Go With Me: Singing Doctrine

I haven't posted in years! A lot has transpired since my last post, and I've changed a lot as a person. Still super imperfect and rough around the edges, but hopefully less so.

I've decided to jump back into this blogging hobby upon the inspiration of a friend telling me they were inspired to start a blog because of mine haha!

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I love the gospel.

I also love music.

The intersection of these two passions of my life are an absolute delight to me! Not only do I love church hymns (and am undecided on a favourite), I love Lex de Azevedo's two albums of classical variations on sacred themes (which dives into my love of classical music) and also remember going through a major phase of Brown Hymn Book songs listened to every day. I also had an EFY music phase.

Though today's post will focus on an original song by Eclipse 6, Go With Me.

Go With Me

This song appeals to me because 1. The harmonies are just... so... perfect, I love it! And 2. The references to church doctrine and relating it to us are deep, meaningful, and personal to me. Of particular note are the song's subtle references to sacred events in the temple ceremony.

As a nice introduction to the concept, the lyrics progress in their message through

1. Go with me to Cumorah.
2. Go with me to the angels.
3. Go with me past the angels.

The song is taking us on a journey.

To Cumorah

The first phase is of discovery: Go to Cumorah where the prophet Joseph Smith found the plates, and discover it with him. Discover The Book of Mormon for the truthfulness it holds, the testament it is to the existence and love of God, the validity of Joseph Smith's calling from God, the truthfulness of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the perpetuation of the family.

"I ask us all to honestly evaluate our performance in scripture study. It is a common thing to have a few passages of scripture at our disposal, floating in our minds, as it were, and thus to have the illusion that we know a great deal about the gospel. In this sense, having a little knowledge can be a problem indeed. I am convinced that each of us, at some time in our lives, must discover the scriptures for ourselves—and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again."

- Spencer W Kimball

To the Angels

The second phase is of forming connections---connections with God, with those around us, with the angels that Heavenly Father places in the paths of our lives who help us rise out of the darkness that can confuse us. This part of the journey involves going to the temple where we are endowed with gifts from God in the form of covenants.

"When we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order to maintain the blessings promised by those ordinances, then come what may, we have no reason to worry or to feel despondent."

- Richard G. Scott

The song includes lyrics to this effect in singing about us going to the angels to "feel the hand of power," "hear the voice proclaim salvation," "go with me to living waters, drink and bow the knee, taste the love of Heaven," which are references to the temple, the sacrament, the scriptures, etc.

Past the Angels

The third phase is progression. It reflects an important lesson that we all need to learn that Brad Wilcox teaches much better than I can.

"Christian friends ask me if I have been saved by grace. I always answer, “Yes—absolutely.” Then I occasionally ask them if they have been changed by grace. We must never be so content to be saved by grace that we overlook the fact we must also be redeemed by grace.

"We don’t get into heaven on Jesus’ coattails. Rather, He changes us until we fit His coat. Christ justifies by exchanging His goodness for our sin. He sanctifies by exchanging our worldly natures for a celestial nature. Justification alters our standing. Sanctification alters our state. Justification frees us from sin’s penalty. Sanctification frees us from sin’s tyranny. While justification is represented by clean hands, sanctification is represented by a pure heart that has been given to God."

- Brad Wilcox, The Continuous Atonement

Though the song in question doesn't explore this concept, it's illustrates the difference between simply going to church and becoming a gospel-centric person in word, deed, emotions, perspective, and lifestyle.

How to Pray (3 Nephi 19:28-29)

Do you notice how the Saviour prays to His Father?

He prays, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast purified those whom I have chosen..."

He gives thanks for the Father's endorsement. He notices what part Heavenly Father plays in His life. And they are busy talking to each other about their service to God's children.

He prays, "because of their faith, and I pray for them, and also for them who shall believe on their words, that they may be purified in me, through faith on their words, even as they are purified in me."

They look to the past in gratitude: "because of their faith"; they look to the future with gratitude: "and also for them who shall believe..."; they look to the present with gratitude: "I pray for them".

They discuss the motivation behind their actions, why things went well, and what needs to happen to move forward in the work. They give credit where credit is due: Heavenly Father for the purification, God's children for their faith.

He prays, "Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith..."

Discussing the matters of the heart, the motivations, the objectives one has with the Father has a multitude of benefits.

The Son is on the search for those who are in the world but not of the world. And in this search, He prays. He prays to find the requirements necessary for glorification: He prays,

"that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them."

That's the goal. Discussing goals together, and how to get there. The goal to become united eternally.

How does the pattern of the Lord's prayers apply to me in my career pursuits?

"Father, I thank Thee that thou has given me opportunities to grow and connect..." where I thank the Father for His endorsement of the paths I have chosen, or rather, the signs He has given me that I am on the right path.

"...because of my faith and faith of those who believe in me, I am where I am now." where I give credit where credit is due, recognizing my blessings and how I got where I am now. I thank those who have been examples for me, and those fellow students and careerists who have travelled with me.

"Father, I strive to avoid distractions and evil influences that would bring me down, such as friends who invite me to go drinking, or the temptation to connect with friends through dedicated video gaming. I thank Thee for Thy teachings in such things, and for the guidance of the Spirit in helping me recognize such temptations." where I am grateful for the Lord's teachings and the guidance of His Spirit, recognizing the role of the Lord, His teachings, and the Spirit in my life. I discuss with Heavenly Father what it means to be in the world but not of the world.

"That I may one day raise a family unto Thee as a righteous priesthood holder is my goal, dear Father. That I may be well enough off that I might be able to dedicate my heart and soul to building the kingdom of God, without worry of finances. That I might provide for my family and raise my little ones unto Thee." That's the goal. That I might unite myself and my family with the Godhead eternally.

Let Him Ask of God II

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. ”
              - James 1:6-8

Why do you ask?

Are you just curious? Will the answer be lifechanging?

Are you asking on behalf of another person? Or yourself?

Do you already know the answer?

Are you asking for confirmation? For knowledge? For understanding?

What emotions are involved in your question?

Why do you ask?

Let Him Ask of God

One day as I was driving, a friend said to me “One day someone is going to be in your blind spot.”

Although that aggressive comment is true – and I am grateful for that comment – it may not be the best way we would want to approach someone about their blind spots.

In the social circle, friendship groups know of the saying, “every group has one” regarding one friend who is “stranger” than the rest – and that individual doesn’t even seem to notice it.

We may all know of one person who is so full of themselves. Elder Jeffrey R Holland said, “Haven’t you ever been with someone who was so conceited, so full of themselves that they seemed like the Pillsbury Doughboy? Fred Allen said once that he saw such a fellow walking down Lovers’ Lane holding his own hand.”

We would all like to give those people more than a few words.

But really, before we approach any of these people, we ought, of course, to look at the beams in our own eye. We might then discover that there was no mote in the other person’s eye to begin with.

Any flaw in my personality or perspective that may be obvious to others but of which I am oblivious to, let us call blind spots.

Blind spots are painful to deal with and sensitive to address. We all have one friend that is very honest with us – and thank goodness we do because the rest of our friends will let us figuratively keep that small blob of ketchup on our cheeks the entire time of hanging out with them.

God is one such friend who is honest. But in my scripture study this morning, it dawned on me as to what ways He may present and has presented His honesty.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”              - James 1:5

Wisdom: The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment.

The verse thus suggests that in answer to our queries and prayers out of a lack of experience, knowledge, and judgement, the Lord will give us experiences that will increase our knowledge and cause us to develop good judgement. Like many movies I see, one who is lacking wisdom is led by a mentor to have experiences that cause the mentee to see life in a different light.

One may be expecting the still small voice to give Him knowledge, when really, God has placed an event or two in the upcoming days, months or years in the timetable of that individual’s life.

For me, an example was my prayers and desire to have more charity. On top of all the studying the Lord guided me through, the Lord sent me on a mission. It was from a mission that I discovered all the blind spots I didn’t know about in my personality. On the topic of charity, He demonstrated that the way I treat others is good in this and this and this way, but terrible in this and this and this way. I am ever grateful that He showed them to me, despite any intellectual and emotional pride that at that time blocked my view. He saw my sincerity, and gave me my mission (experience) with missionary companions, where I could learn (knowledge) to see what charity is, and develop a higher perspective (good judgement) of what it also is not.

That is one interpretation – out of many interpretations – of James’ words.

Eternal Love

“However much other kinds of love may satisfy the Platonic, charitable, compassionate kinds of love, and however much one must enjoy a measure of love from his family and his fellowmen, a little love from many – to be really happy, and to find true joy, it is crucial that we have the complete, unshared, fully expressed love of one.”

“A boy ought to love a girl. He ought to desire with all the desire a life’s companion. He ought to love fully and completely and righteously. He ought to be preoccupied with finding a sweetheart, and having found her, to love her. Permanently. This power, this yearning to love, and to be loved is something so magnetic, so powerful, and so compelling, and so important, that it is not to be ignored.

“Young people sometimes get the mistaken notion that the religious attitude and spirituality interferes with the experience of love. They assume that the requirements of the church are interferences and aggravations which thwart the full expression of love. Oh youth, if you could know: the requirements of the church are the highway to love. With guardrails securely in place, with guide-signs plainly marked, with help along the way. How foolish is the youth who feels that the church is a fence around love to keep him out. How unfortunate to resent counsel and restraint. How fortunate the young person who follows the standards of the church, even if just from sheer obedience or habit, for he will find a rapture, and a joy fulfilled.

“You are at an age now as college students when there is a compelling urgency for you to be complete. You want to find the fulfillment in life that you know you cannot find alone. The powers that awakened earlier in your lives have been growing. You have been responding to them, probably very clumsily. But they now form themselves into a restlessness that cannot be ignored. You are old enough now to fall in love. Not the puppy love of elementary years, not the confused love of the teens, but the full blown love of eligible men and women, newly matured, ready for life. Romantic love, with all the full intense meaning of the word, with all of the power, turbulence and frustration, the yearning, the restraining, and all of the peace and beauty and sublimity of love. No experience can be more beautiful. No power more compelling, more exquisite, or if misused, no suffering more excruciating than that connected with love.

“The day comes… when that source [of love] is no longer available. A young person may develop the ability to provide for himself this vital necessity of living. Not only will that source of love be gone, but then a new kind of love becomes necessary. In our youth we learn to relate to other people, earning little amounts of love and affection and friendship by bestowing them on others. When we have reached college age, it is assumed that we are prepared to find love for ourselves in order that our lives may be normal, full and rewarding.

“The question is, ‘do you want her as the mother of your children.’”

“The power of love between man and woman is not completely defined, but like electricity, it can be used and controlled and directed even though we don’t know exactly what it is. We know that love has the power to create – think of that, just think of that – love has the power to create life. When a wife and a husband live together in love, the product of the most exalted and most sacred expression of love is life itself. Children are born out of love."

 - Boyd K Packer

People Come to be Lifted

“When you are with people, remember they are each filled with troubles. Lift them to a higher plane. People come to be lifted. Build. Bring comfort from the Spirit. Don’t bring new programs or duties. People need lifting. 

“Remember to keep your own kingdom intact. This is your first stewardship—mother and father, brothers and sisters, children, husband, friends. These are eternal and they are given to you first. 

“When you can’t give more, when you’ve gone beyond your ability to give, then sit still. Call on the Holy Ghost and angels to come to you. Be still and get full.”

- Julie B Beck as quoted by Sharon Eubank

The Intensity Felt by a Drowning Person

In our recent general conference session, Elder Nelson's address included the words,

"When you reach up for the Lord’s power in your life with the same intensity that a drowning person has when grasping and gasping for air, power from Jesus Christ will be yours. When the Savior knows you truly want to reach up to Him—when He can feel that the greatest desire of your heart is to draw His power into your life—you will be led by the Holy Ghost to know exactly what you should do."

What imagery!

What powerful words.

What a measuring stick to rule ourselves by - once can ask themselves: am I reaching up to God with the same intensity as a drowning person?

What does a drowning person experience?
⦁ panic.
⦁ rush.
⦁ the educated ones will know to hyperventilate and calm down.
⦁ the spiritual ones will know that they have to act - and it will be by pure instinct: analogously and obviously, if I am drowning, I have to swim to the surface!
⦁ those practiced at swimming will know how to stroke to get around.

What does this mean for us spiritually?

Well firstly, what does it mean to drown spiritually? It can be interpreted in multiple ways - and President Nelson has left it open to the interpretation under the Holy Ghost's influence. Let's explore, shall we?

The obvious first answer is by sinning. Our spiritual selves find it hard to spiritually breathe when we are living a life of sin. When our desires are turned from God. When we are breaking commandments and being comfortable in it.

But like Nephi (2 Nephi 4), who desired to flee from his enemy and be freed from his influence, we too can run from ours. Trials are to be endured, but temptations are to be escaped from - we are to resist temptation by diminishing and relinquishing it (1 Corinthians 10:13-14).

"Like Joseph in the presence of Potiphar’s wife, just run as far away as you can get from whatever or whoever it is that beguiles you. And please, when fleeing the scene of temptation, do not leave a forwarding address" (Holland, Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul). Who wants to return to drowning anyway?

Unfortunately, the adversary has convinced many in the world that sin is an escape from worldly struggle. That justifying your unrighteous behaviour is justified. Well analogously, he's telling us to drown ourselves.

Here is a second way drowning can be interpreted, and I draw upon another visual analogy.

The Allegory of the Olive Tree (Jacob 5) is designed as an analogue of the timeline of earth and the demonstration of the role of missionary work in the Lord's plan. However, it has many "mini-analogies" amidst the beauty of the allegorical text.

In one instance, a tree grew a large root system, larger than its size above ground - it consequently died. This is symbolic of over-relying on the Lord, and not relying enough on oneself. On a small scale, this behaviour merits the Lord's reply in the form of "What will ye that I should do" as He said to the brother of Jared.

On the other hand, another tree in the allegory became oversized above ground with a little root system. It also died, symbolic of over-reliance in oneself.

As Christ is the Living Waters (and I may be taking this image of His into unnecessary territory), we can drown in His love as we over-rely on Him. Elder Maxwell said, "those who do too much for their children will soon find they can do nothing with their children. So many children have been so much done for they are almost done in" (The Man of Christ, 1975).

Those who believe God will have everything in place, and they themselves do hardly much to bring forth God's purposes in their lives will meet a similar fate to that spoken of in 2 Nephi 28:8.

"And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear Godhe will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God."

Having given the above two examples, what is the antidote of choice for each one?

For the latter, we would do well to follow Elder Christofferson's words:
"...And we do not need to achieve some minimum level of capacity or goodness before God will helpdivine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience. But I know that beyond desiring His help, we must exert ourselves, repent, and choose God for Him to be able to act in our lives consistent with justice and moral agency. My plea is simply to take responsibility and go to work so that there is something for God to help us with" (Free Forever, to Act for Themselves).

For the former, we can follow Elder Holland's words:

"So how does one “come unto Christ” in response to this constant invitation? The scriptures give scores of examples and avenues. You are well acquainted with the most basic ones. The easiest and the earliest comes simply with the desire of our heart, the most basic form of faith that we know. “If ye can no more than desire to believe,” Alma says, exercising just “a particle of faith,” giving even a small place for the promises of God to find a homethat is enough to begin. Just believing, just having a “molecule” of faithsimply hoping for things which are not yet seen in our lives, but which are nevertheless truly there to be bestowedthat simple step, when focused on the Lord Jesus Christ, has ever been and always will be the first principle of His eternal gospel, the first step out of despair.

"Second, we must change anything we can change that may be part of the problem. In short we must repent, perhaps the most hopeful and encouraging word in the Christian vocabulary. We thank our Father in Heaven we are allowed to change, we thank Jesus we can change, and ultimately we do so only with Their divine assistance. Certainly not everything we struggle with is a result of our actions. Often it is the result of the actions of others or just the mortal events of life. But anything we can change we should change, and we must forgive the rest. In this way our access to the Savior’s Atonement becomes as unimpeded as we, with our imperfections, can make it. He will take it from there.

"Third, in as many ways as possible we try to take upon us His identity, and we begin by taking upon us His name. That name is formally bestowed by covenant in the saving ordinances of the gospel. These start with baptism and conclude with temple covenants, with many others, such as partaking of the sacrament, laced throughout our lives as additional blessings and reminders. Teaching the people of his day the message we give this morning, Nephi said: 'Follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, … with real intent, … take upon you the name of Christ. … Do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer [will] do.'"

He then gives a glorious promise.

"Following these most basic teachings, a splendor of connections to Christ opens up to us in multitudinous ways: prayer and fasting and meditation upon His purposes, savoring the scriptures, giving service to others, “succor[ing] the weak, lift[ing] up the hands which hang down, … strengthen[ing] the feeble knees.” Above all else, loving with “the pure love of Christ,” that gift that “never faileth,” that gift that “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, [and] endureth all things.” Soon, with that kind of love, we realize our days hold scores of thoroughfares leading to the Master and that every time we reach out, however feebly, for Him, we discover He has been anxiously trying to reach us. So we step, we strive, we seek, and we never yield" (Broken Things to Mend, 2006).


This is a life that reaches out to God with the intensity of a drowning person.