that he shared them with me, and gave me permission to share them with you. They are great quotes from that singular book, one of my favorites of all time, and one which I am currently re-reading for the nth time.

In these quotes, Nibley is highly critical of his fellow Latter-day Saints, in our love of wealth and covetousness, lack of living the law of consecration (and our apparent confusion of it), our quibbling over free lunch, lack of faith in the Almighty, and our misunderstanding the purposes of life. “Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself” (D&C 105:5). Do we truly believe the Lord? What’s our progress report? Please share your thoughts in the comments. [Read more…]

Living the Law of Consecration – Part 3: All Things are the Lord’s

October 14, 2009 by Bryce Haymond 10 Comments

All Things on Earth are the Lord’s

(Continued from Part 2)

In order to properly understand the law of consecration, we must first keep in mind two foundational gospel principles:

All things are ultimately the Lord’s
We are to love God with all our heart, soul, might, mind, and strength

Once we understand these two principles we will be prepared to understand how the law of consecration works, and how we are able to live it today. Hopefully some of my thoughts here will help us in that effort. We will begin with the first principle.

All Things are the Lord’s

Nothing that we have is our own. Just because we have something in our possession does not mean that we have true ownership of it, and this is particularly the case when we view our “things” through a gospel lens. The Lord has declared: [Read more…]

10 Reasons to Remove your Watch When You Enter the Temple

April 10, 2009 by Bryce Haymond 11 Comments

Remove your watch when you enter a house of the Lord. -Elder Richard G. Scott

This last weekend in General Conference, Elder Richard G. Scott gave an incredibly good talk about the temple and the importance of temple attendance. I will break down more of this talk in a future post to glean more from the great insight he gave us.

One of his “interesting suggestions” for gaining more benefit from temple attendance was this — “Remove your watch when you enter a house of the Lord.” I immediately took notice of this counsel, as you might have also. I have not heard the General Authorities recommend this before. I did find it “interesting” because it is something that I have already practiced since the first time I went to the temple. It didn’t feel right for me to wear that piece of apparel into the sacred space.

But how could something as trivial as wearing a watch affect what we gain from the temple? While it is unlikely we can easily know why Elder Scott counseled us so, let me offer some personal reasons why I don’t wear my watch when I enter the temple, and why it might be a good idea for you too. [Read more…]

Living the Law of Consecration – Part 2: The Law & The United Order

November 29, 2008 by Bryce Haymond 14 Comments

(Continued from Part 1)

One of the common misconceptions concerning the law of consecration is that it is often conflated with the United Order. When we think that these two are one and the same thing we run into difficulties understanding them. When we don’t properly understand the law, we can’t live it. When we don’t properly understand the United Order, we can’t learn from it. The law of consecration is not the United Order. The United Order was an economic and administrative method of living the law of consecration, but even as such is commonly misunderstood and blended with the law of consecration. President Benson explained: [Read more…]