"The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!"
Monday, October 10, 2011
I Really Lived
"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." Marjorie Pay Hinckley
And now, my friends--what can we possibly give to the Lord this Christmastime? In consideration of all that he has done and is doing for us, there is something that we might give him in return.
Christ's great gift to us was his life and sacrifice--should that not then be our small gift to him--our lives and sacrifices, not only now, but in the future? A few years ago, my colleague, Elder Boyd Packer, said this:
I'm not ashamed to say that . . . I want to be good. And I've found in my life that it has been critically important that this was established between me and the Lord so that I knew that He knew which way I committed my agency. I went before Him and said, "I'm not neutral, and you can do with me what you want. If you need my vote, it's there. I don't care what you do with me, and you don't have to take anything from me, because I give it to you--everything, all I own, all I am." And that makes the difference. [Seminary and Institute conference, summer 1970]
Yes, men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out 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 to God will find he has eternal life.
And now as to our sacrifice to him. Yes, sacrifice is the crowning test of the gospel. Men are tried and tested in this mortal probation to see if they will put first into their lives the things of the kingdom of God (see Matthew 6:33). To gain eternal life, they must be willing, if called upon, to sacrifice all things for the gospel. "If thou wilt be perfect," Jesus said to the rich young man, "go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."
Hearing this injunction, Peter said, "Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?"
To this query, our Lord replied, "Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life" (Matthew 19:16–29; see also D&C 132:55).
Joseph Smith said this about sacrifice:
For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his life--counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ--requires more than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of God; but actual knowledge, realizing that, when these sufferings are ended he will enter into eternal rest; and be a partaker of the glory of God. . . . A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice, and this only that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life. [Lectures on Faith, pp. 58–60]
Elder Bruce McConkie said, "Sacrifice pertains to mortality; in the eternal sense there is none. Sacrifice involves giving up the things of this world because of the promises of blessings to be gained in a better world. In the eternal perspective there is no sacrifice in giving up all things--even including the laying down of one's life--if eternal life is gained through such a course" (Mormon Doctrine [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966], p. 664; see also D&C 98:13–15).
But just as when one loses his life to God he really finds the abundant life; so also, when one sacrifices all to God, then God in return shares all that he has with him. Try as you may, you cannot put the Lord in your debt--for every time you try to do his will he simply pours out more blessings upon you. Sometimes the blessings may seem to you to be a little slow in coming; perhaps this tests your faith, but come they will and abundantly. And it has been said, "Cast your bread upon the waters and after a while it comes back toasted and buttered."
Said President Brigham Young:
I have heard a great many tell about what they have suffered for Christ's sake. I am happy to say I never had occasion to. I have enjoyed a great deal, but so far as suffering goes I have compared it a great many times, in my feelings and before congregations, to a man wearing an old, worn-out, tattered and dirty coat, and somebody comes along and gives him one that is new, whole and beautiful. This is the comparison I draw when I think of what I've suffered for the Gospel's sake--I have thrown away an old coat and have put on a new one. [Discourses of Brigham Young, comp. John A. Widtsoe (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1973), p. 348]
Do you know one reason why righteous mothers love their children so much? It's because they sacrifice so much for them. We love what we sacrifice for, and we sacrifice for what we love.[A young girl] had sacrificed her worldly plans to spend long, tedious hours in work in order to provide for and raise her younger orphan brother. But now she lay on her bed, dying of a sickness. She called for her bishop, and as she talked to him in her last moments, he held her rough, hard, work-calloused hand in his. Then she asked the question "How will God know that I am his?"
Gently he raised her wrist and answered, "Show him your hands."
Someday we may see that pair of hands that sacrificed so much for us. Are our hands clean, and do they show the signs of being in his service? Are our hearts pure and filled with his thoughts?
Each week we make a solemn covenant to be like him and take him for our leader, to always remember him in everything and keep all of his commandments.
Unseen eyes are watching
A few years ago, we knew our Elder Brother and his and our Father in heaven well. We rejoiced at the upcoming opportunity for earthly life that could make it possible for us to have a fullness of joy as they had. We could hardly wait to demonstrate to our Father and our Brother, the Lord, how much we loved them and how we would be obedient to them in spite of the earthly opposition of the evil one. And now we're here--our memories are veiled--and we're showing God and ourselves what we can do. Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to us. And then, President Young said, we're going to wonder why we were so stupid in the flesh.
God loves us, he's watching us, he wants us to succeed, and we'll know someday that he has not left one thing undone for the eternal welfare of each of us. If we only knew that there are heavenly hosts pulling for us--friends in heaven, whom we can't remember now, who yearn for our victory. This is our day to show what we can do--what life and sacrifice we can daily, hourly, instantly bring to God. If we give our all, we will get his all from the greatest of all.
I close with this last true story, as it was given by Bob Richards in his book Life's Higher Goals. It always touches my heart and it may touch yours. Lou Little tells this story about his greatest football team. They were on their way to the conference championship--one last game. He had a boy on his squad who had not quite been able to make the team for four straight years. Just before the game--three days before--Lou was given a telegram to give to this boy that informed him his only living relative had just died. The boy looked at the telegram and said, "Coach, I'll be back for Saturday's game." The morning of the game he came up to his coach and said, "Lou, I want you to put me in this game. I know I haven't made the first team yet, but let me in for this kickoff. I'll prove to you that I'm worthy of it." Well, Lou could see that the boy was emotionally upset, and he made all kinds of excuses, but finally he thought, "Well, he can't do much harm on the kickoff, so I'll put the boy in."
The roar of the crowd followed the kickoff. The opposing quarterback took the ball on the goal line, moved up, and on the seven-yard line there was a tremendous tackle. The boy had dropped him in his tracks. On the next play Lou left him in. He made the next tackle; he was in on the next tackle; you couldn't move him out of there. He made practically every tackle that day--terrific downfield blocking. He was the reason why Columbia won the championship. Afterwards, all the guys were pounding him on the back. When they were all done, Lou Little went up to the boy and said, "Son, I don't understand it. Today you were an all-American. I've never seen you play like this in four straight years. What happened?"
And the boy looked up at his coach and said, "Coach, you knew my dad died, didn't you?"
"Yes, I handed you the telegram."
He said, "You knew he was blind, didn't you?"
"Yes, I've seen you walk him around the campus many times."
He said, "Coach, today is the first football game my dad ever saw me play." It makes a difference, friends, when those unseen eyes are watching.
The Constitution
The Lord said, "I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up" (D&C 101:80). Among the opening words of his dedicatory prayer at the Washington Temple, President Kimball referred to our inspired Constitution.
The elders of this Church have a prophetic mission yet to perform so far as the Constitution is concerned. In a discourse on July 19, 1840, Joseph Smith said, "Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction" (M8d 155, Bx4, Joseph Smith, Church Historian's Library).
Now, how are the elders going to prepare for that mission? How are they going to know what the Constitution is, so they will know when it is on the brink of ruin? In many of the law schools of today you will hear that the Constitution is whatever the Supreme Court says it is. Could it be that the Supreme Court, which President McKay said is leading this nation down the road to atheism, is the agency to tell us what this divine document is (David O. McKay, Church News, 22 June 1963; Jerreld Newquist, comp., Prophets, Principles, and National Survival, pp. 187–88)? Can we learn best how to preserve it by studying what it is at the hands of some of those who are seeking to destroy it?
But President McKay had a better approach when he encouraged us to support good and conscientious candidates who are truly dedicated to the Constitution in the tradition of our founding fathers. They are the ones the Lord referred to as wise men. It is to them, the Lord, and his prophets that we should go to determine what the Constitution is. There must have been a tradition of our founding fathers, or President McKay would not have referred to it. (One of the best books on this subject was written by Clarence Carson, entitled The American Tradition, distributed by The Foundation for Economic Education at Irvington-on-Hudson, New York. President J. Reuben Clark served on their board of trustees for some time. I now have the honor of so serving.) To the Lord, his prophets, and the founding fathers we must go to learn of this divine document so that our efforts will be to preserve and not to destroy the Constitution.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said in a great discourse in Nauvoo on February 7, 1844, "Were I the president of the United States . . . I would honor the old paths of the venerated fathers of freedom; I would walk in the tracks of the illustrious patriots who carried the ark of the Government upon their shoulders with an eye single to the glory of the people" (History of the Church, 6:208).
Said President George Albert Smith, "I am saying to you that to me the Constitution of the United States of America is just as much from my Heavenly Father as the Ten Commandments. When that is my feeling I am not going to go very far away from the Constitution and I am going to try to keep it where the Lord started it, and not let anti-Christ come into this country" (Conference Report, April 1948, p. 182).
And speaking of anti-Christ, I would like to tell you, if you want to get some idea of how we are flaunting the Constitution, see how the Constitution defines treason. Then observe what we are doing to build up the enemy in this totally anti-Christ conspiracy. If we continue on this tragic course of aid and trade to the enemy, then the Lord has warned us of the consequences which will follow in chapter eight of Ether in the Book of Mormon.
Thank God for the Constitution, which made it possible for the Lord to establish his church and base of operations here in the United States for these last days. And may God bless the elders of Israel so that when, as President John Taylor said, "the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States the Elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of earth and proclaiming liberty" (Journal of Discourses, 21:8).
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Food Storage
During Katrina there was a RS single sister who needed to leave her home for protection. She had the impression to put as much food storage as she could into her car. She followed that impressions. She stopped at a shelter and when she went inside she discovered no one else had any food there. She spent her time preparing the food she brought and distributed it.
Food storage is for everyone. Food storage is important no matter what season of life you are in. Who do people rely on in an emergency? The person or organization who can help them The person who is prepared. A lot of peace will come knowing that you can rely on yourslef because you are prepared. Loved ones will be able to rely on you as well.
A woman that I met in Salt Lake told me a story about canning grape juice. She was a young mother and had received a lot of grapes while living in California. As she sealed the bottles she noticed none of them were sealing. She spent all day trying to seal many many bottles of grape juice to no avail. That night she knelt in prayer and asked her Heavenly Father to help seal those bottles. Right after she said "Amen" she could hear the lids begin to click, click, click.
Our Heavenly Father is so intimately intwined in our life. If you have come to a road block concerning food storage or you don't know where to begin, pray about it. You will receive direction and help.
A UK government commissioned study into food security has called for urgent action to avert global hunger. The report is the culmination of a two-year study, onvolving 400 experts from 35 countries.
"We know in the next 20 years the world population will increase to something like 8.3 billion people," he told BBC news.
"We know that the world is getting more prosperous and that the demand for basic commodities--food, water and energy--will be rising as that prosperity increases, increasing at the same time as the population." He warned: "We have 20 years to arguably deliver something of the order of 40% more food; 30% more available fresh water and of the order of 50% more energy.
He warns of a perfect storm of a growing population, climate change and diminishing resources for food production. The Foresight report says that the food production system will need to be radically changed.
President Eyring spoke about his experience when the teton Dam broke in Idaho in a conference talk. He said:
"I was there as the people faced the terrible task of recovery. I saw the stake president gather his biships to lead the people. We were cut off in those first days from any supervision from outside. I was in the meeting of lecal leaders when a director from the federal disaster agency arrived. He tried to take over the meeting. With great force he began to list the things that he said needed to be done. as he read aloud each item, the stake president, who was sitting near him, said quietly, 'We've already done that.' After that went on for five or ten minutes, the federal official grew silent and sat down. He listened quietly as the stake president ook reports from the bishops and gave directions.
"For the meeting the next day, the federal disaster official arrived early. He sat toward the back. The stake president began the meeting. He took more reports, and he gave instructions. After a few minutes the federal official, who had come with all the authority and resources of his great agency said, "President Ricks, what would youlike us to do?"
Being prepared is a great missionary opportunity as well.
I recieved a phone number of a woman in our church who lives in North Dakota and is part of a branch there. I called to ask her some questons about emergency preparedness resources a couple of years ago. She had put on a community fair that focused on emergency preparedness a year prior. She told me that recently officials in her city had contacted her and asked her to be part of a group who were working on an emergency reponse plan for their city.
I really love the story of Lehi and his family at the beginning for the Book of Mormon. I find evidence of Lehi being a great father, a loving husband, and a man full of faith as he tried to tell the people in Jerusalem to repent and then later as he chose to take his family into the wilderness. There is one place in the book of Nephi where Lehi does complain--and that was when Nephi broke his bow and they did not know how they were going to provide food for their family. When we see loved ones at the mercy of circumstances they cannot control (like having no food to eat), it is painful. We also read that the Lord provided food for Lehi and his family and we will be taken care of as well.....but only as we take the time and resources to prepare now.
Scriptural Examples of Faith
1. Nephi getting the plates ( 1Nephi 3-4).
2. Nephi asking to have the strength to burst the bands (1 Nephi 7:16-18).
3. Paul warns of a lack of faith (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
4. The "most important" chapters of the Book of Mormon (Alma and his people) Mosiah 23-24 (Eight miracles) (the "red Sea for Alma, Alma, Helaman, Helaman, Nephi, Nephi, Nephi)
5. Example of with and without faith (Nephi vs. his brethren) -the headings of 1 Nephi 11-14, and 1 Nephi 15:2. 6-9
6. With faith we are able to receive more blessings -3Nephi 17:18 (Christ stayed longer and healed their sick, blessed their children, gave them the sacrament, and purified them because of their faith (3 Nephi 17: 8, 20; 19:35)
7. Sons of Mosiah on a mission to the Lamanites--the Lord promised Mosiah to deliver them from the Lamanites--Mospiah 28:1, 5-7; Alma 17:36-37; 18:3; 19:22-23
8. Elisha multiplied the widow's oil 2 Kings 4:1-7
9. The widow of Zarephath feeds Elijah many days 1 Kings 17:8-16
10. Jairus, ruler of synagogue, asked Jesus to heal his dying daughter. Then came the word, thy daughter is dead. Jesus said, "Be not afraid, only believe." Mark 5:22-24, 335-43
11. "Lord, I believe! Help thou mine unbelief" Mark 9:24
12. Apostles "Lord, increase our faith" (Luke 17:5-6)
13. Uzza--steadying the ark- 1 Chronicles 13:7-10 Trust the Lord Proverbs 3:5-7
14. GOD CANNOT LIE! Enos 1:6; Hebrews 6:18; D&C 62:6
The Battle With Satan
The Battle with Satan
President Gordon B. hinckley warned us that we have a greater challenge than we realize because we are battling the enemy (Ephesians 6:12). President Monson warned us that Satan is trying to snare us (April conference 2009). The Lord himself warned us that "Satan desireth to have you..." (3 Nephi 18:18). We know there has to be "opposition in all things" so we can and must use our agency and choose (2Nephi 2:11,26,27).
How can we overcome the temptations and incluence of Satan in our lives? President Wilword Woodruff said, "Men are only saved from the devil by the power of God." How can we access the power of God?
1. Righteousness (1 Nephi 22:26) --Satan has no power.
2. Praying Always (D&C 10:5) --conquer Satan and escape the hands of his servants.
3. Fasting and prayer (Matthew 17:21 [14-21] ) extra power
Isaiah 58:6 -loose the banks of wickedness
4. Study and use the scriptures (Helaman 3:29-30) -divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil (see also Matthew 4:1-11; Moses 1:12-22 examples of how Jesus and Moses used scriptures against Satan).
5. Follow the prophet (D&C 21:4-6) -gates of hell will not prevail against you; and the Lord will disperse the powers of darkness from before you.
6. Plead with all your strength for God's help (JS 1:16-17) -that is when the pillar of light descended and freed Joseph Smith.
7. Resist (James 4:7) and Satan will flee
Boyd K. Packer --all who have bodies have power over those who have not--Satan has no power over us unless we let him.
8. Have faith in Jesus Christ (Alma 37:33) -withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord, Jesus Christ (see also 1 Cor 10:13) -God will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able...)
9. Build your foundation on Jesus Christ (Helaman 5:12) -Devil will have no power over you to drag you down.
10. Never give up (GBH, WWTB 10 Jan 2004, p.20) "We must not give up... not become disouraged. We must never surrender to the forces of evil."
11. We are on the willing team (D&C 19:3) Jesus Christ "retaining all power, even to the destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world..."
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