The Ordinance of the Sacrament and Worthiness

This talk was given this morning in San Bernardino Second Ward, my home ward.

Brothers and sisters, I am grateful to be with you today. I bring you the love and greetings of President Garvin and his Counselors. They love you, and want the best for each of you. I feel very privileged to serve with them and with my brothers of the High Council.
In recent months, there has been a great deal of discussion about whether Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, are Christians or not. Unfortunately this discussion is primarily motivated by politics and not by an honest desire to know and understand the truth.
This public questioning has allowed to me to share my beliefs with many friends and colleagues, and I am thankful for that. But we must remember that gospel truths are best understood and accepted through the influence of the Holy Ghost.
Amidst all this uncertainty and deception, we have the comforting witnesses of the Prophets and Apostles, and especially the living Prophets, who are unwavering in their testimony of the divinity of the Christ. If we hold fast to their teachings, we will not be deceived. We will not have our faith destroyed by “the proud who are wise.”
My witness to you, in harmony with the witness of ten thousand times ten thousand saints, prophets and apostles, is that Jesus Christ is truly and literally the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. He suffered and died for us, and he rose again for us. He lives, and he loves us!
Throughout the scriptures, he has invited us to come unto him and be partakers of his goodness and his love.
Moroni encouraged us to: “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God” (Mni. 10:32).
Amaleki added this invitation, many years before Moroni: “And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved” (Omni 1:26).
Nephi also testified: “he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile” (2 Ne. 26:33). I really like what Nephi says, because if you look around today, you will see the results of that invitation.
In fact the missionaries as well as the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are commissioned to invite all to come unto Christ.
We have gathered today in the most sacred and important meeting in the Church. It is the sacrament that makes it so. The sacrament is the centerpiece of this meeting. It should be our main focus, and nothing that is said or done here should distract us from thinking about the Savior and his Atonement.
This is what strengthens us spiritually so that we will have the power and the ability to resist temptation throughout the week.
From the moment we step through the chapel doors until the moment that we leave, we should be thinking of Christ and his sacrifice for us.
The Lord has instructed: “Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
“And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;” (D&C 59:8 - 9).
We know that this is a commandment with a promise. By participating weekly and appropriately in the ordinance of the sacrament, we qualify for the promise that we will “always have his Spirit to be with us.” The Spirit is the foundation of our testimonies. It testifies of the Father and the Son, brings all things to our remembrance, and leads us into truth.
It is vital that we never lose sight of the true significance of this sacred meeting.
In order to understand why it is so important, let us review the doctrine of the sacrament.
Shortly before his trial, his suffering and crucifixion, the Savior met with his apostles in what is commonly referred to as the Last Supper. But we may also consider the first supper, the beginning of many spiritual feasts, enjoyed each Sunday throughout the Church.
Matthew records: “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
“And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
“For this is in remembrance of my blood of the new testament, which is shed for as many as shall believe on my name for the remission of sins.
“And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall observe to do the things which ye have seen me do . . .” (Matt. 26:26 – 28; JST added in italics).
This was also a significant part of Christ’s teachings to the Nephites: “And when the Disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the Disciples and commanded that they should eat.
“And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude.
“And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the Disciples: [Ye] shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name.
“And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done. …”
“And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
“And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his Disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it.
“And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled.
“And when the Disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you.
“And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you” (3 Ne. 18:3 - 11).
Can you imagine what it would be like to have the Savior himself administer the sacrament to you? Jesus Christ has given to men the authority to act in his place and in his name on the earth. He has given to the young men of the Aaronic Priesthood the responsibility to administer the emblems of his flesh and blood to each of us.
Young men, when you sit in your places and wait for the meeting to begin, do you ever think about that? When you administer the sacrament to us, you are standing in for Jesus. He has given you this sacred responsibility. I hope you take it seriously.
When you prepare, bless and pass the sacrament, you are standing in place of the Savior, and allowing us to participate in this important ordinance of salvation. Do you realize that? You are helping us to gain our salvation. This is why the Lord and his representative, Bishop Lomenick, expect you to be clean and worthy. Don’t ever take this great privilege for granted.
We should all concentrate on the sacrament prayers, and never view them as something routine. In my life, I have probably heard these prayers over 2000 times.
We should pay close attention each week when the sacrament prayers are offered. With the young priests as voice, we are all covenanting with Heavenly Father once again. Because this is a covenant with the Father, it is important that the words are spoken clearly and correctly. We need to be able to hear and understand these words every time we partake of the sacrament.
If a mistake is made, the presiding authority, who is usually the Bishop, will request that the prayer be repeated.
The sacrament begins with a hymn to help remind us of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. These are some of the most beautiful hymns we sing. They help us to personalize the ordinance. During the singing of the hymn, the priests break the bread. It is torn and broken in remembrance of the torn flesh of Christ and his physical suffering in our behalf.
Then a priest kneels and offers the prayer on the bread: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen” (D&C 20:77).
As we say Amen in response, the prayer becomes ours, and we give our approval to the covenants named in the prayer. Then the deacons and their other priesthood helpers reverently pass the bread to each of us, and we eat in remembrance of the Savior’s body.
Then the priests bless the water, which reminds us of Christ’s blood shed for our sins, and of his deep spiritual suffering, which began in Gethsemane. There he said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death” (Matt. 26:38).
The priest kneels and says: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen” (D&C 20:79).
Again, by our Amen we consent to covenants named in the prayer, and the deacons reverently pass the water so that we may drink in remembrance of the Savior’s blood, shed for us.
Every gospel ordinance focuses in some way on the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is most obvious in the symbolism of the sacrament, which is also the ordinance which we repeat the most during our lives.
Perhaps because it is so common, we must take extra care that we don’t take these great blessings for granted. Do we really think about the significance of this small, weekly act? Do we consider it sacred? Do we see it as our Passover, and remember our deliverance and redemption from sin?
The sacrament ought to be a powerful, reverent, reflective moment. It should encourage spiritual feelings and impressions. This should be the high point of our week, when we not only renew our covenants, but renew our spirits as well.
Elder Delbert L. Stapley said: “The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is a covenant between God and his people. … When baptized by an authorized servant of God, we covenant to do God’s will and to obey his commandments. … By partaking of the sacrament we renew all covenants entered into with the Lord and pledge ourselves to take upon us the name of his Son, to always remember him and keep his commandments” (CR Oct. 1965, 14).
What are the covenants we make as we take the sacrament?
First, we witness before Heavenly Father and his servants that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ. That means that we are choosing to be like him.
Next, we promise to always remember him. This is perhaps the most difficult part of the covenant for us.
We also covenant to keep God’s commandments. In return, the Father promises that if we are true to our covenants, we will always have his Spirit to be with us. Imagine the strength we could have if we always had the Holy Ghost with us. This is what will permit us to remain unspotted from the world.
Our covenant to always remember the Savior is a challenging one. I have identified three aspects of remembering him.
First, remembering him certainly means doing His will. Jesus achieved perfect unity with the Father by submitting himself, both body and spirit, to the will of the Father. Because it was the Father’s will, he even allowed himself to suffer and die for us. One of the reasons Christ’s ministry had such power was that he remained focused on his Father.
In the same way, we can put Christ at the center of our lives and become one with him as he is one with the Father.
If we focus on doing the Father’s will, the things which are important will take priority in our lives, and the things of lesser value will take a lower priority or will fall out of our lives altogether. This is not something that happens overnight. It is a gradual process throughout our lives.
Nephi had the right idea when he advised us: “But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul’ (2 Ne. 32:9).
Second, remembering Him means that we know that we will have to answer to Him for our lives: for our thoughts, words and actions. Alma, in speaking of those who have hardened their hearts, said: “For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence” (Alma 12:14). I don’t want to be a part of that group, and I don’t want you to be part of it, either.
Always remembering him also means that we always remember that nothing is hidden from him. However, we can also take heart because this means that no act of kindness, no good deed, and no obedient act will ever be forgotten, and no corresponding blessing will ever be withheld.
Third, we must remember that we can always look to the Savior for help. We do not have to face life’s trials on our own. Indeed, we cannot face them on our own. A part of the atonement that we often overlook is mentioned by Alma: “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:11 - 12).
In our day, the Lord counseled, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (D&C 6:36).
As we remember the Savior, we will look to him and not fear the opinions, pressures and threats of men. Instead, we will “cheerfully do all things that lie in our power,” with confidence that His power and love will see us through.
With all this on the line, we should not take the sacrament, the emblems of the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, without some serious introspection and thought. We cannot take it lightly.
The sacrament can be an intensely personal experience if we are doing our best to always remember the Savior.
The apostle Paul informed us: “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
“And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
“After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
“For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
“Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
“For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
“For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1 Co. 11:23 - 30).
Now I don’t believe that this is why some of us nod off in sacrament meeting.
However, it does point out something else that we must consider, as Mormon counseled his son: “See that ye are not baptized unworthily; see that ye partake not of the sacrament of Christ unworthily; but see that ye do all things in worthiness, and do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God; and if ye do this, and endure to the end, ye will in nowise be cast out” (Morm. 9:29).
We absolutely must be worthy to take the sacrament each week. We must prepare our hearts and our minds to partake of the sacrament. And ultimately, we must prepare our lives as well.
There is no litmus test we can take to determine our worthiness. We can’t scan a bar code to determine whether or not we should partake. We must look inward and upward to determine if we are truly in good standing with the Lord. It is up to us as individuals to determine our worthiness to participate in the sacrament. Of course, in some serious instances, the Bishop may advise us not to take the sacrament for a period of time.
Please do not confuse worthiness with perfection. They are not the same. If perfection were required to participate in the ordinances of the gospel, none of us would partake of the sacrament, none of us would be worthy to officiate in priesthood ordinances, and our chapels and our temples would be empty.
Perfection is a state that we will not achieve in this life. We must progress toward it. Worthiness is actually the state of progressing toward perfection.
Let me repeat that: worthiness is the state of progressing toward perfection. If I am worthy, if you are worthy, it means that we are on the path that leads to eternal life, and that we are facing in the right direction. It does not mean that we have overcome all our sins and weaknesses; it means that we are striving to do so.
Partaking of the sacrament each week is an important part of maintaining our worthiness. It is through taking the sacrament that we obtain forgiveness for our sins and mistakes each week.
If you can come to sacrament meeting and feel the presence of the Holy Ghost, you are worthy
Those who stay away because they feel unworthy or embarrassed by their actions during the week are denying themselves the opportunity to be forgiven, and to be renewed by the Spirit in preparation for the battles of the coming week. There is no other way to obtain that spiritual growth that we so desperately need.
We must also come to our meetings prepared to worship Heavenly Father in the name of His Son, and to feel of His Spirit. I feel that all too often, we do not arrive here in the proper frame of mind, and if we do, the actions of others do not allow us to worship as we would like.
When we enter the chapel, we should greet each other quietly, then sit down and direct our thoughts to the Savior and our standing with him. This is a part of our commitment to always remember him. I fear that in our loud greetings and conversation here in the chapel, we not only fail to remember Jesus and what he has done for us, but we also prevent others from remembering. Thus, in the very meeting where we covenant to always remember him, we are breaking that covenant.
Many of you have dealt with spiritual struggles in your lives. Perhaps you are struggling now. If you haven’t yet, believe me, you will. When you face trials in your life, it is your right and privilege as a citizen in the kingdom of God to ponder and feel the spirit in the chapel. And it is our obligation as fellow citizens to allow this to happen; we may need the inspiration ourselves the following week. What a blessing it is to know that we can come before the Lord, here, in his house, and receive the guidance that is increasingly important in our lives.
Reverence invites revelation, brothers and sisters. Is there any one of us who does not feel the need for God’s guidance and strengthening hand? If we are reverent before and during Sacrament Meeting, we will receive the inspiration we need to help us in our affairs, both spiritual and temporal.
Elder Nelson said that “when we come to church, we commemorate His Atonement in a very personal way. We bring a broken heart and a contrite spirit to sacrament meeting. This is not a time for conversation or transmission of messages but a period of prayerful meditation as leaders and members prepare spiritually for the sacrament.”
In other words, each one of us bears responsibility for the spiritual enrichment that can come from a sacrament meeting.
If we are willing to take Christ’s name upon us, that doesn’t imply some superficial bucket list-type wishing that we might do it, someday, when the time is right. It means that we are committing right now to be like him. As we make this covenant week after week are we considering the importance of what we are doing? Are thinking about its significance in our lives?
When we partake of the sacrament worthily, we remember the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior; that He gave up His life and took upon Himself the sins of the world that we may have the blessing of immortality. We take upon ourselves the name of our Savior and promise to always remember Him and to keep His commandments---that is, to “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God” (D&C 84:44).
We all need this time of renewing and recommitting to live the gospel in accordance with the teachings of the Savior. If we are properly prepared, we will attend sacrament meeting with a spirit of reverence and with gratitude for the opportunity of partaking of the sacred emblems.
If we approach the sacrament with this attitude, we will be able to make Christ the center of our lives, to keep all things in perspective, and to live as he would have us live.
Last month, I had the privilege of assisting as Jonathan Turner was ordained an Elder. As the ordination began, the Spirit whispered to me “This is what’s important.”
I found that unusual. But later that day, I headed to Las Vegas for a meeting of a dental organization to which I belong. That whispering of the Spirit stayed with me during the meeting, and I felt no desire to partake in the temptations of the world. And even though our meeting was for a good purpose, the Spirit had reminded me that there is something better.
There is no question in my mind that what Heavenly Father offers us is much better than anything the world has to offer. I am so very grateful for that assurance.
Brothers and sisters, God lives! He is a kind, loving Heavenly Father who really is the father of our spirits. I testify that he sent His Son to atone for our sins and errors, to provide us with a way to be cleansed so that we can return to Heavenly Father’s presence. Jesus Christ is our Savior. He gave his life for us.
I testify that this is the restored Church of Jesus Christ on the earth, with all the ordinances necessary for our salvation. It was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that there is still a living prophet on the earth today, even Thomas S. Monson.
I testify that the Scriptures are the word of God. The Bible, the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price: each one contains the precious word of God for us.
I pray that we may all take full advantage of the many guides we have to lead us in the paths of righteousness, and that we may all appreciate the importance of the sacrament in our own lives.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Reverence in Every Aspect

This talk was given in Lake Arrowhead Ward this morning.


Brothers and sisters, I am very thankful to meet with you today. It is always a pleasure to come up for some fresh air. It is also a privilege to join you here in worshiping our Heavenly Father.
I bring you love and greetings from Pres. Garvin and his counselors. They do love you. They pray for you, and they want the best for each of you. We are grateful for the service, both seen and unseen, that you render to your fellow saints and to your community.
I pray that the Spirit of the Lord may continue to attend us so that we may commune with each other as the Lord intends.

We live in a world that grows increasingly noisy. As the standards of the world become more lax, the noise increases. Like it or not, we all listen to rap and many other offensive noises. As the volume goes up, so does confusion and contention.
We can appreciate Elijah’s experience. He felt a great wind, an earthquake, and fire (sounds a little like San Bernardino, doesn’t it?), and the Lord was not in them. And after the fire there was a still small voice, and Elijah noted the contrast (see 1 Ki. 19:9-12).
Through all the noise and static, the still small voice of the Spirit is still present, softly requesting our attention. It calls to mind a good blues song, called “God trying to get your attention.” The Spirit can be heard if we will learn to filter out the background noise. But we can’t just go into Radio Shack and buy a spiritual Dolby unit to reduce the noise. We must develop our own spiritual rectifiers to reduce the static and the background hiss of the world.
The Lord has commanded his servants to stand in holy places that we may be able to withstand the evils of our day. How do we do this? We can’t just hide in the chapel or in the temple. We still have to live our lives; we still have to get out into the world.
It all starts with reverence. What is reverence? How will it help us? In Primary we sing:
“Reverence is more than just quietly sitting:
It’s thinking of Father above,
A feeling I get when I think of his blessings.
I’m reverent, for reverence is love.

When I’m reverent, it shows in my words and my deeds.
The pathway to follow is clear.
And when I am reverent, I know in my heart
Heavenly Father and Jesus are near.”

Reverence is a profound respect mingled with love. It is a feeling of awe, respect, honor and godly fear. Howard W. Hunter said that reverence is the atmosphere of heaven.
David O. McKay spoke frequently of reverence. He said that the greatest manifestation of spirituality is reverence. He also said: “Reverence is profound respect mingled with love. It is a ‘complex emotion made up of mingled feelings of the soul.’ … Reverence embraces regard, deference, honor and esteem. … Reverence is the fundamental virtue of religion. It is one of the signs of strength; irreverence, one of the surest indications of weakness. ‘No man will rise high,’ says one man, ‘who jeers at sacred things.’”
Reverence is an outward manifestation of our inward commitment to our Heavenly Father. It makes God the center of our lives, and it will ultimately lead us back into His presence.
I have felt reverence in many places. I feel reverence when I listen to Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. I felt a reverent awe the first time I stood atop Mt. Whitney. I felt reverent the first time I extracted DNA in a science lab. I felt a profound reverence when I held a human brain in anatomy lab. I felt reverent when I visited St. Peter’s in Rome. I felt a reverence as I looked at Gutenberg’s Bible. I have felt a special reverence as I held each of our children for the first time. I feel reverence every time I visit the grave of our little son in Salt Lake City, and an increased reverence as I look about that cemetery and see the graves of the Apostles and Prophets. I feel a special reverence each time I enter the sacred doors of the temple and leave my worldly cares outside. And most of the time, I feel reverent when I enter our beautiful chapels.
But true reverence doesn’t come from a place or a thing. It must come from within. It is something that we can cultivate and develop. And reverence, like all other virtues, begins in the home.
As in all things spiritual, the Savior set the example for us. When he prayed, he hallowed or blessed his Father’s name. He zealously defended the sanctity of his Father’s house. All his words and actions reflected his reverence for the Father, and for his Father’s creations.
Brothers and sisters, are we following the Savior sufficiently? Do we feel the love and respect for our Heavenly Father that Christ exemplified? Do we feel a reverence for his house, for his children, for his servants and for all his creations? I feel certain that if we did, a great change would occur in our lives. We would grow in understanding, in truth, and in love for our fellowmen, and we would truly have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion. After all, the Lord has promised great blessings to all “who shall reverence [him] in [his] house,” (D&C 109:21) but he has said that our minds will be darkened if we treat holy things lightly (see D&C 84:54).
I am mindful of the words of one of our beautiful hymns, number 132:
God is in his holy temple.
Earthly thoughts, be silent now,
While with reverence we assemble
And before his presence bow.

He is with us, now and ever,
When we call upon his name,
Aiding every good endeavor,
Guiding every upward aim.

God is in his holy temple,
In the pure and holy mind,
In the reverent heart and simple,
In the soul from sin refined.

Banish then each base emotion.
Lift us up, O Lord, to thee;
Let our souls, in pure devotion,
Temples for thy worship be.

Our primary purpose in coming here on Sunday is to obey the Lord’s commandment in Section 59:9, 10: “And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;
“For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High” (D & C 59:9 - 10).

In the Handbook of Instructions, we read: “Each sacrament meeting should be a spiritual experience in which members of the Church renew their covenants by partaking of the sacrament. Other purposes of sacrament meeting are to worship, provide gospel instruction, perform ordinances, conduct ward business, and strengthen faith and testimony.” (18.2.2)
Further, we read: “Leaders set an example of reverence during the time before sacrament meeting. The bishopric and the speakers should be in their seats at least five minutes before the meeting begins. This is not a time for conversation or transmitting messages. (My commentary here: please don’t bother the Bishop or his counselors during this five minutes: let him focus on feeling the Spirit before the meeting, too!)
“Setting an example of reverence encourages the congregation to be spiritually prepared for a worshipful experience.
“Members should be taught to make the time before sacrament meeting a period of prayerful meditation as they prepare spiritually for the sacrament. The bishopric encourages families to arrive on time and to sit together.” (18.2.2)
We come here to worship our Heavenly Father and to renew our covenants with him. In Moroni 6, we read that “the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls,” that they were “nourished by the good word of God, to keep them continually watchful ...” and that the meetings were “conducted ... after the ... workings of the Spirit.” (see Mni. 6:5,4,9)
There are several key points contained in these verses. In our meetings
1. We worship the Father,
2. We renew our covenants with him,
3. We fast and pray together,
4. We speak one with another concerning the welfare of our souls,
5. We want to be spiritually nourished, and
6. Our leaders conduct the meetings as they are led by the Spirit.
Let’s examine each of these in turn.

First, we go to church to worship the Father. We come here as guests in His house, and are expected to treat this as His house. When you visit Bishop McElhaney’s house, you dress appropriately for the occasion, you don’t leave candy wrappers on the floor; you don’t leave cheerios on his couch; and you certainly wouldn’t leave a big mess in his bathroom. You would treat his home with respect, because you love and respect Bishop and Sister McElhaney. If we show our Bishop’s house that kind of respect, isn’t Heavenly Father’s house deserving of the same kind of respect, perhaps even more?
When I was trained as a veil worker in the Salt Lake Temple, President Brown told us that we should always “use our temple voices” while we were in the temple. In the Lord’s house, on the Lord’s Day, should we not “use our chapel voices”? Let us remember whose house this is as we approach the doors of the church. As we sang in Primary, “The chapel doors seem to say to me, ‘Shh, be still.’ For this is a reverent place to be.”
One of our biggest challenges with reverence is that we love each other and we are happy to see each other here each week, especially after being away for three weeks. But we should learn to greet each other quietly in the foyers, and then enter the chapel quietly. Yesterday‘s football game and other topics are best addressed outside the building.
We cannot have reverence without the proper preparation. If we are rushed and annoyed with each other as we get ready for church, we will not have the proper spirit with us as we enter these sacred walls. Thoughts of school, work and social life should be left outside. This is a special time designated for each of us to lay our burdens down and rest from them. Think of it, brothers and sisters, just three short hours out of 168 hours each week that are designated for us to stop worrying about the cares of the world. I think that very, very few of us are completely free from the cares of the world. If we will leave them out in the car, or better still, at home, we will be free to commune with our Heavenly Father and to feel His Spirit as we attend to our devotions. And hasn’t the Lord promised to help us with our burdens anyway, if we will just ask him?
President McKay spoke at length about communion with God. He said that “we go to the Lord’s house to meet him and to commune with him in Spirit.” “Each one who comes to the house of God may meditate upon his goodness and silently and prayerfully express appreciation for God’s goodness.” He said that there should be nothing in our Sacrament Meetings that distracts us from receiving inspiration from the Holy Ghost. He said that we “may rest assured that [Heavenly Father] will be there to inspire us if we come in proper attune to meet him.”
Many of you have dealt with spiritual struggles in your lives. Perhaps you are struggling now. If you haven’t yet, believe me, you will. When you face trials in your life, it is your right and privilege as a citizen in the kingdom of God to ponder and feel the spirit in the chapel. And it is our obligation as fellow citizens to allow this to happen; we may need the inspiration ourselves the following week. What a blessing it is to know that we can come before the Lord, here, in his house, and receive the guidance that is increasingly important in our lives.
Reverence invites revelation, brothers and sisters. Is there any one of us who does not feel the need for God’s guidance and strengthening hand? If we are reverent before and during Sacrament Meeting, we will receive the inspiration we need to help us in our affairs, both spiritual and temporal.
President Packer stated that “no one of us can survive in the world of today, much less in what it soon will become, without personal inspiration. The spirit of reverence can and should be evident in every organization in the Church and in the lives of every member.” He continues, “While we may not see an immediate, miraculous transformation, as surely as the Lord lives a quiet one will take place. The spiritual power in the lives of each member and in the Church will increase. The Lord will pour out His Spirit upon us more abundantly. We will be less troubled, less confused. We will find revealed answers to personal and family problems without all the counseling which we seem now to need.”
Does that give you a sense of the strength to be found in reverence? This promise comes from an Apostle of the Lord, that if we become reverent enough to receive personal revelation while we worship, over time we will be able to overcome the problems that confront us in our lives. What a wonderful blessing that would be! President Packer adds the caution that such personal revelation is not to be shared; but that if we do so, we may forfeit our right to further revelation. Let us keep sacred things sacred, brothers and sisters.
As we worship the Father, we look upward to him in humility, and realize our dependence on him. You see, reverence is not something we engage in for just three hours a week, only to resume our normal programming when we return home. Reverence should be an integral part of our lives. We should be reverent in all aspects of our lives.
Now I have not read or heard any of the brethren say that we must avoid Star Wars, or popular music, or spectator sports or any other wholesome entertainment. They have not said that we must sit with our arms folded when we are at a game. But they have said that there is a proper time and place to give our attention to these things. When we assemble in our meetings, our minds should be focused on the Father and his love for us; on the Savior and his sacrifice for us; and on the Holy Ghost and his communication to us. This is true worship, brothers and sisters. This is what will exalt and perfect us.
Reverence requires practice. I will be the first to tell you that it takes some discipline to stop thinking of a captivating tune in meetings. I have memorized Redeemer of Israel, and sometimes I have to go through all six verses in order to clear my mind of outside thoughts and earworms. But it works! When I go to the temple, I use O My Father, with the same results. The prelude music should also invite reverence.
Reverence can also strengthen the sense of unity in your ward. As we worship together, and as we pray together (please remember, saying “Amen” makes the prayer ours), and especially as we sing together, we become united in the spirit. I cannot overemphasize the importance of singing together. It doesn’t matter if you can sing well or not. Singing will bring the spirit quickly. This I know from many experiences. And I recall the words of Hymn 119, “Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God.” Don’t let yourselves be numbered in that group, brothers and sisters. Sing with us.

Second, Sacrament Meeting should be the high point of our week. Can we do anything more sacred or far-reaching in such a brief time? We should treat these few moments with the respect and reverence they deserve. Just ask anyone who has been unable to take the sacrament for a time, be it due to worthiness or poor health. The first time they partake after an absence awakens deep spiritual feelings. It should have felt special to you today.
Everything that is said or done in this meeting should serve to uplift and instruct us all. We should bear simple testimony. We should teach the doctrines of the gospel through song and spoken word. All that we say or do here should glorify the Father and the Son, and invite the Spirit. We should never give a talk or a testimony that does not speak of the Savior or the Restoration. Any negativity, speculation, lengthy confessions, intellectual posturing or other improper discussions at this pulpit are not appropriate.
And in light of recent events, I would encourage each of you never to speak negatively of another’s beliefs. It is offensive to us; it is offensive to others as well. It neither shows reverence nor invites the Spirit. The Holy Ghost cannot dwell where there is negativity or criticism.
“There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it behooves all of us not to talk about the rest of us.”

Third, here we fast and pray together. There is great power in this unity. I have spoken of uniting with each other in worship and song. If we feel this unity with one another and this love for each other, we will not do anything that would distract from another’s worship and meditation.
When I was a young man, President Waite of our Stake Presidency spoke on reverence and talked of the importance of staying seated in meetings. He noted in one Sacrament Meeting, over one hundred “moving violations,” as he called them. President McKay said that the Saints should realize that it is the height of rudeness to leave a meeting (including a class) before it is dismissed. President Waite’s comments have stuck with me for nearly forty years.

Fourth, we meet to look after each other’s welfare. This can best happen in a reverent setting. When a member of your Bishopric inquires about your well-being, you can feel their love and concern for you. This comes from reverence. We are also to look after each other in the same way. But it must be done reverently, and appropriately. When someone seeks counsel regarding their teeth, I prefer to step out of the chapel to give my advice.

Fifth, we meet to be spiritually nourished. In particular, those who are continually serving others need this time to recharge spiritually so that they don’t wear down. But of course we all have the need to be nourished by the good word of God. Every member who speaks in church, either by assignment or in testimony meetings, should remember his or her responsibility to speak by the Spirit and say only those things that will edify and bless the lives of those who listen.
If we have the proper degree of love and concern for our brothers and sisters, we will also be mindful of those who wish to sit quietly and commune with the Spirit before and after meetings. This is the great blessing of having a designated worship time. If I love my brother or sister, I will not intrude upon his or her sacred quiet time in Heavenly Father’s house. Such quiet times are too rare in all our lives.
Along with this, it is important to silence and set aside our electronic devices for the period that we are in meetings. I sit on a Board of Directors, and we have voted to fine members of our Board if we hear their phones during our meetings. It is disruptive to hear ringtones during sacrament meeting, and it is just plain rude to the speakers and teachers for you to be texting during your meetings. If you are bored, you have not properly prepared yourself!
When I was in dental school, I had a good friend named Mike Haynie. I love and respect this man for his wisdom and his maturity. One Sunday, we were leaving a Sacrament Meeting that seemed very ordinary, like so many others I had attended. As we walked to Sunday School, Mike came up beside me and said “wasn’t that the best Sacrament Meeting ever?”
That caught me by surprise. I still think about it, nearly twenty-five years later. The difference between Mike and me? I think that he had prepared himself to feel the Spirit, and I had prepared myself to get to church.
Now please note: Joseph Fielding Smith said “I would not like to see our people come into a meeting-house as if they were going to a funeral. I want them to come into the house smiling, happy. I want them to be able to greet their neighbors, but to do it quietly, in a proper spirit, not by shouting across a number of rows or something of that kind. . . . Yes, greet those who are there; but do it quietly and in a spirit of reverence.”

Finally, our leaders are commanded to conduct this meeting as they are led by the spirit. If we are not reverent, we may prevent them from fulfilling this divine mandate, and thus cheat ourselves in the process. I have seen many occasions in the church where the Bishop or Stake President determines to make small, but inspired changes to the program. Often we are unaware that a change was made, but a life may be touched because the Bishop received a prompting from the Spirit. Let us be careful that we don’t prevent that.
In keeping with the spirit of reverence, we should also pray for those who lead and teach us. We have been counseled to ponder and pray before general conference that the speakers will be inspired to say things that will help us to solve our problems. What a difference it would make if we took the same approach to our regular Sunday meetings!
Instead of being critical of a teacher who is struggling, or a speaker who is rambling, or even worse, boring, shouldn’t we pray for them instead? I don’t know how many members pray for the High Councilors to give better talks, but I do. And I testify to you that I do feel the Lord’s direction as I prepare to speak each month.
We have the promise from the Lord that Zion and her stakes will be a place of refuge and protection from the evils of the world. As members of the San Bernardino California Stake of Zion, we have the right and the obligation to call upon God for his protection. I pray that we will have the faith and courage to do so.
In addition, I believe that it is our reverence that will help to protect our chapels and temples during these turbulent times. Time does not allow me to share stories of this, but please be assured, my brothers and sisters, that the Lord and his angels are watching over and protecting these sacred precincts.
Our homes should also be places of reverence. They should be places of refuge from the world, where we can feel safe and protected. Within the walls of our homes, the gospel is studied, personal and family prayers are said, and eternal family relationships are nurtured. This alone should make our homes the most sacred places on earth. Do our attitudes at home encourage our children and grandchildren to feel reverent and safe?
Of course, there are many things that are permissible in the home which we would not do at church. However, we can still make our homes a place where the Spirit of the Lord can dwell.
Indeed, if we cultivate a spirit of reverence, anywhere we stand can be a holy place.
Brothers and sisters, reverence is a very personal, individual matter. Each of us can make a difference, from the newest member to the Bishop. We can all affect the reverence in our wards.
Now let me return for a moment to our electronic companions. They seem to capture too much of our attention. They create a background noise that can drown out the still, small voice of the Spirit. That is something we cannot afford. It has never been more important to create a daily “quiet time” in which we set aside our cell phones, iPods, computers, and other devices and log on to the celestial web in order to hear the voice of the Spirit.
That quiet time is vital to our well-being as we study and ponder the Scriptures and commune with Heavenly Father in prayer. We cannot afford to be distracted from this. We all need the strength that comes from daily introspection, and we can’t get it any other way. If we fail to do so, we will not have the ability to withstand the increasingly negative influences of the world. Will you please make it a priority in your lives? I promise that if you do, you will experience great blessings in your lives, including an increased power to recognize and resist temptation and evil influences.

The Primary children sing a song (some of you may remember it) that we should all keep in mind:
“It shouldn’t be hard to sit very still
And think about Jesus, his cross on the hill,
And all that he suffered and did for me;
It shouldn’t be hard to sit quietly.

“I think of the miles he walked in the dust,
And children he helped to love and to trust;
It shouldn’t be hard to sit tall in my seat,
To listen politely, to quiet my feet.

“It shouldn’t be hard, even though I am small,
To think about Jesus, not hard at all.”

If our little ones can sit quietly, so can we.

I pray that we may be more reverent. I pray that our conduct will reflect our commitment to Heavenly Father and his plan, for reverence does come from within, and our reverence reveals what is in our hearts. It must disappoint Father at times to see how his children treat his house.
I testify that our Heavenly Father lives. He loves every one of his children with a perfect love. Considering what he has promised us, he asks for very little in return. Obeying his commandments is all he requires. Jesus Christ is his Son. He is our Savior. He made it possible for us to live again with our Father in Heaven, if we will follow his plan.
Of this I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Perfecting Our Lives

Because my talk today was very similar to the one I gave last week, I am posting one of my favorites, which I actually gave in three different wards on 16 August 2009.
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As a young man, I spent many wonderful weekends in our mountains, backpacking and enjoying nature. As I gained experience, I learned to pace myself so that I could reach my destinations in a timely manner. A comfortable uphill pace for me was around 5 MPH. An older scout, Paul Jackman, whom I considered an expert backpacker, never topped 2 MPH, but he could hike 20 hours a day. Even though we had a very different pace, we both reached our destination time and time again.
Nephi described another hiking experience:
“For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
“And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; . . .
“And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” (2 Nephi 31:17 - 20)
So here we are together on this path, moving forward, each one at his own pace. We have experienced guides to lead us as we press forward. We may sometimes lose sight of President Monson or President Poulsen or Bishop Kinser as they round a bend ahead of us, but they are still leading the way. We may need to stop and rest occasionally. But we press on despite the dangers and the fatigue, maintaining a firm grasp on the iron rod to steady our steps. We do not allow ourselves to be distracted from our goal.
We know we will be safe as long as we stay on the path. Rockfalls, treacherous stream crossings, mists of darkness, and slick slopes will not hinder us as we travel together. The howling of wolves in the distance does not bother us: we don’t fear them as long as we move together in our families and in our wards.
We do all that we can to help the stragglers: we lend a helping hand or offer a word of encouragement. We also reach out to those who have strayed off the path; we are willing to reach out as long we do not have to release our grasp on the iron rod. We continually assist each other: you may help shoulder my load as we cross a raging torrent of temptation; I may help pull you up over a divide of discouragement. When the storms come, they batter all of us, whether we are properly prepared or not. Those who are prepared pull on their ponchos or their parkas and continue on.
We move forward as a team: continuing on toward our goal. Our trekking team is referred to as the “Latter-day Saints.” This name is important to us, as it was given by our leader, who awaits our arrival at the end of the trail.
What is the significance of the term “Saint?” King Benjamin described it “the natural man . . . becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” (Mosiah 3:19)
If I would be perfect,
The path to be trod
Is the one that will bring me
In nearness to God.
If we want to develop perfection in any area of our lives, we must look to those who have approached or achieved perfection in that area. We must try to associate with those individuals who can help us achieve the perfection or proficiency we seek. Then we practice those skills until we develop proficiency. This is a part of discipleship, which will lead us to perfection.
For example, when I wanted to become a better backpacker, I listened to Brother Howard (my Scoutmaster), and copied him. After I watched Dave Wottle win the 800m race in the 1972 Olympics, I became a better runner. Watching Eric Clapton and B.B. King play guitar has improved my playing. I’m a better singer because I learned harmonies from the Beach Boys, and also learned to sing with Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s recordings. When I wanted to do a better root canal, I sought out the experts and learned how they do root canals.
On the spiritual side, I am a better person because of the wonderful people with whom I associate in church, including all of you. I am strengthened by worshiping with you. And I keep an eye on my heroes, the First Presidency and the Twelve.
If I want to be a better home teacher, I look to my father and grandfather (at my Grandpa Stevenson’s funeral, it was said that he was a lifelong 100% home teacher). If I want to become a better speaker, I pay close attention to the First Presidency and the Twelve. If I want to be a better teacher, I will learn from those who teach well. If I want to minister more effectively to my brothers and sisters, I look to the example of my leaders and my Savior.
There are good role models all around us. The San Bernardino First Ward is full of exemplary members who are eager to serve. When you are doing your duty, you never know when you will have the opportunity to touch a life, or when your example will come back to you.
Of course the best example is the Savior, he who “marked the path and led the way.” He is our great exemplar. When he invited us to follow him, it wasn’t just political posturing for a good sound bite. The prophets’ invitations to come unto Christ aren’t just hollow phrases or catchy taglines. These are invitations to be taken seriously!
The quest for perfection seems overwhelming. It is a long journey, and not an easy one. We know that not all who start the trek will finish it. But we should remember this: men are that they might have joy --- not guilt trips! We should also remember the promise that the Lord will not give us any commandments that are impossible to obey.
As we progress, we become disciples of Jesus Christ. President Uchtdorf told us: “Discipleship is a journey. We need the refining lessons of the journey to craft our character and purify our hearts. By patiently walking the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours. . . . Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television. . . . Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do.”
It becomes less discouraging as we note that there are two levels of perfection: mortal perfection and eternal perfection.
James gave us an indicator of mortal perfection. He said, “If any offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.” As we overcome our weaknesses, we become perfect. Perfection does not mean that we don’t ever make mistakes; rather it means that we are repenting of all of them, and are trying to do better. We all make mistakes. Heavenly Father knew that we would. This is why we meet each week to take the sacrament together.
We advance a step at a time. In this life, I can become perfect in my Sabbath observance; I can become perfect in paying my tithes and offerings, in observing the word of wisdom, and the law of chastity; I can become a perfect home teacher. And so, step by step, I progress up the path.
Elder McConkie offered some comforting words: "We have to become perfect to be saved in the celestial kingdom. But nobody becomes perfect in this life. Only the Lord Jesus attained that state, and he had an advantage that none of us has. He was the Son of God. . . . He lived a perfect life, and he set an ideal example. . . . As it is with being born again, and as it is with sanctifying our souls, so becoming perfect in Christ is a process.
"As members of the Church, if we chart a course leading to eternal life; if we begin the processes of spiritual rebirth, and are going in the right direction; if we chart a course of sanctifying our souls, and degree by degree are going in that direction; and if we chart a course of becoming perfect, and, step by step and phase by phase, are perfecting our souls by overcoming the world, then it is absolutely guaranteed—there is no question whatever about it—we shall gain eternal life. Even though we have spiritual rebirth ahead of us, perfection ahead of us, the full degree of sanctification ahead of us, if we chart a course and follow it to the best of our ability in this life, then when we go out of this life we'll continue in exactly that same course. . . .We will have passed successfully the tests of this mortal probation and in due course, we’ll get the fulness of our Father’s kingdom---and that means eternal life in his everlasting presence.” (BYU Speeches of the Year, 1976, pp. 399-401.)
We can achieve mortal perfection as we strive to do our best. If we try to do our duty, with a willing heart, the Lord will bless us according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts. Our loving Heavenly Father’s fondest wish is that we all make it back to him safely, without too many bumps and bruises.
Eternal perfection, where we actually become like our Heavenly Father, will come in the next life. The word for this type of perfection comes from the Greek teleios, which means complete or whole. It does not imply freedom from error; rather it means achieving a distant end or goal. The root tele- is commonly used in English, in words like telephone (distant talk), television (distant seeing), and the telestial kingdom (the distant kingdom).
It does not matter where we are on the path as long as we are facing the right direction and understand that we can reach our goal.
“The Prophet Joseph told that there are many things that people have to do, even after the grave, to work out their salvation. We’re not going to be perfect the minute we die. But if we’ve charted a course, if our desires are right, if our appetites are curtailed and bridled, and if we believe in the Lord and are doing to the very best of our abilities what we ought to do, we’ll go on to eternal salvation, which is the fulness of eternal reward in our Father’s kingdom.” (McConkie, op cit.)
Understanding this concept is critical to our well-being. Heavenly Father knows that we cannot become like him in this life. With this in mind, we should not beat ourselves up over our imperfections, or get caught up in comparing ourselves to others. We simply need to keep moving forward. Discouragement is one of Satan’s greatest tools to slow or stop our progress.
Although our journey through mortality will at times place us in harm’s way, there are three suggestions from President Monson which will lead us to safety if we follow them:
1. Study diligently
2. Pray fervently
3. Live righteously
Of course, we cannot progress in our journey without the atonement of Christ. I testify that Jesus Christ atoned for our sins and weaknesses so that we can complete this journey. Without his help, we would be lost. It is he who blazed the trail that we follow. He smoothed some (but not all) of the rough spots on the trail. He provided the backing, and he equipped us for this trek to immortality and eternal life. He paid the price so that we can complete our journey.
Without the atonement, without Jesus’ help we can never, worlds without end, never ever achieve perfection.
It would be nice if there were a simple, foolproof method to ensure perfection. Actually, there is. King Benjamin mentioned it in his great sermon, and it is one of my favorite scriptures. He said: “And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.” (Mosiah 2:22) That’s all God asks, is for us to keep his commandments. It’s as easy as that!
So maybe it isn’t that simple. But often we complicate our travel by carrying excess baggage or by packing the wrong gear, even when we have the equipment list available.
Nephi commented: “And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God [or strive to do so] he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them . . .” (1 Ne. 17:3). I also take comfort when I read in Section 46 that the gifts of the Spirit are given “for the benefit of those who love [God] and keep all [his] commandments, and him that seeketh so to do. . .” (D&C 46:9). So if we are doing our best, and trying to keep a good attitude, and we’re headed in the right direction, then we’re in good shape.
Perfection is a process. It does not happen instantly. Perfection occurs step by step and degree by degree throughout our entire life.
The Olympic Games are a case in point. I have always enjoyed watching the Olympics and seeing the incredible performances that take place. The gold medal winners are not twice as good as the silver medal winners. Very often, the difference between gold and silver is measured in hundredths of a second, or hundredths of a point: the margin of victory is usually very slim. As each athlete works to improve his or her personal best (by perfecting his or her skills!), he or she is improving by fractions at a time. The better they become, the smaller the increments of improvement. So the gold medal is given to those who do just a little bit better.
So it is in life. We just have to do a little better each time: just improve our personal bests. Sometimes we will stumble and fall, or commit a foul. As long as we pick ourselves up and continue on, and learn from our mistakes, we will qualify to stand on the winner’s platform, and unlike the Olympics, on the Celestial platform, there is room for all.
We all know that we are supposed to be striving for perfection. What I want to emphasize, my brothers and sisters, is that perfection is something we can all achieve. We just need to stay focused on our ultimate objective, while at the same remembering to put one foot in front of the other. But it is possible for each of us! You can do it! We can do it together! But we must lengthen our stride and quicken our pace, brothers and sisters. If we don’t, we will surely be eating the dust of those up ahead.
Our first obligation is to believe in Christ and to accept him literally as the Son of God and as our Savior. When we believe in him, then we believe his words, and the words of his servants. Once we believe, then we must conform to the truths that we have learned, and again, step by step, we make them a part of our lives. As this happens, we grow from grace to grace, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little.
Often it is that slow pace that frustrates us, but we must not forget where we are headed. Our direction is more important than our pace. When Paul encouraged the Philippians to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12), he had seen the path. He knew of its perils. But if we keep going forward we need not fear. Paul also said to the Romans “Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11). In other words, the destination is closer than it appears, and it is closer than when we started. As long we press forward with a steadfastness in Christ and endure to the end, we will make it.
Perhaps the biggest difference between this life’s journey, and the backpacking trips I took as a young man, is that as we progress toward our destination, we become cleaner.
The process of perfection requires that we become born again, that we commit to “crucify the old man of sin and come forth in a newness of life” (Rom. 6:6).We die as pertaining to the unrighteous things in the world. After that, we become sanctified, becoming pure and spotless, having evil and sin burned out of our souls as if by fire. We do this because we know that no unclean thing can enter the presence of the Father.
I testify that God is our Eternal Father, and that he lives and loves us. It is his plan for us that will “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Mos. 1:39), and permit us to live “after the manner of happiness” (2 Ne. 5:27). I testify that Jesus Christ truly is his Son, and that he is our Savior. His atoning sacrifice makes eternal life possible for us. He could have just seen the hazards of the path by revelation, but because he loves us, he walked the path. He knows its pitfalls and dangers, and how to help us to overcome them. That we may all continue on the path, and find joy in the journey is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Charity: The Pure Love of Christ

A talk given in San Bernardino First Ward this morning.
This talk was repeated in Crestline Ward on September 18.

I am grateful to be here with my friends in San Bernardino First Ward this afternoon. I’m glad that I can join you in worshiping our Heavenly Father. I bring you the love and greetings from President Garvin and his Counselors. We are all very thankful for their leadership. I am thankful to serve with them.
We also thank you for your countless hours of service, to each other and to our community.
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Today is the anniversary of one of the great tragedies of our generation. I hope that you all remember how you felt that day. I will never forget the pain I felt. I enjoyed the feeling of unity we had as Americans in the weeks and months following. How I wish it could have lasted.
President Monson stated recently: “There was, as many have noted, a remarkable surge of faith following the tragedy. People across the United States rediscovered the need for God and turned to Him for solace and understanding. Comfortable times were shattered. We felt the great unsteadiness of life and reached for the great steadiness of our Father in Heaven. And, as ever, we found it. Americans of all faiths came together in a remarkable way.
“Sadly, it seems that much of that renewal of faith has waned in the years that have followed. Healing has come with time, but so has indifference. We forget how vulnerable and sorrowful we felt. Our sorrow moved us to remember the deep purposes of our lives. The darkness of our despair brought us a moment of enlightenment. But we are forgetful. When the depth of grief has passed, its lessons often pass from our minds and hearts as well. …
“If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us. We should strive for steadiness, and for a commitment to God that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. It should not require tragedy for us to remember Him, and we should not be compelled to humility before giving Him our faith and trust. We too should be with Him in every season.
“The way to be with God in every season is to strive to be near Him every week and each day. We truly ‘need Him every hour,’ not just in hours of devastation. We must speak to Him, listen to Him, and serve Him. If we wish to serve Him, we should serve our fellow men. We will mourn the lives we lose, but we should also fix the lives that can be mended and heal the hearts that may yet be healed.
“It is constancy that God would have from us. Tragedies are not merely opportunities to give Him a fleeting thought, or for momentary insight to His plan for our happiness. Destruction allows us to rebuild our lives in the way He teaches us, and to become something different than we were. We can make Him the center of our thoughts and His Son, Jesus Christ, the pattern for our behavior. We may not only find faith in God in our sorrow. We may also become faithful to Him in times of calm.” (President Monson)(Excerpts from Washington Post blog on 9-8-2011 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/911-destruction-allowed-us-to-spiritually-rebuild/2011/09/08/gIQAbkjKCK_blog.html?fb_ref=NetworkNews&fb_source=profile_multiline)
I am grateful for the guidance we receive from our living prophet, and I pray that I will have the courage to follow his counsel.
Brothers and sisters, we are living in challenging times. We face economic difficulties. We face gross wickedness. We are seeing great storms and earthquakes and many other disasters, both natural and man-made. In fact, one person has observed: "The world is passing through troublous times. Young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they alone know everything. As for girls, they are forward, immodest, and unwomanly in speech, behavior, and dress." Now the interesting thing about this quote is that it is from 1274: 737 years ago!
But even if some things have not changed, things are bad, and getting worse. The Savior told us that in our day, “the love of many shall wax cold.” (Mt. 24:12) So what are we to do?
Well, I happen to think that we can fight this trend! We can provide the leaven of love that will help the world to keep from going flat.
As the world grows in wickedness, what do you want to be known for? Will you choose to be known as one who was not too bad, but not too good? Or would you rather be known as a seeker of righteousness, as was Abraham? I contend that as Latter-day Saints, we should be known as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that there should be no question in anyone’s mind where we stand. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
I testify to you that God lives. He is our Heavenly Father, and he really does love us. We are his spirit children. When we sing our beloved hymn, I Am a Child of God, we bear testimony to this grand truth.
Jesus Christ also loves us with a perfect love, for the same reason his Father does. Look at what he has done for us. I know that the Savior’s atoning sacrifice was done out of love for us. I truly stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me.
Jacob counseled us to “feast upon God’s love.” (Jac. 3:2) Feasting is not just nibbling a little here and there. When we feast, we indulge ourselves.
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A story is told of a man who wanted to see heaven and hell. The Lord led the man to two doors. He opened one of the doors, and the man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large pot filled with stew, which smelled delicious and made the man’s mouth water.
The people who sat around the table were very thin and unhealthy. They seemed to be starving. They were holding spoons with long handles that were strapped to their arms. They were able to reach into the pot and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons up to their mouths.
The man shook at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, “You have seen hell.”
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first room. There was the large round table with the large pot filled with stew that made the man’s mouth water. The people had the same long-handled spoons strapped to their arms, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The man said, “I don’t understand!”
“It is simple,” said the Lord. “It requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.”
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Paul, writing to the Romans, said: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
“Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:35, 38-39.)
Not even our own disobedience can separate us from the love of God. I have been struck by the number of times Isaiah repeated the Lord’s words: “for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.” In spite of weakness, in spite of our failings, our Heavenly Father continues to love us. John reminded us that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” (Jn. 3:16.)
Our quest is to become like our Savior so that we can return to our Heavenly Father and live with him again. President McKay taught: “No man can sincerely resolve to apply to his daily life the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth without sensing a change in his own nature.”
Discipleship is a result of spiritual training. We need to train spiritually in order to achieve our eternal goals. “We believe that through living the gospel of Jesus Christ we can become like our Savior, who is perfect. … And even the most humble person can take hope in the invitation to become like the Savior.” (Pres. Eyring)
In the end, that is all that matters. In the final judgment, it will not matter if I am republican or democrat, Mac or PC, Pacific or San Bernardino, Cougar or Ute, chocolate, strawberry or vanilla. What will matter is if we chose to follow Christ and were true to our covenants.
A scribe asked Jesus “Which is the first commandment of all?” To which Jesus responded; “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
“And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31).
So there are two main commandments that we must keep: to love God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. All other commandments fall within these two categories. That makes it much simpler for us to keep track of. “Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.” (Pres. Uchtdorf)
President Eyring said: “Love is the motivating principle by which the Lord leads us along the way towards becoming like Him, our perfect example. Our way of life, hour by hour must be filled with the love of God and love for others. There is no surprise in that, since the Lord proclaimed those as the first and great commandments. It is the love of God that will lead us to keep His commandments. And love of others is at the heart of our capacity to obey him.”
So the first great commandment is to love God, completely and totally.
President Uchtdorf told us in Conference: “We increase our love for our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with God’s word. His pure love directs and encourages us to become more pure and holy. It inspires us to walk in righteousness---not out of fear or obligation but out of an earnest desire to become even more like Him because we love Him.”
I hope that we will all be known as a people who love God and follow Him.
Now, I believe that the most difficult commandment we have been given is the commandment to love our neighbor. It is usually pretty easy to love those who love us; it is usually easy to return love to those who show love. But we are expected to love as Christ loved. In order to be like Jesus, we must develop charity, the pure love of Christ, for everyone.
But what about the guy who cuts you off on the freeway, or the person who fails to pay his bill, or the one who says something hurtful to you or about you? Do we really have to love them, too? I’m afraid so.
“Charity is, perhaps, in many ways a misunderstood word. We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much, much more.
“Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again. It makes the thought of being a basher repulsive.
“Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.
“None of us need one more person bashing us or pointing out where we have failed or fallen short. Most of us are already well aware of the areas in which we are weak. What each of us does need is family, friends, employers, and brothers and sisters who support us, who have the patience to teach us, who believe in us, and who believe we’re trying to do the best we can, in spite of our weaknesses. What ever happened to giving each other the benefit of the doubt? What ever happened to hoping that another person would succeed or achieve? What ever happened to rooting for each other?” (Marvin J. Ashton, Apr 92).
Christ told us to “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.” (3 Ne. 12:44.) That is where we really become like the Savior and love as he loved. That is probably the most difficult thing he asks of us.
John told us: “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
“He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.” (1 Jn. 2:9-10.)
One of Satan’s best strategies to slow our progress in the latter days is to stir up hatred among the children of men. He knows that if he can get us to criticize each other, or to make fun, or just be unkind, he can win the battle.
Why is this? The minute that we pick on each other, find fault, bash, undermine, humiliate or taunt someone, we have been neutralized spiritually. While this may not be a grievous sin, what it means is that whenever we refuse to show love and kindness, we are laying aside a part of the armor of God, and we become vulnerable to more serious attacks by the devil. The Spirit of the Lord cannot dwell where there is contention, bickering, judging or any kind of bashing.
It is interesting that the first principles the Lord taught his newly called Apostles centered on how we treat each other, and when he visited the Nephites on this continent, his message was much the same. This should tell us something. Could it be that the way we treat each other is the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
As a matter of fact, yes it is! The way we treat members of our families, our friends, and our brothers and sisters in the church is as important as some of the more noticeable gospel principles that seem to get more attention.
“By this shall all men know that ye are [Christ’s] disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35)
I don’t want to stumble, but sometimes I do. I don’t really hate anyone; although there are people whom I just don’t like. So how do we show love for our neighbor?
First of all, we must remember that this love is a gift from God. In each of the three instances where the gifts of the Spirit are discussed (1 Co. 12, Mni. 10, and D&C 46), a discussion of charity accompanies it in a nearby chapter. We cannot develop charity, or brotherly love, or whatever we choose to call it, without the Lord’s assistance. It is the most important gift of the Spirit.
Moroni told us to “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love ...” (Mni. 7:48.) It takes a conscious effort to become charitable. In fact, it takes years of conscious effort.
We learn from Enos that until we have personal conversion and remission of our sins, and have love for those who love us, we cannot develop love and concern for our enemies. We must take it a step at a time.
We should be motivated by the words of the Savior in Matthew 25: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” But, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” (Matt. 25:40)

Heavenly Father has offered us the family as the ideal setting in which we can learn to love as he loves. That is where we start. Love is present at the beginning of each family. That’s why we pair off to form families.

The greatest joys and sorrows in our lives come from our family experiences. What can we do to increase the love in our families?
Remember the counsel from President Poulsen. He asked us to get on our knees every morning and pray for an increased capacity to love those for whom we are responsible. My first stewardship is for my wife and then for my children.
In Conference, President Eyring gave similar counsel to husbands and wives. “Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for the love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make your companion’s joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of your companion.” What would that do for our marriages if each of us followed that counsel?
As parents, we need to love our children, and to persist in loving them. Even when they are at their least lovable. Paul said “fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.” Even when they try our patience, we must continue to love them. Try to understand them. One of Covey’s principles is “Seek first to understand; then to be understood.” Often it is through listening without judgment that our youth feel our love.
Mother Teresa said: “If you want to encourage world peace, show love to your children.”
And we must remember that the pattern of love we establish in our homes will be copied in our children’s homes. Never, ever forget to express your love to your children. They need to know by word and by action that you love them.
Children, you need to love your parents. Sometimes we are not lovable. We have many worries about work and paying the bills and other things. Sometimes we bring them home with us and that makes us grumpy. That doesn’t mean we are upset with you.
But don’t forget to tell your parents you love them. Sometimes when I had a bad day at work and my little daughter gave me a hug and a kiss, it made everything seem better. That’s an incredible power you children have!
And make sure that you love your brothers and sisters, too. Sometimes that is a real challenge, but they should be your best friends when you’re growing up. My brother and sisters never call me, and sometimes that makes me wonder if I was a bad brother. Just remember what John said: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
“And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1 Jn. 4:20-21.)
Of course, the Lord doesn’t want us to stop at home. He has asked us to “press forward with . . . a love of God and of all men . . .” (2 Ne. 31:20.)
The best way to show our love for others is by serving them. Our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson is a great example of that. He learned to serve at an early age, and has lived his life cheerfully serving others. In Conference, President Monson posed the question “what did you do for someone today?”
He said that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. You may recall a few years ago, President Monson was asked what he would consider the ideal gift that members of the church could give him for his birthday. He responded “Find someone who is having a hard time, or is ill or lonely, and do something for him or her.”
We would all do well to follow his example.
In Moroni 7 we read a description of charity: “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (Mni. 7:45.)
To me, that is a difficult list. I cannot do that on my own. The Holy Ghost will help me to develop these characteristics if I seek to develop them.
As we seek to develop charity in our own lives, we would do well to note the words of the prophets in the scriptures.
Isaiah said: “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isa. 1:17.)
James said: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and keep himself unspotted from the world.” (Jas. 1:27.)
Peter said: “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover a multitude of sins.” (1 Pet. 4:8.) I wouldn’t mind my multitude of sins being covered.
The Savior told Joseph Smith to: “Clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.” D&C 88:125.)
King Benjamin offered us some instruction on charity: “But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.
“And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.
“Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—
“But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.
“For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?”(Msh. 4:15-19.)
Charity is more than love: it is everlasting love, perfect love, the pure love of Christ which endureth forever. It is love so centered in righteousness that the possessor has no aim or desire except for the eternal welfare of his own soul and the souls of those around him.
Charity is an essential qualification for the ministers of Christ. (See D&C 4.)
This love is the only force that can bring about world peace. Armies will not. Advanced armaments will not. Negotiations will not. Wealth will not. Only charity can bridge the divides that separate so many factions in the world today.
This can only happen as we spread the gospel in all the world and see changes in lives and societies as individuals and families accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and accept his atonement and make the needed changes in their lives.
Charity is also an essential part of creating a Zion society. Without charity, without the love and forgiveness that accompany it, we cannot hope to achieve the unity and enjoy the blessings that accompany Zion.
President Hinckley said: “As we look with love to him, as we serve with an eye single to his glory, there will go from us the darkness of sin, the darkness of selfishness, the darkness of pride. There will come an increased love for our Eternal Father and for his Beloved Son, our Savior and our Redeemer. There will come a greater sense of service toward our fellowmen---a little less of thinking of our own selfish pursuits, a little more reaching out to others. And in our own individual lives . . . there will be a higher power on whom we can call for help and direction.”
So you see, this one principle, learning to love as the Savior loved, will bless all areas of our lives as we strive to live by it. It will bring us more joy than any other principle.
I testify to you again that our Heavenly Father lives, that he loves us. Considering all he has given us, and all he has promised us, he asks for very little in return. Jesus Christ is His Son. He truly atoned for our sins, so that we may choose to return to our Heavenly Father’s presence.
I testify that he restored his gospel to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that there is a living prophet on earth today, even Thomas S. Monson. I know that he was chosen of the Lord to lead us at this time.
I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. How I love the scriptures! I know that we can rely on the promises made by our Heavenly Father as we obey his commandments.
I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Blessings of the Fast and Fast Offerings

A talk given in Verdemont Ward and University Heights Ward this morning:

Brothers and sisters, I am grateful to be here with you today. It is always a pleasure to worship with you. I bring you love and greetings from President Garvin and his Counselors. They love you, and they pray for you. It is a privilege to serve with these great men, and to be strengthened by their spirit and their wisdom.
I pray that the Holy Ghost will attend us today, so that we may communicate as the Lord intends.
One of the most important parts of our work here on earth is to encourage each other to live those important laws that influence our success and happiness. This is one of the reasons that high councilors are invited to address you throughout the year. We are called to help you as you strive to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to encourage you to keep the covenants you have made.
It is a labor of love for me as I prepare to speak each month. I have felt challenged, but never burdened by the responsibility to teach you the gospel truths the Lord desires you to hear. I hope that you do not feel burdened by the responsibility to listen.
In April Conference, several of the speakers mentioned that we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Church’s Welfare Program. This has played a significant role in blessing the lives of our members temporally, so that they can also enjoy the spiritual blessings the Lord offers. You see, if I am worried about where my next meal is coming from, then I lose focus on the Spirit.
But the Lord’s concern for the poor did not begin in 1936. In fact, in the scriptures, we first read about this in Exodus, when the Lord gave his law to the children of Israel. “And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat” (Ex. 23:10 - 11) .

And in Leviticus: “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger” (Lev. 19:9 - 10).

Later on, Ezekiel warned Israel: “The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully” (Eze. 22:29). Thus the land was cursed, in part because Israel did not take care of their poor. This sounds a little bit like today.

The Savior also emphasized caring for the poor. In speaking to the rich young man, he said: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven” (Matt. 19:21).

In our day, too, the Lord has emphasized caring for the poor. In fact, caring for the poor is a part of establishing Zion. We read of the City of Enoch: “And the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Mos. 7:18).

Now I don’t believe for a minute that Enoch was able to provide full employment for everyone within his stewardship. Those are not the kind of miracles I believe in. Rather, I believe that the people of Enoch, as a part of their process of perfection, were true to their covenants to share their goods with those who were truly in need. This is one of the most important characteristics of Zion.
We are also under covenant to care for the poor. Webster says that a covenant is “a binding and solemn agreement made by two or more individuals ... to do or keep from doing a specified thing.
Each of us who has received his or her endowments in the temple has made some very specific covenants to care for the poor. But we also covenanted at baptism that we would do this.
Look back at Alma, in Mosiah, chapter 18, when he said: “Behold, here are the waters of Mormon … and now, 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;
9 “Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, … and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
10 “Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
11 “And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts” (Msh. 18:8 - 11).
I hope that we feel that same desire, and the same excitement. As we ponder these verses, it becomes obvious that every person who is baptized and receives the gift of the Holy Ghost, which seals the ordinance, is under solemn covenant with the Lord to obey his commandments. As we further study the scriptures, it is very clear that caring for the poor is one of those commandments.
Less than a year after the Church was organized, the Lord began to instruct Joseph Smith relative to the poor.
In Section 38, he says, “For your salvation I give unto you a commandment.” Now I think that would be a pretty good reason to pay attention: “for my salvation.”
He continues: “Wherefore hear my voice and follow me ...
“... let every man esteem his brother as himself. ...
“I say unto you [meaning the members of the Church], be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine. ...
“And now, I give unto the church ... a commandment, that certain men among them ... shall look to the poor and the needy, and administer to their relief that they shall not suffer” (D&C 38:16, 22, 24-27, 34-35).
Just over a month later, the Lord commanded, “And behold, thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support ... with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken.” Then he adds: “And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me” (D&C 42:29-31).
A few weeks later, the Lord said again, “Behold, I say unto you, that ye must visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief” (D&C 44:6).
In June of 1831, the Lord instructed: “remember … the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple” (D&C 52:40). This is serious stuff!
And there is even more, in Sections 56, 84 and 104. Do you get the feeling that this is important to the Lord?
If you remember your church history, shortly after the Kirtland Temple was dedicated, fast and testimony meetings were begun, being held in the temple on the first Thursday of each month. The Thursday fast day continued until 1896, when the First Presidency changed it to the first Sunday, to accommodate those who could not miss work on Thursdays.
With the beginning of fast days in Kirtland, the Prophet instituted the fast offering fund. Most commonly, the actual food was given instead of money. In Nauvoo in 1845, the Quorum of the Twelve sent a general letter to the Church instructing members to contribute food that might have been eaten during the regular fast day, or to make donations of money that would be the equivalent of two meals or more "as those who are liberally inclined and have the means may feel disposed to give."
This practice was not observed consistently until 1857. Because of the problems with the crickets, which actually occurred over several years, Brigham Young actively encouraged the Saints to contribute fast offerings to help those who had lost their crops. This was when fast day and fast offerings became a regular part of our worship.
As time passed, donations in kind ceased, and today we contribute cash for our fast offerings.
Today, the law of the fast is explained in the Church Handbook of Instructions: “A proper fast day observance includes abstaining from food or drink for two consecutive meals in a 24-hour period, attending fast and testimony meeting, and giving a generous fast offering to help care for those in need.” (21.1.17)
There are three significant elements to Fast Day: attending our meetings, the fast itself, and fast offerings. Let us look at each one.
Fast and testimony meeting is a very important part of our Fast Sunday. We unite with our brothers and sisters and share testimony and strengthen one another. Even those who are not physically able to fast can enjoy the blessings of increased spirituality by attending their meetings on Fast Sunday.
Not everyone is able to fast. Certain health conditions make fasting difficult or even unwise. Even if you cannot fast physically, you can still join us in our fast spiritually, and you can reap the same blessings. It is important to have the attitude that “I would fast if I could.”
We also should not ask our young children to fast beyond their ability. When our children were baptized, we asked them to fast one meal, and by the time they turned twelve, we encouraged them to fast two. Now that they are young adults, we hope that they will still choose to fast and to enjoy the blessings that come from fasting.
Fasting is perhaps the most difficult part of living the law of the fast. The Lord asks us to go without food or drink for two consecutive meals.
Even if we fast just because it is a commandment, we will be blessed for our obedience. But what other blessings do we gain through fasting?
1. Fasting brings us closer to the Spirit. As we fast, we briefly set aside our temporal desires and come closer to our Heavenly Father.
2. Fasting helps us to develop self-control. Everything in our world seems to be about gratifying the natural man or woman. As we fast regularly, we begin to overcome the lusts of the flesh, and our spiritual selves gain power over our physical selves.
3. Fasting is a healthy habit. But not if you have diabetes, or some other health conditions. Scientific research indicates that it is good for our digestive systems to take a rest periodically, and some researchers have suggested that 30 days is a good interval.
4. Fasting helps us to gain greater spiritual power. Christ’s apostles learned this when they could not cast out an evil spirit: “This kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer” (Matt. 17:21).
The sons of Mosiah learned a similar lesson: “But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God” (Alma 17:3).
5. Through fasting, we reap a particular spiritual benefit that can come to us in no other way. It is a sanctification of the soul for us today just as it was for some choice people who lived 2,000 years ago. “Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God” (Hel. 3:35). Wouldn’t you like this to happen to you? It can, you know!
Please note that their souls were filled with “joy and consolation.” The world teaches that when we do without anything, it is a time for “sackcloth and ashes.”
6. By living the law of the fast, we have the opportunity to bless others. Fasting humbles the rich, exalts the poor, and sanctifies both.
Fasting without prayer is not complete fasting. The two coupled together are a source of great spiritual strength.
I bear you my witness that fasting and prayer is an incomparable source of personal spiritual power. I have fasted and prayed on many occasions when I needed to make important decisions. The Lord did not bless me with the answers I sought until I had fasted and prayed and drawn closer to Him. But I was blessed with direction and guidance once I had paid the price.
It is also important that we be willing to accept the answer we receive from the Lord, and to act on it. Spiritually speaking, the nearer we get to the Father, the more we want to do what he expects of us.
When we unite in fasting and prayer with others, we also feel more united with one another. This is a tremendous blessing. I have enjoyed the unity I have felt as my wife and I have fasted and prayed together concerning decisions or struggles. We have also felt this unity with our extended families. Brothers and sisters, this power is real!
When we fast, we feel hunger. There is no avoiding that. And during those brief moments of hunger, we literally put ourselves in the position of the hungry and the needy. As we do so, we gain a greater understanding of how they must feel. And so we develop compassion for those who are struggling.
Fast offerings have long been the foundation of the Church Welfare Program. As members, we have been instructed to fast for two meals each month, then give to the Church a fast offering at least equal to the value of the food we would have eaten. If possible, we should be generous and give more.
When I was much younger, President Spencer W. Kimball counseled us: “Sometimes we have been a bit too penurious [and if you don’t have your dictionary with you, that means stingy] and figured that we had an egg for breakfast and that cost so many cents and then we give that to the Lord. I think that when we are affluent, as many of us are, that we ought to be very, very generous …
“I think we should be generous and give, instead of the amount we saved by our two meals of fasting, perhaps much, much more---ten times more where we are in a position to do it.”
Our Church is unique in that every dollar we donate as fast offerings goes directly to help the poor. There are no administrative costs attached to the services we provide.
Because of this, we should feel more generous with our means as we seek to help our brothers and sisters.
The fast offering funds are used in many different ways. Fast offering funds help many of our less fortunate brothers and sisters pay their rent. Last winter, fast offerings helped keep their apartments or homes warm. Fast offerings may also help people get to work; they may help purchase needed medicines or pay medical bills in times of need. Fast offerings in combination with the labor of skilled members may repair air conditioners or cars or someone’s plumbing. The fast offerings that you give are used to help those who live in this ward. Any surplus funds are used first in our stake, and what remains over is sent to Salt Lake to be used wherever the need is greatest. Fast offerings also help to stock the shelves of the Bishops’ Storehouse, which provides much needed food and commodities for the poor in our area.
If you would like to feel the spirit of this great work of salvation, go spend part of a day at the Bishops’ Storehouse in Colton and fill food orders. You will leave with a spirit of gratitude for this temporal part of the Lord’s plan to bless his children.
Bishop Ward, who holds the keys in the University Heights Ward, has been commissioned of the Lord to discern the needs of the poor within the ward boundaries. The Lord assists him in determining who needs help, and what kind of help they should receive. He relies on the Lord for strength and inspiration in performing this important assignment.
I testify to you that he is guided by the Lord as he carries out his sacred mandate, working closely with President Garvin, who also exercises the keys that he holds. This work is carried out quietly and as anonymously as possible. Our Bishops do not publicize who receives assistance. Frequently, only he and the Finance Clerk (who must sign the checks) know who is receiving assistance.
Self-respect is an important principle in church welfare. Thus you can be assured that your conversations with the bishop are held in strictest confidence, and if the Relief Society President visits to help you with a food order, she will treat you with compassion and dignity.
These fast offering funds are treated as sacred funds. Those who receive them should also treat all that they receive as sacred, consecrated blessings. After all, I sacrifice a little to help bless your lives. The beauty of it is that you do not know who is actually helping you, and I do not know whom I am helping. Only the Bishop and the Lord know that.
In keeping with the principle of self-respect, nothing is just given away. There are no free rides in the Lord’s kingdom. Bishop Ward will ask you to do some service in return for the assistance you receive. (Of course, this is based on your own skills and abilities.) He will also ask you to attend your meetings, if you are not doing so already.
The Lord also expects that all who receive assistance be full tithepayers. Elder Lynn Robbins of the Seventy said in Conference, “One of the first things a bishop must do to help the needy is ask them to pay their tithing. … if a destitute family is faced with the decision of paying their tithing or eating, they should pay their tithing. The bishop can help them with their food and other basic needs until they become self-reliant.”
President Hinckley taught us that “if we would pay our tithing, we will always have food on our tables, we will always have clothing on our backs, and we will always have a roof over our heads.”
When the prophet promises such great blessings to us, we should stop asking “Can we afford to pay tithing?” and ask “Can we afford not to pay tithing?” We all need the blessings of the Lord in our lives, whether we have worldly riches or not.
All of this points us to the celestial order of living, and prepares us for the time when we might be asked to consecrate our all to help strengthen the Church and its members. And in the end, that unites us and brings each of us closer to the Lord.
Whenever the Lord gives a commandment, there are always blessings attached. I find that these blessings far exceed what little the Lord requires of us.
As we unselfishly give of our means, the Lord has promised that he will bless us in many ways. These blessings will not always be material blessings. He has promised that we will feel an increased closeness to the Spirit in our lives. Who does not need that? We begin to feel less selfish, and we feel eager to bless the lives of those around us.
Isaiah spoke of some wonderful blessings in chapter 58 (READ vv. 6-11, AND COMMENT). I particularly like the promise that the Lord will answer our prayers!
King Benjamin taught us: “for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.” (Msh. 4:26)
Who does not need a remission of their sins?
President Marion G. Romney spoke frequently of the fast and fast offerings. Some years ago he extended this promise to us: “it has been, and now is, the desire and the objective of the Church to obtain the necessary funds to meet the cash needs of the welfare program.” He added: “We can, we ought, and we must do better.” Then the promise: “If we will double our fast offerings we shall increase our prosperity, both spiritually and temporally. This the Lord has promised, this has been the record.”
The most important blessing that comes through living the Law of the Fast, or as some call it, the Lord’s Law of Generosity, is that we begin to develop the pure love of Christ, which is the greatest of the Gifts of the Spirit. This is the one gift that we should all be striving to develop.
Why are fast offerings connected with the pure love of Christ? The Lord himself has said: “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40). King Benjamin added, “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Msh. 2:17).
So we should be mindful of Mormon’s exhortation to his son Moroni: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure” (Mni. 7:48).
As we become pure, we have an increased desire to keep our covenants. And as we keep our covenants, we will be better prepared to love and serve those around us who are in need. As we strengthen these good neighbors, we will build Zion here in San Bernardino.
The prophets have taught us that there is no reason that even the most recently organized branch cannot take care of itself if we pay our fast offerings.
Joseph Smith taught: “Let this be an [example] to all saints, and there will never be any lack for bread: When the poor are starving, let those who have, fast one day and give what they otherwise would have eaten to the bishops for the poor, and every one will abound for a long time. … And so long as the saints will all live to this principle with glad hearts and cheerful countenances they will always have an abundance.”
Part of what Joseph says to me here is not to grumble about paying my fast offerings --- not to be concerned about who is receiving assistance --- but to be happy and thankful that I am able to help.
Now brothers and sisters, I would like to offer a challenge to you. It is this: will you go home today and as a family commit to yourselves and to the Lord that you will increase your fast offerings? You know what you can do. Some may be able to double or triple what you currently pay; some may only be able to add a few dollars each month. But will you commit to this sacrifice? To show the Lord that you love him and his children? If you have concerns about this, please counsel with your Bishop. He will be happy to advise you.
I testify that if you will do this, the Lord will pour out his richest blessings upon you. He will fulfill the promises made by President Hinckley. More particularly, he will bless you with an increased level of spirituality, a better ability to resist temptation, and with charity, the pure love of Christ. You will indeed become more Christlike.
I testify that the Lord seeks to bless us if we will just keep his commandments. “And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you” (Msh. 2:22).
God lives! He loves us, even with all our weaknesses. He sent his Son to atone for our sins so that we can return to Him. Jesus Christ is our Savior. This is His true church. I know that it is His will that we do all we can to bless the lives of His children, and that in doing so, we will be blessed.
Of this I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.