Jet Mariano

Category: Sacred Reflections

A season of quiet course-correction. I used to run ahead—saying yes to every favor and confusing hurry with help. These reflections pick up where Only Whisper begins: walking at the Lord’s pace, using “miracles of knowledge” to bless, and remembering why I’m here.

  • Born of Water, Blood, and Spirit — The Sacred Role of Mothers

    Life enters this world through sacrifice.
    Through water. Through blood. Through a mother.

    Excerpt

    Every life enters this world through sacrifice. Through water, through blood, through a mother. I am beginning to understand what that really means.

    Intro

    I’ve been thinking deeply about mothers.

    Especially now.

    There are women who bring life into this world knowing the risks. Some endure long labor, complications, and moments where their own lives are on the line.

    Some give everything… so their child can live.

    And the more I reflect on it, the more I realize:

    We owe our mothers more than we understand.

    Notes from Today

    Today, I was reminded of something simple.

    Even in the middle of my own grief, I found myself thinking about others—about their struggles, their sacrifices, and their quiet strength.

    Someone close to me once asked:

    “Why do you still care for others when you are the one who needs care?”

    I paused.

    Then I remembered something I’ve held onto for years:

    When you are down… lift others up.

    Perspective (Doctrine — Moses 6:59–60)

    In the Book of Moses, the Lord teaches something profound about how we enter this world:

    “Inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit… even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven” (Moses 6:59).

    Every life begins this way.

    Water—the amniotic fluid that surrounds and sustains the child.
    Blood—the sacrifice of the mother’s body.
    Spirit—the life that comes from God.

    I have come to see this differently now.

    A mother carries a child for nine months. Her body changes. Her strength is stretched. And at the moment of birth, there is water and blood—real sacrifice—so that the child can live.

    This is not just biology.

    This is divine symbolism.

    Just as a mother gives of her own body and blood to bring a child into physical life, Jesus Christ gave His blood so that we might be born again into spiritual life.

    Motherhood, in that moment, becomes a quiet, heaven-given reminder of the Savior’s sacrifice.

    Application (Robert J. Matthews Insight)

    I remember listening to an Education Week address by Robert J. Matthews, where he explained this connection through the Book of Moses.

    He taught that bringing life into the world has always been tied to sacrifice.

    That image has stayed with me:

    A mother giving everything she has…
    so that another life can begin.

    Practice (today, not someday)

    Honor your mother.
    Recognize her sacrifice.
    Do not take life lightly.

    And when you feel like you have nothing left—

    Lift someone anyway.

    Final Reflection

    Mothers give life.

    Not in ease, but through sacrifice.

    And sometimes, we only begin to understand that when we see how fragile life really is.

    I am beginning to understand.

    Pocket I’m Keeping

    Life comes through sacrifice.

    What I Hear Now (direct quotes)

    “Inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit…”
    “When you are down… lift others up.”

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • Tú Puedes — The Refining Fire of Grief

    Everything felt blurred… but the message was clear.
    Tú puedes.

    Excerpt
    I thought I would be used to grief by now. I was wrong. But in the middle of it… a quiet message remained: Tú puedes.

    Intro
    March 23, 2026.

    While at work, I received a message from my younger daughter. She had gone into early contractions at 4AM and lost her baby boy at 19 weeks. His name would have been Solis Xavier.

    It felt like I was struck by lightning.

    In that moment, another memory returned—November 20, 2021. My firstborn daughter went through a similar loss. Her baby boy, Kale’l, was just days away from being born.

    I suddenly felt helpless. I stayed in my office for about an hour, trying to process everything, while our President and HR sat with me.

    The grief didn’t feel new.

    But it didn’t feel any lighter either.

    Notes from Life & Loss
    I thought that after everything I had already experienced—my younger brother, my father, my grandson, my sister-in-law—that I would have learned how to handle grief better.

    I thought maybe I would be used to it by now.

    I’ve heard people say, “life goes on.”

    But I realized something.

    I am not wired that way.

    Each loss feels just as deep. Just as real.

    Even when a coworker passed away earlier this year, I was affected.

    Grief doesn’t lessen because it repeats.

    It remains… because love remains.

    Refining Fire (Ensign 2013 Connection)
    In The Refining Fire of Grief, it teaches that grief is not something we outgrow—it is something that refines us.

    Grief is not a sign of weakness.

    It is the evidence that we love.

    And maybe the reason it still hurts…
    is because I still do.

    Turning Point
    The next day, I tried to fight it the only way I knew how.

    I went to the basement and pushed through six rounds—slipping, ducking, rolling, throwing nonstop combinations. It was the most I had ever done.

    But it didn’t help.

    So I went to the temple.

    Before I entered, I noticed something in my car—a simple band with yellow letters:

    “Tú puedes.”

    I didn’t know what it meant at the time.

    But I brought it with me.

    I placed it in front of the temple.

    Everything else felt blurred…
    but that message became clear.

    You can.

    Perspective (Direct Impressions)
    “You can.”
    “You are still standing.”
    “My grace is sufficient.”

    Not that the pain was gone…
    but that I had strength for this moment.

    The road didn’t stop for my grief. It kept going.
    And in the distance… the temple reminded me where to look.


    On the way, I realized something.

    The road doesn’t stop for grief.

    It keeps going.

    And in the distance… the temple remains.

    Not always close.
    But always there.

    Practice (today, not someday)
    Go anyway.
    Pray anyway.
    Show up anyway.

    Even when your heart is heavy.

    Because that is where strength is given.

    Final Reflection
    I thought I would be used to this by now.

    I’m not.

    And maybe that’s not something to fix.

    Maybe that’s something to understand.

    If this is the refining fire…
    then I will endure it.

    Because love is still worth it.

    And in the middle of it all…

    Tú puedes.

    Kale’l and Xavier.
    Not lost. Not gone.
    Just beyond my reach… for now.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    Tú puedes.

    What I Hear Now (direct quotes)
    “My grace is sufficient for thee.”
    “I will not leave you comfortless.”
    “Be still, and know that I am God.”

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 “It Was Not You That Sent Me Hither, But God”

    15 seconds to run into position.
    No retake. No guarantee.
    Just trust… and move.
    Standing here at Daybreak, I realized something—
    the moment may feel rushed, uncertain, even forced…
    but the placement is never random.
    Like Joseph, what once didn’t make sense
    now feels guided.
    It was not timing.
    It was not chance.
    It was God placing me exactly where I needed to be.

    Excerpt
    Sometimes what feels like a setback is actually God positioning us exactly where we need to be.

    Intro
    There was a time I looked back at a loss in my career and felt the weight of it. It didn’t make sense. It felt like something was taken away.

    But looking at Joseph’s story, I see it differently now.

    Notes from the Scriptures
    He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant.
    Psalm 105:17

    When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he acknowledged the devastating decision they had made decades earlier: “I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.” But he immediately explained how that decision had helped God fulfill his purposes for their family: “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:4-5). He concluded, “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God” (Genesis 45:8).

    Perspective
    Joseph stood in front of the very people who caused his suffering—and saw purpose instead of pain.

    I’ve had moments where I questioned why something had to happen in my career. At the time, it felt like a loss I didn’t deserve.

    But if that door hadn’t closed… I wouldn’t be here.

    A full-time opportunity in Utah.
    A place to rebuild.
    A place to grow stronger—spiritually, physically, and mentally.

    Daily discipline.
    Clean living.
    Boxing training that keeps me sharp and grounded.
    Time to think, to reflect, to reconnect with God.

    And the quiet blessings that don’t make noise—but change everything.

    Looking back now, I can say with peace:

    It was not them.
    It was God.

    Practice (Today, Not Someday)
    Today, I will trust that not everything that feels like loss is truly loss.

    I will move forward with faith, knowing that God may be preparing something I cannot yet see.

    Final Reflection
    Joseph didn’t just survive what happened to him—he understood it.

    And when I look at my own path, I see that some of the hardest moments were actually turning points.

    God didn’t just fix things later.

    He was already there… guiding it from the beginning.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    What I thought was a setback… was actually a setup.

    What I Hear Now
    “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God” (Genesis 45:8)

    Link to the Talk / Scripture
    Genesis 45
    Psalm 105:17

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 “Prepared in Plenty, Protected in Famine”

    Prepared in plenty, protected in famine. Light always comes after preparation.

    Excerpt
    Preparation today becomes provision tomorrow.

    Intro
    Pharaoh’s dream wasn’t just symbolic—it was a warning. Through Joseph, God revealed a pattern: seasons of abundance followed by seasons of scarcity. The difference between survival and suffering would depend on one thing—preparation.

    Notes from the Scriptures

    Pharaoh saw in his dream seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Through revelation, Joseph interpreted what others could not.

    (Genesis 41:1-36)

    The solution was simple, but required discipline: store during the years of abundance so there would be enough during the years of famine.

    President Gordon B. Hinckley later echoed this same principle:

    “I want to make it very clear that I am not prophesying, that I am not predicting years of famine in the future.”
    “There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed.”
    (“To the Boys and to the Men,” General Conference, October 1998)

    Preparation is not fear—it is wisdom.

    Perspective
    Joseph didn’t just interpret the dream—he acted on it. Because of that, when famine came, Egypt didn’t panic. They were ready.

    This principle is not limited to ancient times. It applies to finances, to spiritual strength—and even to daily work.

    In IT, I’ve seen the same pattern again and again.

    Systems run smoothly during “years of plenty.” Everything works, tickets are light, and it’s easy to assume things will stay that way. But when failure comes—and it always does—the difference between chaos and control is preparation.

    Documentation is our “stored grain.”

    The modern “corn in Egypt.” Documentation and preparation today become survival tomorrow.

    When systems go down, when key people are unavailable, or when something critical breaks, those who prepared can respond with clarity. Those who didn’t are left scrambling.

    Practice (today, not someday)
    Today I will prepare while things are working. I will document, organize, and plan—not just for my benefit, but for those who may depend on it later.

    Final Reflection
    Joseph didn’t store grain for himself. He prepared for a future he could not yet see. And when the famine came, he was in a position to save others—including his own family.

    Preparation is never wasted. It becomes someone else’s lifeline.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    What I prepare today may save someone tomorrow.

    What I Hear Now
    “We lose our life by serving and lifting others. By so doing we experience the only true and lasting happiness. Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made. …”
    “The Celestial Nature of Self-Reliance,” October 1982 general conference

    “In their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all…”
    Alma 1:30

    “I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die”
    (Genesis 42:2)

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 “Two Coats: Obedience, Loss, and New Beginnings in the Life of Joseph of Egypt.”

    Taylorsville Temple before sunrise. Joseph lost his coat twice, yet the Lord was already preparing the next chapter.

    Excerpt
    Joseph lost his coat twice, but he never lost his faith.

    Intro
    Joseph’s story is one of repeated loss followed by unexpected elevation. Twice in his life he lost a garment and the position he held, yet each time the loss became the doorway to something greater. His life reminds us that obedience does not always prevent hardship, but it does guide us through it.

    Notes from the Scriptures

    Joseph’s first loss came while he was still young, living in the land of Canaan. His father loved him deeply and gave him a coat of many colors. That gift, however, intensified the jealousy of his brothers. When Joseph came to check on them, they turned against him.

    “They stript Joseph out of his coat, … cast him into a pit,” and later sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:23-28).

    Though everything familiar was taken from him, Joseph remained faithful. In Egypt, his diligence and integrity earned the trust of his master.

    Later, another trial came. Potiphar’s wife repeatedly tried to persuade Joseph to betray his trust and commit adultery. Joseph refused each time, remaining loyal both to Potiphar and to God.

    When she attempted to seize him physically, Joseph fled.

    “He left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.” (Genesis 39:12)

    The garment she held became false evidence against him, and Joseph was thrown into prison.

    Yet even there, the pattern continued:

    “Because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.” (Genesis 39:23)

    Joseph lost his position twice, yet his faith remained steady.

    Perspective
    Joseph’s story is not just about loss but about endurance. The second setback could easily have shaken his faith. Instead, Joseph continued to trust the Lord.

    Nephi experienced something similar. As a young man he left Jerusalem with his family, abandoning comfort and security to follow the Lord’s command (1 Nephi 2:2-4). Years later, after reaching the promised land, conflict within the family forced him to leave again.

    Nephi obeyed once more and established a new community, where the people eventually lived “after the manner of happiness” (2 Nephi 5:27).

    Both stories teach a profound truth: sometimes obedience leads us through repeated trials before it leads us to peace.

    Practice (today, not someday)
    Today I will remember that setbacks do not cancel God’s promises. When circumstances change, when plans collapse, or when losses come unexpectedly, faith can remain steady. Obedience today prepares the way for tomorrow’s new beginning.

    Final Reflection
    Joseph’s garments were taken, his freedom was taken, and his circumstances were taken. Yet his faith was never taken. God was quietly shaping his future through every trial.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    When obedience leads to loss, trust God anyway.

    What I Hear Now
    Like the Jaredite barges, life can feel submerged by waves.

    “they were many times buried in the depths of the sea … but the wind did never cease to blow them towards the promised land.” (Ether 6:7)

    Link to the talk
    (Add the original talk or scripture reference if you want to link it.)

    IT Reflection (My own story)

    Joseph’s life reminds me of moments in my own IT career. Systems crash, projects fail, companies restructure, and sometimes the work we built disappears overnight. Yet those disruptions often become preparation for something new.

    Just as Joseph rose again through faithfulness and diligence, many of the hardest moments in technology work have eventually opened doors to deeper learning, new responsibilities, and greater trust.

    Sometimes losing the “coat” simply means the Lord is preparing us for a different assignment.

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • Procrastination – Redeeming The Time

    Early morning run. In Tagalog we sometimes say “Bukas na lang,” meaning “I’ll do it tomorrow.” That mañana habit quietly steals time and opportunities. I try not to delay the things that matter—whether it is exercise, work, faith, or even a prompting to do good. Some things are meant to be done today.

    Excerpt
    Time is the one resource that cannot be stored, replaced, or recovered once it passes.

    Intro
    People often think the most valuable things on earth are oil, gold, or rare resources. Yet there is something even more valuable and far more fragile: time. Every day we are given a fixed number of hours, and once they pass, they never return.

    In life, it is easy to delay important things. We tell ourselves we will exercise tomorrow, finish a task later, or reach out to someone another day. But the gospel teaches us that time is sacred and should be used wisely.

    Notes from Scripture

    “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

    Ephesians 5:16

    Paul taught the Saints to live carefully and wisely. Part of that wisdom is learning to redeem time—to reclaim it from distractions and use it for things that truly matter.

    Elder Ian S. Ardern taught:

    “Time is never for sale; time is a commodity that cannot, try as you may, be bought at any store for any price. Yet when time is wisely used, its value is immeasurable. On any given day we are all allocated, without cost, the same number of minutes and hours to use, and we soon learn, as the familiar hymn so carefully teaches, ‘Time flies on wings of lightning; we cannot call it back’ (‘Improve the Shining Moments,’ Hymns, no. 226). What time we have we must use wisely.”

    “A Time to Prepare,” General Conference, October 2011

    The Book of Mormon also warns against delaying spiritual action.

    “If we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.”
    Alma 34:33

    Perspective
    Procrastination often appears harmless. We think postponing something small will not matter. But small delays accumulate and slowly shape the direction of our lives.

    In my own life, I have learned that discipline matters. Whether it is boxing early in the morning, maintaining clean nutrition, or solving difficult IT problems, delay rarely helps. In technology, procrastination can cause systems to fail, security issues to grow, and problems to multiply. Acting promptly often prevents larger problems later.

    The same principle applies spiritually. Prompt obedience and timely action protect us from unnecessary regret.

    President Thomas S. Monson once taught:

    “Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say ‘I love you’ more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, and loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted—until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of ‘what if’ and ‘if only.’ Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, ‘The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.’”

    Finding Joy in the Journey

    These reminders teach us that redeeming time is not only about productivity—it is about love, relationships, and living intentionally.

    Practice (today, not someday)
    Today I will redeem my time. I will act on the good things that come to mind rather than postponing them. I will focus on the activities that strengthen my faith, my health, my work, and my relationships.

    Final Reflection
    Time quietly shapes the course of our lives. When used wisely, even ordinary days can become meaningful and purposeful.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    Time redeemed today becomes peace tomorrow.

    What I Hear Now
    “Time flies on wings of lightning; we cannot call it back.”

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 “Humility, It Is Not in Me, Joseph in Egypt, Genesis 41:16”

    At the temple steps during the blue hour, I am reminded of Joseph’s words: “It is not in me.” Every gift, every solution, and every success ultimately comes from God.

    Excerpt
    “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (Genesis 41:16).

    Intro
    Some of the most powerful moments in scripture are not when someone demonstrates great ability, but when they refuse to take credit for it. Joseph had a remarkable gift. Yet when the opportunity came to impress Pharaoh, he made something clear: the power did not belong to him.

    Notes from Scripture
    Joseph had already experienced how powerful dreams could be. His own dreams had stirred anger among his brothers and eventually led to betrayal, slavery, and prison. Yet the same spiritual gift that placed him in difficult circumstances later became the instrument that lifted him out of prison and into a position of great influence in Egypt.

    When two fellow prisoners struggled to understand their dreams, Joseph asked a simple question: “Do not interpretations belong to God?” (Genesis 40:8).

    Later, when Pharaoh called for him to interpret troubling dreams, Joseph again refused to claim the gift as his own:

    “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (Genesis 41:16).

    A similar humility appears in the account of Ammon. After witnessing a miracle, King Lamoni asked him directly, “Art thou sent from God?” (Alma 18:33). Ammon replied:

    “I am a man; and man in the beginning was created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true;”

    Alma 18:34–35

    These servants of God understood something important. Spiritual power does not originate with the person through whom it flows.

    Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf shared a similar lesson from his early experience as a General Authority. During a drive to a stake conference, President James E. Faust offered counsel that stayed with him:

    “They will treat you very kindly. They will say nice things about you.”
    He then added with a smile,
    “Dieter, be thankful for this. But don’t you ever inhale it.”

    “Pride and the Priesthood,” October 2010 general conference

    Perspective
    Pride often creeps in quietly. A small success can tempt us to believe the accomplishment belongs entirely to us. But the scriptures repeatedly remind us that ability, insight, and opportunity come from a higher source.

    In my own work in IT, some of the most difficult problems never resolve through one person alone. A breakthrough often comes after collaboration with vendors, coworkers, and teammates who bring their own insights to the table. Over the years I have learned that no man is an island. When something finally works after hours of troubleshooting, I try to remember that inspiration, patience, and teamwork all play a role.

    Many times the solution arrives in a way that feels bigger than personal ability. In those moments I quietly remember Joseph’s words: “It is not in me.” The credit belongs to God, and also to the people He places around us.

    Practice (today, not someday)
    Today I will recognize the contributions of others and acknowledge the source of my own abilities. When something succeeds, I will thank the teammates who helped and remember that inspiration often comes from beyond myself.

    Final Reflection
    Great servants of God accomplish remarkable things, yet they remain careful not to claim ownership of the power behind them. Their humility becomes part of their strength.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    “It is not in me.”

    What I Hear Now
    “They will treat you very kindly… but don’t you ever inhale it.” — President James E. Faust

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 “Unimaginable”

    While attending Microsoft Active Directory training in Redmond in 2016, I noticed the sunlight breaking through the forest. What feels like delay may actually be preparation for something unimaginable.

    Excerpt
    God may be doing something unimaginable while we are still standing in the middle of the trial.

    Intro
    Sometimes life feels like a long stretch between promise and fulfillment. In those moments it is easy to wonder if heaven has gone quiet or if God has forgotten us. But the scriptures show something different. The journey from Point A to Point B is often where faith is tested and refined. Once we arrive at Point B, faith is no longer required in the same way.

    Notes from the Speaker or Scripture

    “He called down famine on the land
    and destroyed all their supplies of food;
    and he sent a man before them—
    Joseph, sold as a slave.
    They bruised his feet with shackles,
    his neck was put in irons,
    till what he foretold came to pass,
    till the word of the Lord proved him true.
    The king sent and released him,
    the ruler of peoples set him free.
    He made him master of his household,
    ruler over all he possessed,
    to instruct his princes as he pleased
    and teach his elders wisdom.”

    Psalm 105:16–22 (NIV)

    Joseph’s life moved through deep hardship before reaching its purpose. He spent years as a slave and prisoner, yet those years quietly prepared him for leadership that would later save nations.

    Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained:

    “Joseph must have wondered if God had forgotten him. God had something unimaginable in mind for Joseph. He used this period of trial to strengthen Joseph’s character and put him in a position to save his family.”

    “God Will Do Something Unimaginable,” October 2020 general conference

    Even during Joseph’s trials, scripture repeatedly reminds us that the Lord was with him (Genesis 39:2–3, 21, 23). Others recognized that divine help even when Joseph himself was still enduring difficulty.

    Perspective
    Many of us assume that comfort equals God’s approval and hardship means something is wrong. But the scriptures challenge that assumption. Nephi opened his record by acknowledging “many afflictions” while still declaring that he had been “highly favored of the Lord in all [his] days” (1 Nephi 1:1).

    Lehi later taught Jacob that God can “consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain” (2 Nephi 2:2).

    In my own experience, especially in difficult IT problems or long troubleshooting sessions, answers rarely appear immediately. The solution often emerges only after patience, teamwork, and persistence. Many times the breakthrough arrives when I least expect it. Looking back, I realize that what felt like delay was actually preparation. God was shaping the path while I was still learning to trust Him.

    Practice (today, not someday)
    Today I will remember that God sees the entire path even when I see only a small part of it. When challenges appear, I will trust that He is still present and still working through the process.

    Final Reflection
    Faith often grows strongest when we cannot yet see the outcome. What feels like delay may simply be the space where God is preparing something greater than we imagined.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    God may be preparing something unimaginable.

    What I Hear Now
    “God had something unimaginable in mind for Joseph.” — Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee”

    Oquirrh Temple under the snow moon. A quiet reminder that the light stays, even on nights that hurt.

    Excerpt

    “From the bed of pain, from the pillow wet with tears, we are lifted heavenward by that divine assurance and precious promise: ‘I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’”

    “Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: ‘I know that my Redeemer lives!’”

    Intro

    Some losses come quietly. Others come with shock.

    When I lost my father on my birthday, I learned what it means to cry and still stand. This week, as death again entered my family circle, President Thomas S. Monson’s words returned to me like an anchor dropped in deep water.

    Death has visited my life more than once. Each time feels different. Each time cuts differently. And yet, the promise remains unchanged.

    He will not fail us.
    He will not forsake us.
    And because He lives, those we love live also.

    Notes from President Thomas S. Monson

    President Monson spoke from personal grief. When his beloved wife Frances passed away, he did not speak as a distant theologian. He spoke as a husband who said, “To say that I miss her does not begin to convey the depth of my feelings.”

    Yet he declared:

    “I know that our separation is temporary… This is the knowledge that sustains me.”

    He reminded us that suffering is universal. No life is free from sorrow. The question is not whether we will suffer. The question is whether we will falter or finish.

    He pointed to Job, stripped of everything, who still declared:

    “I know that my Redeemer liveth.”

    President Monson taught that trials refine us. They do not destroy us unless we allow them to. “Good timber does not grow with ease.” Strength is forged in storm.

    And in another sacred testimony, he declared:

    “Because our Savior died at Calvary, death has no hold upon any one of us.”

    Death is not extinction. It is transition.
    “He is not here, but is risen.”

    And because He rose, so shall we.

    Perspective

    When I saw death up close again, I felt shaken. Grief does that. It is real. It is heavy.

    But President Monson’s voice steadied me.

    “Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, He is with us.”

    That is not poetic language. That is covenant language.

    I have lost my father.
    I have lost my younger brother.
    I have lost my grandson.
    Now my sister-in-law.

    Each loss has a different intensity. Each one leaves a different imprint.

    Yet the doctrine remains constant.

    “If a man die, shall he live again?”

    “If a man die, he shall live again.”

    That is not wishful thinking. That is Resurrection truth.

    Practice (today, not someday)

    Today I will not demand that grief disappear.

    Today I will:

    Pray even when my voice trembles.
    Listen to hymns that remind my heart of heaven.
    Speak hope to my children when they feel unsettled.
    Choose to believe that separation is temporary.

    I will remember that enduring does not mean suppressing pain. It means walking through it with faith intact.

    Today I finish. I do not falter.

    Final Reflection

    President Monson said, “This is the knowledge that sustains.”

    Not eliminates sorrow.
    Not removes tears.
    Sustains.

    There is a difference.

    From the pillow wet with tears, we are lifted heavenward.

    That lifting is real.

    Because He lives, death is not a wall. It is a door.

    Pocket I’m Keeping

    “He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

    “I know that my Redeemer liveth.”

    Those two promises together are enough.

    What I Hear Now

    “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

    “Because our Savior died at Calvary, death has no hold upon any one of us.”

    “Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives.”

    And tonight, that is enough.

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 “Trial of your Faith”

    Some promises stretch longer than we expect, but the One who formed the arch is the same One who sustains it.

    Excerpt
    Between God’s promise and its fulfillment lives the trial of our faith, a sacred space known only to Him.

    Intro
    I realized something today. The distance between what God promises and when it actually happens is not empty space. It is what we call the trial of our faith. Heaven measures that gap, not us..

    Notes from the author
    God tested Abraham’s faith.. He waited decades for the son God had promised to him and Sarah. God promised descendants as countless as the stars. Abraham believed. That belief strengthened his relationship with God. (Genesis 15:6). Later, God commanded Abraham to offer his long awaited son.
    Abraham obeyed.
    God honored him.

    :

    “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:”
    Genesis 22:16-18

    Why did Abraham have to wait so long? God certainly had the power to bless him sooner. Yet the waiting served divine purposes. It proved his faith. It purified his faith.

    Perspective
    Moroni defined faith as “things which are hoped for and not seen.”

    Faith operates in what we cannot yet measure. It requires trust before evidence appears.

    He warned us not to dispute simply because we do not see.

    Faith does not disappear when blessings come. It transforms.

    Until fulfillment arrives, faith carries the weight of the promise.

    That is why blessings often follow “after the trial of [our] faith” (Ether 12:6).

    Jesus declared, “I will try the faith of my people” (3 Nephi 26:11; see also Mosiah 23:21). James explained the purpose: “The trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:3). Delayed blessings are not denial. They are development.

    Practice (today, not someday)
    Today I will trust God in the waiting. I will not measure His promises by my timeline. Like Abraham, I will believe even when fulfillment feels distant.

    Final Reflection
    The gap is not punishment. It is preparation. God shapes the soul in the silence between promise and provision.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    I stand on sacred ground between promise and fulfillment.

    What I Hear Now
    “I will try the faith of my people.”
    “The trying of your faith worketh patience.”

    Scripture
    Ether 12:6

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 Forsake Not Your Own Mercy

    After Church, I drove around looking for the right angle. The clouds finally aligned. I used my Tesla skylight as still water beneath the Saratoga Springs Temple. Mercy was already there. I just had to see it.

    Excerpt

    “You have immediate access to divine help and healing despite your human flaws.” — Elder Matthew S. Holland

    Intro

    Earlier today at Church, I asked myself how we avoid the Nineveh factor — that instinct to run in the opposite direction of what God asks.

    Jonah did not run because he lacked faith.
    He ran because Nineveh was uncomfortable.
    Nineveh was personal.

    I have had my own Nineveh moments.

    Moments when obedience felt heavy.
    Moments when mercy felt undeserved.
    Moments when I wanted to sail toward Tarshish instead.

    Notes from Elder Holland

    Jonah teaches two powerful truths:

    First, all are fallen. We live in a world where weeds grow and bones break. Struggle is not evidence of abandonment.

    Second, we must not “forsake our own mercy.” The Lord prepares deliverance even when the storm was caused by our own decisions.

    Jonah cried out from the belly of affliction.
    He remembered the Lord.
    And mercy was already prepared.

    Perspective

    I have felt what it means to be in deep waters.

    Sometimes because of circumstances.
    Sometimes because of my own choices.

    But Elder Holland’s phrase pierced me:

    “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.”

    How often do we believe the adversary’s whisper that we are too flawed, too late, too far gone?

    Mercy is not withdrawn.
    We withdraw from it.

    The temple today reminded me:
    Even when reflected through glass, it stands.

    Practice (today, not someday)

    Today I will:

    • Refuse to run from my Nineveh
    • Cry unto God before I react
    • Turn toward the temple, not away
    • Reject the lying vanity that I am beyond help

    Mercy is immediate. Not delayed.

    Final Reflection

    The Fall guarantees struggle.
    The Atonement guarantees access.

    Jonah sat in darkness for three days.
    Christ entered the heart of the earth for three days.

    One ran.
    One stayed.

    Both teach us that salvation is of the Lord.

    Pocket I’m Keeping

    “Forsake not your own mercy.”

    Not when ashamed.
    Not when tired.
    Not when misunderstood.
    Not when you feel swallowed.

    What I Hear Now

    “You have immediate access to divine help and healing despite your human flaws.”

    Joy does not come after perfection.
    It comes because of Him.

    I do not have to earn mercy.
    I only have to stop sailing away from it.

    Link to the Talk

    Forsake Not Your Own Mercy — Elder Matthew S. Holland

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 Not Shrinking Is More Important Than Surviving

    Before I earned my black belt, I had to execute every kick with precision. Discipline before promotion. Alignment before advancement. Not shrinking is formed long before the test.

    Excerpt

    “As we confront our own trials and tribulations, we too can plead with the Father … that we ‘might not shrink’ (D&C 19:18). Not shrinking is much more important than surviving. Moreover, partaking of a bitter cup without becoming bitter is likewise part of the emulation of Jesus.” — Elder Neal A. Maxwell

    Intro

    I thought I understood what it meant not to shrink.

    I survived hunger at 14.
    I survived selling food to passengers just to eat.
    I survived a near-death experience in 1996.
    I survived panic attacks and insomnia.
    I survived being told I might never work in a high-stress IT environment again.

    But this week, after lap after lap, mitts that escalated from 4 to 10 sets, 87 squat jumps from Tyson cards, mountain climbers, pushups, and 12 nonstop rounds of heavy bag combinations, I understood what Elder Maxwell meant. Not shrinking is more important than surviving.

    I have survived many things.

    When hunger, anxiety, and loneliness visit, I move.
    This is how I train my body
    so my spirit does not shrink.

    But survival is not the same as not shrinking.

    Notes from the Talk

    Elder Maxwell did not ask merely to survive chemotherapy.

    He asked not to shrink.

    Not to retreat.
    Not to recoil.
    Not to become bitter.

    The Savior Himself said:

    “…and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
    Nevertheless, glory be to the Father…” (D&C 19:18–19)

    Not shrinking is not loud strength.
    It is quiet submission.

    Perspective

    When I was 14 and hungry, movement became survival.
    If I exercised, I could forget hunger.

    When doctors questioned my future after my NDE, I refused to shrink. I sought a second opinion. I rebuilt my life.

    When anxiety and insomnia threatened my stability, I trained harder. I cleaned up my diet. I disciplined my schedule.

    Even today, when loneliness creeps in, I move.
    When silence feels heavy, I train.
    When desire rises, I redirect it into discipline.

    This week I completed 87 squat jumps through Tyson cards. Not to prove something to anyone. Not to impress younger men. But because discipline has been my medicine for decades.

    But here is the paradox I am learning:

    It is easier for me to outwork discomfort than to sit still with it.

    Surviving built my endurance.

    Not shrinking requires surrender.

    Practice (Today, Not Someday)

    For me, not shrinking today looks like:

    Training without ego.
    Competing without needing validation.
    Continuing IT responsibilities with integrity even when exhausted.
    Feeling loneliness without immediately escaping it.
    Submitting my will when outcomes do not match my expectations.

    I once believed not shrinking meant pushing harder.

    Not shrinking begins in submission, not in strength.

    Now I am learning it sometimes means staying still without fear.

    Final Reflection

    Surviving builds muscle.

    Not shrinking builds character.

    Back kick board break during black belt testing. Commitment through resistance. Not shrinking means driving through the barrier, not recoiling from it.

    I survived poverty.
    I survived medical predictions.
    I survived anxiety.

    But the deeper test is partaking of the bitter cup without becoming bitter.

    To trust God’s timing.
    To accept outcomes I cannot control.
    To allow my will to be swallowed up in the will of the Father.

    That is not weakness.

    That is discipleship.

    Pocket I’m Keeping

    “I just don’t want to shrink.”

    Not from hunger.
    Not from fear.
    Not from loneliness.
    Not from aging.
    Not from silence.

    What I Hear Now

    “Strong faith in the Savior is submissively accepting of His will and timing in our lives—even if the outcome is not what we hoped for or wanted.”

    I know how to push.

    Now I am learning how to submit.

    Link to the Talk

    That We Might Not Shrink (D&C 19:18)
    https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/broadcasts/article/ces-devotionals/2013/01/that-we-might-not-shrink-d-c-19-18?lang=eng

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • Marked in Time — Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders Among You

    Oquirrh Mountain Temple under the first supermoon of 2026 — a reminder that light always returns.

    Excerpt
    “With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve.”

    Intro
    Some messages arrive when the heart needs reassurance more than instruction. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s talk reminds me that discipleship is not about perfection today — it is about hope for tomorrow. Like the rising of the moon over the temple, light returns even after the darkest moments.

    Notes from Elder Holland
    Elder Holland teaches that the gospel is meant to inspire progress, not discourage effort. The Lord does not expect immediate perfection. He asks us to keep trying, trusting in the power of the Atonement to help us grow over time.

    Perspective (direct quotes)
    “First of all, if in the days ahead you not only see limitations in those around you but also find elements in your own life that don’t yet measure up to the messages you have heard this weekend, please don’t be cast down in spirit and don’t give up.”

    “The gospel, the Church, and these wonderful semiannual gatherings are intended to give hope and inspiration. They are not intended to discourage you.”

    “With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve, and the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don’t always succeed.”

    President George Q. Cannon once taught:
    “No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, [God] will never desert us. He never has, and He never will.”

    Practice (today, not someday)
    Today I will remember that effort matters to God. Progress matters to God. Trying matters to God. I will move forward with faith, even when growth feels slow.

    Final Reflection
    Hope in the gospel is not based on perfection — it is based on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Tomorrow really can be brighter than today because God is patient with our growth.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    “We get credit for trying.”

    What I Hear Now (direct quotes)
    “Tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
    “He will never desert us.”

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • Marked in Time — Willing to Submit

    Quiet reflection outside the temple — learning to trust God’s timing and His will.

    Excerpt
    “May we now, in our time and turn, be willing to submit.”

    Intro
    Some lessons in life are about effort. Others are about patience. But Elder Neal A. Maxwell teaches that the deepest discipleship is not just about doing more — it is about yielding more. Submission is not weakness. It is trust in God’s wisdom when life does not unfold according to our plans.

    Notes from Elder Maxwell
    Elder Maxwell explains that spiritual growth often requires us to accept certain realities while actively improving others. True submissiveness is learning to discern the difference between what must be endured and what must be changed. It is the quiet willingness to trust God’s purposes even when life feels heavy or unclear.

    Perspective (direct quotes)
    “Suffice it to say, God ‘allotteth unto men’ certain things with which we are to be content. (See Alma 29:4, Philip. 4:11; 1 Tim. 6:8.) A missing parent or limb is to be lived without. Yet temper and lust are to be tamed. One’s race is fixed, but one’s genetic endowment offers opportunity to be a careful steward. The submissive soul will be led aright, enduring some things well while being anxiously engaged in setting other things right — all the time discerning the difference.”

    “We have been given three special words — but if not — by three submissive young men who entered their fiery furnace, knowing ‘our God … is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, … But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods.’ (Dan. 3:17–18.)”

    Practice (today, not someday)
    Today I will focus on surrendering control where I need to trust God more. I will work to improve what I can change — my discipline, my attitude, and my patience — while accepting the things God has allotted to me with humility and faith.

    Personal Reflection
    Last night I listened to Elder Maxwell’s talk repeatedly — over and over — until the early hours of Sunday morning. I kept my mind engaged and my hands busy. While listening, I converted my Ruger PC Carbine, did laundry, and prepared a healthy dinner. Moving from one meaningful task to another helped steady my thoughts.

    When those were finished, I continued with two hours of non-stop shadow boxing and isometric exercises, still listening to the talk. By the end of the night, I had heard it nearly twenty times.

    I am learning that submission is not always expressed in dramatic moments. Sometimes it is simply continuing to do good things — working, building, training, and trusting God to shape the heart quietly.

    Final Reflection
    Submission is not giving up. It is aligning our will with God’s will. Elder Maxwell reminds us that discipleship is not proven in comfort but in trust — especially when the answer is “but if not.” Faith means believing God can deliver us, while trusting Him even if He does not.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    “The submissive soul will be led aright.”

    What I Hear Now (direct quotes)
    “Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
    “May we now, in our time and turn, be willing to submit.”

    Link to the talk
    https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1985/04/willing-to-submit

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 The Eye

    The eye that communicates what words cannot.

    In certain eyes, I glimpse something no English adjective can contain.

    Excerpt
    Some eyes carry the moment. Other eyes are taught to see beyond it.

    Intro
    The scriptures teach that sight is not always natural. Sometimes the Lord allows understanding beyond ordinary vision. These moments are not constant, and they are not ours to explain. They come quietly, teach something essential, and pass.

    There are also eyes that carry burdens the world cannot see. Their owner may not know what others perceive in them.

    Two kinds of sight exist at the same time — one that is lived, and one that is given.

    Notes from the Scriptures
    When the servant of Elisha saw armies surrounding them, fear filled his heart. Elisha prayed that the young man’s eyes would be opened.

    “And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)

    The situation did not change. Only sight changed.

    Enoch experienced something similar when the Lord instructed him to wash his eyes:

    “And he beheld also things which were not visible to the natural eye.” (Moses 6:36)

    Even Moses was invited to see beyond natural limits:

    “Thou art my son… look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands.” (Moses 1:4)

    Natural eyes alone could not perceive these things.

    Perspective
    In speaking of the man born blind in John 9, President Jeffrey R. Holland described how the Savior placed clay upon the man’s eyes and sent him to wash. After obeying, the man returned seeing. When challenged by those who doubted the miracle, he responded simply:

    “Whereas I was blind, now I see.”

    President Thomas S. Monson later reminded us that blindness is not always physical. Many “have their eyesight but… walk in darkness at noonday,” blinded by anger, prejudice, indifference, or neglect of truth.

    “Their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed…”

    “The Spirit speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be.” (Jacob 4:13)

    “The light of the body is the eye.” (Matthew 6:22)

    Practice Today
    Today I will remember that sight is both physical and spiritual. I will seek to see people with compassion, recognizing that what is visible is not always complete.

    Final Reflection
    There are eyes that reflect weariness when the day is heavy. There are eyes that reflect quiet strength when burdens are lifted. The owner of those eyes may not know what others perceive in them.

    And there are moments when, looking into them, something is seen that cannot be explained — not by imagination, but not by natural sight either. Like the servant of Elisha seeing the chariots of fire, or the man born blind returning from Siloam, or Enoch seeing beyond the natural world, the experience is brief and passing.

    It is not given to be understood or held.
    It is given to steady the heart.

    One set of eyes lives the moment.
    Another set of eyes learns from it.

    Both belong to God.

    Pocket I’m Keeping
    “Whereas I was blind, now I see.”

    What I Hear Now
    “Open my eyes.”
    “See with compassion.”
    “Let the moment pass, but keep the lesson.”

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT-8 “Righteousness from Heaven, Truth from the Earth”

    Preparing for Church this afternoon Suit pressed, heart steady, and gratitude present. The drive to Juniper Crest Ward reminds me how blessed I am — good health, sufficient food, and strength to keep my covenants. Six days of labor and training, one day to remember the Giver of all things.

    Excerpt

    After a demanding week of work and training, the Sabbath reminds me that truth rises from the earth while righteousness comes from heaven — and both lead us back to God.

    Intro

    Five days of stressful work as an Infrastructure Engineer, and six days of training — boxing and Muay Thai, three hours at a time — can leave the body tired and the mind stretched thin. But Sunday belongs to God alone.

    Today is not about productivity or performance. It is about renewal.

    The scriptures remind me that God’s work has always been a partnership between heaven and earth.

    Grateful for the strength to come, the means to arrive, and the faith to worship.

    Notes from My Friend

    “Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.”
    Psalm 85:11

    In Enoch’s expansive vision, God orchestrates a collaboration between heaven and earth for the salvation of humanity.

    Early in the vision, Enoch’s people are lifted up to God’s presence through his teaching and leadership (Moses 7:21), leaving a void of goodness on the earth. But the people who remained behind were not left alone:

    “Enoch beheld angels descending out of heaven, bearing testimony of the Father and Son; and the Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught up by the powers of heaven into Zion.”
    Moses 7:27

    Both the heavens and the earth sorrow for the wickedness of humanity, causing Enoch to weep also (Moses 7:28, 40, 48).

    Then, before the Savior’s Second Coming, God sends revelation through both heavenly and earthly sources, to once again create a society like the one Enoch’s people built anciently:

    “And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.”
    Moses 7:62

    At the time of the Savior’s coming, Enoch’s city will return to the earth to unite with this new Zion:

    “Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other;”
    Moses 7:63–64

    One literal fulfillment of God bringing truth “out of the earth” is the Book of Mormon itself, which Joseph Smith translated from engravings on metal plates buried by Moroni. As Moroni prophesied:

    “[this record] shall be brought out of the earth, and it shall shine forth out of darkness”
    Mormon 8:16

    Another fulfillment is the work of living people flooding the earth with truth as they share prophetic messages with one another. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland testified:

    “God will send help from both sides of the veil to strengthen our belief”
    “Lord, I Believe,” April 2013 general conference

    Perspective

    All week long, truth rises from the earth through effort — work, training, discipline, endurance. Sweat, repetition, and responsibility shape the person I am becoming.

    But on the Sabbath, righteousness looks down from heaven.

    For decades, I have tried to keep Sunday different. I don’t shop or buy food on the Sabbath. I have six other days to do those things. Sunday is reserved for worship, visiting the sick, prayer, and quiet pondering.

    This discipline is not about restriction. It is about remembering who provides strength beyond my own.

    The strength I build through boxing and Muay Thai is earthly strength. The peace I feel on Sunday is heavenly strength. Both are necessary, but they are not the same.

    One prepares the body. The other restores the soul.

    Practice (today, not someday)

    Today I will be grateful for both earthly and heavenly help which God sends to bring us to Him. I will remember that in the important work of the salvation of His children, heavenly and earthly forces collaborate under His direction.

    Final Reflection

    When truth rises from the earth through effort and righteousness descends from heaven through grace, God prepares His people for Zion.

    Six days I labor and train. One day I worship and renew. In that rhythm, I see the wisdom of God’s design — strength from the earth, peace from heaven.

    Pocket I’m Keeping

    Truth rises through effort. Righteousness descends through grace.

    What I Hear Now

    “Truth shall spring out of the earth.”
    “Righteousness shall look down from heaven.”
    “God will send help from both sides of the veil.”

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT8 – Enoch and Empathy

    I was reminded of that truth while camping in Monument Valley, waiting patiently in the quiet hours before dawn. I stayed awake at the cabin, watching the sky, trusting that light would come in its own time. When the waning gibbous moon finally rose, it crowned the stone buttes with a soft, steady glow. And then—unexpectedly—I was rewarded with a distant lightning show on the horizon. Stillness and power shared the same sky. Waiting revealed what haste would have missed.

    Excerpt

    God’s empathy is not a weakness to be restrained. It is the very source of His justice.

    Intro

    In recent years, empathy has come under suspicion. Some Christian thinkers have warned that it can become excessive or misplaced, even harmful. While acknowledging compassion as a Christlike trait, they caution that emotional identification—if left unchecked—might blur moral clarity or weaken obedience to God.

    That concern, however, finds no support in scripture.

    Notes from the Moment

    In Moses 7, Enoch is shown a vision of the future. His city has been taken into heaven. Other righteous souls dwell with God. Those left behind are marked by violence and cruelty. As Enoch observes God watching this scene, he expects detachment—or perhaps righteous anger.

    Instead, he sees something that unsettles him deeply: God weeping.

    “How is it that thou canst weep,” Enoch asks, “seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?” (Moses 7:29). To Enoch, holiness and empathy seemed incompatible.

    God then explains:

    “Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;”

    Moses 7:32–34, 40

    Here, there is no effort to dilute empathy in the name of justice. God does not administer justice despite His compassion—He administers it because of it.

    Perspective

    As Enoch begins to understand the depth of God’s love, his own heart expands beyond anything he had known. He “wept and stretched forth his arms, and his heart swelled wide as eternity; and his bowels yearned; and all eternity shook” (Moses 7:41).

    Divine empathy is contagious.

    Practice

    A similar pattern appears after the Savior’s death, when darkness covered the land in the Americas. The people heard His voice explaining the destructions that had taken place. These were not acts of emotional detachment, but of mercy—meant to prevent further suffering. Repeatedly, He gives the same reason:

    “That the blood of the prophets and the saints shall not come any more unto me against them”
    (3 Nephi 9:5, 7–9, 11)

    Justice, once again, is rooted in empathy.

    President Dallin H. Oaks—having spent years studying and administering law—has reflected deeply on the relationship between love and commandment. In a worldwide devotional, he shared how his thinking has matured over time:

    “I have previously referred to our ‘continually [trying] to balance the dual commandments of love and law,’ but I now believe that goal to be better expressed as trying to live both of these commandments in a more complete way. …”

    “Stand for Truth,” Worldwide Devotional Address for Young Adults, 21 May 2023

    Final Reflection

    If God loves all His children with perfect love, then loving them cannot compete with loving Him. When compassion seeks their eternal good, it is aligned with holiness—not opposed to it.

    The scriptures do not portray empathy as a liability. They reveal it as divine.

    Pocket I’m Keeping

    Compassion and holiness are not rivals. In God, they are one.

    What I Hear Now

    “God’s justice flows from His love.”
    “Empathy does not weaken truth.”
    “Holiness can weep.”

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT8 – “One Heart and One Mind”

    This photo was taken while hiking the Herriman Mountains. I walked the trail back and forth, up and down, creating multiple footsteps in the snow to simulate the idea behind this reflection — many steps, one direction. Unity is often built through repeated effort, not a single moment.

    Excerpt

    Zion is not built by sameness. It is built when people choose unity while carrying different loads.

    Intro

    Over the years, I’ve worked in environments where success depended on alignment more than talent. In IT, in security, and even in physical training, progress stalls the moment people begin competing instead of coordinating. The strongest systems I’ve seen—technical or human—are the ones where everyone knows they belong and everyone knows they matter.

    Scripture describes Zion in similar terms. Not as perfection, but as unity.

    Notes from the Author

    The prophet Enoch’s city is described in a way that has always stood out to me:

    “And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.”
    Moses 7:18

    What strikes me is not just their righteousness, but the outcome of it. There was no poor among them. That phrase suggests more than generosity. It suggests belonging.

    Perspective

    Scripture doesn’t say they merely helped the poor. It says poverty ceased to exist among them. To me, that implies a community where people were not reduced to labels, deficits, or past circumstances. Each person was seen as capable of contributing, even if their contribution looked different.

    I’ve seen this principle play out in my own life. In work settings, people thrive when they are trusted early, not tested endlessly. In training, progress comes when the body is respected as it is today, not judged for what it was yesterday. When someone is treated as an asset rather than a burden, they often rise to meet that expectation.

    The Book of Mormon describes a similar unity among those baptized at the waters of Mormon. Alma taught them to move forward together:

    “That ye may look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having your hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.”
    Mosiah 18:21

    Unity does not erase difference. It aligns direction.

    Practice (today, not someday)

    Today, I will pay attention to how I see people. I will resist the urge to sort others into categories based on background, skill level, or current capacity. Whether at work, at church, or in daily interactions, I will choose language and actions that affirm contribution instead of deficiency.

    Unity begins with how we look at one another.

    Final Reflection

    Building Zion is not about creating a uniform community. It is about creating a cohesive one. A place where people are strengthened by shared purpose, not divided by comparison.

    That kind of unity requires intention. It requires humility. And it requires consistent effort, just like anything worth building.

    Pocket I’m Keeping

    Unity grows when people feel needed, not merely tolerated.

    What I Hear Now

    To be of one heart and one mind is not to think alike, but to move together.

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT8 – “Walk With Me”

    Walk With Me.
    Jagna, Bohol — my second area. One year a member of the Church, already a full-time missionary, learning what it meant to walk with God.

    Excerpt

    God’s invitation is not always to arrive quickly, but to move together. When He says “walk with me,” He is offering companionship before certainty, and presence before proof.

    Intro

    I served my mission in the Philippines Cebu Mission in 1981. I had been a member of the Church for only six months. I did not feel experienced, polished, or prepared. Yet from the first day forward, I felt something unmistakable: I was not walking alone.

    There were days I did not know what to say, doors that did not open easily, and moments when I felt far too small for the work. Still, I felt the Lord beside me—quietly guiding, steadying my steps, and shaping my confidence over time. Long before I understood doctrine deeply, I understood companionship. God was walking with me.

    Notes from the Author

    Looking back, I see that the Lord did not remove uncertainty from my path. He sanctified it by walking with me through it. That companionship mattered more than eloquence or experience. It still does.

    Perspective

    In the scriptures, the word walk often describes the pattern of daily living. We are invited to walk uprightly, to walk in the ways of the Lord, and to walk after His holy order. These phrases point to consistency and direction over time.

    With Enoch, however, the Lord extended a deeply personal invitation:

    Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.

    Moses 6:34

    God did not ask Enoch to lead from a distance. He asked him to walk together. Enoch accepted that invitation, and so did his people. Scripture records that they walked with God, and “God received [them] up into his own bosom” (see Moses 6:39; Genesis 5:22, 24; Moses 7:69).

    The idea of walking together suggests conversation, proximity, and shared direction. It implies movement at the same pace, side by side.

    Even the risen Savior chose this pattern. As He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, their understanding unfolded gradually. Only later did they reflect:

    Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

    Luke 24:32

    Mormon later testified of his people’s discipleship, saying he knew they were followers of Christ because of their “peaceable walk with the children of men” (Moroni 7:4).

    Children in the Church sing this same truth simply: “I will walk with Jesus, and He will walk with me” (“I Will Walk with Jesus,” Hymns—For Home and Church).

    Practice Today (Not Someday)

    Today, I will walk with God intentionally. I will not rush past Him by relying only on habit or experience. I will pause to listen before acting, pray before deciding, and trust that steady movement matters more than speed.

    Walking with God means choosing alignment over control, presence over performance, and faith over fear—one step at a time.

    Final Reflection

    God does not promise that the path will be effortless. He promises companionship. When we accept His invitation to walk with Him, progress becomes possible even when confidence is not yet complete.

    Pocket I’m Keeping

    Walking with God is not about getting ahead.
    It is about staying close.

    What I Hear Now

    If I keep walking, He will keep walking with me.
    That is enough.

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

  • MIT8 – “Seeing Afar Off”

    Seeing Afar Off.
    The eclipse rises over Joshua Tree — a reminder that vision returns, even when light feels partial.

    Excerpt

    In technology and in discipleship, problems rarely fail because of missing data. They fail because we cannot see far enough ahead to understand the consequences of our choices.

    Intro

    In IT, I have learned that anxiety often narrows vision. Early in my career, I walked into a colleague’s office convinced I had the solution to a thorny issue in a project we were co-leading. I explained what I thought we should do and why. He listened calmly, then looked across the desk and said simply, “Think about how this plays out.”

    He walked me through the likely reactions of team members, the downstream effects on systems, and the unintended consequences I had not considered. His calm allowed him to think more strategically than I was able to in that moment. What I lacked was not intelligence or effort, but perspective.

    Notes from the Author

    In infrastructure work—whether designing a Cisco Meraki network, planning a VMware migration, or making security changes—short-sighted decisions can create long-term pain. A fix that looks elegant today can become tomorrow’s outage if we fail to see how it will unfold over time.

    Perspective

    When God called Enoch to be a prophet, He described a people who suffered from the same problem:

    I am angry with this people, and my fierce anger is kindled against them; for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off;

    Moses 6:27

    This was not merely a failure of perception. It affected how they treated one another and how they made decisions. Their inability to see beyond the present moment led to cruelty and violence. God’s work with Enoch began by expanding his vision before expanding his influence.

    The Lord said to Enoch:

    Anoint thine eyes with clay, and wash them, and thou shalt see.

    Moses 6:35

    After doing so, Enoch saw “things which were not visible to the natural eye” (Moses 6:36). With that expanded perspective, he was prepared to teach.

    In modern terms, this feels familiar. When working with systems, clarity comes only after stepping back—diagramming dependencies, understanding traffic flow, or modeling failure scenarios. Seeing afar off is what separates reactive fixes from resilient design.

    Peter later warned Church members of this same danger:

    He that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off.

    2 Peter 1:9

    Elder David A. Bednar taught how this expanded vision is developed, especially within families:

    Parents who consistently read and talk about the Book of Mormon with their children, who share testimony spontaneously with their children, and who invite children as gospel learners to act and not merely be acted upon will be blessed with eyes that can see afar off.

    “Watching with All Perseverance,” April 2010 general conference

    He directed this promise to parents—a reminder that, like Enoch, we must see more clearly ourselves in order to help others develop clearer vision. Scripture study sharpens perspective the way system diagrams sharpen architectural thinking. It reveals consequences that are not obvious in the moment.

    Moroni extended a similar invitation:

    …remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

    Moroni 10:3

    Practice Today (Not Someday)

    Today, I will slow down long enough to see farther. Before making decisions, I will consider downstream effects—on people, systems, and relationships. I will study the gospel not only for answers, but for perspective, trusting that clearer vision leads to wiser choices.

    Final Reflection

    Whether designing networks or building faith, short-term fixes can create long-term problems. Seeing afar off requires patience, humility, and calm. When perspective expands, decisions improve—and so does the impact of our service.

    Pocket I’m Keeping

    Clarity comes when I stop reacting
    and start seeing farther.

    What I Hear Now

    If I expand my vision,
    the right decisions become clearer.

    © 2012–2026 Jet Mariano. All rights reserved.
    For usage terms, please see the Legal Disclaimer.

error: Content is protected !!