Now Abideth Faith, Hope and Charity - Vaughn J. Featherstone

Now Abideth Faith, Hope and Charity - Vaughn J. Featherstone

I can remember my dad talking about the Goates Family - since my dad grew up in Lehi, Utah.  This is an absolute favorite story of mine.  

I have a great friend, Brother Les Goates, a great and gifted writer, and I asked him if I could lift a part of a story. He told how welfare first came into his home:

“But ‘as for me and my house,’ the welfare program began in the Old Field west of Lehi on the Saratoga Road in the autumn of 1918, that terribly climactic year of World War I during which more than 14 million people died of that awful scourge ‘the black plague,’ or Spanish influenza.

“Winter came early that year and froze much of the sugar beet crop in the ground. My dad and brother Francis were desperately trying to get out of the frosty ground one load of beets each day which they would plow out of the ground, cut off the tops, and toss the beets, one at a time, into the huge red beet wagon and then haul the load off to the sugar factory. It was slow and tedious work due to the frost and the lack of farm help, since my brother Floyd and I were in the army and Francis, or Franz, as everybody called him, was too young for the military service.

“While they were thusly engaged in harvesting the family’s only cash crop and were having their evening meal one day, a phone call came through from our eldest brother, George Albert, superintendent of the State Industrial School in Ogden, bearing the tragic news that Kenneth, nine-year-old son of our brother Charles, the school farm manager, had been stricken with the dread ‘flu,’ and after only a few hours of violent sickness, had died on his father’s lap; and would dad please come to Ogden and bring the boy home and lay him away in the family plot in the Lehi Cemetery.

“My father cranked up his old flap-curtained Chevrolet and headed for Five Points in Ogden to bring his little grandson home for burial. When he arrived at the home he found ‘Charl’ sprawled across the cold form of his dear one, the ugly brown discharge of the black plague oozing from his ears and nose and virtually burning up with fever.

“‘Take my boy home,’ muttered the stricken young father, ‘and lay him away in the family lot and come back for me tomorrow.’

“Father brought Kenneth home, made a coffin in his carpenter shop, and mother and our sisters, Jennie, Emma, and Hazel, placed a cushion and a lining in it, and then dad went with Franz and two kind neighbors to dig the grave. So many were dying the families had to do the grave digging. A brief graveside service was all that was permitted.

“The folks had scarcely returned from the cemetery when the telephone rang again and George Albert (Bert) was on the line with another terrifying message: Charl had died and two of his beautiful little girls—Vesta, 7, and Elaine, 5—were critically ill, and two babies—Raeldon, 4, and Pauline, 3—had been stricken.

“Our good cousins, the Larkin undertaking people, were able to get a casket for Charl and they sent him home in a railroad baggage car. Father and young Franz brought the body from the railroad station and placed it on the front porch of our old country home for an impromptu neighborhood viewing but folks were afraid to come near the body of a black plague victim. Father and Francis meanwhile had gone with neighbors to get the grave ready and arrange a short service in which the great, noble spirit of Charles Hyrum Goates was commended into the keeping of his Maker.

“Next day my sturdy, unconquerable old dad was called on still another of his grim missions—this time to bring home Vesta, the smiling one with the raven hair and big blue eyes.

“When he arrived at the home he found Juliett, the grief-crazed mother, kneeling at the crib of darling little Elaine, the blue-eyed baby angel with the golden curls. Juliett was sobbing wearily and praying: ‘Oh, Father in heaven, not this one, please! Let me keep my baby! Do not take any more of my darlings from me!’

“Before father arrived home with Vesta the dread word had come again. Elaine had gone to join her daddy, brother Kenneth, and Sister Vesta. And so it was that father made another heartbreaking journey to bring home and lay away a fourth member of his family, all within the week.

“The telephone did not ring the evening of the day they laid away Elaine nor were there any more sad tidings of death the next morning. It was assumed that George A. and his courageous companion Della, although afflicted, had been able to save the little ones Raeldon and Pauline; and it was such a relief that Cousin Reba Munns, a nurse, had been able to come in and help.

“After breakfast dad said to Franz, ‘Well, son, we had better get down to the field and see if we can get another load of beets out of the ground before they get frozen in any tighter. Hitch up and let’s be on our way.’

“Francis drove the four-horse outfit down the driveway and dad climbed aboard. As they drove along the Saratoga Road, they passed wagon after wagon-load of beets being hauled to the factory and driven by neighborhood farmers. As they passed by, each driver would wave a greeting: ‘Hi ya, Uncle George,’ ‘Sure sorry, George,’ ‘Tough break, George,’ ‘You’ve got a lot of friends, George.’

“On the last wagon was the town comedian, freckled-faced Jasper Rolfe. He waved a cheery greeting and called out: ‘That’s all of ‘em, Uncle George.’

“My dad turned to Francis and said: ‘I wish it was all of ours.’

“When they arrived at the farm gate, Francis jumped down off the big red beet wagon and opened the gate as we drove onto the field. He pulled up, stopped the team, paused a moment and scanned the field, from left to right and back and forth—and lo and behold, there wasn’t a sugar beet on the whole field. Then it dawned upon him what Jasper Rolfe meant when he called out: ‘That’s all of ‘em, Uncle George!’

“Then dad got down off the wagon, picked up a handful of the rich, brown soil he loved so much, and then in his thumbless left hand a beet top, and he looked for a moment at these symbols of his labor, as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Then father sat down on a pile of beet tops—this man who brought four of his loved ones home for burial in the course of only six days; made caskets, dug graves, and even helped with the burial clothing—this amazing man who never faltered, nor finched, nor wavered throughout this agonizing ordeal—sat down on a pile of beet tops and sobbed like a little child.

“Then he arose, wiped his eyes with his big, red bandanna handkerchief, looked up at the sky, and said: ‘Thanks, Father, for the elders of our ward."

 

 President Lee probably said it more beautifully in our day than any I have read. In 1946 in the October conference, he said:

“I know there are powers that can draw close to one who fills his heart with … love. … I came to a night, some years ago, when on my bed, I realized that before I could be worthy of the high place to which I had been called, I must love and forgive every soul that walked the earth, and in that time I came to know and I received a peace and a direction, and a comfort, and an inspiration, that told me things to come and gave me impressions that I knew were from a divine source.” (Conference Report, October 1946, p. 146.)

The Blessings of the Fast - Marion G. Romney

The Blessings of the Fast - Marion G. Romney
One of the important things the Lord has told us to do is to be liberal in our payment of fast offerings. I would like you to know that there are great rewards for so doing—both spiritual and temporal rewards. The Lord has said that the efficacy of our prayers depends upon our liberality to the poor. (See Alma 34:28.)

 As to the nature and purpose of fasting and the purpose of the fast offering, President Heber J. Grant said:

“Let me promise you here today that if the Latter-day Saints will honestly and conscientiously from this day forth, as a people, keep the monthly fast; … and if in addition to that they will pay their honest tithing, it will solve all of the problems in connection with taking care of the Latter-day Saints. …

“Every living soul among the Latter-day Saints that fasts two meals once a month will be benefited spiritually and be built up in the faith of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ—benefited spiritually in a wonderful way—and sufficient means will be in the hands of the bishops to take care of all the poor.” (Gospel Standards, comp. G. Homer Durham, Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1941, p. 123.)

 Everything we do to help the poor must be measured by its accomplishment in spiritual terms. Givers must give out of a righteous heart and with a willing spirit. Receivers must receive with thankfulness and gladness of heart. The Spirit must confirm a bishop’s evaluation regarding assistance. As we participate with righteous intent in this great work, our souls will be sanctified and our minds enlarged. As we spiritually mature in fulfilling our responsibilities, whatever they may be, we prepare ourselves to become “partakers of the divine nature.” (See 2 Pet. 1:4.) May it be our happy lot to be filled with that measure of Spirit that we may be sealed with the bond of charity, which, as Moroni said, “is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure.” (Moro. 7:47–48.)

We should all give some attention to the matter of fasting. We haven’t really called on the Lord so that we can reach him intimately if we don’t fast occasionally, and pray often. Many of our personal problems can be solved by so doing. Do you remember what the Savior said to his disciples who couldn’t cast out the evil spirit, after they had asked why they couldn’t do it when Jesus had done it so easily? He replied, “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matt. 17:21.)

Let us each increase our fast offerings and assist in inspiring the Saints throughout the Church to do likewise. “Let not the rich man, who has only crumbs for Lazarus, think that he is fit for celestial glory.” (Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl, The Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, rev. ed., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1971, p. 480.) To qualify for that glory one must liberally impart of his substance to the poor and the needy.

Be liberal in your giving, that you yourselves may grow. Don’t give just for the benefit of the poor, but give for your own welfare. Give enough so that you can give yourself into the kingdom of God through consecrating of your means and your time. Pay an honest tithing and a generous fast offering if you want the blessings of heaven. I promise every one of you who will do it that you will increase your own prosperity, both spiritually and temporally. The Lord will reward you according to your deeds.

It is my prayer that each and every one of us will learn and apply these fundamental principles and gain thereby the promised reward.

Where Will It Lead? - Dallin H. Oaks

Where Will It Lead - Dallin H. Oaks

From a devotional address given at Brigham Young University on November 9, 2004. 
I urge you to read the full devotional address, it is awesome.  
 
Which Direction am I Headed?

A good news/bad news story introduces my subject. An airline pilot on the intercom gave his passengers this in-flight message: “I have good news and bad news. The good news is that we’re making good time. The bad news is that we’ve had an equipment failure, and we’re not sure we’re headed in the right direction.”

The direction in which we are headed is critically important, especially at the beginning of our journey. I have a friend who concluded his career as a pilot flying long routes across the Pacific for a major airline. He told me that an error of only two degrees in the course set on the 4,500-mile, direct-line flight from Chicago to Hilo, Hawaii, would cause the plane to miss that island by more than 145 miles to the south. If it were not a clear day, the pilot could not even see the island, and there would be nothing but ocean until you got to Australia. But of course you wouldn’t get to Australia, because you wouldn’t have that much fuel. Small errors in direction can cause large tragedies in destination.

All of us—and especially young people—need to be very careful about the paths we choose and the directions in which we set our lives. What seem to be only small deviations in direction or small detours from the straight and narrow path can result in huge differences in position down the road of life.

Potentially destructive deviations often seem so small that some find it easy to justify “just this once.” When that temptation aris

 

Where Will Spiritual Impressions Lead?

I recall a story told by Elder Harold B. Lee in 1952. His story has had a significant impact on me for several reasons. I quote Elder Lee:

“I was around ten or eleven years of age. I was with my father out on a farm away from our home, trying to spend the day busying myself until my father was ready to go home. Over the fence from our place were some tumbledown sheds that would attract a curious boy, and I was adventurous. I started to climb through the fence, and I heard a voice as clearly as you are hearing mine, calling me by name and saying, ‘Don’t go over there!’ I turned to look at my father to see if he were talking to me, but he was way up at the other end of the field. There was no person in sight. I realized then, as a child, that there were persons beyond my sight, for I had definitely heard a voice. Since then, when I hear or read stories of the Prophet Joseph Smith, I too have known what it means to hear a voice, because I’ve had the experience” (Stand Ye in Holy Places [1974], 139).

Consider some of the effects of that experience. First, it taught the reality of revelation to a young boy who was to become a prophet. Second, it may have protected young Harold from some hidden danger in those old sheds. That was the way I interpreted the story for many years, and perhaps that is true. We will never know. But perhaps the warning he heard was not to protect him from danger. Perhaps it was to test his willingness to be obedient to heavenly guidance. Surely he passed the test, and where did that lead? It kept the channel of revelation open for further guidance, and it was a formative experience in the life of one of our greatest teachers. Following an impression may seem a small thing now, but where it leads can be immensely important.

Following an impression once saved my life. It was dark, I was alone, and I was high in the mountains several miles from the nearest road. Though I had never been on this particular mountainside, I was not lost. I knew the general location, and I knew that all I had to do was keep walking down and eventually this would lead me to a familiar road. The problem was the pitch darkness of the moonless night.

I chose a gully and started to feel my way down through the brush and deadfall. It was slow going, so I was relieved when the gully flattened out to a sandy bottom beneath my feet. I picked up my pace for about 10 steps and suddenly had a strong impression to stop. I did. Reaching down, I took a rock and tossed it out into the darkness ahead of me. I heard no sound for a few seconds, and then there was a clatter on the rocks a long distance away. I knew immediately that I was standing on the lip of a sheer drop-off.

I retraced my steps and eventually got down the mountain by another gully. I phoned my worried family close to midnight, just before they called for a search party. The next day I revisited that spot in daylight and saw my tracks, which stopped just two or three feet from a drop-off of at least 50 feet. I was glad I had heard and heeded a warning. Where did that lead? It saved my life.

es—as it will—I urge you to ask yourself, “Where will it lead?”

Where Will My Choices Lead?

I invite you to think about some seemingly small decisions you are making in your life that would benefit from your asking “Where will it lead?”

We often hear about the choice between good and evil. For example, most students will have to choose sometime between plagiarism or cheating to get a higher grade or relying on honest personal efforts to get what we deserve from our own preparation and qualifications.

Other choices are not between good and evil. The most familiar choices we face are between two goods, and here, too, it is desirable to ask where it will lead. We make many such choices in what we will do on the Sabbath, which television programs we will watch, which job offer to accept, what to read, and—on a very broad front—how to spend our time. All of these will profit from thoughtful and habitual measurement against the standard of “Where will it lead?”

Sometimes the choice is not between two different actions but between action and inaction. Should I speak up or remain silent? Should I allow my loved one to pursue a course I know to be injurious and let them learn by experience or should I intervene to save him or her from that experience? Again, it is useful to ask ourselves, “Where will it lead?”

I recall an event described by a man I met at a stake conference in the Midwest more than a decade ago. The setting was a beautiful campus in central Illinois. My informant, a participant in a summer workshop, saw a crowd of young students seated on the grass in a large semicircle about 20 feet from one of the large hardwood trees that are so common and so beautiful there. They were watching something at the base of the tree. He turned aside from his walk to see what it was.

There was a handsome tree squirrel with a large, bushy tail playing around the base of the tree—now on the ground, now up and down and around the trunk. But why would that beautiful but familiar sight attract a crowd of students?

Stretched out prone on the grass nearby was an Irish setter. He was the object of the students’ interest, and, though he pretended otherwise, the squirrel was the object of his. Each time the squirrel was momentarily out of sight circling the tree or looking in another direction, the setter would quickly creep forward a few inches and then resume his apparent indifferent posture. Each minute or two he crept closer to the squirrel, and the squirrel apparently did not notice. This was the scene that held the students’ interest. They were silent and immobile, attention riveted on the drama—the probable outcome of which was becoming increasingly obvious.

Finally the setter was close enough to bound at the squirrel and catch it in his mouth. A gasp of horror arose, and the crowd of students surged forward and wrested the beautiful little animal away from the hound, but it was too late. The squirrel was dead.

Anyone in that crowd of students could have warned the squirrel at any time by waving their arms or crying out, but none had done so. They just watched while the inevitable consequence got closer and closer. No one asked “Where will this lead?” and no one wished to interfere. When the predictable outcome occurred, they rushed to the defense, but it was too late. Tearful and regretful expressions were all they could offer.

That true story is a parable of sorts. It has a lesson for things we see in our own lives, in the lives of those around us, and in the events occurring in our cities, states, and nations. In all these areas we can see threats creeping up on things we love, and we cannot afford to be indifferent or quiet. We must be ever vigilant to ask “Where will it lead?” and to sound appropriate warnings or join appropriate preventive efforts while there is still time. Often we cannot prevent the outcome, but we can remove ourselves from the crowd who, by failing to try to intervene, has complicity in the outcome.

Where Does the Gospel Lead?

Where will it lead? I’ve suggested this as a valuable question against which we can measure many personal and private decisions. It is also a way of bearing testimony. Where does faith in the Lord Jesus Christ lead? Where does the gospel lead? I quote from the Doctrine and Covenants the word of the Lord to His people in this dispensation:  “Seek to bring forth and establish my Zion. Keep my commandments in all things.

“And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God” (D&C 14:6–7).

Women of Christ: A Divine Calling - Lucille Johnson

One of my favorite stories about a modern-day 'feeding of the five thousand'!
 

 "A young Relief Society sister in a stake close to the Mexico City Temple told me a sweet story I would like to share.  I'll call her Maria, although that's not her real name.  Maria was given the assignment to head a committee that would prepare and serve a breakfast and a lunch for several visiting General Authorities, including President Gordon B. Hinckley, an Elder at the time, who were coming to their temple for a special meeting.  Maria's bishop cautioned her to be conservative, because they had no excess funds to waste.  She and the other sisters planned well, and Elder Hinckley and the others thanked them for the delicious meal.  After the meal was served, the sisters congratulated themselves on their good planning because there was only one tiny scoop of eggs left over.  The lunch went so well, and after everyone had eaten, there was only a small amount of barbequed beef and a few beans covering the bottom of one pan, a few rolls, and a small bowl of salad left over.  Just when Maria was thinking how well they had managed, the bishop came in and asked if they could possibly feed some brothers and sisters coming in to do their temple work.  Their bus, which had come all the way from Guatemala, had broken down and the people had been without food for two days.  Maria was overwhelmed with the need and explained to the bishop that they only had a small amount left, in accordance with his instructions to prepare only a conservative amount of food.  The bishop told the sisters just to to the best they could and left.  The sisters barely had time for a quick prayer as they added some water to the barbeque and the beans for putting them out.  As the first brother came in, he loaded his plate, and Maria was horrified that one person might take most of the food for himself.  She nearly asked him to put some back for the others but felt restrained by the Spirit to say nothing.  The sisters stood there and watched as four busloads of brothers and sisters came through that line and were all fed.  No one seemed concerned at all by the almost-empty containers, in fact, they seemed not to know that the containers were almost empty.   Every time they scooped up the food, the scoop came up full - even though they could hear the scoop hit the bottom of the pan.  The sisters who had prepared the luncheon stood and watched all of this in amazement.  Maria said to me, "We were so overwhelmed and awed by this miracle that rivaled the feeding of the five thousand, we could hardly speak."  

There is a principle in this story.  When the lord fed the five thousand, he did not create it from nothing; he had a few pieces of fish and a loaf of bread, and he multiplied what he had.  When He fed the hungry saints in Mexico, He didn't snap his fingers and create something from nothing.  As the song in The Sound of Music says, "Nothing comes from nothing."  This tells me that the Lord can bless us with our needs, whether they are emotional, spiritual, or physical needs, if we obey the commandments and do what we can do.  If we will prepare, if we will pay our tithes, if we will obey the counsel of our prophet to buy and store what we can afford, we can feel comfortable asking the Lord to make up the difference." 

Whosoever Will Save His Life - Gordon B. Hinckley

Whosoever Will Save His Life - Gordon B. Hinckley

In this article is the story about Maxine Grimm of Toole, Utah.  Scott met her in Toole.  She was instrumental in bringing the Church to the Philipines.

  One Sunday morning several years ago, I was in the home of a stake president in a small Idaho town. Before morning prayer, the family read together a few verses of scripture. Among these were the words of Jesus as recorded in John 12:24: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

No doubt the Master was referring to his own forthcoming death, declaring that except he die his mission in life would be largely in vain. But I see in these words a further meaning. It seems to me that the Lord is saying to each of us that unless we lose ourselves in the service of others our lives are largely lived to no real purpose, for he went on to say, “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (John 12:25.) Or, as recorded in Luke, “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” (Luke 17:33.) In other words, he who lives only unto himself withers and dies, while he who forgets himself in the service of others grows and blossoms in this life and in eternity.

I recall visiting a college campus where I heard the usual, commonplace complaining of youth: complaints about the pressures of school—as if it were a burden rather than an opportunity to partake of the knowledge of the earth—complaints about housing and about food.   I counseled those youth that if the pressures of school were too heavy, if they felt to complain about their housing and their food, then I could suggest a cure for their problems. I suggested that they lay their books aside for a few hours, leave their rooms, and go visit someone who is old and lonely, or someone sick and discouraged. By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves.

For many years there was a sign on the wall of a shoe repair shop I patronized. It read, “I complained because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet.” The most effective medicine for the sickness of self-pity is to lose ourselves in the service of others.

In any land, in any city, in any home, in any life, there are opportunities all around to stretch our lives and our interests in behalf of others.

 

My plea is—if we want joy in our hearts, if we want the Spirit of the Lord in our lives, let us forget ourselves and reach out. Let us put in the background our own personal, selfish interests and reach out in service to others. In so doing, we will find the truth of the Master’s great promise of glad tidings:

“Whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; or whosoever will save his life, shall be willing to lay it down for my sake; and if he is not willing to lay it down for my sake, he shall lose it.

“But whosoever shall be willing to lose his life for my sake, and the gospel, the same shall save it. (JST, Mark 8:37–38.)

There Are Many Gifts - Marvin J. Ashton

There Are Many Gifts - Marvin J. Ashton

From the Book of Mormon, particularly 3 Nephi, chapters 11 through 26 [3 Ne. 11–26], when the Savior Jesus Christ showed himself to the people on the American continent, many gifts are referred to as being very real and most useful. Taken at random, let me mention a few gifts that are not always evident or noteworthy but that are very important. Among these may be your gifts—gifts not so evident but nevertheless real and valuable.  

Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost.  We must remember that to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. It is our right and responsibility to accept our gifts and to share them. God’s gifts and powers are available to all of us.

1. The Gift to Ponder 

As I study the scriptures, I am challenged and moved by the word ponder used so frequently in the Book of Mormon. Dictionaries say that ponder means to weigh mentally, think deeply about, deliberate, meditate.

When Jesus Christ came to teach the Nephites, he said, “Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again” (3 Ne. 17:3).

Moroni used this term as he closed his record. “Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, … ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, … and ponder it in your hearts” (Moro. 10:3).  By pondering, we give the Spirit an opportunity to impress and direct. Pondering is a powerful link between the heart and the mind. As we read the scriptures, our hearts and minds are touched. If we use the gift to ponder, we can take these eternal truths and realize how we can incorporate them into our daily actions.

 

2. The Gift to Look to God for Direction
How often have we ourselves said or have heard others exclaim in times of crisis or trouble, “I just don’t know where to turn”?If we will just use it, there is a gift available to all of us—the gift of looking to God for direction. Here is an avenue of strength, comfort, and guidance.

“Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life” (3 Ne. 15:9).

“Look to God and live.” This is the wonderful promise given so often in the scriptures.

 3. The Gift to Hear and Use the Small Voice

 Most often, hope, encouragement, and direction come from a soft, piercing voice.

Small voices are heard only by those who are willing to listen. Soft and small voice communications with our associates make priceless friendships possible. I am appreciative of people who find no need to raise their voices as they try to impress or convince. It seems most people who argue and shout have ceased listening to what the small voice could powerfully contribute.  We love the small voice of a child saying, “Mommy, Daddy, I love you.”  How powerful is a small voice that knows how and when to say, “Thank you.”

Think of the heavenly voice saying, Joseph, this is my beloved son. Hear him (see JS—H 1:17).

It is heartwarming and reassuring to hear the small voice declare, “Be still and know” (D&C 101:16).

Remember that one of our greatest gifts is the small voice of the Holy Ghost whispering directions in our lives and making mighty testimonies possible.

4. The Gift to Calm

Contention is a tool of the adversary. Peace is a tool of our Savior. What a wonderful tribute we pay people when we describe them as being gentle, firm, and calm!  Contention stops progress. Love brings eternal progression.  Where contention prevails, there can be no united effort in any purposeful direction.

“Cease to contend one with another; cease to speak evil one of another” (D&C 136:23).

Argument and debate must be supplanted by calm discussion, study, listening, and negotiation.

The gospel is one of harmony, unity, and agreement. It must be presented in love, and with glad tidings, by those who are calm.  We should learn to talk together, listen together, pray together, decide together, and avoid all forms of possible contention. We must learn to curb anger. Satan knows that when contention begins, orderly progress is thwarted.

5. The Gift to Care

Recently, during a twenty-fifth anniversary ward reunion in the Salt Lake Valley, a “Best Scouter Ever” award was presented. The special evening in the cultural hall, which included dinner as well as a fine program, drew many people back to the ward event because of the good feelings created over the past twenty-five years.  The person acting as master of ceremonies introduced a young man to make this special award. He looked to be about six feet four inches tall and well over two hundred pounds. He walked to the microphone and said, “We would now like to pay tribute to the best Scouter this ward has ever had.”

Immediately names and faces of past Scout leaders jumped into the minds of those attending. Who would it be? There had been many great Scoutmasters in this ward. How could those in charge decide?

The tall, handsome young man mentioned many names of past Scout leaders and then said, “No, it is none of these, though they have all been great Scouters. Our ward ‘Best Scouter Ever’ award goes to someone who has worked in the Primary and as a Scout leader teaching boys for forty years. This individual has received the Silver Beaver Award, one of the highest awards given in Scouting, and the Silver Beehive Award, the highest award given by the Church in Scouting.” Then with a voice that trembled slightly, he said, “Our ‘Best Scouter Ever’ recognition goes to Sister Jennie Verl Keefer.” There came a hush over the audience, then knowing voices of approval, then a burst of applause that seemed to go on forever.

Sister Keefer was called up to the front. All present intently watched her quietly make her way. From the back of the room, this gray-haired bundle of energy hesitatingly came forward, her five-foot frame barely taller than those who were seated. Once at the microphone, the surprised recipient expressed a quiet and emotional, yet firm, thanks. She said between tears of gratitude it wasn’t quite forty years she had served. It was only thirty-seven years. And then Sister Keefer proudly added that during all her time of service, she had never had a bad boy.   Then the presenter asked all those whom Sister Keefer had ever taught and cared for to come to the stage. Here was the amazing thing. Men and boys started from the audience and filled the space behind this tiny woman. Big men, men in suits, doctors, bishops, presidents of companies, husbands, fathers holding babies, returned missionaries, contractors, computer workers, dentists, carpenters, and more. All these Scouts had been boys touched by the service and caring of this one noble and great woman—the best Scouter ever in the ward’s entire history. She had the gift of caring, and here were some of the fruits of her labors. Generations yet to come will bless her name for what she has done. What a great gift have those who know how to care!

One Step Enough - John S. Tanner

One Step Enough - John S. Tanner

In periods of prolonged distress, we yearn for the Lord to carry us to a mountaintop, as he did Moses, and there reveal in detail the course of our lives (cf. Moses 1). Instead, God requires us to wander like Abraham, as “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13), living on promises. To live on this side of the veil is to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7); it is to “feel after” the Lord (see Acts 17:27; D&C 101:8) as he lights our way home, one step at a time.

We have just sung lines by John Henry Newman that express this theme. Newman wrote “Lead, Kindly Light” aboard ship on the way home to England from Italy. He was homesick and seasick; he had just had malaria. Though he didn’t know it yet, he was also about to take the first faltering steps of a spiritual pilgrimage that ultimately would lead him, and many who followed him, to another church. In these circumstances, Newman writes:

Lead, kindly Light, amid th’ encircling gloom;
Lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene—one step enough for me.
[Hymns, 1985, no. 97]

To walk by faith is to follow in the footsteps of Abraham, the spiritual father of the faithful (Galatians 3:7), who must sojourn as pilgrims and strangers on this earth. In Hebrews we read:
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.[Hebrews 11:8–9; emphasis added]
“Not knowing whither he went,” Abraham left not only his city but city life itself, in the cradle of civilization, to become a nomad. As Abraham so aptly puts it:
Therefore, eternity was our covering and our rock and our salvation, as we journeyed from Haran . . . to come to the land of Canaan. [Abraham 2:16]
Moreover, Abraham did not cease to be a nomad after he arrived in the promised land. Rather, even in Canaan he dwelt “in tabernacles” (i.e., tents), “as in a strange [i.e., foreign] country.” While his nephew Lot chose to live “in the cities” on the well-watered plain of Jordan (Genesis 13:10–12)—and reaped the consequence of that choice—Abraham dwelt not in cities. “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10), and taught us by his example that “here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (Hebrews 13:14).
As Abram wandered through Canaan, he was promised the land over and over again (cf. Genesis 12:1–3, 7; 13:14–17; 15:18; 17:1–8). Yet when Sarah died, Abraham had to buy the cave of Machpelah in which to bury her. How poignant are Abraham’s words to the sons of Heth, from whom he purchased the cave:
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. [Genesis 23:4]
The land was Abraham’s by covenant, yet near the end of his life he did not even own a plot of ground sufficient to inter Sarah’s body. Later, Abraham was buried in this same cave, the only property he ever owned in Canaan (Genesis 25:9–10). No wonder Stephen the Martyr says that the Lord gave Abraham “none inheritance” in Canaan, “no, not so much as to set his foot on,” but promised only that he would give Abraham the land “for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child” (Acts 7:5).
Abraham spent all his days living on promises—not only with respect to the promised land but also with respect to a promised posterity. With what could seem like cruel irony, the Lord repeatedly pledged Abram posterity as numerous as the dust of the earth and the stars of heaven (Genesis 13:16; 15:4–5; 17:2–4; 18:17–19; 22:16–18). He also changed his name to Abraham, meaning father of a multitude. Yet all the while Abraham had no promised heir; all the while he and Sarah were growing older.
At last, of course, Isaac was born. Then the God of Abraham, who seems to have a keen sense of irony, required the sacrifice of the very child through whom the prophecies that Abraham’s seed would become “a great and mighty nation” were to be fulfilled (Genesis 18:18). How is it that Abraham “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief” (Romans 4:20), but “believed in the Lord,” who “counted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6; cf. Galatians 3:6).
We distort the trials of Abraham (or of anyone else) if we read them from the comfortable retrospective of history. Rather, as Kierkegaard reminds us, we must remember the fear and trembling.⁸ We must flee with Abram from Haran, not knowing whither we go, with eternity as our rock; we must wander with Abram in Canaan, living on increasingly incredible promises about possessing the land and a great posterity; we must journey with Abraham to Mount Moriah, prepare the altar for Isaac, and lift the knife. We must, in short, become “contemporaneous”⁹ with Abraham in his trials. Only then will we begin to understand why Abraham is the father to the faithful, the model for all those who, like him, die
in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. . . .
. . . a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. [Hebrews 11:13–14, 16]
The scriptures are replete with examples of Abrahamic faith. Lehi’s example comes readily to mind. Like Abraham, Lehi fled from his home, “dwelt in a tent,” and was led by faith to a better country. Also like Abraham, Lehi seems to have left Jerusalem “not knowing whither he went.” Nephi’s account, at any rate, depicts Lehi first fleeing into the wilderness and only later learning that the Lord intended to lead him to a new world (cf. 1 Nephi 2). That Lehi’s family made several return trips to Jerusalem may be explained, in part, by their unfolding knowledge of the journey they were undertaking. Perhaps they had to learn that their exile was to be an exodus.
Likewise, missionaries in every age have always had to walk by faith—from the sons of Mosiah, who journeyed to the land of the Lamanites on the strength of prophetic promises (Mosiah 28:7; Alma 17:10–12), to modern-day missionaries like Wilford Woodruff, who followed the Spirit’s prompting to go south to Hertfordshire, where he baptized hundreds.¹⁰ All those who embrace the gospel become the progeny of Abraham (Abraham 2:10; Galatians 3:7) and like him have to walk by faith, one step at a time.
This includes prophets of our day. I will never forget a conversation with President Harold B. Lee that taught me this. President Lee (who, by the way, loved the hymn “Lead, Kindly Light”) had talked freely that day about a new program the Church had just announced. He then remarked that he had just reread the minutes of the meetings in which the program had been formulated and that he saw now, in retrospect, that the Lord had been guiding the deliberations all along. What a remarkable description of revelation! The Lord’s guidance was not fully evident, even to his prophet, until President Lee turned to survey the terrain he had traversed. The Lord led his servant, yes, but one step at a time.
This lesson impressed me, but it should not have surprised me. For even Jesus “received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace. . . . And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first” (D&C 93:12, 14). He was called the Son because he received not of the fulness at the first. Does this imply that Jesus’ human limitations define the essence of his sonship (or mortality), just as they do ours? Does this mean that he had to learn his mission incrementally and live through trials without knowing the beginning from the end? I note that the Lord often had to fast and pray to obtain the Father’s unfolding will. And Jesus’ astonishing plea that he “might not drink the bitter cup” (D&C 19:18) suggests that the Savior’s prescience of the Atonement did not preclude his very human apprehension about the ensuing ordeal. In this, as “in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren” (Hebrews 2:17). “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but took on him the seed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16).

Integrity - Jeffrey R. Holland

Integrity - Jeffrey R. Holland

May I share with you a little story that I remember from my childhood which helps make the case for integrity in little things so that the big things may then take care of themselves.
A storybook emperor called all the young people in his kingdom together one day. He said, “It has come time for me to step down and to choose the next emperor. It will be one of you. In making that selection, I am going to give each one of you a seed today. Come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed.”
A young boy named Ling was in the crowd of children. He went home and excitedly told his mother the whole story. She helped him get a pot and some planting soil. He planted the seed given him. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.
After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his pot, but nothing ever grew in it.
Eventually all the others were talking about their plants. Ling was apparently the only failure. Everyone else spoke of small trees and tall plants, but he had nothing.
Finally a year went by, and all the youths brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she encouraged him to go, report how hard he had tried, and be honest about what happened. Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace.
Ling put his empty pot on the floor amidst beautiful plants and flowers of all shapes and sizes. When the emperor arrived, Ling tried to hide in the back of the room. But the emperor spotted Ling—empty pot and all. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front, where the leader said, “Behold your new emperor!”
To a now very quiet audience, the older man said, “One year ago today I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. Yet all of you, except one, have brought me magnificent trees and plants and flowers. Obviously, when you found that the seed I gave you would not grow, you substituted another. Apparently only one young man among you had the integrity to abide by the rules I gave you. I can trust him to take my place and lead my people.”

 “The heritage of our American nation includes a profound reverence for integrity. . . . In one speech, characteristic of others he would make, Abraham Lincoln took a position that would end up costing him his race for U.S. Senate vs. Stephen A. Douglas. [He said boldly that] the country could not survive . . . as a house divided, ‘half-slave and half-free.’ He knew [what the] consequences of his words [on such an emotional issue might be, but he said]: ‘I would rather be defeated with [that declaration in my] speech . . . than to be victorious without it.’ [And he was defeated.]
“[But] the integrity that cost him the senate seat [later] won him the presidency [of the nation]. It . . . also inspired the nation to prevail in [its most brutal war] and [ultimately it freed those slaves about whom he spoke. In great measure] Lincoln’s integrity shaped our young nation’s values [at that crucial time and still defines] what it means to be American.”<sup>9

Lance B. Wickman related the following experience:</sup>
 “In November 1966, I had been in the combat zone of Vietnam for nearly ten months. I was an infantry platoon leader. I had experienced much of the perils, the trials, the moment-to-moment anxiety of combat. Our battalion had just returned to our base camp for some ‘R and R’ . . . after several weeks in the jungles and rice paddies. It was a Saturday night. Having taken our first showers in a very long time, we were sitting around on our bunks cleaning our rifles and listening to music on the Armed Forces Radio Network. Suddenly, an urgent message crackled over our battalion radio network. A sister battalion in our brigade—still in the jungle—was being overrun by a much larger enemy force. We were needed. We had to go, right then, to the rescue.
“It is very hard to adequately describe the icy feelings that clutched at my heart in that moment. . . .
“How I would have liked [more] time. [Time to rest. Time] to prepare! Time to ponder inspiring scripture. Time to pray. . . . Time to ‘gird up [my] loins’ [scripturally speaking]. But there was no time. I only could grab my helmet, my rifle, give some terse orders to my men and move out. But one thing I could do was to utter a silent prayer in my heart. And as I did, there came to my mind—literally—a ‘still, small voice.’ The voice repeated the words to a passage of scripture that I had memorized . . . as a missionary. Words that have become my very favorite in all scripture: ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths’ (Proverbs 3:5–6). As those words came to mind, peace filled my heart. The foreboding retreated.
“. . . We remained in the jungle on that operation [for many weeks] following that nocturnal SOS message. Finally, it was the very last day of [the] operation. I was riding in an armored personnel carrier through a lightly forested area of jungle. Suddenly, an enormous explosion beneath the vehicle [literally lifted] it off the ground. . . . Enemy soldiers nearby had detonated a huge landmine. The engine was blown out. The tracks and all the road wheels were blown off. Everyone inside, including me, was wounded. But no one died.
“And in that . . . moment, there again came to my mind that same still voice and that some passage of scripture. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths.’”¹⁰
In life or in death, I declare as an expression of my integrity that God lives and loves us, that He will always be with us and will—if we but trust in Him—direct our personal paths.

The Powers Within Us - Barbara B. Smith

The Powers Within Us - Barbara B. Smith

 Let’s consider just three of the great powers of which we are custodians. Perhaps then we will understand more clearly the process necessary to become what we are really meant to be.

 First, we have great physical powers.

 “When a man makes war on his own weaknesses he engages in the holiest war that mortals ever wage. The reward that comes from victory in this struggle is the most enduring, most satisfying, and the most exquisite that man ever experiences. … The power to do what we ought to do is the greatest freedom.” (… That Ye Might Have Joy, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, Inc., 1958, p. 83.)

 I know now that the powers within our bodies are the powers not only to create life but to live life in such a way that mortality will be a happy and meaningful experience. It is only when these miraculous systems malfunction—and as we struggle to understand the body in order to treat the ailments it falls heir to in this life—that we fully appreciate its remarkable nature and the intricate interrelationships that exist. The human body is most remarkable. It can walk, run, jump, climb, swim, ski, play, jog, and on and on. But not the least of its remarkable capabilities are its compensatory powers. We gain an awareness of powers as we observe some of our friends and acquaintances, or ourselves, who have birth defects, accidents or illnesses that cause the functions we counted on to be lost so that other parts of the body have to substitute. When one avenue of activity is denied by a physical impairment, there is still a rich variety of alternate choices available to us.

 Now let us consider our mental powers. 

But we must remember that one of the significant tools for learning is our ability to control our attitude. Fortunately we have the power within us to control and establish our own attitudes. All the knowledge in the world will not help us if we resist learning. There is no end to our capacity to learn if we apply ourselves diligently and with eagerness to the task.

Perhaps the most important point that we can discuss regarding our intellectual powers is the fact that each of us has the power to grow from our day-to-day experiences. At one time or another, we all will have occasion to choose between a life of bitterness and a life of beauty. We have the power within us to make such a choice. The Lord has promised that we can count on him for sufficient help to have an abundant life if we choose to live by the principles which lead to our personal growth and development.
  
There is a third great power within us—the power for enormous spiritual growth, the infinite possibility for perfecting ourselves.

  

In Doctrine and Covenants 11:30 [D&C 11:30] we read: “I say unto you, that as many as receive me, to them will I give power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on my name.” It is easy to think, “That can’t be true! How can there be that great potential in you or me when all I see is a struggling, imperfect human being?” I can only say, as did Lorenzo Snow, “Godliness cannot be conferred but must be acquired.” (Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow, Salt Lake City: Deseret News Co., 1884, p. 193.)

We must want that blessing so much that we will resist worldly enticements, have faith in God’s word, seek him in prayer, listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and proclaim his gospel within the reach of our influence. In the process we will develop the spiritual powers within us. For the power is in us: “Unto as many as received me gave I power to do many miracles, … power to obtain eternal life.” (D&C 45:8.)

 Someone once said, “All human power is a compound of time and patience.” (Honore de Balzac, in The International Dictionary of Thoughts, comp. John P. Bradley, et al, Chicago: J. G. Ferguson Publishing Co., 1969, p. 573.) And Benjamin Disraeli said, “All power is a trust.” (The International Dictionary of Thoughts, p. 574.) We must realize that time and patience are necessary for organizing our lives and calling forth powers. It may begin with something as simple as bringing order to our homes.

Do our actions focus on developing loving relationships?
Are there kindly acts of concern each day?
Does our routine bring about the maintenance of our homes?
Do we employ the  practices of provident living?
Do our pursuits bring about learning and refinement?
Are the relationships within our homes those that can be forever?

The Terribly, Tragically Sad Man - A Parable for Today - Loren Seibold

Once there was a boy who lived in a big house on a hill.  He loved dogs and horses, sports cars and music.  He climbed trees and went swimming, played football and admired pretty girls.  Except for having to pick up after himself, he had a nice life.

One day, the boy said to God, "I've been thinking, and I know what I want when I become a man."

"What?" asked God

"I want to live in a big house with a porch across the front and two Saint Bernards and a garden out back.  I want to marry a woman who is tall and very beautiful and kind, who has long, black hair and blue eyes, and who plays the guitar and sings in a clear, high voice.  I want three strong sons to play football with.  When they grow up, one will be a great scientist, one will be a Senator, and the youngest will quarterback for the 49ers.  I want to be an adventurer who sails vast oceans and climbs tall mountains and rescues people.  And I want to drive a red Ferrari and never have to pick up after myself."

"That sounds like a nice dream," said God.  "I want you to be happy."

One day, playing football, the boy hurt his knee.  After that he couldn't climb tall mountains or even tall  trees, much less sail vast oceans.  So he studied marketing and started a medical-supplies business.  He married a girl who was very beautiful and very kind and who had long, black hair.  But she was not tall, and had brown eyes, not blue.  She couldn't play the guitar, or even sing.  But she prepared wonderful meals seasoned with rare Chinese spices and painted magnificent pictures of birds.

Because of his business, he lived in a city near the top of a tall apartment building that overlooked the blue ocean and the city's twinkling lights.  He didn't have room for two Saint Bernards, but he had a fluffy cat.

He had three daughters, all very beautiful.  The youngest, who was in a wheelchair, was the loveliest.  The three daughters loved their father very much.  They didn't play football with him, but sometimes they went to the park and tossed a frisbee--except for the youngest, who sat under a tree strumming her guitar and singing lovely, haunting songs.

He made enough money to live comfortably, but he didn't drive a red Ferrari.  Sometimes he had to pick up things and put them away - even things that didn't belong to him.  After all, he had three daughters.

Then one morning the man awoke and remembered his dream.  "I am very sad," he said to his best friend.

"Why?" asked his friend.

"Because once I dreamed of marrying a tall woman with black hair and blue eyes who would play the guitar and sing.  My wife can't play the guitar or sing.  She has brown eyes and she's not tall."

"Your wife is beautiful and very kind," said his friend.  "She creates splendid pictures and delectable food."

But the man wasn't listening.  "I am very sad." the man confessed to his wife one day.

"Why?" asked his wife.

"Because I once dreamed of living in a big house with a porch, and of having two Saint Bernards and a garden out back.  Instead, I live in an apartment on the 47th floor."

"Our apartment is comfortable, and we can see the ocean from our couch," replied his wife.  "We have love, laughter and paintings of birds and a fluffy cat - not to mention three beautiful children."

But the man wasn't listening.  "I am very sad," the man said to his therapist.

"Why?" asked the therapist.

"Because I once dreamed that I would grow up to be a great adventurer.  Instead, I'm a bald businessman with a bad knee."

"The medical supplies you sell have saved many lives," said the therapist.  But the man wasn't listening, so his therapist charged him $110 and sent him home.

"I am very sad," the man said to his accountant.

"Why?" asked the accountant.

Because I once dreamed of driving a red Ferrari and of never having to pick up after myself.  Instead, I take public transportation, and sometimes, I still have to clean up."

"You wear good suits.  You eat at fine restaurants, and you've toured Europe," said his accountant.  But the man wasn't listening.  His accountant charged him $100 anyway.  He was dreaming of a red Ferrari himself.

"I am very sad," the man said to his minister.

"Why?" asked the minister.

"Because once I dreamed of having three sons:  a great scientist, a politician, and a quarterback.  Instead, I have three daughters, and the youngest can't even walk."

"But your daughters are beautiful and intelligent." said the minister.  "They love you very much, and they've all done well.  One is a nurse, another is an artist, and the youngest teaches music to children."  But the man wasn't listening.

He was so sad he became very sick.  He lay in a white hospital room surrounded by nurses in white uniforms.  Tubes and wires connected his body to blinking machines that he had once sold to the hospital.  He was terribly, tragically sad.  His family, friends, and minister gathered around his bed.  They were all deeply sad too.  Only his therapist and his accountant remained happy.

Then one night, when everyone except the nurses had gone home, the man said to God, "Remember when I was a boy and I told you all the things that I wanted?"

"It was a lovely dream," said God.

"Why didn't you give me those things?" asked the man.

"I could have," said God, "But I wanted to surprise you with things you didn't dream of.  I suppose you've noticed what I've given you; a kind, beautiful wife; a good business; a nice place to live;  three lovely daughters - one of the best packages I've put together - "

"Yes," interrupted the man.  "But I thought you were going to give me what I really wanted."

"And I thought you were going to give me what I really wanted."  said God.

"What did you want?" asked the man.  It had never occurred to him that God was in want of anything.

"I wanted to make you happy with what I'd given you," said God

"The man lay in the dark all night, thinking.  Finally he decided to dream a new dream, one he wished he'd dreamed years before.  He decided to dream that what he wanted most were the things he already had.

And the man got well and lived happily on the 47th floor, enjoying his children's beautiful voices, his wife's deep brown eyes and her glorious paintings of birds.  And at night he gazed at the ocean and contentedly watched the lights of the city twinkling on, one by one.

Faith - the Choice is Yours - Richard C. Edgley

Faith - the Choice is Yours - Richard C. Edgley


Alma’s classic discussion on faith, as recorded in the 32nd chapter of Alma in the Book of Mormon, is a series of choices to ensure the development and the preservation of our faith. Alma gave us a directive to choose. His were words of action initiated by choosing. He used the words awake, arouse, experiment, exercise, desire, work, and plant. Then Alma explained that if we make these choices and do not cast the seed out by unbelief, then “it will begin to swell within [our] breasts” (Alma 32:28).

 And so, following Alma’s formula, let us choose. Let us choose faith.

• If confusion and hopelessness weigh on your mind, choose to “awake and arouse your faculties” (Alma 32:27). Humbly approaching the Lord with a broken heart and contrite spirit is the pathway to truth and the Lord’s way of light, knowledge, and peace.

• If your testimony is immature, untested, and insecure, choose to “exercise [even] a particle of faith”; choose to “experiment upon [His] words” (Alma 32:27). The Savior explained, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17).

• When logic, reason, or personal intellect come into conflict with sacred teachings and doctrine, or conflicting messages assault your beliefs as the fiery darts described by the Apostle Paul (see Ephesians 6:16), choose to not cast the seed out of your heart by unbelief. Remember, we receive not a witness until after the trial of our faith (see Ether 12:6).

• If your faith is proven and mature, choose to nurture it “with great care” (Alma 32:37). As strong as our faith is, with all the mixed messages attacking it, it can also become very fragile. It needs constant nourishment through continued scripture study, prayer, and the application of His word.
  
  When the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast a devil out as they had just witnessed the Savior do, Jesus answered, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove” (Matthew 17:20). I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. But because of faith I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope and optimism. Because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed.
  
  
  • Because of my faith I have activated the power of the priesthood that I hold and have been a partaker of the sweetness of the gospel and have embraced the saving ordinances.
    
    
  • Because of my faith I work through the struggles and difficulties in life with peace and assurance.
    
    
  • Because of my faith I have been able to turn questions and even doubts into assurances and understanding.
    
    
  • Because of my faith I approach the unknown, unseen, and unexplained with unquestioning assurance.

   

  • And because of my faith—even in the seemingly worst of times—I recognize with peace and gratitude that in reality it is the best of times.
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Don't Leave for Tomorrow What You Can Do Today - Claudio R. M Costa

Don't Leave for Tomorrow What You Can Do Today - Claudio R. M. Costa

I recently read a text which expresses the urgency of not leaving for tomorrow what you can do today. In July of this year Brazil witnessed the most devastating aircraft accident in its history. There were 199 people killed, including passengers, airline workers, crew members, and others who were at the site when the accident happened. The text I mentioned was said to have been posted on the airline communication board by the husband of one of the flight attendants who died in the accident. It is entitled “Tomorrow Never Comes” and is based upon a poem by Norma Cornett Marek.

 If I knew this would be the last time I would watch you sleep,

I would hug you tighter. I would plead with the Lord to protect you.

If I knew this would be the last time I saw you walk out the door,

I would hug and kiss you and call you back to hug and kiss you one more time.

If I knew this would be the last time I would hear your voice in prayer,

I would record every gesture, every look, every smile, every one of your words,

So that I could listen to it later, day after day.

If I knew this would be the last time,

I would spend an extra minute or two to tell you, “I love you,” instead of assuming you already knew it.

If I knew this would be our last time, our last moment,

I would be by your side, spending the day with you instead of thinking,

“Well, I’m sure other opportunities will come, so I can let this day go by.”

Of course there will be a day to revise things,

And we would have a second chance to do things right.

Oh, of course there will be another day for us to say, “I love you.”

And certainly there will be another chance to tell each other, “Can I help with anything?”

But in my case, there isn’t one!

I don’t have you here with me, and today is the last day we have—our farewell.

Therefore I would like to say how much I love you,

And I hope you never forget it.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old.

Today might be your last chance to hold tight to the hand of the one you love and show all you feel.

If you are waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today?

Because if tomorrow never comes, you certainly will regret for the rest of your life

Not having spent some extra time for a smile, a conversation, a hug, a kiss,

Because you were too busy to give that person what ended up being their last wish.

Then hug tight today the one you love, your friends, your family, and whisper in their ears how much you love them and want them close to you.

Use your time to say,

“I’m sorry,”

“Please,”

“Forgive me,”

“Thank you,”

Or even,

“That was nothing,”

“It’s all right,”

Because if tomorrow never comes, you will not have to regret today.

The past doesn’t come back, and the future might not come! ¹⁰

"Judge Not" and Judging - Dallin H. Oaks

"Judge Not" and Judging - Dallin H. Oaks

 
Let us consider some principles or ingredients that lead to a “righteous judgment.”

 First, a righteous judgment must, by definition, be intermediate. It will refrain from declaring that a person has been assured of exaltation or from dismissing a person as being irrevocably bound for hellfire. It will refrain from declaring that a person has forfeited all opportunity for exaltation or even all opportunity for a useful role in the work of the Lord. The gospel is a gospel of hope, and none of us is authorized to deny the power of the Atonement to bring about a cleansing of individual sins, forgiveness, and a reformation of life on appropriate conditions.

Second, a righteous judgment will be guided by the Spirit of the Lord, not by anger, revenge, jealousy, or self-interest. The Book of Mormon teaches: “For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain … as the daylight is from the dark night.

“For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil” (Moro. 7:15–16).

The Savior taught that one of the missions of the Comforter He would send would be to assist in the judgment of the world by guiding the faithful “into all truth” (John 16:13; see also John 16:8, 11).

Third, to be righteous, an intermediate judgment must be within our stewardship. We should not presume to exercise and act upon judgments that are outside our personal responsibilities. Some time ago I attended an adult Sunday School class in a small town in Utah. The subject was the sacrament, and the class was being taught by the bishop. During class discussion a member asked, “What if you see an unworthy person partaking of the sacrament? What do you do?” The bishop answered, “You do nothing. I may need to do something.” That wise answer illustrates my point about stewardship in judging.

 Fourth, we should, if possible, refrain from judging until we have adequate knowledge of the facts.

“We do not need to judge nearly so much as we think we do. This is the age of snap judgments. … [We need] the courage to say, ‘I don’t know. I am waiting further evidence. I must hear both sides of the question.’ It is this suspended judgment that is the supreme form of charity”  

A fifth principle of a righteous intermediate judgment is that whenever possible we will refrain from judging people and only judge situations. This is essential whenever we attempt to act upon different standards than others with whom we must associate—at home, at work, or in the community. We can set and act upon high standards for ourselves or our homes without condemning those who do otherwise.

Sixth, forgiveness is a companion principle to the commandment that in final judgments we judge not and in intermediate judgments we judge righteously. The Savior taught, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). In modern revelation the Lord has declared, “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men” (D&C 64:10).

Seventh, a final ingredient or principle of a righteous judgment is that it will apply righteous standards. If we apply unrighteous standards, our judgment will be unrighteous. By falling short of righteous standards, we place ourselves in jeopardy of being judged by incorrect or unrighteous standards ourselves. The fundamental scripture on the whole subject of not judging contains this warning: “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matt. 7:2; see also 3 Ne. 14:2).

The Power of a Strong Testimony - Richard G. Scott

The Power of a Strong Testimony - Richard G. Scott

This talk was the basis for the talk that I gave at my Dads funeral.

Your personal security and happiness depend upon the strength of your testimony, for it will guide your actions in times of trial or uncertainty.

In this uncertain world, there are some things that never change:

•  the perfect love of our Heavenly Father for each of us;

•  the assurance that He is there and will always hear us; 

• the existence of absolute, unchanging truths;

•  the fact that there is a plan of happiness; 

• the assurance that success in life is attained through faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His teachings because of the redemptive power of His Atonement;

•  the certainty of life after death;

•  the reality that our condition there is set by how we live here. 

Whether one does or does not accept these truths does not alter their reality. They are the fundamental building blocks of a living testimony. A strong testimony is the unshakable foundation of a secure, meaningful life where peace, confidence, happiness, and love can flourish. It is anchored in a conviction that an all-knowing God is in command of His work. He will not fail. He will keep His promises.

A strong testimony gives peace, comfort, and assurance. It generates the conviction that as the teachings of the Savior are consistently obeyed, life will be beautiful, the future secure, and there will be capacity to overcome the challenges that cross our path. A testimony grows from understanding truth, distilled from prayer and the pondering of scriptural doctrine. It is nurtured by living those truths in faith and the secure confidence that the promised results will be obtained.

 For enduring peace and security, at some time in life, in quiet moments of reflection, you must come to know with a surety that there is a God in heaven who loves you, that He is in control and will help you. That conviction is the core of strong testimony.

Parable of the Rose - Bob Southworth

This story was given to me when Eldy died by my friend Marisa Lamm, whose son died under similar circumstances.  Her Bishop Bob Southworth wrote it for her.      

The remorseful gardeners approached the Master Gardener quietly.  His loving eyes gazed into theirs as He asked, "Why weepest thou?"

One of the gardeners stepped forward and answered, "The rose which you gave us to watch over, to care for, to nurture, to tend - has died.  We feel that we have failed in our stewardship as keepers of this garden."

The Master replied, "Show me the rose."

The gardeners lead the Master to the thorny bush.  One of them pointed and said, "It was once a very beautiful rose, with many blossoms and few thorns and those who beheld its beauty were forever touched."

Another gardener added, "But as time passed, we noticed that the plant took on illness and disease.  And as the disease grew, so did the thorns.  The thorns that were intended to protect the plant from harm also kept us from closely nurturing it and caring for it."

The Master watched and listened as each of the gardeners spoke.

"We tried to cut back the thorns and tend the plant, but each time the thorns grew back in greater strength and the blossoms diminished further."

The gardeners wept.

The Master walked over to the bush and began softly pushing the thorny branches aside as He reached down deep into the center of the plant.  As the gardeners watched, He pulled forth a small, delicate rose - perfect in its form, yet wilted and drooping.

The Master spoke, "This rose is not dead." he said softly.  "This rose needs the healing touch that only I can provide.  For a season, I will take this rose to my garden and with under my care will I tend it, love it, heal it, and nurture it back to health.  This rose needs the protection of my garden as it is free of disease and thorns.  Once this rose regains its beauty and health, I will bring it back to you so that you can be reunited once again."

The Master continued, "Sometimes disease afflicts the finest of roses in this earthly garden, and some illnesses you do not have power to heal.  Do not be saddened thinking that all is lost and the you have failed.  Your efforts are acceptable to me.  I will fill the void between what you can provide and what is needed for eternal life.  Know that I love each of you beyond measure.

Now lift up your hearts and be glad - for this Rose liveth and will be restored once again to its perfect form and beauty and will return to you again in a season.  Now go to, and continue on in your valiant efforts, looking after the other roses in  your garden.

The Master smiled a loving and warm smile, then kissed each gardener and departed - carefully holding the delicate rose in his pierced hands.