Get to the Point

A comprehensive purpose statement might well be based on a line of logic that Jesus used in an argument he had with the corrupt religious leaders of His day.

The leaders, called "Pharisees", were criticizing Jesus, and were questioning His right to teach the people about God and about religion. His statements of authority were bold and armor-clad, and their attacks of logic could not phase him.

After a few exchanges with them, He makes the following statement:

   When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

   And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.             -John 8:28-29

Because Jesus does "always those things that please" Heavenly Father, Father is with Jesus. Isn't that just about everything we want out of life? We want to live in a way that the Holy Ghost can accompany us. The presence of the Holy Ghost is the only sure way to tell if we are walking the way He wants at that precise moment.

How is it done? How do we invite the Holy Ghost to warm our heart? Please our Heavely Father.

So, my purpose might well become something along the lines of "Always seek to please Him". I haven't picked how to word it yet, but I'll let you know when I do.

My Purpose, With Cookies

A few weeks back I learned the local congregation's "focus", or vision and direction. I did that so I could teach it to members of the congregation and suggest ways for them to use it in their families.

But, I slowly came to realize that I didn't have a code, a creed, a personal one-liner to guide me. I read the scriptures and live my life by them, but had no short, quick spur-of-the-moment guide.

So I started looking. My purpose as a missionary is easy, it has already been written for me:

Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them recieve the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonememt, repentance, baptism, recieving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.            -Missionary Purpose

There's a lot in there, but really, the only things that it says directly for me are "invite" and "help". That's all the direction in there, summed up. Besides, in only a year I'll be released from my mission, so I need a purpose that's more far-reaching than that.

As I turned my thoughts to the future, I realized my creed had to be even more multi-purpose than I had yet imagined! It had to contribute to right choices in my life as I cycled through:
-single, unemployed live-at-parent's-house guy
-single, employed student
-married (urk!) employed student
-husband
-father
-And so on!

It had to be all-encompassing! It had to enfold new responsibilities while still fitting the old ones in. Well, I've used up a lot of space, so I'll continue tomorrow, but I'll tell you this: my first good step was to turn to the First and Great Commantment.

Purpose, Vision, Cheshire Cat

After Alice had been wandering around in Wonderland for a while, she came to a crossroads where the path she was on hit another path and stopped. The other path stretched from left to right, and she had to pick which way to go. The Cheshire Cat appeared, and she asked him, "Which path shall I take?"

"That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t really matter which path you take!”    -Cheshire Cat

The scriptures have a similar message, with a bite:

"Where there is no vision, the people perish."    - Proverbs 29:18

Over the past year, my thinking has turned often to the question of identity. I think I even blogged about it once or twice. Well, after a person figures out who they are, the next logical question could well be, "So, what do I do now?" Or, "What is my purpose?"

I have something to say about this topic, which might take a few posts to get out. It is very helpful to me to write out what I'm thinking. Not many of my blog posts have that much of me in them, but I think most of my best ones do.

Anyway. My focus on "focus", or "vision", or "purpose" got started a few weeks ago when I went to the leader (bishop) of the local congregation. I wanted to ask him what his "focus" for the ward was that year, or what direction he wanted to see the members take their lives and their worship of Jesus. He told me it was, "Find someone that you can help to take the next step."

That, combined with a few other events, made me realize that I didn't have a personal Vision. I didn't have a purpose that was my own. So, I prayerfully started looking for a good one, and in the coming days I'll explain what I came up with.

T-Shirt Drawing Competition

This is the drawing, partially inked.

I've made a drawing to submit in the missionary t-shirt contest! The due date is today. The drawing was pretty good in pencil, but I don't have very much experience in inking. I liked it better before I inked it, because it covers some of the details I wanted it to show.

The drawing has reference to John 21:8, part of the fishing trip of the Apostles. As they rowed in to shore, they had so many fish in the net that they couldn't pull them into the boat, but had to drag them behind as they rowed.

The drawing shows two missionaries, who have successfully brought so many souls to believe in Jesus that they have the same problem! It also could be related to retaining recent converts after their baptism, because the net did not break. (John 21:11)

Now, baptism is only a gateway, it is not a finish line. To relate to that, the shore is the start of a pathway that leads to distant mountains. I challenge those who read this to find out what I intended those mountains to represent! Try using the Topical Guide, Mountain. If that's too hard, try searching "mountain" in other places on lds.org, or ask someone for a hint. If you really can't find out, you can cheat by reading this.