Spiritual Laundry, Part 2

Continued from Part 1!

As we discussed, doing laundry is not just a one time thing! Neither are the covenants we make at baptism. Each week on Sunday when I attend church I renew the process. I don't get baptized again, but as I partake of the sacrament (the bread and water in remembrance of Jesus Christ, (3 Nephi 18:1-12), I again promise (or covenant) to take upon me the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, and keep his commandments (for addition things we desire to do click here). In return the Lord promises to wash away, or forgives my sins, and allow me to have the Holy Ghost (also called Holy Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, etc.) to be with me as long as I keep these promises. This is called the gift of the Holy Ghost, where we can have the Holy Ghost to be with us at all times if we are keeping our promises to God. When we do not have the gift of the Holy Ghost, we can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, but we do not yet qualify for his constant companionship.

Warm toasty and fuzzy!

I know some people who throw their towel in the dryer, go take a shower, and then grab the towel when they are done so it is nice and warm. This warmness fades though as the coldness of the world outside the dryer slowly cools down the towel. Before baptism, we can still feel the Holy Ghost and the warmth and comfort he can bring into our lives at times, but after baptism when we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost we can have that warmth and comfort to be with us always. Our garments having been washed white through the blood of the Lamb of God (3 Nephi 27:19) can always remain warm and comforting as we follow Christ and keep the coldness of the world away! I know our Savior loves us and always wants us to know that and be able to feel that love, so come unto Him! His arms are outstretched towards us continually. Let His warmth and love embrace you!

To be continued...

Spiritual Laundry, Part 1

So I'm trying something new or once! I'm going to break up the topic I want to write on over a series of a few blog-posts. I want to talk about everyone's favorite thing... doing the laundry! Ok, so not everyone's favorite, but we can all relate. Each week you have to take all your old, dirty, smelly clothes, take the time to sort them. Then you have to start the wash, come back in 40 minutes to an hour, load them up in the dryer, and then come back in another 40 minutes to an hour and get your fresh, warm clothes!

"Boy... you stanky"

 If you really want to put the extra effort into it you can buy certain laundry supplies to make your clothes smell like evergreens or flowers or the ocean or cotton-candy... Well, I'm not sure if they have cotton-candy scent yet, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did. Regardless, doing the laundry is something we do each week (at least I hope) so we can stay clean, fresh, and still be able to be around people without driving them away due to our odor! Through a combination of water and heat our clothes are made brand new!

The scriptures teach of a good parallel for the purifying power of water and heat!

When I was eight I did something, and still do, similar to doing the laundry. I was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost! My father, holding Priesthood authority , took me into the water and as I was immersed and came forth (symbolic of the death/resurrection of Christ, also called baptism by water), my sins, like dirt and odor in laundry, were washed away through Jesus Christ (Alma 7:14).
Afterwards I received the gift of the Holy Ghost (called baptism by fire in the scriptures, see 3 Nephi 12:1-2). The Holy Ghost, can guide us and direct us. Like laundry after it has been in the dryer, the Holy Ghost can also give us feelings of comfort, peace, and warmth (Luke 24:32 and 3 Nephi 11:3).
I know that through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ we can be cleansed from our sins, those mistakes dirty our soul and create a rank smell of remorse and distaste in our mouths. As we are made clean we can be able to return to the presence of our Father in Heaven. No one wants to be in our presence when we have gross, smelly, mouldy clothes, and likewise, we cannot remain in our Heavenly Father's presence when we allow ourselves to be covered in gross, smelly, and mouldy sin, for "no unclean thing can dwell" in the presence of God (1 Nephi 10:21). We can be made clean and pure though, and I am so thankful to our Savior Jesus Christ for this!

To be continued...

The Fourth of July

 Thou shall thank the Lord thy God in all things... And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments ( Doctrine and Covenants section 59: 7, 21 )

Today I wanted to depart from my usual comparison and analogies of everyday things with Spiritual matters, to give thanks to the Lord for the blessings He has given, specifically in reference to the Fourth of July. I want to share some quotes concerning the hand of God in bringing us these blessings, our freedom of liberty, speech, religion, and many others that we enjoy!

First, the discovery of the Americas. Christopher Columbus shares his testimony about his epic voyage, recorded in a letter to the Spanish hierarchy and reads as follows: "Our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my enterprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?"

Concerning the Revolutionary War, George Washington said: "The success which has hitherto attended our united efforts, we owe to the gracious interposition of heaven, and to that interposition let us gratefully ascribe the praise of victory and the blessings of peace."

The convictions of two delegates at the Constitutional Convention, Charles Pinckney: "When the great work was done and published, I was struck with amazement. Nothing less than the superintending hand of Providence that so miraculously carried us through the war . . . could have brought it about so complete upon the whole." Here is another testimony, this from James Madison, sometimes referred to as the "Father of the Constitution": "It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution."

And lastly, the words of Benjamin Franklin: "I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?

We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this. And I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel. We shall be divided by our little, partial, local interest. Our projects will be confounded, and we, ourselves, shall become a reproach and a byword to future ages; and what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance despair of establishing governments by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.

I therefore make the move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of heaven and its blessings on our deliberations be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business and that one or more of the clergy in this city be requested to officiate in that service."


In the Book of Mormon we read of a general named Moroni, he is a man who did not delight in bloodshed, but delighted in the freedom and liberty of his people. At one point in the history of his people, a man desires to rise up and become king in order to subject the people in bondage. Moroni rallies his forces in defense of his nation. He tears his coat, taking a piece of it and writes :" In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children" ( Alma 46:12 )
Moroni then takes this piece and fastens it to a pole, riding from town to town gathering the people in defense of these freedoms. Moroni was willing to keep the commandments and to fight for his right's to worship his God. The Lord revealed to a prophet named Nephi: "And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper", and if we do not keep God's commandments we will not nor cannot prosper!


Thanks be to God for His continual blessing of us for following Him and keeping His commandments, and for the freedoms and liberties He has given us, to be able to worship as we please without fear of punishment! Like Moroni, let us always be willing to stand up for our God and do what is right. I know as we do the Lord will strengthen us. Let us remember the words of our Founding Fathers and always acknowledge the hand of God in our lives and the blessings we enjoy now today because of Him.