Week 9: Prayer

I am so happy to be back and to be able to contribute to the Talk of the Week once again. I have truly missed the opportunity I have to share the gospel with each of you. It's nice to be back.

We've been talking about prayer in our home a lot lately. A LOT. My 3 year old daughter is really struggling with prayer...yes, I said my 3 year old. You see, she thinks it is her turn to pray at every prayer. Cute, huh? Nope, not really. Not when every family prayer or prayer over a meal results in a 5 minute long tantrum about not being able to pray because it isn't her turn. Last night, just before family prayer, I sat down with her and I told her that when we pray we are having a conversation with our Heavenly Father. I then proceeded to tell her that it would be impossible for him to hear us if she was screaming through the whole thing. My 6 year old piped in and said "Nope mommy...Heavenly Father ALWAYS hears and answers our prayers...even if there is screaming, even if we are in the noisiest place in the world HE ALWAYS hears us." She was right (although it didn't help me at all with my 3 year old). HOWEVER, it did give me a wonderful perspective and a warm feeling. He is always there. He always hears us. All we need to do is PRAY. I hope you enjoy this talk by Sister Cheryl C. Lant entitled simply "Prayer."

:) Alida

MP3 Link

Prayer

Cheryl C. Lant

Primary General President

CES Fireside for Young Adults • September 9, 2007 • Brigham Young University

I would like to begin our discussion this evening by reviewing a story that we are all very familiar with. It is about a young man who lived in a large city. In many ways it was like the cities we live in today. It was crowded, noisy, and filled with people going about their daily activities of work and play—people who were frustrated and stressed at trying to keep up with the life around them. It was a city filled with temptation. There were many voices crying for his attention—voices that invited him to indulge in selfish desires for things, power, fame, and pleasure; voices that encouraged him to cheat a little here and lie a little there; voices that taunted him to join in because everyone was doing it.

This young man had many choices to make. He had a family—a family that was probably a lot like many of our families. It was a family that had both strengths and weaknesses. His parents were good people who took seriously their responsibility to teach their children correct principles and desired that their children would follow the Lord. They were parents who probably made mistakes now and then in their attempts to accomplish this. The father was a priesthood leader. He was diligent in fulfilling his responsibilities to his family and to the Church. Some of the children of the family were respectful and obedient. Others wanted to follow their own mind and will—just like in our families.

This young man was like you young people who are here tonight. He was bright, serious-minded, respectful, diligent, and obedient. He loved his parents and family, and he loved the Lord. He wanted to make the right choices. Like most of you, he listened to his father. But it was hard. And as time went on it became harder and harder. The words of his father separated him from his friends and from the world around him. He wanted and needed to know for himself if the things that his father taught him were true.

We read in the scriptures how he did that and what happened: “Having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father” (1 Nephi 2:16).

Faced with life-altering decisions in his life, this young man turned in humility to his Heavenly Father in prayer, and he received an answer to his prayer. This young man’s name was Nephi.

Nephi had a choice to make in his life. It was very much like the choices we all have to make in our lives every day. Even though our world may look very different from his, the influences that were pulling on him were very much like the influences that pull on us. He had to make a choice between the things of the world and the things of the Lord. We have those same kinds of choices. Nephi chose to put his mind and will into the hands of the Lord. He chose to go to the only true source of truth and righteousness in prayer, he chose to listen to the answers the Lord gave him, and he chose to obey. This simple act of prayer not only opened the door to a great life of opportunity and blessings for Nephi, but it also serves as an example to us in our lives today.

Nephi himself taught in l Nephi 19:23 that we should “liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.” And so tonight we are going to talk about the great principle of the gospel that was demonstrated by Nephi. We are going to talk about prayer. We are going to look to the scriptures and to the prophets for understanding. We are going to “liken” these teachings to our own lives.

As we do so, will you think about prayer in your life and honestly and seriously think about the answers to some questions I am going to ask—such questions as: What should I be praying about in my own life? When and how can I pray? When I pray, do I pray with intensity and faith? Do I feel that my prayers are heard? Do I really believe that the Lord will answer me? Do I understand how the answers to prayers come? Do I recognize and accept the answers, even if they are not what I want them to be? Do I understand what it means to wait patiently on the Lord? Do I pray with real intent, thereby ordering my life according to the answers I receive? Do I go forward and act on the answers I am given?

Before we answer these questions, let’s talk about the principle of prayer. Prayer is simply the process by which we are able to communicate with our Heavenly Father. And it is a two-way communication. Elder Richard G. Scott teaches us that “prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul” (in Conference Report, Mar.–Apr. 2007, 5; or Ensign, May 2007, 8). No matter who we are, where we are, what our needs are, or what we have done, we are not alone. We have a loving Father in Heaven who has made Himself available to us if we will just turn to Him.

Prayer does many things. Prayer is one of the ways we can express gratitude. It brings comfort and peace. It is through prayer that we are able to receive a testimony. It helps us to sort out our feelings and thinking as we express our concerns and desires to our Heavenly Father. It can give us specific answers. Our minds can be enlightened because revelation comes through personal prayer. Prayer is where repentance begins, it is through prayer that we can know we have been forgiven, and prayer can help us to forgive ourselves and others. Prayer can help us find direction. It can help us in making decisions.

We can receive help in very specific ways. It is through prayer that we can find strength, both in spirit and in body. Prayer can provide protection from all sources of harm and evil. We can access every spiritual gift as we ask in sincere prayer. We find answers to all of life’s questions as we ask in prayer. I know that there are healing powers in prayer—healing in terms of physical needs and healing of the spirit.

Prayer involves the individual—you and me—and it also involves the whole Godhead. All three members of the Godhead are involved in this way: When we pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, who is our advocate, answers come from our Heavenly Father by the Holy Ghost. It is through the Holy Ghost that we feel the love of the Father and the Son.

I want you to know that I know that these principles concerning prayer are true. We find these principles taught in the scriptures and in the words of the prophets. I have a personal testimony of the power of prayer because I have experienced many of the blessings of prayer in my own life. But what I really want to talk about tonight is how you feel about prayer in your life—how you are using it to access the powers of heaven. In order to do this, let’s go back to those original questions.

What Do I Need to Pray About?

The first question is: What do I need to pray about in my own life?

Think about where you are in your life right now. Do you worry about things? Do you ever feel overwhelmed or confused? I am sure there are challenges and concerns. What are they? In the Book of Mormon, Amulek teaches us some of the things we should pray about. As we read this scripture together, keep track of the specific things mentioned. We are going to read from Alma 34, verses 17–26:

“Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

“Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

“Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.

“Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

“Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

“Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

“Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

“Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

“Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

“But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.”

Does this suggest some things that we could pray about? To me it seems to suggest that we need to pray about everything.

Alma prayed for mercy that he might be saved. He was asking for the Atonement to take effect in his life. He was repenting. He prayed for his family, his possessions, to be a success. He prayed for protection from Satan and temptation. I think that when he was told to pray in his closet and secret places and his wilderness, the Lord wasn’t talking about places he could pray—or at least He wasn’t only talking about places. I think He was telling Alma to go to the secret places in his heart and in his life and pray for all of his personal struggles and weaknesses.

If we liken this scripture to our own lives, we can see many things we could pray about. For you this could include such things as your schoolwork, finding a profession, and meeting and finding a worthy and perhaps an eternal companion. What about beginning your families and your homes? What about your health? What about your own personal worthiness? Could it include your personal testimony, your desire to know how you should serve Him, your need to repent, and your need to be strengthened against temptation? Does this suggest praying for the Holy Ghost to guide you in all things?

When we pray we must be mindful to not just pray for the things we want. We must come to the place where we pray for the things the Lord wants for us. When we do this, we are in essence giving our lives over to Him. We are saying, “I cannot do this by myself. I do not want to do this by myself. I will do it Thy way.”

When and How Can I Pray?

This leads us to the second question: When and how can I pray?

We do, of course, have regular prayers that we have all been taught to say—personal prayers in the night and in the morning. We have family prayers and prayers that accompany our gatherings. These are the first prayers we are taught to say. If we are not careful, they can become routine and even rote.

How many times do we offer a quick morning prayer and then jump up and race out of the door—never giving it another thought? How many times do we fall asleep saying our evening prayers or even skip them all together because we are just so tired? When we consider to whom we are speaking when we pray, how much He has done for us, and how dependent we are upon Him, it gives us pause to think. Taking time to ponder as we pray will give the Spirit opportunity to speak to us.

Family prayers can be powerful. They can unite family members and strengthen them in times of challenge. They can protect. They can bring comfort and peace. When our children were in the mission field, we would figure out the time difference between our home and the mission and then figure out what time—their time—we would be saying our family prayers at home so that they would know just when we were praying for them. Several of them have said that they felt those prayers and were strengthened by them in very specific ways at the very moment they were needed.

But we are taught in the scriptures that these formal prayers are not the only way we can approach our Heavenly Father. In Alma 34:27 we read, “Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare.”

We can always have a prayer in our hearts. What does that mean?

I think it is an attitude of upward reaching from our souls to heaven—to Heavenly Father. It is a fleeting but intense feeling of “Thank you.” “Please help me.” “What is the right thing for me to do?” “What should I say?” “I am so sorry.” It is the yearning for comfort, strength, and guidance when you are in the midst of a situation. It is the feeling of gladness and joy at something beautiful. It is the recognition of the Holy Ghost operating in your life. It is opening our hearts to continual communication. This kind of praying can be more or less constant as we allow it to be. We control it by our activities, our environment, and the condition of our hearts.

What are some of the things that can stop this from happening? Loud and constant music, even good music, can just become noise that strangles a prayerful thought before it is ever formed in our minds. Surrounding ourselves with chaos, clutter, and confusion can stifle the Spirit. Becoming too busy and stressed by everyday life can distract our minds from heaven. Allowing ourselves to be in places where we know the Spirit cannot abide will block our prayers. Allowing inappropriate and ugly images to enter our minds through things we see on the Internet, in movies, on television, or in things we read will destroy our connection with heaven. Being angry, irritated, and annoyed by others can close our hearts.

“But,” you might say, “these things are part of our lives every day. How can we avoid them?” I believe that these things can be part of our everyday life if we let them. We are in control—or at least we can be in control.

It is so important that we each consider our lives and consider what we must do in order to qualify for the blessings of heaven. We will become aware of how close heaven is if we just reach for it. And the very act of reaching for it can help us put our lives in balance with the things of the Spirit. The closer we are to the Spirit, the more our hearts can be open and flowing to our Father in Heaven. For me, the prayer of the heart keeps me closer to the Lord than anything else I can do. And I can do it any place and any time. It is a lifeline to me.

Do I Pray with Intensity and Faith?

Our next question is: When I pray, do I pray with intensity and faith?

Turn back to Alma 34:17–27. This whole passage of scripture indicates that we need to have both intensity and faith. Notice the words: “exercise your faith,” “call upon his holy name,” “cry unto him,” “pour out your souls,” “drawn out in prayer.” This is more than just a dutiful prayer offered in a hurry.

All prayers need to come from deep inside our minds and hearts. How offensive it must be to the Lord—who has offered us so much, who stands ready to give every blessing expedient for our good—for us to hurry through our prayers or sleep through them or have our minds wander or our words be casual and disrespectful, such as using you and your instead of Thee and Thou. How often do we forget Him altogether until we have an urgent need?

Sometimes our prayers are an urgent plea for help. I remember one such prayer I offered when my then three-year-old son was missing. He had been playing with the other children in our yard. I had taken my eyes off of him only momentarily to check on the baby. But suddenly he was gone.

Immediately I offered a desperate prayer for help. The thought came into my mind that he was at the swimming pool of an apartment complex about three blocks away.

Now he had never been to that pool. He had never even been to the apartments. The pool was enclosed in a building and was kept locked at all times. He didn’t even know that it was there. But the feeling was strong.

Running, I called to my 10-year-old son, who was on his bike, to go to the swimming pool as quickly as he could. When he got there he found his little brother and another little boy of the same age who had known about the pool just beginning to wade into the shallow end of the pool. They had all their clothes and shoes on—and even though the door had been open, there was no one else in the area.

Some prayers are intense, and we need answers right now! Thankfully not all prayers are like that. If we go before the Lord in prayer on a consistent basis, He will be there when we urgently need Him.

Praying with intensity seems to indicate faith that the prayer can be answered. Faith is simple and childlike for some of us. It may be borne out of love or out of never having had it tried. For most of us faith is something we have to consistently work to have. We might attain great faith through a singular experience, but the next time our faith is tried we seem to have to start all over again in really trusting the Lord. But I promise you that if you pray, believing that Heavenly Father is there, that He loves you, and that He can answer all prayers, your faith will grow and it will become stronger, and you will be able to come to a place in your life where you will know these things are true. Believing is the beginning of faith.

Do I Really Believe That My Prayers Are Heard and Will Be Answered?

Next question: Do I really believe that my prayers are heard and that Heavenly Father will answer me?

Let me tell you about one little boy’s prayer. His name is Brayden. He was very young at the time—five or six years old. He had been reading the Book of Mormon with his family. The family would read a few verses each day and then have family prayer.

One day they read the words in Moroni 10:4: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.”

It was Brayden’s turn to pray that day. He began his prayer in the same usual way, using the same usual words, but then he said something different. He said, “Heavenly Father, is the Book of Mormon true?” Then he paused.

He paused for so long that his father glanced over at him to see if he needed help in finishing his prayer. But he didn’t need any help. He finished by saying simply, “Thanks, Heavenly Father” and closed his prayer. The Spirit entered that home and bore witness to the whole family of the truthfulness of the scriptures. His prayer was one of simple, beautiful faith.

You are a child of God, just as is Brayden. You are of great worth to Him. He has commanded us repeatedly in the scriptures to “pray always.” He has provided the Atonement to bring us back home. Why would He not answer your prayers? He will. I promise He will! But maybe it’s not the Lord that we are questioning. Maybe it’s our own worthiness we question. Maybe it’s our lack of understanding of how God answers our prayers that makes us question.

In order to better understand and answer how Heavenly Father answers our prayers, let us join this question with the next three questions, which are:

Do I understand how the answers to prayers come?

Do I recognize and accept answers, even if they are not what I want them to be?

Do I understand what it means to wait patiently on the Lord?

When we qualify ourselves through personal worthiness, Heavenly Father always answers our prayers. Please note the word qualify. We have to be trying hard to be worthy of the Lord’s blessings.

President Harold B. Lee said: “If you want the blessing, don’t just kneel down and pray about it. Prepare yourselves in every conceivable way you can in order to make yourselves worthy to receive the blessing you seek” (Stand Ye in Holy Places [1974], 244).

We have to be close to the Spirit to know what to pray for and to be able to discern His answers. But this does not mean we have to be perfect or anywhere near it in order to pray and get answers. This is because prayer is one of the ways we are able to repent and one of the ways we are able to become perfected.

Heavenly Father not only answers our prayers; He always answers them in the way that will bless us eternally. This is a principle that is absolutely true. But there are many ways our prayers may be answered. He may say yes. He may say no. He may say not now. Sometimes we may feel that He is not answering us at all because we are not able to discern the answer. We have to trust in the Lord and trust His timing. We need to learn to recognize the answers when they come.

Some answers come bit by bit in order to strengthen our faith. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said: “We cannot force spiritual things. It must be so. Our life’s purpose to obtain experience and to develop faith would be frustrated if our Heavenly Father enlightened us immediately on every question or directed us in every act” (The Lord’s Way [1991], 36).

Some answers have already been given us, and the Lord is trusting us to act on them. Sometimes we are asking between two equally good things and the Lord is giving us a chance to use our God-given power of agency.

Perhaps in our urgent desire to receive a specific answer to a prayer we are unwilling to put our lives in the hands of the Lord and accept the answer we are given. We want what we want, and we want it now!

Maybe our problem lies in not recognizing how answers come. We are aware that some prayers are answered in spectacular ways, such as Joseph Smith’s First Vision, but most often answers come in more quiet ways. In Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3 we read about two ways the Lord answers our prayers:

“Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.

“Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation.”

The first way mentioned is in our minds. These answers come through the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost as thoughts, ideas—knowledge. These may be flashes of inspiration that we recognize immediately, or they may be ideas that we have to work through and that develop over time. They are usually accompanied by a good feeling.

The second way mentioned is in our hearts. This has to do more with our feelings. We may have negative, confused feelings to warn us that the answer is no. Or the feelings may be sweet, peaceful, reassuring, and comforting. These feelings mean that the answer is yes. These feelings are sometimes likened to a burning sensation that is intense, or the feeling may be very subtle.

The key principles here are that we have been commanded to pray to our Heavenly Father. He hears every prayer. He will answer our prayers for our best good. When we know this deep in our hearts, we won’t get discouraged and turn away from Him. When the answers are not recognizable immediately, we will remain faithful and constant—continually praying to discover His ways. The Spirit can help us, and we will learn to discern how the answers come and what the answers are. It can be different for every person, and it can even be different in each experience we have. I know that as we qualify ourselves to have the Holy Ghost with us constantly, we will be able to more clearly see and understand the answers to our prayers.

Do I Go Forward and Act?

The last question is: Do I order my life according to the answers to my prayers that I receive? Do I go forward and act?

I know that the Lord hears and answers prayers. But I also believe that if we continually pray and then refuse to listen and follow, He will not be as accessible to us in the future. In Doctrine and Covenants 101:7–8 we read:

“They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.

“In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me.”

When we receive answers from the Lord, we have to move forward in trust and confidence. I don’t think it makes Him happy when we continually seek for another answer when we have already received one. We need to remember what He has given us and act upon it in faith.

Do I Ever Feel Like I Do Not Want to Pray?

Now, if you will forgive me, I want to ask one more question: Do you ever feel like you do not want to pray?

In 2 Nephi 32:8 we read, “For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.”

President Brigham Young taught: “It matters not whether you or I feel like praying, when the time comes to pray, pray. If we do not feel like it, we should pray till we do” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1954], 44).

My dear young brothers and sisters, you are at a beginning place in your lives. It is a new school year, a time for new experiences, new relationships—maybe eternal relationships. You are starting your lives in many ways. You have many important decisions ahead of you. Concerning these decisions, Heavenly Father expects a lot from us. He expects us to do all we can do—to think, to work, to stretch our capacity. But if we are willing to do it His way, placing our lives in His hands, it will be so much easier. And we will get it right.

In the Bible Dictionary we learn, “The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them” (“Prayer,” 753).

All we have to do is humbly turn to Him and ask—and then listen and obey. Put simply, life just does not have to be as hard as we sometimes make it. In 3 Nephi 18:18–20 we read:

“Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

“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.”

Let us follow the example of Nephi. Let us turn to our Father in Heaven in humble prayer. Let us receive the blessings untold that He has reserved just for us and for our families.

I know that God lives! Jesus Christ lives! They know each of us. They love each of us. They wait for us. May we be quick to respond by turning to Them in humble prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Week 8: He Cares More About the Shoulder Than About the Wheel

I have a confession to make this week's talk was more for me than for you. I hope you will find some wonderful truths and peace in it too. I've been so busy lately going about doing the things I really feel are meant for me to do but I am so tired and sometimes the things I have to do are so hard. I loved reading this talk as a reminder that as we come unto Jesus our burdens are made light. Enjoy.

~Shauntell

MP3 Link

He Cares More About the Shoulder Than About the Wheel
Monte R. Swain

Brothers and sisters, I’m grateful to be here. I’ve been rather sleepless while preparing my remarks. I’ve felt some concern. But standing here today, seeing you all before me, I feel blessed—blessed to speak from a lectern where saints and scholars and prophets have spoken, and more blessed to come to this campus each day to teach and be taught by wonderful students who are my brothers and sisters and to work with faculty and staff who are reaching for something here that is more than a job.

Today I want to address my remarks to you who may be feeling tired and a little worn down, who may be struggling with feelings of frustration about being a student at BYU, and who may even be feeling a little cynical about what we’re trying to accomplish here. There are some challenging days. There are days when a teacher, an administrator, a classmate, or a roommate does not speak or act as one should in Zion. There are days when you and I do not speak or act as we should in Zion. There are days when we’re confused about a policy or process here that seems inconsistent with the principles of Zion. Sometimes we experience a bit of emotional whiplash when our lives get bumped hard by an experience or a challenge that is painful—painful enough that it pulls us up short and we find ourselves saying, “Wait a minute! I thought this was BYU, the Lord’s school. I thought it was Heavenly Father’s will that I be a BYU student. What in the world is going on here?” You may chuckle—perhaps a bit nervously—at that representation. If you do, it’s probably because you have had some experiences along these lines. And so it’s to you that I address my remarks.

BYU is not Zion. Not yet. It is Zion’s university—and it is under construction. It is a work in progress. However—and this is the core of my remarks today—here at BYU it is not an academic program or an athletic program or even a missionary or leadership program that is under construction. It is you. You and I are the whole point of it.......To read the rest of this address please go to this link

Week 7: Heavenly Homes, Forever Families

Dear Friends,

As I searched for a talk to share with you this week I was drawn to a message from last February’s World Wide Leadership Training. As I listened again, the memory of the simplicity with which Pres. Monson spoke brought peace to my spirit. He emphasizes three things in “Following the Lord’s Blue Print” for Heavenly Homes and Forever families: Kneel Down To Pray, Step Up to Serve, Reach out to Rescue. He encourages us to have “balance” in our efforts and responsibilities as well as to “build with skill and take no shortcuts” as we follow the blue print. I was running as I listened again to this talk and it made me laugh as I read again – “kneel, step, reach” – sounds like part of a work out video. May we all be blessed as we strive to build Heavenly Homes and Forever Families by following the Lord’s Blue Print.

- Sarah

MP3 Link

Heavenly Homes, Forever Families - President Thomas S. Monson

Heavenly Homes, Forever Families
President Thomas S. Monson

Building an Eternal Home
It is in a spirit of humility that I represent the First Presidency as the concluding speaker for this meeting. We have been inspired and edified by the remarks of Elder Bednar, Elder Perry, and Sister Parkin. Our thoughts have centered on home and family as we have been reminded that “the home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place or fulfill its essential functions.”1 A home is much more than a house built of lumber, brick, or stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. We are responsible for the homes we build. We must build wisely, for eternity is not a short voyage. There will be calm and wind, sunlight and shadows, joy and sorrow. But if we really try, our home can be a bit of heaven here on earth. The thoughts we think, the deeds we do, the lives we live not only influence the success of our earthly journey, they also mark the way to our eternal goals.Some Latter-day Saint families are comprised of mother, father, and children, all at home, while others have witnessed the tender departure of one, then another, then another of their members. Sometimes a single individual comprises a family. Whatever its composition, the family continues—for families can be forever.We can learn from the master architect—even the Lord. He has taught us how we must build. He declared, “Every . . . house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25). Later He cautioned, “Behold, mine house is a house of order . . . and not a house of confusion” (D&C 132:8).In a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith at Kirtland, Ohio, December 27, 1832, the Master counseled, “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (D&C 88:119; see also 109:8).Where could any of us locate a more suitable blueprint whereby he could wisely and properly build? Such a house would meet the building code outlined in Matthew, even a house built “upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24, 25; see also Luke 6:48; 3 Nephi 14:24, 25), a house capable of withstanding the rains of adversity, the floods of opposition, and the winds of doubt everywhere present in our changing and challenging world.Some might question, “But that revelation was to provide guidance for the construction of a temple. Is it relevant today?”I would respond, “Did not the Apostle Paul declare, ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?’” (1 Corinthians 3:16).Let the Lord be the general contractor for our building project. Then each of us can be subcontractors responsible for a vital segment of the whole project. All of us are thereby builders. In addition to building our own homes, we also have the responsibility to help build the kingdom of God here upon the earth by serving faithfully and effectively in our Church callings. May I provide guidelines from God, lessons from life, and points to ponder as we commence to build.

Kneel Down to Pray
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5–6). So spoke the wise Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.On this, the American continent, Jacob, the brother of Nephi, declared, “Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith” (Jacob 3:1).This divinely inspired counsel comes to us today as crystal-clear water to a parched earth. We live in troubled times.Just a few short generations ago, one could not have imagined the world in which we now live and the problems it presents. We are surrounded by immorality, pornography, violence, drugs, and a host of other ills which afflict modern-day society. Ours is the challenge, even the responsibility, not only to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27) but also to guide our children and others for whom we have responsibility safely through the stormy seas of sin surrounding all of us, that we might one day return to live with our Heavenly Father.The training of our own families requires our presence, our time, our best efforts. To be effective in our training, we must be stalwart in our examples to our family members and available for private time with each member, as well as time for counseling and guidance.We often feel overwhelmed by the task before us. However, help is ever at hand. He who knows each of His children will answer our fervent and heartfelt prayer as we seek help in guiding them. Such prayer will solve more problems, alleviate more suffering, prevent more transgression, and bring about greater peace and contentment in the human soul than any other way.Besides needing such guidance for our own families, we have been called to positions where we have responsibility for others. As a bishop or counselor, as a priesthood quorum leader or an auxiliary leader, you have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. There may be those who come from part-member or less-active families; some may have turned from their parents, disregarding their pleadings and counsel. We could well be the instrument in the Lord’s hands to make a difference in the life of one in such a situation. Without the guidance of our Heavenly Father, however, we cannot do all that we have been called to do. Such help comes through prayer.A prominent American judge was asked what we, as citizens of the countries of the world, could do to reduce crime and disobedience to law and to bring peace and contentment into our lives and into our nations. He thoughtfully replied, “I would suggest a return to the old-fashioned practice of family prayer.”As a people, aren’t we grateful that family prayer is not an out-of-date practice with us? There is real meaning behind the oft-quoted adage, “The family that prays together stays together.”The Lord Himself directed that we have family prayer when He said, “Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed” (3 Nephi 18:21).As parents, as teachers, and as leaders in any capacity, we cannot afford to attempt this potentially perilous journey through mortality without heavenly assistance to aid us in guiding those for whom we have responsibility.As we offer unto God our family prayers and our personal prayers, let us do so with faith and trust in Him. Kneel down to pray.

Step Up to Serve
For our example, we turn to the life of the Lord. Like a glowing searchlight of goodness is the life of Jesus as He ministered among men. He brought strength to the limbs of the cripple, sight to the eyes of the blind, hearing to the ears of the deaf, and life to the body of the dead.His parables preach power. With the good Samaritan, He taught, “Love thy neighbor” (see Luke 10:30–35). Through His kindness to the woman taken in adultery, He taught compassionate understanding (see John 8:3–11). In His parable of the talents, He taught us to improve ourselves and to strive for perfection (see Matthew 25:14–30). Well could He have been preparing us for our role in building an eternal family.Each of us—whether a priesthood leader or an officer in an auxiliary organization—has responsibility to his or her sacred call. We have been set apart for the work to which we have been called. In Doctrine and Covenants 107:99 the Lord said, “Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.” As we help to bless and strengthen those for whom we have responsibility in our Church callings, we will in effect be blessing and strengthening their families. Thus, the service we perform in our families and in our Church callings can have eternal consequences.Many years ago, as a bishop in a large and diverse ward of over a thousand members located in downtown Salt Lake City, I faced numerous challenges. One Sunday afternoon I received a phone call from the proprietor of a drugstore located within our ward boundaries. He indicated that earlier that morning, a young boy had come into his store and had purchased an ice-cream sundae from the soda fountain. He had paid for the purchase with money he took from an envelope, and then when he left, he had forgotten the envelope. When the proprietor had a chance to examine it, he found that it was a fast-offering envelope with the name and telephone number of our ward printed on it. As he described to me the boy who had been in his store, I immediately identified the individual —a young deacon from our ward who came from a less-active family.My first reaction was one of shock and disappointment to think that any of our deacons would take fast-offering funds intended for those in need and would go to a store on a Sunday and buy a treat with the money. I determined to visit the boy that afternoon in order to teach him about the sacred funds of the Church and his duty as a deacon to gather and to protect those funds.As I drove to the home, I offered a silent prayer for direction in what I should say to compose the situation. I arrived and knocked on the door. It was opened by the boy’s mother, and I was invited into the living room. Although the room was barely lighted, I could see how small and run-down it was. The few pieces of furniture were threadbare. The mother herself looked worn out. My indignation at her son’s actions that morning disappeared from my thoughts as I realized that here was a family in real need. I felt impressed to ask the mother if there was any food in the house. Tearfully she admitted that there was none. She told me that her husband had been out of work for some time and that they were in desperate need not only of food but also of money with which to pay the rent so that they wouldn’t be evicted from the tiny house.I never did bring up the matter of the fast-offering donations, for I realized that the boy had most likely been desperately hungry when he stopped at the drugstore. Rather, I immediately arranged for assistance for the family, that they might have food to eat and a roof over their heads. In addition, with the help of the priesthood leaders in the ward, we were able to arrange employment for the husband so that he could provide for his family in the future. As priesthood and auxiliary leaders, we are entitled to the Lord’s assistance in magnifying our callings and fulfilling our responsibilities. Seek His help, and when the inspiration comes to you, move on that inspiration concerning where to go, whom to see, what to say, and how to say it. We can think a thought to death, but only when we move upon the thought do we bless human lives.May we be true shepherds of those for whom we have responsibility. John Milton wrote in his poem “Lycidas,” “The hungry Sheep look up, and are not fed” (line 125). The Lord Himself said to Ezekiel the prophet, “Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that . . . feed not the flock” (Ezekiel 34:2–3).Ours is the responsibility to care for the flock, for the precious sheep, these tender lambs, are everywhere to be found—at home in our own families, in the homes of our extended families, and waiting for us in our Church callings. Jesus is our Exemplar. Said He, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep” (John 10:14). We have a shepherding responsibility. May we each step up to serve.

Reach Out to Rescue
On the journey along the pathway of life, there are casualties. Some depart from the road markers which lead to life eternal only to discover that the detour chosen ultimately leads to a dead end. Indifference, carelessness, selfishness, and sin all take their costly toll in human lives. There are those who, for unexplained reasons, march to the sound of a different drummer, later to learn they have followed the Pied Piper of sorrow and suffering.In 1995 the First Presidency took note of those who had strayed from the fold of Christ and issued a special statement entitled “An Invitation to Come Back.” The message contained this appeal:“To you who for any reason find yourselves outside the embrace of the Church, we say come back. We invite you to return and partake of the happiness you once knew. You will find many with outstretched arms to welcome you, assist you, and give you comfort.“The Church needs your strength, love, loyalty, and devotion. The course is fixed and certain by which a person may return to the full blessings of Church membership, and we stand ready to receive all who wish to do so.”Perhaps an oft-repeated scene will bring closer to home your personal opportunity to reach out to rescue. Let us look in on a family with a son named Jack. Throughout Jack’s early life, he and his father had many serious arguments. One day when he was 17, they had a particularly agitated one. Jack said to his father, “This is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. I’m leaving home, and I will never return!” He went to his room and packed a bag. His mother begged him to stay, but he was too angry to listen. He left her crying in the doorway.Leaving the yard, he was about to pass through the gate when he heard his father call to him, “Jack, I know that a large share of the blame for your leaving rests with me. For this I am truly sorry. I want you to know that if you should ever wish to return home, you’ll always be welcome. And I’ll try to be a better father to you. I want you to know that I love you, and I’ll always love you.”Jack said nothing but went to the bus station and bought a ticket to a distant point. As he sat in the bus watching the miles go by, his thoughts turned to the words of his father. He began to realize how much courage, how much love had been required for his father to say what he had said. Dad had apologized. He had invited him back and had left the words ringing in the summer air, “I love you.”Jack knew that the next move was up to him. He realized the only way he could ever find peace with himself was to demonstrate to his father the same kind of maturity, goodness, and love that Dad had shown toward him. Jack got off the bus. He bought a return ticket and began the journey home.He arrived shortly after midnight, entered the house, and turned on the light. There in the rocking chair sat his father, his head bowed. As he looked up and saw Jack, he arose from the chair; they rushed into each other’s arms. Jack later said, “Those last years that I was home were among the happiest of my life.”Here was a father who, suppressing passion and bridling pride, reached out to rescue his son before he became one of that vast “lost battalion” resulting from fractured families and shattered homes. Love was the binding band, the healing balm; love so often felt, so seldom expressed.From Mount Sinai there thunders in our ears, “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12), and later, from that same God, the injunction, “Live together in love” (D&C 42:45).

Following the Lord’s Blueprint
Kneel down to pray. Step up to serve. Reach out to rescue. Each is a vital page of God’s blueprint to make a house a home and a home a heaven.Balance is key to us in our sacred and solemn responsibilities in our own homes and in our Church callings. We must use wisdom, inspiration, and sound judgment as we care for our families and fulfill our Church callings, for each is vitally important. We cannot neglect our families; we must not neglect our Church callings.Let us build with skill, take no shortcuts, and follow His blueprint. Then the Lord, even our building inspector, may say to us, as He said when He appeared to Solomon, a builder of another day, “I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually” (1 Kings 9:3). We will then have heavenly homes and forever families and will be able to help, to strengthen, and to bless other families as well. I pray most humbly and sincerely that this blessing may come to each of us. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Note
1. First Presidency letter, Feb. 11, 1999; see Liahona, Dec. 1999, 1; or Ensign, June 1999, 80.

Week 6: Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters

Dear Sisters,

I have appreciated and often pondered President Kimball's quote " To be a righteous woman is a glorious thing in any age. To be a righteous woman during the winding up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman’s strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times. She has been placed here to help to enrich, to protect, and to guard the home—which is society’s basic and most noble institution." As I recently read President Kimball's full address to the women of the Church 12 and over given in 1978, I was impressed with the power and insights of his testimony and with how much the messages of prophets stay the same. Prophets have a way of teaching us with clarity and boldness. I am so grateful for their words of counsel and direction. As we are willing to hear and heed their messages, great blessings and safety come. I hope President Kimball's words will lift, inspire, and encourage you as they have me.

Much love,

Noni

Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters
President Spencer W. Kimball

Ensign, Nov 1978, 101

My dear sisters, the women of the Church, young and older, it is such a privilege to have an opportunity to speak to you in your many different locations and situations around the world. I only wish we could meet all the women of the Church in one large body, but we are grateful that the Lord has blessed us with the technology to make tonight’s worldwide assemblies possible. In a way, it is much like the gatherings that used to be held in this historic tabernacle, where all could be sitting together and listening together. I never tire of expressing appreciation for the way in which technology helps us build the kingdom and serve the Saints. In many ways, in spite of the complexities of our growing size, it allows us to keep in touch, perhaps even more adequately than long distances and poor communications did for our pioneer forebears.
This is an unique and significant gathering. Nothing like it has ever been held before in the Church—and so far as I know, in the world.
Yes, there are some wonderful advantages to our modern day. There is much to be joyful about.
May I express appreciation to the sisters in the general presidencies of the Relief Society, the Young Women, and the Primary, who, along with their boards, do so much to serve the sisters of the Church, and have been largely responsible for initiating this coming together here tonight.
This marvelous chorus of young women has set the tone in beautiful song for what we hope and pray for all of you who have come to listen tonight. May the Lord bless them for their beauty of spirit and music.
As one of the few men privileged to be with you in this momentous gathering, I come to you tonight with a message of peace and hope and love, a message of advice and counsel, a message of faith and encouragement and confidence. I trust that what I say will be helpful and beneficial to you.
May I begin with re-emphasizing some everlasting truths. My dear sisters, choose to keep the commandments of God. For men, for women, for young, for old, this is the secret to happiness, here and hereafter. Keeping them with self-mastery and personal discipline allows the real freedoms that exalt and sustain us. The basic commandments are as simple as they are true: the Ten Commandments as given by God to Moses and the addition to them of what the Savior said—to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, might and strength, and thy neighbor as thyself.
Attend to your personal and family prayers and family devotions. Keep the Sabbath day holy in thought and deed. Live strictly the Word of Wisdom. Attend to all family duties. Keep your life clean and free from all unholy and impure thoughts and actions. Cultivate those associations and activities which will not threaten and lower your high, righteous standards.
Study the scriptures. Thus you may gain strength through the understanding of eternal things. You young women need this close relationship with the mind and will of our Eternal Father. We want our sisters to be scholars of the scriptures as well as our men.......
To read more please go to this link.

Week 5: Let Us Rejoice Together

This is the fifth Thursday of the month. Which means it is time to think about all the great talks and quotes you've heard recently and share with the rest of us. How you do that is you either write about it in the comments of this post or you can email it to me at talkoftheweek@gmail.com and I will put it in the comments for you.

Below are some great references in finding articles:
LDS.org
BYU Broadcasting

The opportunity to learn the gospel is just as important as the admonition to teach the gospel. In D&C 50: 22, we read the following: "Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together." Let us teach and receive of one another so we can ALL be edified and rejoice together in the sweetness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I can't wait to be edified by you wonderful friends and family.

~Shauntell

Week 4: Enduring Together

I've learned over the years how much we need each other. I loved this talk when I heard it over a year ago. I've experienced first hand the sacred blessing it is to be surrounded and supported by good neighbors, friends, family, ward, and community associates during the crisis of life. Tragedies and loss come but we can give unbelievable strength to those who are suffering. As we Endure Together we not only strengthen those in need but we strengthen ourselves, our homes, and our communities.

At this time I would like to request your prayers in behalf of Alida, one of our sweet contributor's. Her mother passed away and I am sure our prayers will be appreciated at this time. May we also offer up prayers of gratitude to a loving God the Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, who do not want us to be alone. They make every effort to surround each of us with the support we need.

My love goes to you Alida!

Shauntell

Enduring Together Richard Edgley.mp3 - Bishop Richard C. Edgley

MP3 Link

Enduring Together
Bishop Richard C. Edgley
First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric

The ward is organized to minister to the needs of those who face even the most difficult and heartbreaking trials.

A couple of years ago a humor columnist for a local newspaper wrote on a serious and thought-provoking subject. I quote from this article: “Being a go-to-church Mormon in Utah means living so close to fellow ward members that not much happens that the entire congregation doesn’t know about in five minutes tops.”

He continues: “This kind of cheek-to-jowl living can be intrusive. . . . It also happens to be one of our greatest strengths.”

The author goes on to say: “At work on Tuesday, I caught the noon news broadcast on television. A van had been obliterated in a traffic crash. A young mother and two small children were being rushed to emergency rooms by helicopter and ambulance. . . . Hours later I learned that the van belonged to the young couple living across the street from me in Herriman, Eric and Jeana Quigley.

“Not only do I see the Quigleys in church, . . . we ate dinner with them at a neighborhood party the night before the crash. Our grandkids played with daughters Bianca and Miranda. . . .

“Fourteen-month-old Miranda suffered serious head injuries and died three days later at Primary Children’s Hospital.

“Here’s where all that nosiness . . . pays off. Although the accident occurred several miles from home, the dust literally had not settled before someone from the ward stopped and was pulling through the wreckage. The rest of the ward knew about it before the cops and paramedics showed up.

“Ward members went to all three hospitals, contacted Eric at work, and organized into labor squads. People who didn’t get in on the immediate-need level were frantic for some way to help.

“In 48 hours, the Quigley yard was mowed, home cleaned, laundry done, refrigerator stocked, relatives fed and a trust fund set up at a local bank. We would have given their dog a bath if they had one.”

The author concludes with this insightful comment: “There is a positive side to the congregational microscope my ward lives under. . . . What happens to a few happens to all” (“Well-Being of Others Is Our Business,” Salt Lake Tribune, July 30, 2005, p. C1).

The compassion and service rendered by caring ward members as a result of this tragic accident are not unique to this particular incident. The Book of Mormon prophet Alma explained to prospective followers of Christ: “As ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort,” then, as Alma explained, they were prepared for baptism (see Mosiah 18:8–9). This scripture lays the foundation for ministering and caring in a most compassionate way.

The ward is organized to minister to the needs of those who face even the most difficult and heartbreaking trials. The bishop, often considered the “father” of the ward, is there to provide counsel and resources. But also close at hand are Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthood leaders, the Relief Society presidency, home teachers, visiting teachers, and the ward members—always the ward members. All are there to administer comfort and show compassion in times of need.

In my own immediate neighborhood we have had our share of heart-wrenching tragedies. In October 1998, 19-year-old Zac Newton, who lived only three houses east of us, was killed in a tragic automobile accident.

Less than two years later, in July, 19-year-old Andrea Richards, who lived directly across from the Newtons, was killed in an automobile accident.

One Saturday afternoon in July 2006, Travis Bastian, a 28-year-old returned missionary, and his 15-year-old sister, Desiree, who lived across the street and two houses north of us, were killed in a terrible automobile accident.

One month later, in August 2006, 32-year-old Eric Gold, who grew up in the house next door to us, suffered a premature death. And others in this neighborhood have also suffered heart-wrenching experiences privately endured and known only to themselves and God.

With the loss of five young people, one might assume that this is an unusual number of trials for one small neighborhood. I choose to think the number only seems large because of a close, caring ward, whose members know when there is a pressing need. It is a ward with members who are following the admonition of Alma and the Savior—members who care and love and bear one another’s burdens, members who are willing to mourn with those that mourn, members who are willing to comfort those in need of comfort, members who endure together.

In each of these instances we saw an outpouring of love, service, and compassion that was inspirational to all. Bishops arrived, home and visiting teachers went into action, and Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthood quorums and Relief Societies organized to take care of both spiritual and temporal needs. Refrigerators were stocked, houses cleaned, lawns mowed, shrubs trimmed, fences painted, blessings given, and soft shoulders were available for crying on. Members were everywhere.

In every one of these instances, the families who lost a loved one expressed increased faith, increased love for the Savior, increased gratitude for the Atonement, and heartfelt thankfulness for an organization that responds to the deepest emotional and spiritual needs of its members. These families now speak about how they got to know the Lord through their adversity. They relate many sweet experiences that grew out of their pain. They testify that blessings can emerge from heartbreak. They give praise to the Lord and would echo the words of Job, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

From bearing one another’s burdens as ward members, we have learned several lessons:

The Lord’s organization is fully adequate to know and care for those with even the most dire emotional and spiritual needs.
Adversity can bring us closer to God, with a renewed and enlightened appreciation for prayer and the Atonement, which covers pain and suffering in all their manifestations.
Members who suffer tragedy firsthand often experience an increased capacity for love, compassion, and understanding. They become the first, last, and often the most effective responders in giving comfort and showing compassion to others.
A ward, as well as a family, draws closer together as it endures together—what happens to one happens to all.
And perhaps most important, we can each be more compassionate and caring because we have each had our own personal trials and experiences to draw from. We can endure together.
I rejoice in belonging to such a loving and caring organization. No one knows better how to bear one another’s burdens, mourn with those who mourn, and comfort those who stand in need of comfort. I choose to call it “enduring together.” What happens to one happens to all. We endure together.

May we be an instrument in lightening the burden of others, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Week 3: Shine On

Dear Friends,

As I pondered my “word” to focus on this year the word that came to me was SHINE (and it nicely rhymes with 2009 – Shine in ’09 ). Since the beginning of January I have been studying this word. I couldn’t decide which talk to share with you since they are both great and oddly enough they both came from the same conference. I know these 2 talks speak mostly of Young Women but try to apply them to your own life as well. I also included the MP3 of the Primary song – Shine On. It has such a sweet message and was quoted in Sister Tanner’s talk. I pray that as Sister Dalton says – the Light of Christ will shine in our faces and that our examples will have a powerful for good on the in our OWN homes and in all the earth!

May God bless you abundantly this week to have a Spirit of Peace about you and to let the YOUR LIGHT SHINE!

Sarah

Mp3 Links:

Sister Tanner's address

Sister Dalton's address

“I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up”
Susan W. Tanner, “‘I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up’,” Ensign, May 2006, 103–5

Each of our [Christlike] deeds may share only a pinpoint of light, but added together they begin to make a significant difference.

I remember a simple sampler that I cross-stitched as a young Primary girl. It said, “I will bring the light of the gospel into my home.” I wondered, “What is that light?” Jesus Christ Himself explained it best when He was teaching the Nephites. He said, “Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world.” Then He explained, “I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do” (3 Ne. 18:24; emphasis added).

What had the Nephites seen Him do, and could I possibly do those things in my home? When the people desired for Him to tarry with them a little longer, He had compassion upon them and lingered with them. Then He healed them, prayed with them, taught them, wept with them, blessed their little children one by one, fed them, and administered and shared the sacrament that they might covenant to always remember Him. His ministry among them was about teaching and caring for each individual, and about completing the work His Father had commanded Him to do. There was no thought for Himself. As I learned this, there began for me a lifelong quest to bring His light into my home through selfless, Christlike acts.

This is not an easy task. Good home life often goes unrecognized. It might be easier to “arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations” (D&C 115:5; emphasis added) rather than that your light may be a standard for your own families. Sometimes others don’t see us doing good, sharing our light in our individual homes. It is basic human nature to desire and seek praise and attention. Helaman taught his sons Nephi and Lehi to do the good works of their forefathers for whom they were named, “that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven” (Hel. 5:8). Good works should not be done for the purpose of receiving recognition.

Charles Dickens has a character in the book Bleak House, a Mrs. Jellyby, whose flaw he labels as “telescopic philanthropy.” She is so consumed with helping a suffering tribe in a distant land that she dismisses her own bruised and dirty child who comes to her in need of comfort. Mrs. Jellyby wants to make sure her good works are grandiose and visible to all. (See Charles Dickens, Bleak House [1985], 82–87.) Maybe some of us would rather help with hurricane relief than home relief. Now both are important, but home relief is our primary and eternal responsibility. “Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).

Another literary figure comes to my mind who is quite the opposite of Dickens’s character. Dorothea is the heroine in one of my favorite novels, Middlemarch. She is remembered at the end of the book for her quiet, selfless deeds to family and friends. It says: “Her full nature … spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs” (George Eliot, Middlemarch [1986], 682).

In these preparatory years, you young women spend much of your time in schools or jobs where you receive accolades, honors, awards, ribbons, or trophies. When you move from that stage to young motherhood, there is a dramatic drop-off in outside commendation. Yet in no other capacity is there more opportunity to serve selflessly as Christ would do by taking care of hundreds of daily physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. You will bring the light of the gospel into your homes—not to be seen of others, but to build others—men and women of strength and light.

Homes are also private places, so unfortunately, we often let down. In our homes and with our families we sometimes become our worst selves with the people who matter the most in our lives. I distinctly remember one morning when I was 14 years old. Before I left for school, I was cross and unkind with my parents and my brothers. After I left the house, I was polite with the bus driver and friendly to my peers. I felt the discrepancy of my actions, and a huge feeling of remorse came over me. I asked the teacher if I could be excused for a few minutes to call home. I apologized to my mother for my behavior and told her how much I loved and appreciated her and promised to do better at showing it.

It is difficult for most of us to live even one day in our homes with no contention. The Nephite nation had a perfect society for 200 years with “no contention in the land. … And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God” (4 Ne. 1:15–16).

Some of us are born into families with very difficult problems. And even good families have many challenges. We must try to do in our homes what Christ did with the Nephites. As the proclamation on the family teaches, “Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). We must be the light to help our families overcome sin, anger, envy, and fighting. We can pray together, weep for each other, heal each other’s wounds, and selflessly love and serve one another.

You young women are preparing now to strengthen your future homes and families by bringing the light of the gospel into your current homes and families. Small, seemingly insignificant things you do can make a big difference. I read about some small glowworms found in caves in New Zealand. Each one by itself produces only an insignificant pinpoint of light. But when millions of them light up a cave one by one, they produce enough light by which one can actually read. Likewise, each of our little deeds may share only a pinpoint of light, but added together they begin to make a significant difference. Tonight the choir will remind us of the importance of sharing our little lights as they sing “Shine On”:

My light is but a little one,
My light of faith and prayer;
But lo! it glows like God’s great sun,
For it was lighted there.

I may not hide my little light;
The Lord has told me so.
’Tis given me to keep in sight,
That all may see it glow.
Shine on, shine on, shine on bright and clear;
Shine on, shine on now the day is here.
(Children’s Songbook, 144)

We can shine on by tending a baby brother, eating lunch with a sister in the school cafeteria, doing household tasks, resisting the urge to quarrel, rejoicing in each other’s successes, sharing a treat, giving care when someone is sick, placing on a pillow at night a thank-you note to a parent, forgiving an offense, bearing our testimonies.

In Romania I met Raluca, a 17-year-old young woman who had recently joined the Church. Her baptism was a happy event because, among other things, her whole family attended. Her mother and sister felt the Spirit there and wanted to have the missionary discussions too. This concerned the father, for he felt he was losing all of his family to this unfamiliar church. So he did not allow it, and for a time there was a feeling of discord in their family. However, Raluca remembered that she had made a baptismal covenant to take upon her the name of Jesus Christ. She tried to hold up His light by doing in her home the things He would do. She was a peacemaker. She was an example. She was a teacher. She was a healer.

Eventually her father’s heart softened, and he allowed the others to learn more about the Church. Then they too were baptized. And finally, much to everyone’s joy, the father of the family also joined the Church. At his baptism he spoke and said that for a time their family had been as two hearts beating at a different rhythm in the same household. But now they were of one faith and one baptism, with their hearts knit together in unity and love. He gave thanks to the missionaries and members who had helped them. Then he paid a special tribute to his daughter Raluca for being so Christlike in their home during that difficult period, for being the peacemaker, the healer, the teacher, the example, and the light that eventually brought their entire family to the Church of Jesus Christ.

Each of you has light. As I look into your faces here tonight and as I remember your faces that I have seen as I have traveled throughout the world, I see light glowing in your countenances, “even as the faces of angels” (Hel. 5:36). In a world overshadowed with the darkness of sin, the faces of Nephi and Lehi, Helaman’s sons, “did shine exceedingly” (Hel. 5:36). Those surrounding them wanted that same light and inquired, “What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?” (Hel. 5:40). They were taught to repent and have faith in Jesus Christ. As they did this, the cloud of darkness dispersed and they were encircled with light, a pillar of fire, and filled with unspeakable joy from the Holy Spirit (see Hel. 5:43–45).

As you share your light, others will find greater light too. Is there anyone who needs your light as much as your families? I see you remarkable young women with your glowing countenances as the strength of the present and the hope of the future in your homes and in the Church.

Jesus Christ is the light that we must hold up. “He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come” (“The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” Liahona and Ensign, Apr. 2000, 2–3). May we each shine on with His light, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

“Shine On,” Children’s Songbook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 144

Sing Happily

1. My light is but a little one,
My light of faith and prayer;
But lo! it glows like God’s great sun,
For it was lighted there.

2. I may not hide my little light;
The Lord has told me so.
’Tis given me to keep in sight,
That all may see it glow.

Chorus
Shine on, shine on, shine on bright and clear;
Shine on, shine on now the day is here.

Words and music: Joseph Ballantyne, 1868–1944

Matthew 5:14–16



It Shows in Your Face
Elaine S. Dalton
Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency

You reflect His light. Your example will have a powerful effect for good on the earth.

There has never been a better time to live on the earth than this. These are "days never to be forgotten."1 These are your days, and they are amazing. You are amazing! As I look into your eyes and see your shining faces, I marvel that you can be so good, so strong, and so pure in a world that is so challenging. I am reminded of a poem my grandfather used to say to me when I was about your age. He said:

You don't have to tell how you live each day;
You don't have to tell if you work or play;
A tried and true barometer stands in its place—
You don't have to tell, it will show in your face. . . .
If you live close to God and His infinite grace—
You won't have to tell, it will show in your face.2

I have never forgotten that simple poem, and I have always tried to live in such a way that it would show in my face. I can see that you are doing that also. The light in your countenance comes because you have made and kept covenants with our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and you have made choices which qualify you to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost. I express my admiration for each one of you.

President Gordon B. Hinckley has said of you, "You are . . . the finest [and strongest] generation of young people ever in the history of this Church."3 I believe you have been prepared and reserved to be on the earth at this time when the challenges and opportunities are the greatest. I believe that the Lord is counting on you to be a leader for righteousness and to stand as a witness "at all times and in all things, and in all places."4 Indeed, it can be said of you that you are the "bright shining hope" of the future.5

I believe that you are included in those spoken of by the Apostle Peter when he said, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."6

That light is the Savior's light. It is the light of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. By the way you live the gospel, you reflect His light. Your example will have a powerful effect for good on the earth. "Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations"7 is a call to each of you. It is a call to move to higher ground. It is a call to leadership—to lead out in decency, purity, modesty, and holiness. It is a call to share this light with others. It is time to "arise and shine forth."

Can one righteous young woman change the world? The answer is a resounding "yes!" You have the Holy Ghost as your guide, and He "will show . . . you all things . . . [you] should do."8 It is the daily consistent things you do that will strengthen you to be a leader and an example—daily prayer, daily scripture study, daily obedience, daily service to others. As you do these things, you will grow closer to the Savior and become more and more like Him. Like Moses and Abinadi and other faithful leaders,9 your face will glow with the fire of your faith. "Have ye received his image in your countenances?"10 "Arise and shine forth."

In 1856, at age 13, Mary joined the Church with her family in England, traveled to America, and joined the Martin handcart company. In her personal history she recounts the difficulty of the journey—the loss of her baby brother and older brother, the freezing of her own feet, and finally the death of an infant sister and her mother. When she arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, the doctor amputated her toes, but she was promised by the prophet, Brigham Young, that she would not have to have any more of her feet cut off. She recounts: "One day I sat . . . crying. My feet were hurting me so—when a little old woman knocked at the door She said she had felt someone needed her there for a number of days. . . . I showed her my feet. . . . She said, 'Yes, and with the help of the Lord we will save them yet.' She made a poultice and put on my feet and every day after the doctor had gone she would come and change the poultice. At the end of three months my feet were well."11

But Mary had sat in her chair so long that the cords of her legs had become stiff and she could not straighten them. When her father saw her condition, he cried. He rubbed her legs with oil and tried to straighten them, but it was of no use. One day he said, "Mary I have thought of a plan to help you. I will nail a shelf on the wall and while I am away to work you try to reach it." She said that she tried all day for several days and at last she could reach the shelf. Then her father put the shelf a little higher. This went on for another three months, and through her daily diligence her legs were straightened and she learned to walk again.12

I believe that you are learning, like Mary Goble, to reach just a little higher to the shelf our leaders have raised for us, and that if you will reach higher as those ideals are raised, you will become able to walk into the future with confidence.

The faces of the young women in West Africa shine with the radiant light of the Holy Ghost. They live the standards in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, they are guided by the Spirit, and they are preparing to be leaders. They love the Lord and are grateful for His light in their lives. Some of these young women walked three hours to share their testimonies with me. Because of them, I will never be the same.

When I was in South America, the young women and their leaders sang, "I'm Trying to Be like Jesus."13 They not only sang the words, but they meant it. In Asia and India, young women are examples of faith, modest dress, and purity. Their eyes shine and they are happy. The young women in England, Ireland, and Wales are standing for truth and righteousness in their schools. In an ever-darkening world, they are making a difference. Some of you are the only members in your family or your school. You are making a difference. You are leading in righteous ways.

Not so long ago, I hiked with a group of youth to the top of Ensign Peak. There we looked at the city of Salt Lake and the temple and talked of the sacrifice so many had made for the gospel. Then each of the youth unfurled a banner. On their banners they had drawn symbols of their message to the world—what they wanted to stand for in these latter days. It was thrilling to hear the commitment and testimony of each one. Then we sang "High on the Mountain Top"14 and the youth cheered together, "Hurrah for Israel!"15 I echo those words today. Hurrah for you! I hope you will never hesitate to "let your light so shine . . . that [others will] see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."16 I hope you too will raise your banners high. I know that as you lead in righteousness, this scripture in Isaiah will be fulfilled: "For, behold, . . . the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee."17 It will be discernable, and "the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."18

I can see a day when the world will look to you and say: "Who are you? Who are these young women who radiate this light? Why are you so happy? Why do you know your direction in such a confusing world?" And you will arise and stand on your feet and say with conviction: "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will 'stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.' "19

My call to you is the same as Moroni's call: "Awake, and arise . . . , O daughter[s] of Zion."20 He saw you. He saw this day. These are your days! It is up to you to decide that you will "arise and shine forth." I believe that as you awake and arise, your light will be a standard to the nations, but I also believe your standards will be a light to the nations. You are set apart. You distinguished yourselves in the premortal existence. Your lineage carries with it a covenant and promises. You have inherited the spiritual attributes of the faithful—even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Your very nature reflects your divine heritage and destiny. The fact that you were born a girl is not by chance. Your divine characteristics will be magnified as you lead others and arise to your divine potential. Draw close to the Savior. He lives! He is the light, life, and hope of the world. He will lead you and give you courage to share your light. As my grandfather taught me, "When you live close to God and His infinite grace, you won't have to tell, it will show in your face." In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.


NOTES

1. Oliver Cowdery, in Joseph Smith—History, 1:71, footnote.
2. Author unknown.
3. Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997), 714.
4. Mosiah 18:9.
5. Gordon B. Hinckley, "Standing Strong and Immovable," Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 10, 2004, 20.
6. 1 Peter 2:9.
7. D&C 115:5.
8. 2 Nephi 32:5.
9. See Exodus 34:30; Mosiah 13:5; Matthew 17:1–2.
10. Alma 5:14.
11. Eugene England, "Utah, a Centennial Celebration," This People, spring 1996, 21.
12. See England, This People, 21–22.
13. See Children's Songbook, 78.
14. See Hymns, no. 5.
15. See Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball (1945), 266.
16. Matthew 5:16.
17. Isaiah 60:2.
18. Isaiah 60:3.
19. Young Women theme; see also Mosiah 18:9.
20. Moroni 10:31.

Week 2: Quick to Observe

Dear Friends,

I hope that you are enjoying a wonderful New Year! I recently read Elder Bednar’s devotional address, “Quick to Observe” and feel inspired to share it with you this week. I am grateful to have this master teacher as one of our Apostles. I am grateful for his ability to teach simple, but profound doctrine in a way that I can embrace and observe it. One of my goals this New Year is to more fully access the Gifts of the Spirit available to us. I am grateful for Elder Bednar’s careful and detailed teaching about the blessings of being quick to observe and how this brings the gift of discernment. When we have this gift, we are able to be greater instruments in the hands of the Lord as we discern truth and error, good and evil, and uncover for ourselves and others our better natures. I hope Elder Bednar’s words will lift, inspire, and encourage you as they have me.

Much love,

Noni


MP3 Link

Quick to Observe Bednar.mp3 - David A. Bednar

“Quick to Observe”
DAVID A. BEDNAR
David A. Bednar was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given at Brigham Young University on 10 May 2005.
© Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Complete volumes of Speeches are available wherever LDS books are sold.
For further information contact:Speeches, 218 University Press Building, Provo, Utah 84602.(801) 422-2299 / E-mail: speeches@byu.edu / Speeches Home Page

Sister Bednar and I are delighted to be with you. She and I have been anxiously engaged in university life for more than 30 years, and we love the young people of the Church. Time spent with you this morning is a sacred privilege for us. I now seek for and invite the assistance of the Holy Ghost as I speak with you about essential spiritual truths.

In October 1987 Elder Marvin J. Ashton, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, spoke in general conference about spiritual gifts. I recall with fondness the impact his message had upon me at that time, and the things he taught then continue to influence me today. In his message Elder Ashton detailed and described a number of less conspicuous spiritual gifts—attributes and abilities that many of us might not have considered being spiritual gifts. For example, Elder Ashton highlighted the gifts of asking; of listening; of hearing and using a still, small voice; of being able to weep; of avoiding contention; of being agreeable; of avoiding vain repetition; of seeking that which is righteous; of looking to God for guidance; of being a disciple; of caring for others; of being able to ponder; of bearing mighty testimony; and of receiving the Holy Ghost (see Marvin J. Ashton, “There Are Many Gifts,” Ensign, November 1987, 20–22).

This morning I want to talk with you about another seemingly simple and perhaps underappreciated spiritual gift—the capacity of being “quick to observe.” I will also attempt to explain why appropriately seeking for this blessing is vitally important for you and for me in the world in which we do now and will yet live...... For the rest of this talk click this LINK

Volume II Week 1: Maybe Christmas Doesn't Come From a Store

I am just so grateful for the daily miracles and interactions with Christ over the past month or so. His presence has made such a positive impact on my outlook of life lately. I feel like he has truly just taken the reins and has led me down a fruitful and prosperous path. I've fought for many years to keep the reins in my care and control. I've fought until I was so tired and weak that I had two choices- curl up in a ball and quit, or to turn the reins over to Him. He has embraced me in His arms of mercy, comforting my heart and whispering to my mind, that I am his dear child, that He promises he will take care of me. He reminds me of all the times that he has taken care of me and finally I can see it. Finally, I trust in Him enough to just LET GO.

"As He surrounded you with His loving embrace, the Spirit sweetly reminds you of the time before your birth. He held you gently, whispering loving words of assurance, "I will not forget thee, nor forsake thee. I will not fail thee . . ." And then you were born." Painting and quote by Derek Hegsted

For this new year I hope that you all will come to know the Savior personally in your lives. I hope you will feel his presence and see his kind acts of love and support daily. He IS real. He IS there. He IS our master our salvation. He WILL NOT fail you.

This week's talk was one that had a profound effect on me this Christmas season. I still feel like we can celebrate the reason fro the season. I hope you all had a merry Christmas and that you each will have a very wonderful, faith promoting 2009.

If there is a subject you would like covered for next year feel free to email me at talkoftheweek@gmail.com with a suggestion or a topic.

"Maybe Christmas Doesn't Come From a Store"

Elder Jeffery R. Holland

Ensign, Dec 1977, 63–65

..........Part of the purpose for telling the story of Christmas is to remind us that Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Indeed, however delightful we feel about it, even as children, each year it “means a little bit more.” And no matter how many times we read the biblical account of that evening in Bethlehem, we always come away with a thought—or two—we haven’t had before.
There are so many lessons to be learned from the sacred account of Christ’s birth that we always hesitate to emphasize one at the expense of all the others. Forgive me while I do just that in the time we have together here.
One impression which has persisted with me recently is that this is a story—in profound paradox with our own times—that this is a story of intense poverty. I wonder if Luke did not have some special meaning when he wrote not “there was no room in the inn” but specifically that “there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7; italics added.) We cannot be certain, but it is my guess that money could talk in those days as well as in our own. I think if Joseph and Mary had been people of influence or means, they would have found lodging even at that busy time of year....... to read more of this talk click this link.

I thought this video was a very good reminder too. Enjoy!

Week 47: And Always Remember Him

Dear Friends,

As we approach the celebration of the birth of the Savior, I thought it was appropriate to share this beautiful talk about “remembering Him”.

I pray that we can all enjoy some quiet stillness in the midst of all the hustle and bustle to remember Him - always remember Him. The question that most helped me as I read and listened to this talk was – “When you remember to remember the Savior, what is it specifically that you contemplate?”

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Have a wonderful week!

Sarah

And Always Remember Him - Gordon Lindsay

MP3 Link

“And Always Remember Him”
GORDON B. LINDSAY

I am humbled this morning to share a few words and pray I might say some things that will increase our desire and ability to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for university devotionals. They are a nice break from academic work and let us focus on the weightier matters of the kingdom. I know you students appreciate the chance to get away from writing papers and studying for exams. I have heard how difficult some of those exams can be.

I was told of a zoology professor who is so tough a grader that nobody has ever received an A in his course. Last semester, history was being made because an especially bright student had A’s on the two midterms. If he could get an A on the final he would have the first A in this professor’s class—ever. The final test was on birds, and so the student practically memorized the three chapters on birds. He went to the library, checked out extra readings, and felt ready for anything that might appear on the final........To read more of this talk please follow this link.

Week 46: Spiritual Preparednss: Start Early, Be Steady

As I listened to this talk recently, I felt it had even more application now than it did when President Erying first taught us as I have felt the intensity of opposition and difficulties heating up for all of us. I found his words encouraging--a reminder to cheer up our hearts. I also appreciated his references to the Savior and his teaching of the Savior's great care and love for each of us as individuals. I am grateful for his reminder that faith has a short shelf life--it must be replenished regularly and recently--and the reminder that the Lord will give us the power to do what He asks of us. As we celebrate the birth of the Savior, may it be a time to strengthen and increase our love for and faith in Him.

May you feel joy in His service this season,

Noni

MP3 Link

Spiritual Preparedness: Start Early and Be Steady
Elder Henry B. Eyring
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God's commands in the midst of the storms of life.


Most of us have thought about how to prepare for storms. We have seen and felt the suffering of women, men, and children, and of the aged and the weak, caught in hurricanes, tsunamis, wars, and droughts. One reaction is to ask, "How can I be prepared?" And there is a rush to buy and put away whatever people think they might need for the day they might face such calamities.

But there is another even more important preparation we must make for tests that are certain to come to each of us. That preparation must be started far in advance because it takes time. What we will need then can't be bought. It can't be borrowed. It doesn't store well. And it has to have been used regularly and recently.

What we will need in our day of testing is a spiritual preparation. It is to have developed faith in Jesus Christ so powerful that we can pass the test of life upon which everything for us in eternity depends. That test is part of the purpose God had for us in the Creation.

The Prophet Joseph Smith gave us the Lord's description of the test we face. Our Heavenly Father created the world with His Son, Jesus Christ. We have these words to tell us about the purpose of the Creation: "We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them."1

So, the great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God's commands in the midst of the storms of life. It is not to endure storms, but to choose the right while they rage. And the tragedy of life is to fail in that test and so fail to qualify to return in glory to our heavenly home.

We are the spirit children of a Heavenly Father. He loved us and He taught us before we were born into this world. He told us that He wished to give us all that He had. To qualify for that gift we had to receive mortal bodies and be tested. Because of those mortal bodies, we would face pain, sickness, and death.

We would be subject to temptations through the desires and weaknesses that came with our mortal bodies. Subtle and powerful forces of evil would tempt us to surrender to those temptations. Life would have storms in which we would have to make choices using faith in things we could not see with our natural eyes.

We were promised that we would have Jehovah, Jesus Christ, as our Savior and Redeemer. He would assure that we would all be resurrected. And He would make it possible for us to pass the test of life if we exercised faith in Him by being obedient. We shouted for joy at the good news.

A passage from the Book of Mormon, another witness of Jesus Christ, describes how hard the test is and what it will take to pass it:

"Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved.

"Wherefore, may God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdom of God, that ye may praise him through grace divine. Amen."2

It will take unshakable faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to choose the way to eternal life. It is by using that faith we can know the will of God. It is by acting on that faith we build the strength to do the will of God. And it is by exercising that faith in Jesus Christ that we can resist temptation and gain forgiveness through the Atonement.

We will need to have developed and nurtured faith in Jesus Christ long before Satan hits us, as he will, with doubts and appeals to our carnal desires and with lying voices saying that good is bad and that there is no sin. Those spiritual storms are already raging. We can expect that they will worsen until the Savior returns.

However much faith to obey God we now have, we will need to strengthen it continually and keep it refreshed constantly. We can do that by deciding now to be more quick to obey and more determined to endure. Learning to start early and to be steady are the keys to spiritual preparation. Procrastination and inconsistency are its mortal enemies.

Let me suggest to you four settings in which to practice quick and steady obedience. One is the command to feast upon the word of God. A second is to pray always. A third is the commandment to be a full-tithe payer. And the fourth is to escape from sin and its terrible effects. Each takes faith to start and then to persevere. And all can strengthen your capacity to know and obey the Lord's commands.

You already have had the Lord's help to get started. In August, you received this promise from President Gordon B. Hinckley if you would read the Book of Mormon through by the end of the year: "Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God."3

That is the very promise of increased faith we need to be spiritually prepared. But if we delayed the start of our obedience to that inspired invitation, the number of pages we had to read each day grew larger. If we then missed reading for even a few days, the chance of failure grew. That's why I chose to read ahead of my daily plan to be sure I will qualify for the promised blessings of the spirit of resolution and testimony of Jesus Christ. When December ends, I will have learned about starting at the moment a command from God comes and being steady in obedience.

More than that, as I read in the Book of Mormon, I will pray that the Holy Ghost will help me know what God would have me do. There is a promise of that plea being answered in the book itself: "Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."4

I will act quickly on what the Holy Ghost tells me I should do as I read and ponder the Book of Mormon. When I complete the project in December, I will have had many experiences of stretching my faith to be obedient. And so my faith will be strengthened. And I will know from my own experience what comes from going to the scriptures early and consistently to know what God wants me to do and then doing it. If we do that, we will be better prepared for the greater storms when they come.

We will then have a choice of what to do after January 1. We can choose to sigh with relief and say to ourselves: "I have built a great reservoir of faith by starting early and being steady in obedience. I will store it away against the times when I will be tested in storms." There is a better way to prepare, because great faith has a short shelf life. We could decide to persist in studying the words of Christ in the scriptures and the teachings of living prophets. This is what I will do. I will go back to the Book of Mormon and drink deeply and often. And then I will be grateful for what the prophet's challenge and promise did to teach me how to gain greater faith and maintain it.

Personal prayer can also build our faith to do what God commands. We are commanded to pray always that we will not be overcome. Some of the protection we need will be direct intervention of God. But more of it will come from building our faith to obey. We can pray every day to know what God would have us do. We can commit to start to do it quickly when the answer comes. My experience is that He always answers such petitions. Then, we can choose to obey. As we do, we will build faith enough that we will not be overcome. And we will gain the faith to go back again and again for further instruction. When the storms come, we will be ready to go and do what the Lord commands.

The Savior showed us a great example of such a prayer of submission. He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane as He worked out the Atonement that His Father's will would be done. He knew that His Father's will would be for Him to do what was so painful and so terrible that we cannot comprehend it. He prayed not simply to accept the Father's will but to do it. He showed us the way to pray in perfect and determined submission.

The principle of exercising faith early and steadily applies as well to the commandment to pay tithing. We should not wait until the annual tithing settlement to decide to be a full-tithe payer. We can decide now. It takes time to learn to control our spending with faith that what we have comes from God. It takes faith to pay our tithing promptly and without procrastination.

If we decide now to be a full-tithe payer and if we are steady in paying it, blessings will flow throughout the year, as well as at the time of tithing settlement. By our decision now to be a full-tithe payer and our steady efforts to obey, we will be strengthened in our faith and, in time, our hearts will be softened. It is that change in our hearts through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, beyond the offering of our money or goods, that makes it possible for the Lord to promise full-tithe payers protection in the last days.5 We can have confidence that we will qualify for that blessing of protection if we commit now to pay a full tithe and are steady in doing it.

The same power of an early choice to exercise faith and to be persistent in obedience applies to gaining the faith to resist temptation and to gain forgiveness. The best time to resist temptation is early. The best time to repent is now. The enemy of our souls will place thoughts in our minds to tempt us. We can decide early to exercise faith, to cast out evil thoughts before we act on them. And we can choose quickly to repent when we do sin, before Satan can weaken our faith and bind us. Seeking forgiveness is always better now than later.

As my father lay in his bed near death, I asked him if he didn't think it was a time to repent and pray for forgiveness for any sins that were not yet resolved with God. He probably heard a little hint in my voice that he might fear death and the Judgment. He just chuckled quietly, smiled up at me, and said, "Oh no, Hal, I've been repenting as I went along."

Decisions now to exercise faith and be steady in obedience will in time produce great faith and assurance. That is the spiritual preparedness we all will need. And it will qualify us in the moments of crisis to receive the Lord's promise that "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear."6

That will be true when we face the storms of life and the prospect of death. A loving Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son have given us all the help They can to pass the test of life set before us. But we must decide to obey and then do it. We build the faith to pass the tests of obedience over time and through our daily choices. We can decide now to do quickly whatever God asks of us. And we can decide to be steady in the small tests of obedience which build the faith to carry us through the great tests, which will surely come.

I know that you and I are children of a loving Heavenly Father. I know that His Son, Jesus Christ, lives and that He is our Savior and that He paid the price of all of our sins. He was resurrected, and He and Heavenly Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, translated through the gift and power of God. I know that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ.

I know that through the Holy Ghost we can learn what God would have us do. I testify that He can give us the power to do what He asks of us, whatever it is and whatever trials may come.

I pray that we will choose to obey the Lord quickly, always, in quiet times and in storms. As we do, our faith will be strengthened, we will find peace in this life, and we will gain the assurance that we and our families can qualify for eternal life in the world to come. I so promise you, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.


NOTES

1. Abraham 3:24–25.
2. 2 Nephi 10:23–25.
3. "A Testimony Vibrant and True," Liahona and Ensign, Aug. 2005, 6.
4. 2 Nephi 32:3.
5. See D&C 64:23.
6. D&C 38:30.