"Judge not, that ye be not judged." (Matthew 7:1)

One of the suggestions for #LightTheWorld #day6 is to apologize to someone that you owe an apology to. I need to apologize to a person whom I love dearly but I am not sure this is the forum to do it. But just thinking about Lighting the World, I have had some thoughts about why I should forgive.

I am sometimes way too quick to find fault with this person (see D&C 88:124). I don't always understand why they behave in certain ways or say things that may drive me crazy. I am really sorry that I have not always been a better listener as you have shared your thoughts and ideas.

I read a quote from Elder Russel M. Nelson and I believe it needs to apply not only to neighbors, but also to those "neighbors" that we live with, our family members. This is what he said: "Opportunities to listen to those of diverse religious or political persuasion can promote tolerance and learning. And a good listener will listen to a person's sentiments as well" (Listen to Learn).

I can be a much better listener. Doing so does not mean I totally agree with all you say or do. But what it can do is help develop more patience, more understanding, less judging or finding fault with others. I know that as I try and apply this godly virtue, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will magically understand me either. But that's okay because we are required to forgive all men...even if they don't behave or think, or even receive justice as we may think they need to be given (see D&C 64:10).

Judge not, that ye be not judged for me includes less condemnation and less fear. Over the years I have thought I was pretty good at giving people "outs" for certain behaviors or ideas, or even the use of words that I may find to be offensive. I now realize that I need to be more willing to offer those "outs" to everyone and not just the people who live next door. I will keep trying, and do more to "judge not".

"Every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God" (Moroni 7:13)

So, at our house we have something called a "Jennifer left". Here's why we have it, and some of the things Jeff and I have learned from it.

Jeff and I were driving through the mall parking lot during the Christmas season several years ago. It was snowing, packed with cars, and the driving was slow and a bit stressful...for me as the passenger. I had worked at this mall for years as a teenager so I was telling Jeff where to turn and how to exit the parking lot. "Turn right! Turn right! Turn Right!" I screamed at Jeff as he continued to drive straight. I looked at Jeff and said, "You were suppose to turn!" He calmly replied and said, "I can't turn right. There is no right turn,". "Yes you could have!" I said a bit frustrated and pointing to the left. Jeff relied calmly, "No I couldn't have or I would have hit the dumpster. Did you mean turn left?"

Even now, as I type that incident from several years ago, I chuckle. We now call that a "Jennifer left" because I still have a problem with my right and left directions. Jeff has learned to clarify if I really mean turn left or turn right.

What I have learned from this is that no matter how much I want right to be left, or vice versa, it can never be so. Right will always be- right, no matter how loud I yell it, or think it or try and convince anyone in my family that it is left and they need to turn that way. If I tell them to turn right and want them to turn left, it will always be the wrong direction.

This is exactly the same with God's commandments. No matter how loud I scream that wrong is right and right is wrong, it will never be so with God's truths. We are warned, "Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil" ( Moroni 7:14). We could put evil for good, dark for light, bitter for sweet- all these can be easily twisted when we think we are "right", but are pointing to the "left". Isaiah says it this way: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20).

I like having a clear boundary to know where to turn and who to follow so that I don't crash or turn the wrong direction. Sometimes in this crazy world of ours, so much like that crowded parking lot, that we think that if someone points long enough we will turn in the right direction, all the while crashing into a dumpster. Elder M. Russel Nelson said: "The temptation to be popular may prioritize public opinion above the word of God. Political campaigns and marketing strategies widely employ public opinion polls to shape their plans. Results of those polls are informative. But they could hardly be used as grounds to justify disobedience to God's commandments! Even if "everyone is doing it," wrong is never right. Evil, error, and darkness will never be truth, even if popular. A scriptural warning so declares: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness" (Let Your Faith Show).

With all these voices that are screaming to turn right it can be a challenge to discern which voice is speaking truth. I have found that there is a simple and sure way to know what is truth and what is error. I continue to practice listening, especially for that voice that isn't screaming. This is what has helped me know what direction to go: "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God" (Moroni 7:13). Every thing which invites and entices us to do good, to love God, and to serve Him, is inspired of God! So those little promptings to write that thank you note, to let the other driver in, to smile at the stranger, even to forgive those who have hurt us or offeneded us- every thing which draws us closer to God is truth.

One of the things that helps me to keep practicing to fix this "Jennifer left" is that "I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity" (Moroni 8:18).  I don't need to wonder if I am headed in the right direction when I obey God's commandments or listen to His prophets. God isn't going to move a dumpster in the way and tell me "turn right", all the while hoping I will know that what He really meant for me to do was to "turn left". God loves us so much that He sent a perfect example for us to follow- even His own Son (see John 3:16).

I am so glad I get to keep practicing this principle of knowing truth because I know I make mistakes by turning the wrong way or I sometimes tell people to turn one direction all the while thinking they will turn the way I really want them to turn. I keep practicing because I know that practice makes perfect along with a lot of grace from God.