Today I've been tasked with talking about the power of small
and simple things. In Alma chapter 37, Alma is instructing his son Helaman
about the importance of keeping the plates which are being handed down for
caretaking and preservation. He also instructs Helaman to keep a record of the
people as Alma himself has done.
He tells him of the prophecies of old that speak of a time
far distant where these records will go forth unto every nation, kindred,
tongue and people. If I put myself in Helaman's shoes, I am suspicious of what
my reaction might be. Ok, dad that sounds completely reasonable, I'll be happy
to heft these heavy metal engravings from place to place and painstakingly add
my own recordings of the trials, failures, and successes of the people that I
observe in my lifetime. Sounds like a reasonable use of my time. Can't possibly
think of anything else I would rather do.
It turns out my real father has similar tendencies to Alma,
if for completely different reasons. Bookshelves full of church history, the
writings of many modern day prophets, apostles, and other LDS authors. Copies
of many talks, letters, excerpts from books and other miscellaneous
documentation filed away in cabinets. My parents are contemplating a move, and
the transportation of all of this material is no small matter even given modern
transportation. The preparations are underway of sorting, organizing, and
packing into boxes.
If my father came to me and said, hey I want you to preserve
all of this, and keep adding to the collection, someday someone is going to
need this, I know exactly what would happen, DI would receive a large donation,
and the search for the cheapest, most convenient recycling option would
commence. Helaman's situation is a bit different, my dad's lifelong collection is
not made up of single source historical documents (though they may be in some
cases of personal letters and such). But I can at least imagine that Helaman
might be having at least a few second thoughts about the commitment being asked
of him.
Alma, of course senses that Helaman might have reservations
and so instructs him, first acknowledging Helaman's concerns:
"Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but
behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought
to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."
We often read that verse, which states one principle of
truth, giving us a glimpse into the possible future working of God in the lives
of men. But Alma continues, explaining that it is not only future events that
will unfold, but recounts the history of the usefulness in their time of the
information. A brief list can be extracted from the next few verses:
1. Enlarge the
memory of this people. That gives me new respect for the memory card I use in
my camera which very likely can hold my Dad's entire collection if it were to
be transcribed to text. The internet today is a modern example of the
collective enlarging of the memory of the human race. I am in awe of it, but it
is not all inspired, or even truthful. I wonder maybe even marvel at the value
of history recorded through the eyes of inspiration. I think sometimes we
undervalue the work done by Mormon in abridging the plates. I wonder if the
Lord might send him back to abridge the internet.
2. Convinced
many of the error of their ways. What a miracle is the reading of truth,
wherever it is found. It has the ability to change human thought, to expand
knowledge, especially knowledge of God that their souls can be saved.
3. Convinced
thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers. I'm in
awe of that statement. Words that can correct cultures, recalibrating hundreds
of years of thought and practice. That is miraculous.
4. Brought them
unto repentance. Can change cultures and can change individuals, or at least
allowed them to understand that a solution exists by which Christ helps them
shoulder their burden of guilt so that they can be released to transform into
something better.
Helaman is probably convinced at this point, and I hope I
would be too, but I can be stubborn when it comes to being convinced to do
things which I have not yet seen their utility and would therefore consider
"busywork". I need to work on my faith.
Having covered why small and simple things may have
extraordinary power, I believe it's important to cover both the positive and
negative. In the Spring conference, Elder Oaks taught of some of the negative possible
results from even small acts of disobedience, or minor failures to follow
righteous practices. The result of which are outcomes which we don't want.
I've recently been listening to podcasts, interviews, and
conversations among some popular intellectuals that have illuminated for me the
idea of "small acts of disobedience". What has struck me in some of
those discourses has been the idea that what you actually believe is not
manifest in your words, but in your actions. That if an outside observer wanted
to find out what you truly believe, they should mostly ignore your words and
simply observe what you do, how you act. Many times what we say relates closer
to what we want to believe or maybe wish to believe, or what we want others to
believe about us, but our actions demonstrate our true beliefs.
Actions are usually proceeded by thoughts, so if we allow a
pattern of negative thinking to recur over time, it eventually shows in our
actions. To entertain thoughts of pride will eventually result in less humble
actions, treating others with disrespect or disdain. To reflect on the worldly
wealth of a neighbor to the point of envy may result in the assumption that
borrowing and not returning something is warranted or at least not a big deal.
These pernicious small and sometimes simple thoughts eventually become
noticeable in our actions.
What the human brain is capable of is simply amazing, over
time we can teach our minds through conscious action how to do something
without us guiding it directly. Walk across the room, eat with a fork, catch
and throw a ball. We can constantly build new nearly autonomous capabilities.
Which is both remarkable and dangerous at the same time. To the computer
scientist in me, it's like writing programs that can do something and then
giving them permission to go ahead and take over anytime they think their
subroutines are capable of handling a task that the computers input devices
have just detected.
Some of these processes are so fast that they are reacting
and telling muscles to act even prior to the conscious brain being aware of the
input. I can remember 8th grade biology class experimenting with being poked
with a pin, or throughout my life having my skin exposed to excessive heat. The
body nearly instantaneously pulls back from the danger before it's even
registered to my conscious self. Some of these base level processes are
inherited in our biology, we truly our amazing creatures, that we can remake
ourselves continuously.
So what autonomous capabilities are we actively trying to
teach ourselves? How can we recognize the negative thoughts that if left
unchallenged will eventually show themselves, most likely when we least want
them to? Automation takes over in times of high stress, not when in a state of
serene relaxation. It is of great importance what processes we are allowing to
take up residence in our minds. We just might want to be consciously working on
ones which promote action that we will be proud of. It might be the difference
during a time of reflection of saying, "I can't believe I just did
that" with a positive connotation instead of a negative one.
Recently I was pointed at the churches blog (lds.org/blog)
by a family member. I didn't even know the church had a blog. There is a post
titled "Healing the Wounds of Racism". One section of that entry highlights
how through introspection we can examine our own thought processes that need to
be corrected. Similar thought provoking statements could be applied to a large
number of other patterns of thought. I quote from that post:
"How would the Lord have you change your heart if you
recognize that you:
- Prefer
associating only with those of your own race and think others should too.
- Believe
it's OK to discriminate when selling or renting a home.
- Don't
initiate a friendship (or respond to friendly overtures) because of racial
differences.
- Aren't
happy if your children associate with those of a particular race.
- Feel
proud of yourself when you behave well toward someone of another race.
- Would
have difficulty welcoming someone of a particular race into your family
circle.
- Feel
less compassion toward those of a different race who suffer the effects of
poverty, war, famine, crime, and so on.
- Assume
that a person of another race (or who looks different) must be from
another country.
- Make
jokes or disparaging remarks relating to someone's race or a racial group.
- Believe
that the gospel of Jesus Christ supports any racist thinking or behavior.
- Justify
racist attitudes or behaviors because of similar attitudes or behaviors
shown by other good people, including Church leaders or members.
If you recognize any of these thoughts or attitudes in
yourself, you have identified an opportunity to grow and become more Christlike
as you work to overcome them."
When I first read that, I immediately realized, "I've got work
to do, more than I realized." But as previously taught by Alma, the
scriptures can change people even of the incorrect tradition of their fathers.
We all have culturally implanted thoughts and mode of actions that are
inconsistent with the gospel. Recently President Nelson set out to correct the
improper practice of having a dowry as price for a bride during his recent tour
in Africa, he stated simply, "That's not the Lord's way".
How do we begin, where do we start in cultivating future
actions that we will be proud of, that our family will be proud of, that our
God will be proud of. I'll quote one of the people I have been listening to
though the idea is not unique and can be found in many sources, from Dr. Jordan
Peterson:
"Thus, you set the following goal: by the end of the
day, I want things in my life to be a tiny bit better than they were this
morning. Then you ask yourself, “What could I do, that I would do, that would
accomplish that, and what small thing would I like as a reward?” Then you do
what you have decided to do, even if you do it badly. Then you give yourself
that [redacted expletive] coffee, in
triumph. Maybe you feel a bit stupid about it, but you do it anyway. And you do
the same thing tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. And, with each day,
your baseline of comparison gets a little higher, and that’s magic. That’s
compound interest. Do that for three years, and your life will be entirely
different."
Obviously I can't
stand up here and recommend coffee as a reward, but the point still stands,
find something small that allows you to recognize the accomplishment. I
recently heard from my brother-in-law a similar recommendation that he had
read, that after a workout, give yourself a small bit of chocolate. You thereby
encourage this new way of acting to learn to be automatic. This may seem like
treating yourself like a pet, but it may just be that we, or our minds, are our
most important pet. Our brains are going to learn to do autonomous things,
being attentive to what they are learning to do will make your future self much
happier with your former self.
We can also start
with controlling the information we are consciously supplying our brains.
President Oaks quoted Elder Bednar as follows, "We can learn much about
the nature and importance of this spiritual pattern from the technique of …
dripping water onto the soil at very low rates,” in contrast to flooding or
spraying large quantities of water where it may not be needed.
He explained: “The
steady drips of water sink deep into the ground and provide a high moisture
level in the soil wherein plants can flourish. In like manner, if you and I are
focused and frequent in receiving consistent drops of spiritual nourishment,
then gospel roots can sink deep into our soul, can become firmly established and
grounded, and can produce extraordinary and delicious fruit.”
Continuing, he
said, “The spiritual pattern of small and simple things bringing forth great
things produces firmness and steadfastness, deepening devotion, and more
complete conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel.”
I close with the words of President Oaks, "We are
taught many small and simple things in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to
be reminded that in total and over significant period of time, these seemingly
small things bring to pass great things."
