Bradford G Smith (Brad)
@ALScyborg • 32,589 subscribers
I am striving to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Author: https://t.co/ysjod0rInb @Neuralink P3! Future Link pod https://t.co/jFFuvCpJdF Living with ALS.
Videos
I am the 3rd person in the world to receive the @Neuralink brain implant. 1st with ALS. 1st Nonverbal. I am typing this with my brain. It is my primary communication. Ask me anything! I will answer at least all verified users! Thank you Elon Musk!
Bradford G Smith (Brad)62,129,114 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
🚀 Episode 29 just dropped! I’m beyond excited to share my deep-dive conversation with Cern Basher — Chartered Financial Analyst and CIO of Brilliant Advice. We explore how Tesla’s Cybercab is far more than a vehicle… it’s a potential “money machine” for individual owners! From building compounding fleets that generate serious passive income, to real-world economics on utilization, costs, and Tesla’s take rate — his spreadsheet models are next-level. We also unpack his unique view of Bitcoin as digital security technology for the coming AI-agent era, the massive lifestyle shifts ahead (goodbye idle cars and school-run marathons!), Optimus, and why Tesla’s vision goes way beyond just making cars. Mind-blowing stuff! 🔥 📹 Full video attached — press play and enjoy! YouTube link coming in the first reply. Ready to send your own Cybercab to pick up the kids (and have it pay for itself)? Drop your thoughts below 👇
Bradford G Smith (Brad)42,827 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
🔥 The Vegas Loop just got a massive upgrade! The The Boring Company is turning the iconic Las Vegas Monorail into part of the underground tunnel network. They’re removing the old track and laying a pre-cast two-lane road right on the elevated guideway so Tesla vehicles can cruise above the Strip without digging a huge tunnel behind all the casinos. Existing stations get ramps and connections too. Smart. Efficient. Total game changer for traffic, tourism, and accessibility. 👇 Watch the full breakdown in this video Full episode 34 of Future Link Podcast dropping on YouTube with all the details and my personal take – link in the first reply! What do you think of repurposing the Monorail this way? Drop your thoughts below 👀 The Boring Company
Bradford G Smith (Brad)23,987 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
🚀 Just sat down with Farzad 🇺🇸 🇮🇷 for one of the most insightful conversations I’ve had in a while. Farzad is a former Tesla leader, author of Abundance or Collapse, and one of the clearest thinkers on AI, robotics, and energy. We went deep on: Why Tesla’s “chaos” is actually its biggest strength The powerful AI + Robotics + Energy flywheel Robotaxi economics and when profitability hits Optimus, the future of work, and the Barbell Effect His bold ideas on government, term limits, and removing income tax Why he walked away from Tesla to go fully independent This one is full of first-principles thinking and real optimism about what’s coming. Watch the full episode below 👇
Bradford G Smith (Brad)24,940 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
![🚀 What if the exact same 5-step algorithm Elon uses to build Starships and revolutionize manufacturing could completely transform how you approach challenges in your own life? In this powerful clip from @EverydayAstronaut’s unforgettable Starbase tour with Elon Musk, he walks through his legendary process in detail — question every requirement, delete what you can, simplify, accelerate cycle time, and only then automate. I broke it all the way down in Episode 36 of the Future Link Podcast with the original quotes, real Starship examples, and practical ways to apply it whether you’re building something big, creating content, running a business, or fighting for more independence like I am with my Neuralink implant 🧠 [Video attached] Full deep-dive episode is dropping on YouTube — link in my first reply! After watching this, what’s one requirement or process in your life you’re going to question or delete first? Drop it below 👇](https://image.24vids.com/tw-2071660683801067635/amplify_video_thumb/2071605255746498560/img/3OGFgFBxDsBsJtbR.jpg)
🚀 What if the exact same 5-step algorithm Elon uses to build Starships and revolutionize manufacturing could completely transform how you approach challenges in your own life? In this powerful clip from @EverydayAstronaut’s unforgettable Starbase tour with Elon Musk, he walks through his legendary process in detail — question every requirement, delete what you can, simplify, accelerate cycle time, and only then automate. I broke it all the way down in Episode 36 of the Future Link Podcast with the original quotes, real Starship examples, and practical ways to apply it whether you’re building something big, creating content, running a business, or fighting for more independence like I am with my Neuralink implant 🧠 [Video attached] Full deep-dive episode is dropping on YouTube — link in my first reply! After watching this, what’s one requirement or process in your life you’re going to question or delete first? Drop it below 👇
Bradford G Smith (Brad)13,249 Aufrufe • vor 27 Tagen
🚀 Episode 33 of Future Link Podcast just landed and it’s a deep dive you won’t want to miss! Ever wondered exactly how Starlink delivers crazy-fast internet from space? I break it all down — the phased array antennas in your terminal that track satellites electronically at lightning speed, the laser inter-satellite links zipping data between thousands of spacecraft like a high-speed mesh highway in orbit, and how the whole system actually works end-to-end! 🛰️⚡💡 We cover real-world impact too: its lifesaving role in Ukraine, powering seamless connectivity on cruise ships across the oceans, bringing home-like Wi-Fi to airlines at 35,000 feet, rapid disaster response when everything else fails, and so much more. Plus I share my take as a Neuralink user on the incredible future opportunities ahead — direct-to-cell, Mars connectivity, and how these technologies unlock even more human potential! 🌍✨ Watch the full detailed episode right here on X 👀 YouTube link with the complete video in the first reply! What blew your mind the most — the laser links, the phased arrays, or the real-world stories? Drop your thoughts below, I read every comment! 👇 Starlink SpaceX Elon Musk Neuralink
Bradford G Smith (Brad)19,949 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
🚀 Elon’s “BAD TIMING” just built a trillion-dollar future 😂 New Future Link episode where I (Neuralink Patient #3) break down the real pattern: aggressive timelines everyone calls impossible… followed by delays… followed by world-changing delivery. Reusable rockets, Model 3, Starlink, Neuralink, FSD, Starship — same story every time. Elon doesn’t lie. He’s just late. And the future still shows up. Watch the breakdown in the video below 👇 Full episode on YouTube — link in the first reply! Elon Musk Neuralink SpaceX v
Bradford G Smith (Brad)23,706 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
🚀 My parents have driven trucks for years… and they think the Tesla Model Y is “toooo small” and too hard to get in and out of. In Episode 31 of Future Link, I sit down and make the full case — seat height comparison to their F-150, why FSD changes everything on long drives to Arizona and Missouri, the real story behind my brother-in-law’s bad used Tesla experience, and why the Performance Model Y is probably not worth the money. Full video dropping right here 👇 I’ll drop the YouTube link in the first reply. If you’ve ever tried to convince your parents (or anyone) to switch to a Tesla, this one’s for you. What’s the biggest objection you’ve heard from truck lovers? Drop it below 👇
Bradford G Smith (Brad)21,033 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
Self-driving cars are about to kill short-haul flights ✈️➡️🚗 and completely change where we live 🏡🌳 Episode 9 of Future Link just dropped 🔥 Why LAX-SFO, Vegas-LA, and NYC-Boston flights are doomed 😵 Buses are already replacing planes on some routes 🚌✈️ Politicians want you to suffer for the planet 🌍 while Tesla gives us clean air + total freedom 🚀 Coming crash in city housing prices 📉 & massive exurb boom 🏘️💥 Watch + RT 🔄
Bradford G Smith (Brad)50,019 Aufrufe • vor 8 Monaten
🚀 Episode 25 of Future Link is here! 🧠⚡ “AI Is My Freedom Machine: Why I’m Not Afraid and How You Can Get Superpowers Too” I’m Brad Smith (Bradford G Smith (Brad)), the 3rd human on Earth to receive a Neuralink implant. One week after surgery I was already controlling my 16-inch MacBook Pro with pure thought — no hands, no voice, nothing but my mind. The implant is totally invisible too. While legacy media tells you to fear AI, I’m using it every single day to regain my freedom. It even recreated my real voice from just 2 hours of old recordings I made back in 2019. This episode is packed with hope: how AI is already solving massive problems like protein folding (Nobel Prize level stuff), plus my dream that it helps find a cure for ALS. Watch the full episode now 👇 YouTube link dropping in the first reply! What superpower do you want AI to give you? Drop it in the comments 👇 Neuralink Does anyone want to sponsor Future Link? I don’t need it to make money — I just want to cover the cost of the video editor 🔥 — Brad Smith (Bradford G Smith (Brad))
Bradford G Smith (Brad)19,471 Aufrufe • vor 3 Monaten
🚀🧠 EPISODE 28 IS HERE! Just dropped the full video breakdown of Tesla’s Q1 2026 earnings call — and it’s WILD. $25 BILLION+ in CapEx, Optimus confirmed as “probably the biggest product ever,” unsupervised Robotaxi already live in Dallas & Houston with ZERO incidents, AI5 chip Elon called the best edge inference chip on the planet, and what all of this means for Neuralink cyborgs like me. Elon’s quotes hit different when you’re the 3rd person with a brain chip and ALS. Mind-controlled Optimus bots? Thought-summoned robotaxis? Amazing Abundance is loading… Watch the full episode right here 👇 (video uploading now) Full YouTube version dropping in my first reply — go subscribe Bradford G Smith (Brad) if you haven’t already! What blew YOUR mind the most from the call? Drop it below 👇 Tesla Elon Musk Neuralink
Bradford G Smith (Brad)14,668 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
🚐♿🌅 Just dropped Episode 19 of the Future Link podcast! I’m proposing WheelsToWander – a nonprofit to give people with ALS and quadriplegia the freedom to travel in fully accessible motorhomes, with trained drivers and tailored trips. No more being stuck at home. Real adventures, real dignity. If you want to help make this happen – as an investor, sponsor, partner, or supporter – email me: [email protected] 🙌 Watch the full episode below ⬇️ Neuralink @Winnebago BraunAbility newmarcorporation (YouTube link coming in the first reply!)
Bradford G Smith (Brad)22,214 Aufrufe • vor 5 Monaten
Just dropped Episode 8 of Future Link Podcast: Revolutionizing Utah ski resorts with The Boring Company Loop tunnels connecting Deer Valley Resort Park City Mountain Snowbird Alta Ski Area Brighton Resort Solitude Mountain Resort and canyon parking lots. Faster Salt Lake to Park City transport, cheaper than Little Cottonwood gondola! Repurpose Nashville TBM for Wasatch Mountains. Governor Cox Visit Utah - let's boost 2034 Olympics access! Watch:
Bradford G Smith (Brad)28,246 Aufrufe • vor 8 Monaten
Future Link Podcast Episode 18 is live! 🚀 Dive into Neuralink's two-year Telepathy update: inspiring stories from 21 Neuralnauts (including me, the 3rd recipient! 🧠), the VOICE trial restoring speech 😢❤️, and why I'm eyeing a second implant. ALS warriors, this one's for us! Watch the full video here on X, or catch it on YouTube (link in replies). Big thanks to Neuralink for the breakthroughs! What do you think the future holds? Reply below! 👇
Bradford G Smith (Brad)16,048 Aufrufe • vor 5 Monaten
![My cousin, Jonathan Ord asked me to teach the Come Follow Me lesson to his mission yesterday over zoom. This is the video I did and the full text. Hi. I am Brad Smith. I have ALS, which is a really weird disease that kills the motor neurons in my body. That means that I lose the connections between my brain and my muscles. My mind is still running at the normal rate. So, I can understand everything you say to me, but I can’t respond very quickly! I am getting faster, though. Last November I was the 3rd person in the world to receive the Neuralink brain implant. So I am controlling this computer with my brain. This is my old voice, recreated by AI from just two hours of me talking to my phone. I have come to see ALS as a calling, and I am trying to magnify it. I used to talk easily, but now I have to choose my words carefully, because it is hard and slow to type what I want to say. I joke that the Lord gave me ALS to get me to shut up. Those who knew me when I could talk laugh the hardest. President Ord is my first cousin. So we share grandma and grandpa Smith. Our grandma Smith was a character. When she taught at church, she would put a sign up that read: “thus saith the lord:” so I will try to keep this within what the Lord has actually said, while trying to teach you to look at a basic principle of the gospel in a different way. Ironically, the first verse of Doctrine & Covenants 93 starts with “Verily, thus saith the Lord”. This is an amazing section of scripture, Jesus Christ telling us to step up and be better! You should study it often. I will start with a story. I asked AI to make a video to dramatically tell the story. During college, I lived in Damascus, Syria, for a semester. It was a fantastic and wonderful experience. I especially loved exploring the Old City of Damascus. The Old City is built around the huge beautiful Umayyad mosque. Within the walls of the old city is a maze of narrow, winding, confusing streets and one really long straight street, as Saul found out in Acts 9:11. One day when a group of us were trying to get through this maze from the mosque to the Christian quarter of the Old City, we asked a man for directions. He thought for a second, then pointed and said, “Go left and then right, and then left and then right, and then left and then right, and then left and right, and you’ll be there.” Aren’t those the most ridiculous directions you have ever heard? We could have ignored him. But, we thought, he did know the city better than we did. So, with some laughter, off we went. Left. Right. Left. Right. And so on until, much to our surprise, we popped out at our destination. Life is a confusing maze. We face difficult choices, unexpected events, surprises, sorrows, opportunities, roadblocks. The Lord has given directions on how to get through to where we want to go. Sometimes the Lord’s directions seem odd, and we may struggle with the decision to follow. The Lord will not force us. It is our choice whether to choose and follow him. Wasn’t that fun? AI is getting crazy! I will be much less entertaining for the rest, but hopefully the spirit will teach you something new. The phrase “keep the commandments” (or “keepeth my commandments”) appears at least 4 times in Doctrine and Covenants Section 93, in verses 1, 20, 27, and 28. There are other references, like “keep my sayings” in 52 and “obeyeth my voice” in 1. So, commandments are really important in this Revelation. I suggest that making the gospel a more central part of our lives depends largely on how we look at commandments. When you think of commandments, do you think “I can’t. I’m Mormon”? (That was a popular T-shirt slogan during my college years.) Although, with the recent guidance from President Nelson, it probably should be “I can’t, I’m a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints”. It’s a common reaction: “Thou shalt not do Cool Things.” People LOVE to focus on all the things we CAN’T do, as if we are trapped and deserve pity for our beliefs. No pity is needed. Commandments are opportunities, not constraints. Commandments are awesome! Allow me to illustrate. Imagine a spectrum between Good and Evil. Somewhere in the middle is “the Line” that divides Good from Evil. As a teenager, I wanted to know where the Line was, so I could get close to it without going over it. I wanted to be on the “Good” side but still be able to do as many “Cool Things" with my friends as possible. From my experience, I believe God gives us two types of commandments: 1) Get Back over the Line commandments and 2) Come Further into the Light commandments. Type 1, the Get Back over the Line commandments, could also be called “Misery Avoidance” commandments. They are designed to keep us out of misery or, if we’ve crossed the Line, to bring us out of misery and back into the Good side. These are generally commandments with a clear and defined point of success, such as “Thou shalt not kill.” You will know, at the end of each day, whether you have successfully followed that commandment. I think all of the Ten Commandments fall into this category. The law of Moses was very black and white. The children of Israel had been in Egypt without a prophet for a long time when Moses received the law, and they needed to work on the basics. So, if you follow the Type 1 commandments, you will refrain from doing things that make you miserable. You will know you are in the Good if you can answer the baptismal interview and temple recommend questions honestly and faithfully. If you can do that, you have taken the basic steps necessary to avoid misery and are on a solid foundation for the next type of commandment. Type 2, the “Come Further into the Light” commandments, are the really cool commandments. Once we are out of the misery category, we can really start to pursue joy. So, God commands us to do things that he knows will make us happier and more like Christ. These commandments are the principles of eternal development, such as “Love thy neighbor” (Matthew 22:39). There is no clear end to loving our neighbor—it requires positive and eternal progression. We can always love more, and we can always find another neighbor who needs our love. It is an eternal principle taught by Jesus Christ. And if we truly love our neighbor, refraining from killing him becomes pretty easy. It is through these commandments that we find joy in Jesus Christ. Elder Christofferson taught about this spectrum in the October 2018 general conference: “Most of us find ourselves at this moment on a continuum between a socially motivated participation in gospel rituals on the one hand and a fully developed, Christlike commitment to the will of God on the other. Somewhere along that continuum, the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ enters into our heart and takes possession of our soul. It may not happen in an instant, but we should all be moving toward that blessed state.” Our goal is to go THAT WAY (toward Christ) as much as possible. So first, get back across the line and stop doing things that will make you miserable. Then make every effort to try and be like Jesus, to “love one another as Jesus loves you.” The gospel of Jesus Christ is more than just “not doing” stuff. It is about coming unto Christ, being perfected in him, and denying ourselves of all ungodliness. Discuss with your companion what commandments and mission rules are for “Misery Avoidance” and which are “Come Further into the Light”! And, remember, commandments are ALWAYS connected to huge blessings. The Lord promised, “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20–21). Whenever we obey any of God’s commandments, we will get the blessing associated with that commandment. Elder David A. Bednar said: “The gospel of Jesus Christ encompasses much more than avoiding, overcoming, and being cleansed from sin and the bad influences in our lives; it also essentially entails doing good, being good, and becoming better. Repenting of our sins and seeking forgiveness are spiritually necessary, and we must always do so. But remission of sin is not the only or even the ultimate purpose of the gospel. To have our hearts changed by the Holy Spirit such that “we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2), as did King Benjamin’s people, is the covenant responsibility we have accepted. “This mighty change is not simply the result of working harder or developing greater individual discipline. Rather, it is the consequence of a fundamental change in our desires, our motives, and our natures made possible through the Atonement of Christ the Lord. Our spiritual purpose is to overcome both sin and the desire to sin, both the taint and the tyranny of sin.” I LOVE this concept—and as I have paid attention, I feel like apostles are trying to teach us this all the time. Are we listening? Let me repeat what Elder Bednar said. He said that the commandments help us change what we WANT. Why is that important? Remember my teenage desires? I wanted to be as close to the line as possible so I could still look cool for my friends. That is a good example of the “tyranny” of sin. Even though I was not actually sinning (probably because I was afraid of my mother), I still had some small desire to sin. I said, “I can’t. I’m Mormon” with many dramatic sighs. Overcoming the tyranny of sin is getting to the point where the sin no longer looks remotely interesting or fun because we are too busy loving our neighbors and trying to be like Jesus. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said: “The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.” This talk was given when I was on a mission, before most of you were born. It completely changed my perspective on the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is called The Challenge to Become” and I recommend that you study it. When the Lord says keep the commandments, he isn’t just telling us to stop sinning—he wants us to become like Christ and to have joy. Take a moment and think, Where am I on this continuum? Remember that none of us is perfect like the Savior, and we all need to lift one another. That is why we worship together. That is why we have priesthood quorums and the Relief Society, Primary, and youth organizations. The Lord taught us that truth when he said we all have different gifts: “To some is given one [gift], and to some is given another [gift], that all may be profited thereby. To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful” (Doctrine and Covenants 46:12–14). The Savior is still WAY over there: a thousand miles away somewhere. That is why we have quorums. We all have a long way to go. Let’s link arms and run together. Let me finish by telling a story from my mission to support my testimony of Jesus. Years ago my mission president said something interesting: “Either the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is truly the kingdom of god on the earth... or it is the greatest fraud ever in history.“ It is audacious to claim to be the true Church of Jesus Christ—but let me explain exactly why I know that to be true. I always BELIEVED that I was raised in the gospel of Jesus Christ. My parents taught me well and I felt good following the commandments and studying the scriptures. That led me to serve a mission in Brazil. My turning point of testimony came when I was 20–at least 2/3rds through my mission. We were invited into a house in the “fundos” of a property—a small structure built behind a larger house. The man was polite and allowed us to share our message. As I had done hundreds of times, I shared the story of Joseph Smith, a boy who sought the truth through prayer. I recited Joseph’s own words in response to his prayer: “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me... When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" I felt the strongest feeling I had ever experienced—an undeniable confirmation that what I said was true. It hit me in a way I can never forget! I knew that Joseph Smith was truly a prophet, and therefore the Book of Mormon was the word of god. What about the man we were teaching? How had he responded to my life-affirming spiritual experience? He shrugged and politely thanked us for the message. I was stunned. I felt like the windows of heaven opened on me—and he felt nothing. I learned that receiving answers to our prayers is like tuning a radio: not everyone is on the right frequency. For some reason, the Lord decided to broadcast on my frequency that day. I received the undeniable confirmation that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I have built on that foundation brick by brick since then. And every time someone has challenged me on Joseph Smith, I go back to that day in Brazil. I know that he was a prophet. My life has been blessed in ridiculously good ways since then. As I have tried to follow Jesus Christ, great things have happened to me. Even my hardest and most frustrating times have turned out to have a purpose. God has upturned my best laid plans over and over. But I look back and realize that I could never have planned any better. With the prophet Nephi I say: “I know that [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." (1 Nephi 11:17) When I say that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, that does not mean we have a monopoly on truth. I know Christians and Muslims who teach me to be better—and Members of the church who are far from disciples of Christ. We just have more truth: scriptures, living prophets, ordinances, personal revelation, and answers to many of life’s biggest questions! That is pretty cool. But we can’t be prideful about the truth we have. You have all probably met people to admire both inside and outside of the church. So, I am all in. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true—not a big fraud. And we are all trying to get closer to Christ. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me. Life has not been what I expected, but I trust him! I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of Jesus Christ and that the Book of Mormon is true. This is “intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. Light and truth forsake that evil one.” With that knowledge, keep the commandments! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen .](https://image.24vids.com/tw-1961133396144656751/amplify_video_thumb/1961127653798547458/img/nIvUNxNHuUcT9YLP.jpg)
My cousin, Jonathan Ord asked me to teach the Come Follow Me lesson to his mission yesterday over zoom. This is the video I did and the full text. Hi. I am Brad Smith. I have ALS, which is a really weird disease that kills the motor neurons in my body. That means that I lose the connections between my brain and my muscles. My mind is still running at the normal rate. So, I can understand everything you say to me, but I can’t respond very quickly! I am getting faster, though. Last November I was the 3rd person in the world to receive the Neuralink brain implant. So I am controlling this computer with my brain. This is my old voice, recreated by AI from just two hours of me talking to my phone. I have come to see ALS as a calling, and I am trying to magnify it. I used to talk easily, but now I have to choose my words carefully, because it is hard and slow to type what I want to say. I joke that the Lord gave me ALS to get me to shut up. Those who knew me when I could talk laugh the hardest. President Ord is my first cousin. So we share grandma and grandpa Smith. Our grandma Smith was a character. When she taught at church, she would put a sign up that read: “thus saith the lord:” so I will try to keep this within what the Lord has actually said, while trying to teach you to look at a basic principle of the gospel in a different way. Ironically, the first verse of Doctrine & Covenants 93 starts with “Verily, thus saith the Lord”. This is an amazing section of scripture, Jesus Christ telling us to step up and be better! You should study it often. I will start with a story. I asked AI to make a video to dramatically tell the story. During college, I lived in Damascus, Syria, for a semester. It was a fantastic and wonderful experience. I especially loved exploring the Old City of Damascus. The Old City is built around the huge beautiful Umayyad mosque. Within the walls of the old city is a maze of narrow, winding, confusing streets and one really long straight street, as Saul found out in Acts 9:11. One day when a group of us were trying to get through this maze from the mosque to the Christian quarter of the Old City, we asked a man for directions. He thought for a second, then pointed and said, “Go left and then right, and then left and then right, and then left and then right, and then left and right, and you’ll be there.” Aren’t those the most ridiculous directions you have ever heard? We could have ignored him. But, we thought, he did know the city better than we did. So, with some laughter, off we went. Left. Right. Left. Right. And so on until, much to our surprise, we popped out at our destination. Life is a confusing maze. We face difficult choices, unexpected events, surprises, sorrows, opportunities, roadblocks. The Lord has given directions on how to get through to where we want to go. Sometimes the Lord’s directions seem odd, and we may struggle with the decision to follow. The Lord will not force us. It is our choice whether to choose and follow him. Wasn’t that fun? AI is getting crazy! I will be much less entertaining for the rest, but hopefully the spirit will teach you something new. The phrase “keep the commandments” (or “keepeth my commandments”) appears at least 4 times in Doctrine and Covenants Section 93, in verses 1, 20, 27, and 28. There are other references, like “keep my sayings” in 52 and “obeyeth my voice” in 1. So, commandments are really important in this Revelation. I suggest that making the gospel a more central part of our lives depends largely on how we look at commandments. When you think of commandments, do you think “I can’t. I’m Mormon”? (That was a popular T-shirt slogan during my college years.) Although, with the recent guidance from President Nelson, it probably should be “I can’t, I’m a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints”. It’s a common reaction: “Thou shalt not do Cool Things.” People LOVE to focus on all the things we CAN’T do, as if we are trapped and deserve pity for our beliefs. No pity is needed. Commandments are opportunities, not constraints. Commandments are awesome! Allow me to illustrate. Imagine a spectrum between Good and Evil. Somewhere in the middle is “the Line” that divides Good from Evil. As a teenager, I wanted to know where the Line was, so I could get close to it without going over it. I wanted to be on the “Good” side but still be able to do as many “Cool Things" with my friends as possible. From my experience, I believe God gives us two types of commandments: 1) Get Back over the Line commandments and 2) Come Further into the Light commandments. Type 1, the Get Back over the Line commandments, could also be called “Misery Avoidance” commandments. They are designed to keep us out of misery or, if we’ve crossed the Line, to bring us out of misery and back into the Good side. These are generally commandments with a clear and defined point of success, such as “Thou shalt not kill.” You will know, at the end of each day, whether you have successfully followed that commandment. I think all of the Ten Commandments fall into this category. The law of Moses was very black and white. The children of Israel had been in Egypt without a prophet for a long time when Moses received the law, and they needed to work on the basics. So, if you follow the Type 1 commandments, you will refrain from doing things that make you miserable. You will know you are in the Good if you can answer the baptismal interview and temple recommend questions honestly and faithfully. If you can do that, you have taken the basic steps necessary to avoid misery and are on a solid foundation for the next type of commandment. Type 2, the “Come Further into the Light” commandments, are the really cool commandments. Once we are out of the misery category, we can really start to pursue joy. So, God commands us to do things that he knows will make us happier and more like Christ. These commandments are the principles of eternal development, such as “Love thy neighbor” (Matthew 22:39). There is no clear end to loving our neighbor—it requires positive and eternal progression. We can always love more, and we can always find another neighbor who needs our love. It is an eternal principle taught by Jesus Christ. And if we truly love our neighbor, refraining from killing him becomes pretty easy. It is through these commandments that we find joy in Jesus Christ. Elder Christofferson taught about this spectrum in the October 2018 general conference: “Most of us find ourselves at this moment on a continuum between a socially motivated participation in gospel rituals on the one hand and a fully developed, Christlike commitment to the will of God on the other. Somewhere along that continuum, the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ enters into our heart and takes possession of our soul. It may not happen in an instant, but we should all be moving toward that blessed state.” Our goal is to go THAT WAY (toward Christ) as much as possible. So first, get back across the line and stop doing things that will make you miserable. Then make every effort to try and be like Jesus, to “love one another as Jesus loves you.” The gospel of Jesus Christ is more than just “not doing” stuff. It is about coming unto Christ, being perfected in him, and denying ourselves of all ungodliness. Discuss with your companion what commandments and mission rules are for “Misery Avoidance” and which are “Come Further into the Light”! And, remember, commandments are ALWAYS connected to huge blessings. The Lord promised, “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20–21). Whenever we obey any of God’s commandments, we will get the blessing associated with that commandment. Elder David A. Bednar said: “The gospel of Jesus Christ encompasses much more than avoiding, overcoming, and being cleansed from sin and the bad influences in our lives; it also essentially entails doing good, being good, and becoming better. Repenting of our sins and seeking forgiveness are spiritually necessary, and we must always do so. But remission of sin is not the only or even the ultimate purpose of the gospel. To have our hearts changed by the Holy Spirit such that “we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2), as did King Benjamin’s people, is the covenant responsibility we have accepted. “This mighty change is not simply the result of working harder or developing greater individual discipline. Rather, it is the consequence of a fundamental change in our desires, our motives, and our natures made possible through the Atonement of Christ the Lord. Our spiritual purpose is to overcome both sin and the desire to sin, both the taint and the tyranny of sin.” I LOVE this concept—and as I have paid attention, I feel like apostles are trying to teach us this all the time. Are we listening? Let me repeat what Elder Bednar said. He said that the commandments help us change what we WANT. Why is that important? Remember my teenage desires? I wanted to be as close to the line as possible so I could still look cool for my friends. That is a good example of the “tyranny” of sin. Even though I was not actually sinning (probably because I was afraid of my mother), I still had some small desire to sin. I said, “I can’t. I’m Mormon” with many dramatic sighs. Overcoming the tyranny of sin is getting to the point where the sin no longer looks remotely interesting or fun because we are too busy loving our neighbors and trying to be like Jesus. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said: “The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.” This talk was given when I was on a mission, before most of you were born. It completely changed my perspective on the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is called The Challenge to Become” and I recommend that you study it. When the Lord says keep the commandments, he isn’t just telling us to stop sinning—he wants us to become like Christ and to have joy. Take a moment and think, Where am I on this continuum? Remember that none of us is perfect like the Savior, and we all need to lift one another. That is why we worship together. That is why we have priesthood quorums and the Relief Society, Primary, and youth organizations. The Lord taught us that truth when he said we all have different gifts: “To some is given one [gift], and to some is given another [gift], that all may be profited thereby. To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful” (Doctrine and Covenants 46:12–14). The Savior is still WAY over there: a thousand miles away somewhere. That is why we have quorums. We all have a long way to go. Let’s link arms and run together. Let me finish by telling a story from my mission to support my testimony of Jesus. Years ago my mission president said something interesting: “Either the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is truly the kingdom of god on the earth... or it is the greatest fraud ever in history.“ It is audacious to claim to be the true Church of Jesus Christ—but let me explain exactly why I know that to be true. I always BELIEVED that I was raised in the gospel of Jesus Christ. My parents taught me well and I felt good following the commandments and studying the scriptures. That led me to serve a mission in Brazil. My turning point of testimony came when I was 20–at least 2/3rds through my mission. We were invited into a house in the “fundos” of a property—a small structure built behind a larger house. The man was polite and allowed us to share our message. As I had done hundreds of times, I shared the story of Joseph Smith, a boy who sought the truth through prayer. I recited Joseph’s own words in response to his prayer: “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me... When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" I felt the strongest feeling I had ever experienced—an undeniable confirmation that what I said was true. It hit me in a way I can never forget! I knew that Joseph Smith was truly a prophet, and therefore the Book of Mormon was the word of god. What about the man we were teaching? How had he responded to my life-affirming spiritual experience? He shrugged and politely thanked us for the message. I was stunned. I felt like the windows of heaven opened on me—and he felt nothing. I learned that receiving answers to our prayers is like tuning a radio: not everyone is on the right frequency. For some reason, the Lord decided to broadcast on my frequency that day. I received the undeniable confirmation that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I have built on that foundation brick by brick since then. And every time someone has challenged me on Joseph Smith, I go back to that day in Brazil. I know that he was a prophet. My life has been blessed in ridiculously good ways since then. As I have tried to follow Jesus Christ, great things have happened to me. Even my hardest and most frustrating times have turned out to have a purpose. God has upturned my best laid plans over and over. But I look back and realize that I could never have planned any better. With the prophet Nephi I say: “I know that [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." (1 Nephi 11:17) When I say that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, that does not mean we have a monopoly on truth. I know Christians and Muslims who teach me to be better—and Members of the church who are far from disciples of Christ. We just have more truth: scriptures, living prophets, ordinances, personal revelation, and answers to many of life’s biggest questions! That is pretty cool. But we can’t be prideful about the truth we have. You have all probably met people to admire both inside and outside of the church. So, I am all in. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true—not a big fraud. And we are all trying to get closer to Christ. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me. Life has not been what I expected, but I trust him! I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of Jesus Christ and that the Book of Mormon is true. This is “intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. Light and truth forsake that evil one.” With that knowledge, keep the commandments! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen .
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