Introduction

Whenever the Lord gives a commandment, it is to instruct us in how to live better in order to receive higher blessings. Joseph Smith said, “when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”¹ Clearly, our ability to receive the full blessing intended depends on how fully we understand the commandment and its application in our lives. In our lives and in our sermons it is clear that, when it comes to living the law of consecration, we live far below our privileges. I don’t pretend to know the fulness of the law of consecration. I have, however, spent much time studying the doctrine with the intent of improving myself. I believe what I have learned may be of service to others.

I have prepared the contents of this book little by little through a constant and considerable evort to record disparate thoughts that came to me from time to time. As I gathered these thoughts, I noticed patterns. As I wrote down and thought about these patterns, more thoughts came to me.

I wondered how I might share the library of thoughts I had assembled in a concise and cohesive way in order to help others to benefit from them. The value of the perspectives in this book is not in their source—for anyone can learn these truths—but in the fact that the reader can access them at once, without having to go through the task of gathering them from others or the pain of learning them from experience. As the author of this book, my role has been more editor than oracle.

The scriptures teach us that revelations can come to us as dew from the heavens.²³ In effect, as I noticed the dew, I collected it. Then I fashioned a jug to store it. This book is my effort to pass a filled water jug to those who thirst.

I that the tone of the book is sufficient that hope you experience an internal monologue with your mind—realizing things that you know already instead of receiving advice from an external source.

These ideas have shaped me as a Latter-day Saint, a husband, a son, a brother, and a friend. I feel impressed to share what I have found with others. I have put off the date of publication time and again in hopes that somehow I could turn this lump of words into something more closely resembling the magnificent eloquence of the Spirit in which these thoughts were given to me. I hope that any who read this book might have the spirit of prophecy so that they can receive what they need no matter the shortcomings of this text.

The contents herein represent my own opinions. Although everything contained herein is correct according to my current understanding, I reserve the right to receive further light and truth, and hereby make reservation for changing my mind on any point should I gain intelligence on the matter.