My Mormon Third Eye: I See… Why We Don’t Know Beforehand the Things Which We Should Do

Sunday, November 24, 2013

I See… Why We Don’t Know Beforehand the Things Which We Should Do

How great would life be if we could know with clarity the exact consequences of important life choices? It sure would be easier for me to make plans on when, where, and how to retire, and for my son to feel more comfortable about critical career choices. Unfortunately, God often leaves even the best of us hanging- Nephi had this problem when he went back to retrieve the plates of brass from Laban: “And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.”(Nephi 4:6) Those of us who have been directed by personal revelation down a certain path may not know why, yet we keep moving forward according to our faith. But why do we not know why? Is it merely a matter of faith, or something more?

I suspect that Nephi’s experience retrieving the brass plates may hold the key. Those of you who have started reading the Book of Mormon a bazillion times know exactly what I mean. After acknowledging that he was being led by the Spirit and did not know instinctively what to do next, he killed a defenseless, drunken high priest, despite his initial misgivings about taking life. It wasn’t until he was at the threshold of doing the deed that the Lord’s justification was revealed: “Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.”(1 Nephi 4:13)

Do you think that if the Lord had directed Nephi in a dream that “Tomorrow, I want you to sneak back into Jerusalem, find Laban, and kill him in order to get those brass plates,” he would have actually done it? Perhaps so, but maybe not- we know how Nephi felt about shedding blood: “but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.” (1 Nephi 4:10)

I suspect that more often than not, God does not provide us with an accurate picture of our future because he knows that if we knew what difficult learning experiences lie ahead, we may be tempted to “shrink” from it. Personally, I’m glad I wasn’t warned in advance that serving a mission or finishing graduate school would be so challenging.

Such is the power of faith- the power for us to face the arduous unknowns of life, knowing only that God makes it possible for us to learn from them instead of being swallowed by them.

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The Mormon Third Eye Quote of the Week

"As men of the priesthood, we have an essential role to play in society, at home, and in the Church. But we must be men that women can trust, that children can trust, and that God can trust. In the Church and kingdom of God in these latter days, we cannot afford to have boys and men who are drifting. We cannot afford young men who lack self-discipline and live only to be entertained. We cannot afford young adult men who are going nowhere in life, who are not serious about forming families and making a real contribution in this world. We cannot afford husbands and fathers who fail to provide spiritual leadership in the home."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Priesthood Session Conference, October 2012

Why My Mormon Third Eye?

When I politely excused myself in the middle of dinner to make a bathroom stop, how did Mom know that I had uneaten peas in my pocket to flush down the toilet? When I came home late from a youth dance and slid quietly into bed to avoid waking parental units, how did Dad know, without looking at the car, that I smashed in the front bumper? When I watch my daughter play a video game, how do I know that she's not ready for her Geometry final?

Its the Third Eye. The notorious eye in the back of the head, the extra view of life that God blesses parents striving to do the right thing so they can see more of life than the children they chase after.

Our third eye also permits us to see things and feel emotions that are too refined, too far on the edge of our standard two-eyed peripheral vision to enjoy in its fullness. I've learned that I have a Mormon Third Eye; that is, as a life-long, fully-dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have unique perspective on how the doctrines of the gospel and the demands of my faith in them intersect every other part of my mortal existence to create the entertaining, self-deprecating kaleidoscope of my life.

So... for those of you bold and bored enough to read this far, every so often I'll be sharing here what my Mormon third eye sees. Third eyes are relatively huge; they see the humorous, the entertaining, the embarrassing, the beautiful, the inspirational, and even the moral and political; however, they tend to ignore the evil, depressing and destructive: there is enough of that in world already!

The Four Secrets to Successful Living

Always Go Where There is Free Food - This includes ward and work parties, wedding receptions and missionary open houses; the money you spend to buy the ingredients for the world-famous triple chocolate cake you bring doesn’t count.
Never Pay Full Price for Anything – See my posts on Black Friday escapades for more information on this.
Never, Ever Press the Red Button - Usually, if you are faced with a red button somewhere, don’t press it – it usually means trouble. For example, the red button launches the missiles. Do yourself a favor and don’t press it.
Any Problem You Face Can Be Solved With Bungee Cords and Duct Tape - Bungee cord and duct tape technology has saved many marriages and ward parties. I’m not just talking about problems with plumbing or keeping groceries from bouncing around the trunk; I know of relationship and family issues that have been solved with creative applications of these two substances.