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Definition of commitment—

“the trait of sincere and steadfast fixity of purpose”;

“the act of binding yourself (intellectually and emotionally) to a course of action;

Scriptural language for being committed expresses it in different ways:

· Coming to the Lord with full purpose of heart. (3 Nephi 10:6)

· Offer your whole souls as an offering unto him (Omni 1:26)

· Loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:37)

· Having a determination to serve the Lord to the end (D&C 20:37)

I wanted to see what Jesus had to say about being committed.

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea,

[or husband, yea and his own life also; or in other words, is afraid to lay down his life for my sake; cannot be] my disciple.

27 And whosoever doth not

bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a

tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another

king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-33, emphasis added, JST added in square brackets)

There are two important analogies Jesus uses to teach about being committed in this section. In the first, he compares it to counting the cost of building a tower. It’s about considering what effort it is going to take to do what must be done to get the final result (which is eternal life). Being committed to the gospel for our whole lives is like building a tower. But it isn’t done all at once. To make the best progress, we have to do all the building we can every day of our lives. Are we going to stop in the middle and say, “Okay, that’s good enough for me,” or are we going to get to a certain level one day and say, “Whoa, I’m starting to be scared of heights here,” or are we going to say “I’m getting really tired of this”? If we start, we have to finish it.

In the second part, he compares being committed to a king going to make war with another king, consulting to see if he has enough men to beat the opposition. The lesson is that we are going to face opposition in living the gospel and we have to be willing to do what it takes to fight and overcome whatever Satan attacks us with, even though we are outnumbered. We have to be ready to fight, no matter the cost.

Next, there were some interesting conversations Jesus had with two disciples that are instructive:

19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. (Matthew 8:19-22)

Here two different people want to follow Christ and He shares with them some important information about being committed. The first one is very enthusiastic and says, “I’ll go wherever you go.” Jesus tells him that unlike the animals, Jesus has no place to sleep. I don’t think Jesus was trying to discourage this man; He was just being honest about what the man would experience if he were to follow Jesus around everywhere. The scribe wouldn’t have his own bed anymore. He had to be aware that there was going to be discomfort and a lot of traveling. Jesus wanted the scribe to make his choice based on full information about what was required to come along so he could be fully committed. The message for us is that you can’t take a rest from being a disciple of Christ. Being a disciple of Christ isn’t a 9-to-5 job; disciples of Christ are always on the clock.

The second man wanted to come with Jesus…but wanted to do it…later. He wanted to wait until after his father was dead. Maybe his father wasn’t excited about his interest in following Jesus and was making life tough for the man. In response, Jesus said, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.” In other words, he was to not let his father get in the way of following Christ. The message for us is that commitment to Christ is something we have to do NOW. It can’t be delayed until conditions are right; that would be like waiting to start a trip until all the stoplights have turned green.

How do we stay committed to follow the Lord when it is hard?

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)

I used to see this scripture as meaning that one decision is enough to last us through our whole lives, but I recently began to see it in a different way. When it seems really hard, we just need to break it down into manageable pieces. One day at a time. Make a firm decision that TODAY you will follow and serve the Lord. Make it the best day possible. (We can handle a single day, right?) Then, tomorrow, make a firm decision that THAT DAY, you will follow and serve the Lord. And make that firm decision each day of your life.

Personal Experience: For the last few months I’ve been struggling with internal chatter of the doubtful, fearful variety that was causing me to waver when I wanted to be firm. I wondered for a long time what I could do about this. I prayed for courage, and I struggled as best I could. When I was asked to give this talk, I realized immediately that commitment and conversion was exactly what I needed. I also knew that I would not be able to give this talk until I strengthened my own commitment to the Lord. So I began taking steps immediately. Whenever that negative chatter started tearing at me, I would say strongly to myself, “I will follow the Lord.” I repeating that to myself as often as necessary, “I will follow the Lord.” It said that to myself quite a lot for the first three days. I worked to be more vigilant in my small choices. I also asked my husband give me a blessing so I could escape the buffettings of Satan. And each day I would recommit myself to follow the Lord that day. It really helped me.

How do we show our commitment to the Lord?

It starts with obedience to the basic principles of the gospel-- faith in Christ, repentance, then baptism, then receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

We continue to show our commitment and renew that commitment when we take the sacrament and keep the other commandments that we’ve been given.

What kinds of experiences have people had when they’ve made a commitment to the Lord?

There are a number of examples in the Book of Mormon that illustrate how commitment brings great blessings, but in the interest of time, I thought I would focus on the stripling warriors.

The stripling warriors were committed both to following the Lord and to fighting in all cases to protect the liberty of their fathers. What the scriptures have to say about their character never ceases to be inspiring to me.

· They were “strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day” (Alma 58:40)

· They kept God’s “statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually” (Alma 58:40)

· They “[stood] fast in that liberty wherewith God [had] made them free” (Alma 58:40)

· They had “exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe” (Alma 57:26)

· “Their faith was strong in the prophecies” (Alma 58:40)

· They put their trust in God continually” (Alma 57:27)

· “They were…true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted” (Alma 53:20)

· They were men of truth and soberness” (Alma 53:21)

· They were “exceedingly valiant for courage” (Alma 53:20)

· Were “firm and undaunted” (Alma 57:19-20) when many Nephites were “about to give way” (Alma 57:20)

I so want to be firm and undaunted.

Story told by Elder John B. Dickson of the seventy:

In 1979…missionaries began proselyting in a lush, green area called the Huesteca. 52 people joined the Church in Panacaxtlan. … A short time later, a meeting was called in Panacaxtlan at which Church members were given the following options: denounce the Church, leave the village, or be killed (not an idle threat). The members, particularly the women, said they knew the Church to be true and would not denounce it. They also indicated they had worked just as hard as the rest of the community to secure their homesteads, and they would not leave. Boldly stepping forward, they told their taunters if they were going to kill them, to get on with it. The moment grew tense as machetes were raised, then finally lowered while the Latter-day Saints stood up for that which the Spirit had testified to them to be true. These Saints eventually learned, as most of us do, that it is harder to live the gospel day by day than to die for it in an instant, but their early commitment came because the Spirit had touched their hearts and changed their lives. Their conversion process had taken place as the Book of Mormon helped build their faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (“The Incomparable Gifts,” Ensign, Feb. 1995, 7).

What blessings do we receive when we commit to follow the Lord?

Ezra Taft Benson said:

“Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 361).

CONVERSION

(from the Bible Dictionary) Conversion “Denotes changing one’s views, in a conscious acceptance of the will of God. If followed by continued faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism in water for the remission of sins, and the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying of hands, conversion will become complete, and will change a natural man into a sanctified, born again, purified person—a new creature in Christ Jesus. Complete conversion comes after many trials and much testing. To labor for the conversion of one’s self and others is a noble task.”

What shall we compare the conversion process to? Let’s compare it to taking an old car out of the junkyard and fixing it up. Let’s say it is a ’62 Chevy pick-up truck. It is a rusted-out dented shell, with torn leather seats, cracked and broken windows, birds nests behind the grill, blown head gasket, bent axel, a real clunker. Little by little, you take it apart and replace everything bad with new parts of the highest quality. You replace the body panels, put in new seats, replace all the glass, put in a new engine and new axel. You give it a gleaming, new paint job. It’s still a ’62 Chevy pick-up when you’re done with it, but it isn’t the same as it was.

Or, compare conversion to a caterpillar that makes a cocoon for itself and then comes out at the end of a time as a butterfly. It’s still the same animal, but in a totally different form. It can do things it couldn’t do before. It doesn’t become a butterfly all at once. It takes days of tiny incremental changes for the transformation to occur.

Why must we be converted?

"And [Jesus] said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) Conversion is absolutely necessary.

King Benjamin said, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” (Mosiah 3:19)

Conversion is both instantaneous, and it is a process.

It is a change of view, which is then followed by a process of transformation of action and character, from grace to grace, from glory to glory. Grace, or the power of God, is what makes this change happen.

When King Benjamin gave his great sermon to his people, they believed him, and their hearts were changed. Mosiah 5:2-7 has a list of all the things they felt that characterized their conversion:

· Knowing the surety of the words because of the Spirit they felt

· A might change in their hearts

· No more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually

· Great views of that which is to come through the manifestations of the Spirit

· Feeling as if they could prophecy of all things if they had to

· Great knowledge

· Rejoicing with exceedingly great joy

· Willing to enter a covenant with God to do his will and be obedient in everything to the end of their lives

So now, I would ask of all of you, like Alma asked his people, “if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?”(Alma 5:26)

As I was studying for this talk, I started to see that I have had moments of conversion throughout my life, and that they arose out of specific commitments I made.

· I remember when I was baptized and how clean I felt afterwards. I knew I had been changed.

· I remember the conscious commitment I made to start reading the scriptures on my own and the change that happened in me because of it.

· I remember the commitment that I would try to express my individuality by being a better person, instead of rebelling.

· Or the commitment I made to pay tithing, even when it was hard.

· Or the decision I made that I would be brave enough to admit the times I was wrong.

· Or the decision I made to keep the Sabbath holy.

· Or the decision I made to forgive a difficult roommate rather than harbor resentment.

Each of those commitments and many others have been part of my conversion process. Going back to the analogy of fixing up a truck, it has been like a new axel here, a new leather seats there, and so on. I have more commitments to make, and so do you.

The power of Christ’s atonement is such that not only does it make sinners into saints, but it will make saints into gods. He gives us the power to maintain good works that we otherwise would not have power to continue on our own. I can testify that is true. I have seen it in my life more times than I can count.

I pray that we will follow the Lord today, then tomorrow, and onward until our faithful commitments have allowed the Lord to seal us His, and complete our conversion into rightful heirs of the celestial kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The following was part of my notes, although I ended up not giving the second half.

Why do we need the gift of the Holy Ghost?

The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11)

Man is fallen and could not know anything about God by himself. To know anything about God and His character, the knowledge must be revealed to us. The Holy Ghost is the revelator, revealing all these things to us, line upon line. It is necessary for us to learn all those things if we are to someday become like God. Thus, we NEED the Holy Ghost.

Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)

What can the Holy Ghost do for me?

• The Holy Ghost leads us to truth. (John 16:13)
• The Holy Ghost testifies of truth so that we recognize it, telling us in our mind and in our heart.
• The Holy Ghost will teach us all things and bring all things to our remembrance. (John 14:26)
• It will prick our hearts (Acts 2:37) and reprove us of sin. (John 16:8)
• The Holy Ghost will lead us to do good. (D&C 11:12)
• It will show us all things that we should do. (2 Ne. 32:5) (It has reminded me of my duties and sometimes given me a feeling of urgency about doing them.)
• The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace. (Gal. 5:22)
• The Spirit is called the Comforter because it fills us with hope and perfect love (Moroni 8:26) at times when we really need comfort. (Example: At dentist office while getting my teeth cleaned and the scrapiness was getting to me. I prayed for comfort and was blessed.)
• It gives utterance (D&C 14:8), even in the very hour what we should speak (Luke 12:12)
• At time of need, it may reveal the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Alma 12:3)
• Mysteries are unfolded by the power of the Spirit (1 Nephi 10:19)
• He warns.
• He can enhance our skills and abilities to perform a task. (D&C 46:18)
• He sometimes impels us to action or restrains us from action. (1 Nephi 7:15)
• The Holy Ghost sanctifies us (Alma 13:12)
• A major effect of the influence of the Holy Spirit is to have increased vision, seeing things more as God does, deepening and broadening our understanding.

These things don’t happen all at once. They happen when we need them and when we pray for them. We can’t force the Spirit, and we can’t fool the Spirit. It knows the difference between a real need and when we just want to consume it on our lusts.

“We believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost being enjoyed now, as much as it was in the Apostles’ days; we believe that it [the gift of the Holy Ghost] is necessary to make and to organize the Priesthood, that no man can be called to fill any office in the ministry without it; we also believe in prophecy, in tongues, in visions, and in revelations, in gifts, and in healings; and that these things cannot be enjoyed without the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that the holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and that holy men in these days speak by the same principle; we believe in its being a comforter and a witness bearer, that it brings things past to our remembrance, leads us into all truth, and shows us of things to come; we believe that ‘no man can know that Jesus is the Christ, but by the Holy Ghost.’ [1 Cor. 12:3] We believe in it [this gift of the Holy Ghost] in all its fullness, and power, and greatness, and glory.” (Joseph Smith)

What is our responsibility with respect to the Holy Ghost?

There are some things the Spirit can’t do for us. Only we can do it.

· We are the ones that learn and live the gospel.

· The Spirit will testify of the truth to us, but it will not force us to believe. We make that choice.

· The Spirit may give us a feeling of urgency about doing something, but it will never force us to do it. We make that choice.

· We are the ones who make choices.

· We are the ones who obey or disobey.

· We choose our attitudes. (But we can choose to ask for our attitudes and desires to be changed.)

· We are to actively participate in our growth and development, by seeking learning by study and by faith.

· We are to be diligent and committed with all our heart, might, mind, and strength.

How can I know I am feeling the Spirit?

Joseph Smith told Brigham Young, how the Saints can know they are feeling the Spirit.:

“They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits. It will whisper peace and joy to their souls, and it will take malice, hatred, envying, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right.”

The Holy Ghost has what has been described as a “still small voice.” It is not often something that we hear with our ears. More often it is something that is felt and can easily be missed in a noisy, busy, environment.

What can I expect when receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and gifts of the Spirit?

Gifts of the Spirit are usually received quietly and privately, without outward manifestations.

To paraphrase what Joseph Smith said, the opinions of men are wide and conflicting about the gift of the Holy Ghost. Some call any supernatural manifestation the effect of the Spirit of God, and some think that there is no manifestation at all and it is all in the person’s head. So it is not surprising that people are so ignorant after so many centuries have gone by in darkness without revelation or just criterion to recognize the Spirit or gain knowledge of the things of God, which can only be known by the Spirit of God. Because of this, when the elders preach to people that they will receive the Holy Ghost if they obey the gospel, the people expect some wonderful manifestation, some great display of power, or some extraordinary miracle.

The human family tends to run to extremes in religious matters, and they want some miraculous display or they will not believe in the Holy Ghost at all. They think that when the elders lay their hands upon a person, the person must immediately rise and speak in tongues and prophesy. We believe in prophecy and the gift of tongues, but to say that these things always occur when elders lay their hands upon a person, is contrary to holy writ and the practice of the apostles.

All the gifts of the Spirit are not visible to the natural vision, or understanding of men. The word of wisdom and the word of knowledge are gifts of the Spirit, but who would know it? Faith and healing, power to work miracles are gifts of the Spirit too, yet they require time and circumstances to call them into operation. (end Joseph Smith paraphrase)

How do we learn to recognize the Spirit?

Joseph Smith said,

“A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.” (emphasis added)

Notice, he said we may GROW into the principle of revelation. Growth doesn’t happen all at once. We will make mistakes. We may ascribe something as revelation that isn’t, or dismiss something as not revelation when it really is. However, the important thing is to keep believing in it. If we ever feel like we are having troubles recognizing and following the Holy Ghost, we can pray for help to recognize and obey it.

If the Holy Ghost is a still small voice, and if it takes practice to tune ourselves to hear it, we must find ways to make ourselves acquainted with that voice as much as possible. The best way to do that is to study the scriptures every day and there we will find plentiful opportunities for the Holy Ghost to witness the truth to us. We will also find things that we want to know more about, and in seeking the answers with prayer and study and pondering, we will learn to recognize when the Holy Ghost is enlightening us. We will also find in the scriptures things we should do to improve in our lives, and this will make us acquainted with the Holy Ghost’s reproving voice. As we live the commandments and follow the Holy Ghost, we will align our thoughts and character more and more with God and become more and more acquainted with the feeling of peace that the Holy Ghost gives.

The better we are acquainted with the Holy Ghost, the more we will be able to trust. When warnings come, we will heed them. When we are given words to say, we will say them. When prophecy comes, we will give it. When necessary, we will have the gift of tongues or the gift of interpretation. Visions will be opened to us for our edification. When we are prompted to heal, we will heal.

How do we stay worthy of the Holy Ghost and keep it with us?

In February 1847, nearly three years after the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred, he appeared to President Brigham Young and gave him this message:

“Tell the people to be humble and faithful and sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach [you what] to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it.”

When Joseph Smith was translating the Book of Mormon through the power of God, he learned that divine gift of was with him only when he was worthy to be guided by the Spirit. David Whitmer recounted:

“One morning when [Joseph Smith] was getting ready to continue the translation, something went wrong about the house and he was put out about it. Something that Emma, his wife, had done. Oliver and I went up stairs, and Joseph came up soon after to continue the translation, but he could not do anything. He could not translate a single syllable. He went down stairs, out into the orchard and made supplication to the Lord; was gone about an hour—came back to the house, asked Emma’s forgiveness and then came up stairs where we were and the translation went on all right. He could do nothing save he was humble and faithful.”

I’ve experienced that too. On certain occasions when I’ve been preparing church lessons, I have felt stymied and like I couldn’t do it. I realized I needed to repent of something…

One of Jesus’s analogies, He said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” Unless we abide in the vine, we can do nothing. If Christ is the vine and we are the branches, the Holy Ghost is the sap of the vine. The Holy Ghost is what helps unify us.

Wilford Woodruff said:

“The great promise which accompanies the preaching of the Gospel, as revealed from heaven in our day, is that the Holy Ghost will be bestowed upon the sincerely penitent who obey its holy ordinances. Through the Holy Ghost a knowledge of things past, present, and to come is communicated and the mind and will of the Father made known. In this way the Almighty reveals His purposes to those who obey His commandments and whose lives are pure and acceptable before Him, so that they can be prepared for all the events and trials that may lie in their pathway.

If there are any members of the Church who do not know by their own experience that this is true, they may be assured that they do not live up to their privileges. All Saints should be in close communion with the Holy Ghost, and through it, with the Father, or there is danger of their being overcome of evil and falling by the wayside.

We, therefore, say to the Latter-day Saints: The Holy Ghost will not dwell in an unholy tabernacle. If you would enjoy the full powers and gifts of your religion, you must be pure. If you are guilty of weaknesses, follies and sins, you must repent of them; that is, you must thoroughly forsake them. In no other way can we please God. “Man of holiness” is His name [see Moses 6:57], and He delights in the efforts of His children to be pure.”

If we do not have revelation, it is because we do not live as we should live, because we do not magnify our [callings in the priesthood] as we ought to; if we did we would not be without revelation, none would be barren or unfruitful.

Let us lay aside all evil practices, all those habits which will prevent our communing with God….If these little things have a tendency to hinder our enjoyments and debase us in the eyes of the Lord, we ought to lay them aside and manifest a determination to do the will of our Father in Heaven, and to accomplish that work which is laid upon us to perform….When I do anything that prevents me from enjoying the Spirit of the Lord, as soon as I ascertain that, I immediately throw it aside.”

Brigham Young said:

…when the mind is open to the revelations of the Lord it comprehends them quicker and keener than anything that is seen by the natural eye. It is not what we see with our eyes—they may be deceived—but what is revealed by the Lord from heaven that is sure and steadfast, and abides forever.”

“When an individual, filled with the Spirit of God, declares the truth of heaven, the sheep hear that [see D&C 29:7], the Spirit of the Lord pierces their inmost souls and sinks deep into their hearts; by the testimony of the Holy Ghost light springs up within them, and they see and understand for themselves.”

How do I invite the Spirit?

• Pray for the Spirit
• Sing hymns
• Read the scriptures
• Help someone else
• Take the sacrament

How do I keep the Holy Ghost with me?

• Do not put off being obedient to commandments.
• Surround yourself with clean media influences.
  
• Pray.
• Seek good and not evil.
  

Although the world has changed, the laws of God remain constant. They have not changed; they will not change. The Ten Commandments are just that—commandments. They are not suggestions. They are every bit as requisite today as they were when God gave them to the children of Israel. If we but listen, we hear the echo of God’s voice, speaking to us here and now…

[W]e know that morality is not passé, that our conscience is there to guide us, and that we are responsible for our actions.

It may appear to you at times that those out in the world are having much more fun than you are. Some of you may feel restricted by the code of conduct to which we in the Church adhere. My brothers and sisters, I declare to you, however, that there is nothing which can bring more joy into our lives or more peace to our souls than the Spirit which can come to us as we follow the Savior and keep the commandments. That Spirit cannot be present at the kinds of activities in which so much of the world participates.

We must be vigilant in a world which has moved so far from that which is spiritual. It is essential that we reject anything that does not conform to our standards, refusing in the process to surrender that which we desire most: eternal life in the kingdom of God.

As a means of being in the world but not being of the world, it is necessary that we communicate with our Heavenly Father through prayer. He wants us to do so; He’ll answer our prayers. The Savior admonished us, as recorded in 3 Nephi 18, to “watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you. …
“Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;
“And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.”

• “I had worked hard”
• “I just remember how important that...was to me”
• “I was sick with worry”
• “The chances…were extremely remote”
• “I wanted…;I needed…;I had worked very hard…”
• “I turned to my Father in Heaven and pleaded with Him”
• “somehow”
• “relief flooded over me”

Since that time of long ago, I have had countless prayers answered. Not a day has gone by that I have not communicated with my Father in Heaven through prayer. It is a relationship I cherish—one I would literally be lost without. If you do not now have such a relationship with your Father in Heaven, I urge you to work toward that goal. As you do so, you will be entitled to His inspiration and guidance in your life—necessities for each of us if we are to survive spiritually during our sojourn here on earth. Such inspiration and guidance are gifts He freely gives if we but seek them. What treasures they are!

I have pondered the inspiration which came that day not only to me but also to Peter Mourik. That remarkable experience has provided an undeniable witness to me of the importance of being worthy to receive such inspiration and then trusting it—and following it—when it comes.

1. Be worthy to receive inspiration
2. Trust the inspiration
3. Follow the inspiration

I am always humbled and grateful when my Heavenly Father communicates with me through His inspiration. I have learned to recognize it, to trust it, and to follow it. Time and time again I have been the recipient of such inspiration.

The Lord invites us, “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me.” As we do so, we will feel His Spirit in our lives, providing us the desire and the courage to stand strong and firm in righteousness—to “stand … in holy places, and be not moved.” As the winds of change swirl around us and the moral fiber of society continues to disintegrate before our very eyes, may we remember the Lord’s precious promise to those who trust in Him: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Thanks to YouTube allowing longer videos, it’s now far easier for me to post videos like this. So now you can watch and see my cousin Jolene, her husband Jace, and their cute boy Jefferson (Grandpa calls him “Jefferey” for some reason, maybe he wrote it wrong in his notes).

Our (You & Your Sweetheart’s) Mission in Life

J Ballard Washburn – BYU-Idaho Devotional 9 Feb. 2010

We’ve been anxiously awaiting the transcript of Sister Julie B. Beck’s 2011 BYU Women’s Conference talk. It’s finally available!

You can find the transcript here.

You can read a summary of her talk at the LDS Church News website. And read what others had to say about her talk here, here, and here. Do you have any thoughts on her talk? Let us know!

The other Women’s Conference transcript that is currently available is the talk from Russell T. and Lolly Osguthorpe: “I Did Frankly Forgive Them.”

Elder Holland, in the June, 1976 Ensign, suggests that in some respects, the original promised land might have been the entire earth.  Adam and Even in the garden represent this.  The earth was created for a group of God’s children to live the gospel, keep the commandments, and dwell in peace.  Then Adam fell, Cain killed able, and wickedness begins to spread among Adams decendents.  It is this wickedness which eventually will force a separation between the righteous and the wicked.  During the time of Enoch, there was such wickedness, that the very heavens wept as rain upon the mountains.  And Enoch built a city, which was something of a promised land, where the righteous could live the gospel, keep the commandments, and dwell in peace.  From Moses 7 we read:

16And from that time forth there were wars and bloodshed among them; but the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness.

17The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish.

18And 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.

19And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion.

20And it came to pass that Enoch talked with the Lord; and he said unto the Lord: Surely Zion shall dwell in safety forever. But the Lord said unto Enoch: Zion have I blessed, but the residue of the people have I cursed.

Thus, even during a time of great wickedness, a righteous group of people were able to flourish as a Zion people in their own promised land.

This pattern of growing wickedness, bringing a separation of a righteous group out of the wickedness can be seen in other examples:  Noah, the Jaredites, the children of Israel, Lehi, and even the modern restoration of the gospel can be seen as a similar pattern.  God providing a place for his followers to live the gospel, keep the commandments and dwell in peace.  Yet, in spite of the advantages of a land of promise, wickedness seems to always work its way in.  In an article from BYU Studies, Douglas Brinley outlines the pattern in this way:

1. The Lord leads the righteous to the Land of Promise (America).

2. He establishes a covenant with the inhabitants of the land.

3. He establishes laws (a constitution) for self-government.

4. When the majority break the laws and begin to choose evil over good, they breach the covenant; the judgments of God begin.

5. The Lord sends out prophets and missionaries to warn the inhabitants to repent or be destroyed.

6. The inhabitants may choose to (1) accept the invitation to repent; (2) reject outright the message of the prophets and seek to destroy them; or (3) ignore the prophetic warnings.

7. If the people reject the message, then initial judgments—natural calamities, wars, plagues, famine, drought—begin to destroy the people.

8. The Spirit of the Lord withdraws from the people.

9. The inhabitants increase in wickedness until they are “fully ripe in iniquity” and have cast out the righteous.

10. The forces of nature, civil war, or conquering hosts destroy the wicked completely; the righteous members of that society having been led elsewhere.

When the Book of Mormon specifically speaks of promised lands, it is usually referring to the Americas.  The Americas were a promised land to the Jaredites, and later the decedents of Lehi.  From Ether 2 we have:

6And it came to pass that they did travel in the wilderness, and did build barges, in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord.

7And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.

8And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.

9And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

10For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.

11And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.

12Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

Any promised land comes with responsibilities.  God does not make promises to land, he makes promises to people.  These promises take the form of covenants.  In order to gain and maintain the promises associated with a promised land, the people who dwell there must serve God and repent.

We here have gained great blessings from dwelling in this promised land.  We enjoy the highest standards of living that have ever been known.  We have many freedoms and liberties here that others do not have.  We are able to live our religion according to the dictates of our own conscience.  We have been protected from many of the tragedies that other people have faced.  And if we hope to continue to enjoy these blessings we must serve God and keep His commandments.

I know that this is a patriotic time, and this is often a patriotic topic.  I too am patriotic, and I am very proud to be an American.  I wonder however, if we should consider thinking about promised lands in an expanded way, as we continue to grow into a truly world-wide church.  It is difficult to deny the promises made to the Jaredites and the decendants of Lehi refer to the Americas, and the promises made were made in a way that suggest that they would continue forever.  Yet, if we are to embrace an entire world, with membership representing countries all over the world, we should look beyond simple patriotism when considering promised lands.

As the church continues to grow, the borders of Zion grow with it.  Members of the church gather to their own stakes, wherever they may be.  As people throughout the world live the gospel, and keep Gods commandments, I believe that they can flourish like those in what we usually consider to be promised lands do.

For members around the world, their homes, chapels and temples can be promised lands.  These places are sacred places, where the people who dwell in them can live the gospel, keep the commandments and dwell in peace.  They can be separated from wickedness, and access all of the blessings that the gospel has to offer.

May we live up to the responsibilities of a people who possess a promised land, and be grateful for the blessings that come from dwelling in it.  And may we come to realize that the entire world can be a promised land for those who desire to serve God and keep His commandments.

I feel certain that the bishopric probably want me to make it patriotic.  I am fairly patriotic, but I am often a bit uncomfortable mixing that with my religion, particularly in a Sacrament Meeting talk.

Any thoughts, references or links on this topic would be appreciated.

So, I consider myself to be politically conservative.  I feel that I would prefer smaller, more fiscally conservative government.  But hey, I’m a white guy with a good education and a decent job.  If I were in a completely different situation, my political opinions would likely be radically different from what they are.  This is a good sign that what I have is not a solid political philosophy, it is just self-interest.  It is therefore not usually valuable enough to share.

I would suggest trying something.  The next time you hear someone spreading their politics, or you think about spreading your own, evaluate the possibility that it is just forwarding self-interests and nothing more.

During the October general conference in 1902, Church President Joseph F. Smith expressed in his opening address the hope that one day we would “have temples built in the various parts of the [world] where they are needed for the convenience of the people.”

During the first 150 years following the organization of the Church, from 1830 to 1980, 21 temples were built, including the temples in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo, Illinois. Contrast that with the 30 years since 1980, during which 115 temples were built and dedicated. With the announcement yesterday of 3 new temples, there are additionally 26 temples either under construction or in preconstruction stages. These numbers will continue to grow.

The goal President Joseph F. Smith hoped for in 1902 is becoming a reality. Our desire is to make the temple as accessible as possible to our members.?

Some degree of sacrifice has ever been associated with temple building and with temple attendance. Countless are those who have labored and struggled in order to obtain for themselves and for their families the blessings which are found in the temples of God.

Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.

Today most of us do not have to suffer great hardships in order to attend the temple. Eighty-five percent of the membership of the Church now live within 200 miles (320 km) of a temple, and for a great many of us, that distance is much shorter.

If you have been to the temple for yourselves and if you live within relatively close proximity to a temple, your sacrifice could be setting aside the time in your busy lives to visit the temple regularly….

If you have not yet been to the temple or if you have been but currently do not qualify for a recommend, there is no more important goal for you to work toward than being worthy to go to the temple. Your sacrifice may be bringing your life into compliance with what is required to receive a recommend, perhaps by forsaking long-held habits which disqualify you. It may be having the faith and the discipline to pay your tithing. Whatever it is, qualify to enter the temple of God. Secure a temple recommend and regard it as a precious possession, for such it is.

To you parents of young children, may I share with you some sage advice from President Spencer W. Kimball. Said he: “It would be a fine thing if … parents would have in every bedroom in their house a picture of the temple so [their children] from the time [they are] infant[s] could look at the picture every day [until] it becomes a part of [their lives]. When [they reach] the age that [they need] to make [the] very important decision [concerning going to the temple], it will have already been made.”

Until you have entered the house of the Lord and have received all the blessings which await you there, you have not obtained everything the Church has to offer.

• Qualify for a temple recommend
• Secure a temple recommend
• Regard your temple recommend as a sacred possession
• Always have the temple in your sights.
• Do nothing which will keep you from entering its doors and partaking of the sacred and eternal blessings there.
• Teach your children of the temple’s importance.

Now, my brothers and sisters, may I mention one more temple before I close. In the not-too-distant future as new temples take shape around the world, one will rise in a city which came into being over 2,500 years ago…

Every temple is a house of God, filling the same functions and with identical blessings and ordinances. The Rome Italy Temple, uniquely, is being built in one of the most historic locations in the world, a city where the ancient Apostles Peter and Paul preached the gospel of Christ and where each was martyred.

Last October, as we gathered on a lovely pastoral site in the northeast corner of Rome, it was my opportunity to offer a prayer of dedication as we prepared to break the ground. I felt impressed to call upon Italian senator Lucio Malan and Rome’s vice-mayor Giuseppe Ciardi to be among the first to turn a shovelful of earth. Each had been a part of the decision to allow us to build a temple in their city.

As the magnificent choir sang in Italian the beautiful strains of “The Spirit of God,” one felt as though heaven and earth were joined in a glorious hymn of praise and gratitude to Almighty God. Tears could not be restrained. In a coming day, the faithful in this, the Eternal City, will receive ordinances eternal in nature in a holy house of God.

Each [temple] stands as a beacon to the world, an expression of our testimony that God, our Eternal Father, lives, that He desires to bless us and, indeed, to bless His sons and daughters of all generations. Each of our temples is an expression of our testimony that life beyond the grave is as real and as certain as is our life here on earth. I so testify.

My beloved brothers and sisters, may we make whatever sacrifices are necessary to attend the temple and to have the spirit of the temple in our hearts and in our homes. May we follow in the footsteps of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who made the ultimate sacrifice for us, that we might have eternal life and exaltation in our Heavenly Father’s kingdom.