The institute of religion is a sacred place for me. It was
seated in the Weber State institute with Brother Mueller about five years ago when
I think I first saw the light and understood I was loved. That love and the spirit of the gospel hit me and
planted itself deep in my heart during those hard years. And today going to the
U of Utah institute with Brother Marshell, I would expect nothing less.
Today we went over Matthew 25. While reading the parables of
the talents I felt a certain verse jumped out at the page, screamed “Emily”,
cut deep into my heart, and at the same time felt like the clouds had opened and
a precious light had shown down. Gotta
love how personal revelation works.
"14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he
agave five
btalents,
to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey."
Supposedly these people mentioned were travelers from a far
country. Supposedly we were created, taught, and grew in the pre-mortal life. So
does that make the far country become Earth and that we are the travelers? No doubt in my mind that that is so. Now what
did “several ability” mean?
I believe that before this world we learned how to do good, to bless the
lives of others, to have stewardship placed
in our hands, the talents to build the Kingdom of God. But perhaps Elder Maxwell said it best:
“Being
subject to law, and having their agency, all the spirits of men, while yet in
the Eternal Presence, developed aptitudes, talents, capacities, and abilities
of every sort, kind, and degree. During the long expanse of life which
then was, an infinite variety of talents and abilities came into being..and so
it went through all the hosts of heaven, each individual developing such
talents and abilities as his soul desired.” (Elder Bruce R.
McConkie, The
Mortal Messiah, 1:23)
So our loving Heavenly Father, or God for some, helped us
develop those talents and then trusted us enough to send us down and left us
develop them. Thus the parable (at least to me) means that before this life we
were so blessed with gifts and abilities, how we use them here on Earth is how
the people in the parable opted to use them and return them back to Him.
So the word that Brother Marshall used tonight was something
I always knew was true deep down but had never coined it a phrase. Divine
positioning. That idea that there is no such thing as
coincidence but rather He directs and plays a divine part in everything that
happens. That idea that I was blessed
with several abilities and I made a promise to Him that I would use them well
to help others. So then in return He divinely positions me to be able to receive
help, meet critical people, and be able to give my little two cents to help
others when we have gone through similar circumstances. Another great quote on
the topic:
“Suffice it to say that we were sent here. We came willingly:
the requirement of our heavenly Father and our anxiety to take bodies brought
us here… Then, if it be true that we entered into a covenant with the powers
celestial, before we left our former homes, that we would come here and obey
the voice of the Lord, through whomsoever he might speak, these powers are
witnesses of the covenant into which we entered; and it is not
impossible that we signed the articles thereof with our own hands—which
articles may be retained in the archives above, to be presented to us when we
rise from the dead, and be judged out of our own mouths, according to that
which is written in the books”- Journal of Discourses volume 7 page 314
I’m sure I knew full well what I was signing up for in this
life before I came here (and probably more perfect than I even know my own life
right now) . I saw the trials I would face but knew was equipped to handle
them. What faith we all had to know what was coming and still accept to come to
earth (Because we knew it was the only way to progress, duh!) If I knew exactly
the trials I would have to pass through on my mission would I have done it all
over again knowing full well? Maybe with a sour face I would have signed the
dotted line. Most things we actually walk into a little bit blind, which works
out to our advantage since we don’t know how hard they will be. It boggles my mind
to know we had so much preparation, but all seemly forgotten once we arrived at
the hospital screaming and crying. It’s there somewhere I am sure. I like to
think that we didn't come to this earth to gain a testimony, but to remember
the testimony we always had. Back to
divine positioning…. (basically what we do with all this preparation. If we
decide to use it or not)
Three things I learned from the phrase “several ability” and
divine positioning. Emilyology is that both phrases go hand in hand. But don’t
worry it’s not official doctrine….
.
1. Why do trials happen the
way they do?
“Sometimes the Lord hastens his work in
our spiritual development by the compression of experiences. Sometimes the best
of people have the worst experiences because they are most ready to learn”
(Neal A Maxwell).
Now I am definitely no saint. I do know this though: some
people have that innate faith and strength from some superhuman source (or
pre-mortal learning course aka several ability) and they pass through really
hard trials like champs. Most times these people seem to find others or be
around others passing through the same thing. Coincidence? Umm, nope! God uses
our ability and testimony and divinely places us around people who need our
help. Or we could use our trials and say “why is this happening to me..wa wa
wa…?”. Then God probably steers anyone who needs help very far away from us so
we don't drag them down. But let’s just hope that never happens and stick with
the first example……
2.
Why are we born into
the circumstances we are?
“But if the smallest things we can
conceive of are declared to be under the divine direction, need we, or can we,
be more plainly taught that the greatest things of life, such as the manner of
our coming into the world, our parents, the time, and other circumstances of
our birth and condition, are all according to the eternal purposes, direction,
and appointment of divine Providence [positioning]?” (Ensign Dec 1974 Spencer W
Kimball).
So some people are born to
be the “chainbreakers”, pioneers, faithful future generations of already
righteous parent, or whatever our calling may be as daughter, mother, cousin,
neighbor. No matter what, we already were born (divinely positioned) with
“several ablilties” to be able to shine light into whatever situation we were
blessed to be in.
3.
Why do we meet and
are around the people we are?
No quote for this one. Have you ever
thought about your young women’s president, your primary teacher, your
influential English teacher, your close teammates, your seminary teacher, your
co-workers, your companions, all the people you meet in your mission, your
siblings, parents, your ward members, roommates, your bishop?
God handpicked (divinely placed) those people to positively influence
us. I love that feeling that you knew
someone before this life but really have only known them for a few weeks. Kinda
like “Hey buddy, I promised I would meet up with you and now its finally time”.
Love that! God sends us angels all throughout our lives but lots of times it is
our stewardship to be angels for other people.
So the point of this looonnngg blog/ personal
essay was one of two things: 1) Realize and remember how many “several
abilities”/talents I have been blessed (and pre-mortally trained with) and try
to remember/find them rest throughout my life.
2) Honor my loving Heavenly Father and recognize His hand in all things
and seek his guidance to be divinely placed by someone who needs my help. So
you get how cool this parable now is?! Miracles/ tender mercies all over the place! I think this was the only way the man in
the parable with five talents traded some in and gained many more. Because I
have been given much I too must give.
Like the end of that sacred verse 15 says I will “….straightway [take
my] journey”. I promised I would over 23
years ago and I can't wait for that moment I can come home faithful to my
promise to return all those talents He gave once me.
(PS whoever reads this, I challenge you to re-read this parable in Matthew 25 and gain your own personal revelation)
