Our law of Sacrifice?

I thought I would send along a blog - just to try my hand at this and to share with each of you some thoughts of the last week.

As Mom and I work at the Temple there is a moment when we are taught some things about the Law of Sacrifice and covenant to keep it. There is a story in the Old Testament which has been going through my mind which pertains to this law for us. It is of King David, after he had made some mistakes with numbering the hosts of Israel. He answers a question of what should it "cost" to keep this law?

“And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.
“And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.
“And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.
“And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.
“All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.
“And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. (2 Sam. 19-25)

It seems that there are many things to do, to help others, to go to the Temple, to help at the church Cannery, etc., etc., when its not convenient - we are busy doing other things, our day is already planned. We are tempted to say, "I'll help next time, I'll go to the temple next week, I'll do it when it is more convenient."

In the spirit of what David taught, it almost seems that we are often tempted to offer a "sacrifice" of that which costs us nothing. Now, I don't want to suggest that it is always that way with us, but sometimes in our very busy lives, we probably need to look at what we could sacrifice to assist the Lord in His work, knowing that "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." (Hymns 27 verse 4)

In our latter day scriptures we are taught, "Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.
“ For I, the Lord, will cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit. (D&C 97:8-9)

Then the test I think is for us to seek the Spirit and discern His direction so that we observe our covenants by sacrifice and not put off an opportunity when the LOrd has placed a request in our path.

Our family has been blessed by other's sacrifice - one story comes to mind: Mark Anthony Coombs was serving a mission in England and had left his family in Payson. There was a new-born baby in the home and his oldest child was Mark Vernon, both the baby Grace and Vernon were suffering with a severe case of the smallpox. The mother had given up hope that either of them could live and with her mother was planning late one night how to get the children buried after they died. A near-by neighbor was getting ready for bed when the Spirit said to him, "Go and give Sister Coombs a blessing." He mentioned this to his wife and she said, "Wait until morning, she is undoubtedly in bed by now, and also, don't you know they have the smallpox and are quarrantined?"

Brother Potter followed his wife's counsel and continued getting ready for bed when the Spirit said again, "Go give Sister Coombs a blessing." Again he shared this with his wife and they decided to wait until morning. The Spirit said the third time as he was climbing into bed, "Go..." This time he got up and dressed himself and went. The rest is history, as they say and he blessed her and her children. That was the turning point in their suffering.

We usually won't get the three messages, but just one impression, but if that requires a little sacrifice, therein will lie the blessing for us and for someone else.

I love each of you and am grateful for your sacrifices which bring blessings to all of us and to others as well.

Love, Dad