The "Spirit of Nauvoo"

     Russ and I attended an evening show put on by the senior site missionaries and the young performing missionaries last night followed by an amazing performance by the BYU Young Ambassadors (we're going to hear from them tonight so I intend to do a blog on them later). Then this morning we attended church here at the stake center. Usually we go to a ward over 2 hours away but due to timing and activities, we excused ourselves from teaching our little class there for today and stayed here. The congregation here was made up of nearly all missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints thereby all having temple recommends.
     In case there is anyone reading this who is not LDS, a temple recommend is a piece of paper that declares you have been interviewed by 2 priesthood leaders and proclaim yourself faithful to the best of your knowledge and abilities to the Lord and His commandments. Because temples are Houses of the Lord, and labelled as such, and God cannot dwell in unclean places, it's essential that only those who are sincere in living a clean life enter there. Nobody is perfect but all who enter a temple should be as pure in heart as they can be. Repentance and the Savior's atonement do the part we aren't yet capable of.
     So, as I was sitting in this meeting at church and thinking about how good it felt to be with these people, I reflected on what is commonly called the "spirit of Nauvoo" and why it is that so many people feel different when they are here. The bottom line is obedience. This is not blind obedience following a charismatic leader or out of fear of punishment. This is willing submission, whether we fully understand all principles involved or not, to God. I understand that radical Islamists claim that same thing as they strap bombs to themselves and blow up "infidels". I understand the group who followed Jim Jones years ago and drank poison kool-aid had the same reasoning. Nazis followed Hitler, and on and on. So what is the difference? Why is it that there is not a police force or army needed here to ensure everyone does what they're supposed to? Why a feeling of peace and love rather than just zeal or coercion? It all depends on who you're being obedient to. So how do you know who to be obedient to? This group of people- farmers, professors, scientist, lawyers, business managers, computer technologists, housewives, retired fireman, college students- all have decided to follow what a man named Joseph Smith claimed to be the truth from God. Jesus taught that you could determine who was His follower by their actions- "By their fruits ye may know them". You can't always determine a belief system by its followers because everyone is at a different level in their progression. So, you need to examine those who are chosen as leaders because they are usually further along in their understanding and practices. (However, there are still possible exceptions even among leaders because we are all weak, subject to temptation, and have agency to make our own choices.) So, there is really no way to know for sure unless you study the teachings- the claims of proper principles. You have the choice to follow whoever and whatever you decide represents what you see as the ideal. You may find the "rules" difficult but if they represent to you an ideal, you can decide to strive to follow them. That is what we find here in Nauvoo. Nationality is a man-made label. Career choice is also a man-made differentiation. God is only interested in what is in your heart. He has established guidelines to help us in our ignorance to determine appropriate behavior. Even if it's difficult, it's still the ideal. He doesn't want us subject to addiction so He suggests avoiding that possibility by not smoking, drinking, eating excessively, or having sex outside of a committed documented marriage. He doesn't want us to hurt each other so He tells us not to lie or cheat or steal or murder or rape, etc. He is saddened when we choose to do any of those things anyway, but He rarely stops anyone. We go ahead and use our intelligence, talents, and abilities to do whatever we choose to do, even when it hurts others and/or ourselves. We need to learn and if we don't take the time or make the effort to study correct principles, we need to learn by trial and error which is usually by pain.
     Early members of the LDS Church were given a way to live called consecration and stewardship but, like the children of Israel who couldn't handle the first laws God gave Moses, they weren't developed enough in their understanding of and ability to obey correct principles. We haven't yet reached a point where we can live as God lives. That doesn't mean it's not the ideal or that we shouldn't strive for it. Jesus Christ has promised that He will return and this time it will be to rule and reign, not as a humble baby in a rough stable in the Middle East. If we are going to be able to tolerate living His way, we need to start working toward it NOW.