Ignorance

             So the other day I was talking with someone I work with every so often and it had come up that I was a Mormon. His response was “You know they are as fanatical as Catholics”. Well to be honest that comment was pretty much lost on me because I still haven’t looked too much into the differences between Christian faiths. Well I went on to tell him that he would probably find it funny that I was Wiccan before that. It was his next comment that encouraged me to write this particular blog. He told me that Wicca wasn’t a real religion. When I asked him how come he thought that he had stated that Wicca is pagan and then he added that they do not believe in a god or higher power. After which he quickly changed the subject. I guess he wanted to stay in his ignorance <snicker>. Well yes Wicca is a pagan religion and yes they do believe in a higher power.

             I knew that this was going to be my next topic I wanted to talk about but I didn’t know where to go with it. So this morning I prayed for guidance with my blog and as I got up from lunch today I picked up a copy of Stars and Stripes, a free newspaper for deployed soldiers. In there I found a full page article labeled “Mormons scrutinized: Cult-like or Christian?” (November 12, 2011 issue) The Lord does answer prayers. This article started by focusing on how religion is affecting politics and mentioned Mitt Romney, a Latter Day Saint. Honestly I would want someone with good values and the skills for the job, I could care less what church they go to. And if you say that the church they go to indicates their values think again. Only the person themselves chose their values, they chose whether or not to believe and follow what their church tells them. So look more into who they are as a person not what church they say they believe in.

Anyways I went on a tangent there. The article went on by asking some questions about Mormonism to a couple of people. The responses that I found of interest are from Eric Hawkings, an LDS spokesman. When he was asked “Why do you think some Christians see Mormonism as a cult?” Hawkings said “Myths and misunderstandings about our faith are most often based on a lack of information…” Part our spiritual path needs to be us opening up our minds up. We need to be willing to receive the truth. And we need to be willing to learn enough so that we can find all of truth. They also asked, “Do Mormons believe that their church is the only true church, that all others are wrong and one day will be established as the one true faith?” He replied, “We accept truth wherever it is found, including in other churches. We embrace all teachings that are consistent with following the example of Jesus Christ. We also believe that the Church of Latter-day Saints is the only place where the fullness of God’s teachings for his children can be found in their entirety.” I think this shows why it is not so amazing that I went from Wicca to Mormon. Wicca is an eclectic religion finding and learning from many beliefs to include the Bible. And this I think we all need to do. We all need to accept truth wherever it is found. And this I say in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Oh and I know I am not quoting the article right but it was written by Helen Gray of The Kansas City Star (McClatchy-Tribune News Service).

Since this is religious orientated...

My first talk at Church:

Christ-Like Service

November 13, 2011

Brothers and Sisters, I was going to start this talk by just jumping right in on my thoughts of Christ-Like service. However, Heavenly Father had other plans and so I will add this anecdote that happened to me that made me think about Christ-like service. At about 2:30 yesterday afternoon those really heavy winds were bustling through our neighborhood. I was so busy typing this talk and studying my scriptures that I completely forgot that my trash cans and recycling bins were still outside! As I was typing this, I heard a knock on my door. There stood two teenagers with gloves and eye protectors on like one would have for wood working. They handed me my recycling bin and informed me my trash cans and bins were making their way down the street. They ran after everything and brought it back to me so I could put the items safely in my home. I was so grateful especially for the recycling bins, since I bought them through the actual waste removal company and they were fairly expensive. After they were done they got into their car and drove away. This is a perfect example of Christ-like service. They did not know me well, and they still ran down the streets in dangerous conditions.  Even though they had to be somewhere, they still took the time to round up my trash bins and knock on my door to let me know. This shows me that we do not only get closer to Heavenly Father just by serving others, but we can become closer when we are served as well.  

Serving others is a wonderful blessing that not only makes us closer to Heavenly Father; it makes us closer to each other. When we serve our friends and our neighbors we get to add to the good in their lives and see them as actual people and not just humans. In this way we are doing Heavenly Father’s work. We are helping people in need in areas’ Heavenly Father knows we can help them in. We are all given talents and blessing that can help the weary. Some of us are financially sound; some of us can cook, bake, or make blankets. Some of us have the ability to talk to people of all different races, creeds, and religions.  Heavenly Father brings opportunities to us that He knows we can succeed in. It is up to us to make the decision to get over our own fears and uncertainties and serve the needy.

In Mosiah 2:17 (148), it says, “And behold I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” We see a similar message in Matthew 25:40 (1233) which states, “And the King shall answer and say unto them. Verily I say unto you Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” When we notice a fellow son or daughter of Heavenly Father begging on a street corner for money or food, what is our first instinct? Do we think the worst of them or do we see their struggle and want to lighten their burden or load? Yes they could be wolves in sheep’s clothing. Yes they could be spending the money you gave them in inappropriate ways…but what if they truly had no other option or way to feed their family? Would you not do the same for yours?  I believe the key to distinguishing the difference between those in need and those who are not is to listen to the Holy Ghost. What is He telling you? What do you fell is the right decision?

In the May 2011 Ensign, President Henry B. Eyring talks to us in an article appropriately entitled, “Opportunities to Do Good.” In this article President Eyring explains, “The Lord regularly sends wake-up calls to all of us. Sometimes it may be a sudden feeling of sympathy for someone in need. A father may have felt it when he saw a child fall and scrape a knee. A mother may have felt it when she hears the frightened cry of her child in the night. A son or a daughter may have felt sympathy for someone who seemed sad or afraid at school.”

 Brothers and Sisters, I whole heartedly believe that the sympathy we feel for others in need is the Holy Ghost telling us we need to help our fellow brethren. If you are not sure if they are truly in need and there is no obvious reason that you cannot help, then serve them anyways. Heavenly Father knows the true intentions of our hearts.  Even if the person we helped had an under-lying motive, He knows we did what we knew was right. Do not let the darkness of this world dishearten you. Even if the people we serve are deceitful or not truly grateful, we can still make a difference in their lives. We can still show them that because we do not give up on them, neither does Heavenly Father. I leave you with one last scripture reading from Doctrine and Covenants 81:5 (150) which states, “Wherefore be faithful stand in the office which I have appointed onto you. Succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down and strengthen the feeble knees.” I leave you with these words in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Don’t run away but this one is about repentance

                I do realize that this is a topic that some may consider a mainly Christian topic but stand fast pagans; you may find this of interest too. Repentance is not quite as simple as confessing your sins and asking forgiveness. And you may find that you believe in the worth of repentance too.

                So this morning I was thinking about repentance and I was reminded of a vision I had a long time ago as I was meditating. I saw, or more so saw through their eyes, people going through judgment. At that time I was Wiccan so I had seen the one doing the judging as a spirit dressed in shadow. These people were not only being shown their sins but also the consequences of what they had done. How their sin had affected others. At that point if these souls showed to shed tears they were allowed to go on to the next place. Where I was aware of a spirit dressed in light was waiting for them but my vision never took me there. Neither did I ever see a soul that did not cry so I was not aware of what would have become of them.

                Now as a Latter Day Saint I have been taught that repentance is asking for forgiveness and to work to change. This is perfectly true. And to help that motivation to change I think you need to look into the effects of that sin. See the damage you have done and feel that remorse. Then as you ask for that forgiveness you will find your heart sincere and will seek the strength to change.

                We all need to be aware of the consequences of our actions. Care about how what we do affects others. And be willing to do the right thing. Some of us have commandments, others may say “And it hurt none, do what thou will.” All of us have that inner voice that tells us to do right. Repent in your own way for your sins and our world will begin to be a better place.

                Oh and remember that the Golden Rule says “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” not “Do unto other as they have done unto you.” Think about that one for a while.

My Slumber

               So I was trying to think of what to write next and I decided that I should pray about it. In my mind I was thinking that I could say something like “I was praying about what to write and…” and at that very moment the little voice in my head said, “Haven’t you been listening? Talk about your slumbers.” I had thought about using this as a topic several times but kept thinking it was a stupid idea. I guess I have to stop dismissing ideas that come to my mind as stupid.

                Well anyways, I have been very spiritually minded even since I was a child. I tried to always listen to that little voice in my head, and it always brought me to good things. Like to my wife but that is a story for later. And I had also been gifted with foresight; I was really good with tarot cards.  But after I had gotten married and a little older I started to wander off of my spiritual path and was focused too much on other parts of my daily life. Once I started to leave my spiritual path it was as though those things were closed off to me. It was kind of like I was in a deep slumber; I had no more guidance and felt as though I was wandering aimlessly. Once Andee found the church that we are going to now and I started a new chapter in my journey the voice of the Holy Spirit had come back to me. That guidance, joy, and certainty of where I was going in life had come back. Now I have yet to test out whether the foresight has come back, which I guess I should try at some point, but for now I am not really worried about it.

I know I said slumbers as though there were more than one. Well unfortunately I slipped away again recently. I had stopped going to church and stopped reading the scriptures for almost a month, or maybe more than a month I am bad with keeping track of time. But luckily for me my wife was there for me. She started asking what I thought about certain aspects of the Latter Day Saints and that snapped me out of it.

What I want to say is don’t let the drudgery of daily life keep you from your spiritual adventure. That guidance you get from being connected to this wonderful life force around you can be of so much more help than you may ever realize. Oh and don’t forget to listen for that guidance it is there.

Why this blog?

It is my hope that this blog will inspire you to seek your own spirituality along your own path. I also hope that the messages that I speak reach people of all different paths. We all are seeking the same thing no matter how we say His name. And we need to all be willing to put aside our differences in the way we see Him and focus on the fact that we all do see him. I hope that my path and this blog can help inspire this unity. I ask that if you read my blogs that you meditate, pray, or however you do it and ask God, the Great Spirit, or however you name Him if what I say is true. You will be answered.

About me and my path

I started this spiritual journey with no defined religion. My parents did ensure to guide me and give me a good set of morals as I grew up but they never focused on any religious beliefs. So what I learned to do was study the world around me, I had found the word of God in nature. Then in my teenage years I met an amazing woman, Aindrea McHone. She was Wiccan and I found that the Wiccan path was closest to what I had already seen. As a Wiccan I learned many things in the ways of good and I could feel and was guided by this good energy. Years later though we were struggling with feeling close to God we went looking for a new religion. After trying Judaism and asking for information from other churches we got on mormon.org and requested a book of Mormon. That next day we had two missionaries at our door and I could feel his presence as they walked through the door. While we were sitting in the church after our tour I could hear His voice. He told me that this is where he wants me and to remember all that I had learned before. I believe he wants me to add what I learn as a Latter Day Saint to what I already know. And that is where I am now. I believe that the best path is the one that gets you closest to God, the Great Spirit, all that is good in the world, the god and goddess, or whatever you chose to call it.

Why Jonathan Wardark?

So this is how it started. I was a kid and I had thought of an amazing story, in fact I was going to write the best fantasy novel ever written. All I needed was a name for the main character but unfortunately I wasn’t good at coming up with names. So I put in the name Wardark to be used until I could come up with a better name. War is dark or the dark warrior, get it? Anyways through many iterations and beginnings of the story I never found a better name so it stuck. And since I had come up with so many stories for him and his world, none of which ever made it to paper, I had become attached to the character. He was my alter ego even to the point that he represented the spiritual side of myself. I even took on the name as my Wiccan spiritual name. Oh and at some point I needed a first name so I used Jonathan. Now I use it as an alias, gamer tag, and pen name. And that is why I am Jonathan Wardark.