Temptation

And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. (Genesis 39:11-12)

After Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, he was brought down to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, a prosperous man, an officer of Pharaoh, and captain of the guard. Joseph became a servant in Potiphar’s household. He served well and became “overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand” (Genesis 39:4). Potiphar’s wife became attracted to Joseph and tried to get Joseph to “lie” with her. Joseph refused. She persisted day after day. Finally, one day when Joseph and Potiphar’s wife were alone in the house, she tried to seduce him. As noted in the above verse, Joseph “fled, and got him out.” Joseph did this in spite of whatever consequences would befall him. As the story continues, out of anger Potiphar’s wife reported that Joseph had tried to seduce her. Joseph was sentenced to prison where he remained for many years.

Joseph might have used any number of excuses for giving in to Potiphar’s wife, but he was true to himself and obedient to the commandments. In today’s world, people are creative in coming up with a host of excuses for justifying moral transgression. One couple might justify their action by saying that they were in love. Another person might say that he or she was overcome by emotion and lost control. Another might say, “Everybody is doing it.”

There is no valid justification for committing moral transgression. As someone once said, “The Ten Commandments are not the ten suggestions.” There is no justification or excuse for sin. Sin is still sin. We must remember this in a world that often considers such acts acceptable.

One of the most popular movies of recent years is Titanic. Titanic tells the story of the sinking of that great ship in the early part of the Twentieth Century. Woven within this tale is the story of a Jack and Rose, a couple that meet on the ship and fall in love. Prior to the ship striking the great iceberg, Jack and Rose engage in the ultimate act of intimacy. The way that the story unfolds makes this appear to be a lovely culmination of their brief relationship, especially when one considers the disaster that looms in the background. Hollywood is masterful in depicting sin not only as justifiable, but fully acceptable. Joseph’s example teaches us that sin is not acceptable under any circumstances.

Potiphar’s wife was persistent in her seductive advances. Joseph refused on each occasion because he did not wish to break the trust of Potiphar and sin against the Lord. Even though temptation might continue to rear its ugly head, we must always say, “No.” We must not even consider the thought. When Joseph was finally caught in a most difficult situation, when no one would have known, he “left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.” When caught in a difficult situation, we must leave and go to a place of safety. Do not hesitate.

Todd Parker wrote, “Joseph of Egypt was lured into a tempting situation by Potiphar’s wife. She tempted him ‘day by day,’ but ‘he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.’ Joseph knew if he didn’t ‘pluck himself out’ by not even being around her, he might begin to entertain the temptation. When Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce Joseph by clutching him, he ‘fled, and got him out.’ Joseph didn't run because of cowardice, but because he understood the principle: ‘Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?’ (Proverbs 6:27.) One who remains near a tempting situation is probably going to be affected. The only proper course of action is to remove oneself from the situation. Preferably, one would never get into it in the first place.

“King David provides us with a negative example of this principle. Finding it too hot to sleep one evening, he went for a walk. He noticed his neighbor’s wife, Bathsheba, bathing. David did not immediately ‘pluck out his eye.’ He tarried and let Satan, using curiosity and allurement, trap him. David then invited Bathsheba to see him. This only increased the temptation, and adultery was the result. David then arranged for the murder of Bathsheba’s husband. David, a king, a prophet, who killed Goliath with a sling and wrote the beautiful twenty-third psalm, had ‘fallen from his exaltation.’ Why? Ultimately because ‘at the time when kings go forth to battle . . . David tarried still at Jerusalem.’ What was David's mistake? He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Many people, young and old alike, have committed sexual transgressions because of similar circumstances; they were in the wrong place at the wrong time” (quoted in “Teaching Young People About Morality,” in Counseling: A Guide To Helping Others, 2 vols., eds. R. Lanier Britsch and Terrance D. Olson [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1983-1985], 1:223-224).

A Thread of Unrighteousness

And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich.

While Lot lived in Sodom, the kings of the city-states in the region, including Sodom and Gomorrah, began warring with one another. During this war, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, took Lot and his possessions captive. One of the prisoners escaped and fled to Canaan and informed Abraham of Lot’s capture. Abraham formed an assault team of 318 men and pursued the captors, smote them, and rescued Lot and his household.[1]

Abraham refused to receive a reward, not even a thread, for aiding the king of Sodom. Why? He did not want to receive anything from the unrighteous king.

How might we accept a “thread” of unrighteousness? Might we accept a “thread” of immorality or a “thread” of dishonesty? During the time I served on my mission, there were two missionaries sent home for dishonorable behavior. One wrote back to the mission president and asked him to share his letter with the other elders. He wrote that the event that eventually led to their dismissal from missionary duties did not just happen. They started down the slippery slope by disobedience to common mission rules, such as the type of music they listened to or not getting up in the morning at the proper time. The breaking of one rule led to the breaking of another. Eventually, it led to the consequence of being removed dishonorably from their missionary duties. They went home in shame.

These two elders accepted a “thread” of disobedience. This is how Satan wins souls. He convinces us that a little sin will not hurt, not just once. The next time it becomes easier. We are then led to bigger sins until he has us in his grasp. “And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well--and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.”[2]

[1] Genesis 14:1-16.
[2] 2 Nephi 28:21.

Taking The High Road

And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. (Genesis 13:8-9)

When Abraham left Egypt, he took with him his nephew, Lot. After settling near Bethel, they found that the land was “not able to bear them.” Eventually there was strife between the herdsmen of Abraham and Lot. Lot and Abraham were ranchers. Running cattle requires a large amount of acreage. It would seem that there wasn’t enough quality grazing acreage in the region around Bethel to support the herds of both men. Abraham was a man of peace and suggested they live in separate areas and offered Lot the first choice of land. Neal A. Maxwell wrote, “The complete, genuine willingness of Abraham to adjust to whatever Lot’s decision is the mark of a generosity of spirit of that remarkable patriarch.”[1]

We see that family life hasn't changed much in four thousand years. Families then, and families now, have conflicts for a variety of reasons. Abraham’s family and Lot’s family struggled over a piece of land. Our children may struggle over who gets a certain spot in the car or who gets the last piece of pizza. Adult children may have a disagreement over the division of an inheritance. What a wonderful example Abraham presents to us. He was more concerned about family unity and peace than he was with his own selfish interests. How much more peaceful and productive our families would be if we followed the example of Abraham.

[1] Neal A. Maxwell, That My Family Should Partake (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1974), pp. 92-93.

The True Path To Heaven

And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:4)

After the flood, the descendants of Noah began to multiply and re-people the earth. Over time, their faith dwindled and many fell into apostasy. Many of the descendants of Noah began a futile attempt at building a tower to heaven. Why? This verse gives us two clues. One, they were attempting to reach heaven. Two, the record says that they were trying to make a name.

Elder Orson F. Whitney said, “The people who built the Tower of Babel are said to have done so in order that its top might ‘reach unto heaven.’ It was to prevent them from accomplishing this purpose, that the Lord confounded their language. Tradition credits Joseph Smith with the statement that the ‘heaven’ they had in view was the translated city.”[1]

Elder Whitney stimulates an interesting idea. Certainly these people had knowledge of the city of Enoch. I would think that Noah often taught his family about his great grandfather and the city of righteousness he established. He probably spoke of it in the fondest of terms. Noah was one who suffered through the destruction of an evil world and must have wished that he could be in such a place. The story of Enoch was passed from generation to generation and became part of the history of these people, even after wickedness returned to the world. Rather than live a righteous life, these people somehow believed they could find Zion, the city of Enoch, by building a tower that reached into the heavens.

A reading of this verse would seem to indicate that a prophet had already testified to the people of Babel that if they did not repent there would be a scattering. Maybe they felt that if they built this tower to heaven or the city of Enoch, the Lord would honor them by not scattering them. It seems that they felt there was a better way to accomplish their goals than by righteous living.

There is a difference between striving for the earthly and striving for the eternal. What is the center of our life? Are we striving to achieve a name for ourselves by pursuing wealth and the things of the earth, power, glory, the honors of men, and following our own earthly pursuits. We may achieve greatness in this life, but it will end just as surely as does our mortal life. On the other hand, as we take upon us the name of Christ, we will make him and his gospel the focus of our life. We will strive to honor him and seek to obey his will rather than our temporal desires. Though we may have little in this life, we will have made a name for ourselves in the eternities.

This story also teaches the consequences wickedness. Building the tower may only have been a beginning. The story continues, “And now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”[2] The confounding of the language may have been a merciful act of the Creator to prevent the people from falling into a pit from which there would have been no salvation.

The people who built the tower of Babel were punished because they tried to reach heaven by worldly means. Conversely, Noah and his family were saved from the flood because they lived according to God’s commandments. The only way for us to reach heaven, to return to live with our Heavenly Father, is through the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must live righteously, as did Noah, having faith in Christ, repenting of our sins, receiving sacred ordinances, and enduring to the end of our lives. If we do these things, we will rise above evil and be able to return to the presence of God.
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[1] Orson F. Whitney, Saturday Night Thoughts (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1921), p. 101.
[2] Genesis 11:6.

Building a Personal Ark of Safety

Make thee an ark of gopher wood…. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. (Genesis 6:14, 17-18)

Noah was commanded to build an ark to preserve his family from the great flood that would soon encompass the earth. That ark not only protected his family from the deluge, but the ark protected them from the flood of wickedness that had taken over the world.

W. Don Ladd taught that, “We all need to build a personal ark, to fortify ourselves against this rising tide of evil, to protect ourselves and our families against the floodwaters of iniquity around us. And we shouldn’t wait until it starts raining, but prepare in advance.”[1]

What kind of Ark is Elder Ladd suggesting that we build? Do we need to go down to Home Depot and order several truckloads of lumber and start building a boat in the backyard? Elder Ladd continues, “The key is to accept the invitation of our prophet...‘to live with ever more attention to the life and example of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially the love and hope and compassion He displayed’.”

What specific things do we need to do to build a family ark and to keep the flood waters of wickedness out?

• Study the words of eternal life in the scriptures and from the prophets.


• Frequent and sincere prayer.


• Regular church attendance and being attentive while there.


• Family home evening and family prayer.


• Temple attendance.


• Teach and abide by the principles in the pamphlet For The Strength Of Youth.


• Keep the Sabbath day holy.

This list is not all-inclusive, but here we find many of the materials that we can use to build and strengthen our ark.

Elder Ladd suggested that we should not wait until it starts raining. I think the rain has started. Look at what is happening all around us. Watch the news. Look at the lifestyles of so many around us. That which was once taboo in society is now common and acceptable. We must strengthen our ark with every available tool. The time for preparation is not past, but we can wait no longer. We must act. We cannot be like the people of Noah’s time and think that this is a passing storm. It will not pass until the Lord returns in glory.

We need to note that Noah was obedient to the Lord, both in spiritual preparation and physical preparation. Not only should we be doing the things that strengthen us spiritually, there are other things we need to be doing. Elder L. Tom Perry reminds us of four things we should be doing in preparing the physical portion of our ark:

• Gain an adequate education - learn a trade to enable you to provide for your family


• Live strictly within your income and save something for a rainy day.


• Avoid excessive debt.


• Acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life.[2]

President Ezra Taft Benson said that, “The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.”[3]

How prepared are we for personal calamity or a major disaster? I have heard the quotation, “When opportunity knocks, the time for preparation is past.” So it is with the temporal floods that may engulf us. Any of us could be in an accident and not be able to work for a period of time. Many parts of the country are subject to infrequent, yet powerful natural disasters. How will we do when and if such a disaster occurs? We can prepare today. We cannot prepare after the loss of income or after disaster strikes.

Elder Ladd: “When it starts raining, it is too late to begin building the ark.... We...need to listen to the Lord’s spokesmen. We need to calmly continue to move ahead and prepare for what will surely come. We need not panic or fear, for if we are prepared, spiritually and temporally, we and our families will survive any flood. Our arks will float on a sea of faith if our works have been steadily and surely preparing for the future.”[4]

[1] Ibid., October 1994.
[2] Ibid., October 1995.
[3] Ibid., October 1987.
[4] Ibid., October 1994.

Blessings of the Atonement

That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory. (Moses 6:59)

Because of our mortal nature, we often make mistakes that negatively impact our view of life. Some years ago, Elder Sterling W. Sill spoke about this in General Conference. “Because we draw so much from the rebellion, weakness, and evil with which we are surrounded, we tend to load ourselves up too heavily with guilt complexes, mental problems, insecurity, and mediocrity. I recently heard of a man who compounded the problem by hoarding his mistakes. He often referred to the fact that his D.F.T. drawer was the largest file in his office. Someone once asked him what these file letters stood for, and he said they identified a collection of the damn fool things that he had done.”[1]

Most of us have D.F.T. files that burden us down and sometimes become the cause for our frustration in working out our salvation. Elder Sill goes on to remind us of some important principles related to the fall and the atonement. “Henry Thoreau, an early American philosopher, once said that we should thank God every day of our lives for the privilege of having been born. And then he went on to speculate on the rather unique supposition of what it might have been like if we had not been born. Just suppose that you had never been born or that your parents had never been born. Think of all of the excitement and opportunities you would have missed as a consequence. What Mr. Thoreau may not have known was that one-third of all of the children of God never were born and never can be born because they failed to pass the requirements of their first estate….

“Eight years after I was born, I learned something about the great principle of repentance by which we can clear out our D.F.T. files and be born again. And so, on August 27, 1911, I was born of the water and of the Spirit in the exact manner prescribed by the Savior of the world. I became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had the gift of the Holy Ghost officially conferred upon me.”[2]

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we have been endowed with great knowledge about the fall of man. We fill our D.F.T. files because of our fallen, mortal nature. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can clear out these D.F.T. files. We qualify for that atoning grace as we are obedient to the will of the Lord and follow the path he has prescribed, including baptism and the ongoing process of repentance. I often wonder how those without this marvelous knowledge continue through life carrying the burden of their D.F.T. files. The knowledge of the atonement gives us great hope and I stand in awe that Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for our benefit. “I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine; That he should extend his great love unto such as I, Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.”[3]

[1] Conference Report, April 1971.
[2] Ibid.
[3] “I Stand All Amazed,” Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1985), no. 193.

Temptation & Sin

Behold Satan hath come among the children of men, and tempteth them to worship him; and men have become carnal, sensual, and devilish, and are shut out from the presence of God. (Moses 6:49)

The fall of Adam and Eve set Satan loose in the world and men became subject to his temptations. We came to this earth as mortal beings capable of committing sin. This is one of the most frustrating things about mortality, especially as one begins to learn the commandments and strive for perfection. If it isn’t one thing, it is another. We all, in one-way or another, sin on a daily basis. We lose patience with a child, we waste time, we don’t care for our physical body as we should, we do not complete a task to the best of our ability, we neglect to read the Book of Mormon as a prophet has commanded, we exceed the speed limit, or a host of other sins. None of these are major transgressions, but they are sins and stifle our progression. I get frustrated with myself when I give into temptation. And yet, though sin itself is negative, to be tempted, tested, and tried is necessary and positive in the eternal scheme of things.

I am reminded of training to run my first marathon (26.2 miles) in the spring of 1985. I trained throughout the fall, winter, and spring of 1984 and 1985. It was one of the most physically demanding times of my life.To be physically prepared to run the distance, there were certain things I needed to do on a regular basis. Most importantly, I needed to run regularly. As time progressed, I ran further and more frequently. I also needed to get sufficient sleep and rest, eat a reasonable diet, and keep a positive attitude. I also read running magazines to improve my attitude and to find out what it would take to complete the distance.

During those months of training I often was “tempted” to not run and sometimes did not. I was tired, it was too cold, it was raining (a frequent temptation here in the Northwest), or dinner smelled good. Sometimes I didn’t get enough rest or eat properly. I “sinned” against the rules for achieving the goal. At times I became so frustrated with my weaknesses, I felt like quitting.

How was it that these temptations were positive? I learned from the experience. If I did not run for a few days, I found that returning to running was difficult. I discovered the price I would pay if I didn’t get sufficient sleep. Over time, I increased my physical and mental discipline. I became a better person by learning to overcome the challenges I faced.

I struggled through that first marathon, but the growth I received through facing the challenges and adversity led me to become a better runner and a better person. The next time I ran a marathon, my training was more efficient and I ran a better marathon. By the time I did my fifth marathon, my training was down to a science. I learned by dealing with the challenges and mistakes.

If we are to achieve our eternal destiny, we must be faced with adversity and the chance to sin. By dealing with temptation and sin, we become stronger and better prepared to stand in our eternal place. Completing a marathon does not just happen. And becoming like our Heavenly Father does not just happen.