Ulisses Soares

(black text is the original talk; all yellow highlights are things I am commenting on;All blue text are my thoughts and are my opinions only and do not represent the official position of the speaker or the church.)

Be Meek and Lowly of Heart

By Elder Ulisses Soares
Of the Presidency of the Seventy

Being meek does not mean weakness, but it does mean behaving with goodness and kindness.

Mormon taught that a man “cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.”¹ Elder Hales just taught us how important faith is in protecting ourselves from the fiery darts of the adversary. We need more faith. We won't get it unless we are first meek and lowly of heart. What does that mean?He added that without such attributes, “faith and hope is vain, "vain" means "without effect" for none is acceptable before God, and why are you not acceptable? First, without meekness, there is no faith...which is necessary to develop all the other Christlike attributes save the meek and lowly in heart.”² There you have it - desire to be meek and humbleMeekness is the quality of those who are “Godfearing,respect God righteous,repentant humble,not proud teachable, not proud...and patient under suffering.”³ okay...pay attention to that one...Those who possess this attribute are willing to follow Jesus Christ, "I'll go where you want me to go"...anywhere...good...hard...anywhere He leads. Just don't let go of his hand while you are "in it"! and their temperament is calm,"complete inner command of oneself; especially under disturbing conditions" docile, "easily teachable then obedient" tolerant,  "respect the rights of others whose views differ from your own" and submissive. "humbly obedient; unresistant"

The Apostle Paul taught that meekness is a fruit of the Spirit.⁴ Therefore, it can most easily be attained if we “live in the Spirit.”⁵ And to live in the Spirit, our lifestyle this is the "total" you...how you live, think, act, dress, talk, what you do with your time...must reflect righteousness and how do you live "in" righteousness so you can live "in" the spirit? You keep your covenants (see RS talks...)before the Lord.

As we take Christ’s name upon us, baptismal covenant; renewed each Sunday during the Sacrament it is expected  because you made a promise which shows your intent to strive to "be" a certain way that we strive to emulate His attributes and change our character to become more like Him each day. "change" is "repentance". You can change your character...each and every day...day by day.. The Savior, admonishing His disciples,whom we profess to be... said, “Be ye therefore perfect, "complete" even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”⁶ We will not see this commandment fulfilled until resurrection day when we will be "complete" through Christ. This statement is really an invitation to progress continually towards perfection, one Christlike character at a time  If we “come unto Christ, … deny [ourselves] of all ungodliness; … and love God,” then through Christ’s grace the day will come when we may be perfect in Him.⁷ Promise 

“Christlike attributes are gifts from God. [These attributes] come as [we] use [our] agency righteously. …With a desire to please God, [we have to] recognize [our] weaknesses and be willing and anxious to improve.”⁸ This is the attitude we bring to the sacrament each week. Meekness is vital "indispensable"for us to become more Christlike. Without it we won’t be able to develop other important virtues. So, to borrow a metaphor by Pres. Packer....if you lay all the Christlike virtues on the floor and stack them in order of importance, you would find the one labeled "meekness" and put that one first. Why? Sounds like we really need to ponder this trait.  Being meek does not mean weakness, meek:weak - they rhyme, that's all:)but it does mean behaving with goodness and kindness, showing strength, serenity, "calm" healthy self-worth, notice he said "healthy"and self-control.

Meekness was one of the most abundant attributes in the Savior’s life. I think he means the Savior showed these traits over and over in His ministry He Himself taught His disciples, “Learn of me; follow my example for I am meek and lowly in heart.”⁹

We are blessed to be born with the seed of meekness in our hearts. and all seeds, if nourished WILL bear their intended fruit. Nourish the seeds of meekness and you will become meek.We need to understand that it is not possible to grow and develop that seed in the twinkling of an eye but rather through the process of time. as is the case with all seeds; be patient with the process of watering and weeding; feeding and repenting..Christ asks us to “take up [our] cross Here is a fabulous talk  that explains this phrase. In another talk, Elder Neil Maxwell said, "Part of taking up the cross is denying ourselves the lusts and appetites of the flesh...Thus, the daily taking up of the cross means daily denying ourselves the appetites of the flesh."¹ daily,”¹⁰  meaning that it must be a constant focus and desire. How do you keep it constantly in your focus and the desire of your heart?

President Lorenzo Snow, the fifth prophet of our dispensation, taught, “It is our duty because you made a covenant; now you are bound by that promise  to try to be perfect, try… to improve each day, and look upon our course last week and do things better this week; do things better today than we did them yesterday.”¹¹ again...this is part of what we are to be experiencing each week as we partake of the sacrament and then proceed through the week So the first step to becoming meek is to improve day by day. Each day we need to try to be better than the previous as we move forward through this process. It will be helpful to be specific about what you are trying to improve; track it; report to Heavenly Father about it in your prayers;

President Snow added:

“We have our little follies and our weaknesses; we should try to overcome them as fast as possible, he may be suggesting that the "little" follies and weaknesses can be overcome quickly with a little determination and planning and … should [instill] this feeling in the hearts of our children …how will you help your children "want" to improve?  that they may learn to [behave] properly before Him under all circumstances. sounds like basic social etiquette  awareness.

“If the husband can live with his wife one day without quarrelling or without treating anyone unkindly or without grieving the Spirit of God … ; he is so far perfect. in that one thing Then let him try to be the same the next day. But supposing he should fail in this his next day’s attempt, that is no reason why he should not succeed in doing so the third day.”¹²  I love this approach. Don't focus on "eternal" perfection...just "daily" perfection. The only question before you is "can I do this...today?"

Upon acknowledging our dedication and perseverance, the Lord will give us that which we are not able to attain due to our imperfections and human weaknesses.  This sounds like a "future" thing. On judgment day, the Lord may say, "I saw that you were really dedicated and never quit trying to improve, each day, even though you knew you could not attain perfection because of your mortality. Now...I will give it to you...here is your perfection."

Another important step to becoming meek is learning how to control our temper. Because the natural man dwells within each one of us and because we live in a world full of pressure, controlling our temper may become one of the challenges in our lives. natural man + worldly pressure = tendency towards anger Think for a few seconds how you react when someone does not comply with your desires the moment you want them to. He's making you sound a little demanding and controlling, isn't he? What about when people disagree with your ideas, even though you are absolutely sure a little prideful? that they represent the proper solution to a problem? What is your response when someone offends you, critiques your efforts, or is simply unkind common, repeated occurrences because he or she is in a bad mood? Not all unkindness is because someone doesn't like you At these moments and in other difficult situations, we must learn to control our temper and convey our feelings with patience and gentle persuasion. Remember, "feeling" angry is not the sin...."acting" angry is. The control comes when you have the "feeling" but then "choose" to respond with patience and gentle persuasion. Notice he is giving you permission to respond. Share how you feel. But take a moment to look inside. Anger is always a secondary emotion. Anger is not what you share... share what brought about the anger and be patient in the communication process that will surely not go perfectly. Share your reasoning gently or you will have lost all power to persuade; a word that suggests you allow for their agency in the process.This is most important within our homes and within our relationships with our eternal companions. Often the hardest place/people to do it with During the 31 years I’ve been married to my sweetheart, she has often given me gentle reminders she was not angry and he did not get angry. It takes two of this as we have faced life’s unsettling challenges. Everyone has them...

Among instructions found in his Second Epistle to Timothy, the Apostle Paul said:

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; "fight"  but be gentle unto all men, apt "likely, or inclined to" to teach, patient,

“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; "gentle persuasion" if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; God can help soften hearts if you do your part first. Still, there is agency, and someone has to be willing to have a "change of mind" to see truth they couldn't see before...which requires some meekness on their part. Hence the need for patience on your part.

“And that they may recover themselves.”¹³ I Think this means to go back to their "pre-angry" state or position. The rest of this verse says: "recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." I think this teaches us that when we or others are angry, at that moment we are in a trap of the devil and are held captive by him, to do his bidding. It is very difficult to communicate with someone at this point. Only meekness and patience can help soften them at this point...maybe...

By controlling our reactions, being calm and temperate, and avoiding contention, we will begin to qualify for the gift of meekness. President Henry B. Eyring once said, “When we with faith control our tempers and subdue our pride, the Holy Ghost gives His approval, and sacred promises and covenants become sure.”¹⁴

An excerpt from footnote 14 regarding the Holy Ghost and His approval that makes "sacred promises and covenants become sure":

"There is nothing that has come or will come into your family as important as the sealing blessings. There is nothing more important than honoring the marriage and family covenants you have made or will make in the temples of God.

The way to do that is clear. The Holy Spirit of Promise, through our obedience and sacrifice, must seal our temple covenants in order to be realized in the world to come. President Harold B. Lee explained what it means to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise by quoting Elder Melvin J. Ballard: “We may deceive men but we cannot deceive the Holy Ghost, and our blessings will not be eternal unless they are also sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Ghost is one who reads the thoughts and hearts of men, and gives his sealing approval to the blessings pronounced upon their heads. Then it is binding, efficacious, and of full force.”⁸

Another step to attain meekness is to become humble. This makes clear that being humble is not the same as meekness, though one who is meek is humble as well. The Lord instructed Thomas B. Marsh through the Prophet Joseph Smith, saying, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.”¹⁵

I pray for guidance every day. I ask questions that need answers every day. Time to be more humble.

I believe, brothers and sisters, that only those who are humble are able to acknowledge and understand the Lord’s answers to their prayers. So, when we don't feel we are getting answers, we need to ask ourselves if it is because we are not being humble. Did the Lord give us an answer that we haven't acknowledged? Did he give us an answer that we don't understand? The humble are teachable, recognizing how dependent they are on God and desiring to be subject to His will. The humble are meek and have the ability to influence others to be the same. Ponder this one. We influence through meekness...meekness promotes meekness.  God’s promise to the humble is that He will lead them by the hand. I truly believe that we will avoid detours and sadness in our lives as long as we walk hand in hand with the Lord.  How many detours do we take in our lives where we have not had a hold of the Lord's hand because of our not being meek or humble? What sadness have you experienced because of your anger?

One of the most beautiful modern-day examples of meekness that I am aware of is that of Brother Moses Mahlangu. His conversion began in 1964, when he received a copy of the Book of Mormon. He was fascinated as he read this book, but it was not until the early ’70s not even an opportunity for at least 7 years...that he saw an LDS Church sign on a building in Johannesburg, South Africa, as he was walking down a street. Brother Mahlangu was intrigued and entered the building to learn more about the Church. He was kindly told that he could not attend the services or be baptized because the country’s laws did not allow it at that time.

Brother Mahlangu accepted that decision with meekness, humility, and without resentment, but he continued to have a strong desire to learn more learn to accept decisions outside your control with meekness, humility, or resentment. Don't let it change your righteous desires about the Church. He asked the Church leaders if they could leave one of the meetinghouse windows open during the Sunday meetings so he could sit outside and listen to the services.Be proactive about things that ARE in your control. Don't be so defeated because you don't get what you want. Think about other options that would be good enough for now... For several years, be patient Brother Mahlangu’s family and friends attended church regularly “through the window.”Ahhh...this is what he means about the meek having the ability to influence others to be meek. This man obviously did not go home and complain about the situation. Instead he focused on what he knew to be true and shared his testimony in such a way that others were willing to accept the situation with the same meekness!  One day in 1980 another 8 or so years...they were told that they could attend church and also be baptized. What a glorious day it was for Brother Mahlangu. Patience was rewarded!

Later the Church organized a branch in his neighborhood in Soweto. This was possible only because of the determination, courage, and faithfulness of people like Brother Mahlangu who remained faithful for so many years under difficult circumstances.  Lesson: When in difficult circumstances - Remain faithful, humble, meek, not angry, not resentful, determined, courageous - your "glorious day" will come!

One of Brother Mahlangu’s friends, who had joined the Church at the same time, recounted this story to me when I visited the Soweto stake. At the end of our conversation, he gave me a hug. Meek people aren't afraid to give or receive a hug:) At that moment, brothers and sisters, I felt as if I was encircled in the Savior’s loving arms. Meekness emanated  Meekness shows...you can "see" it  from this good brother’s eyes. With a heart full of goodness and deep gratitude, you think in your head and you feel in your heart; you act from your heart, not your head.  Hearts full of goodness feel good and grateful...so of course they act good and grateful.  he asked if I could just tell President Thomas S. Monson how grateful and blessed he and many others were for having the true gospel in their lives. Brother Mahlangu and his friend’s example of meekness What was his example of meekness? Expressing gratitude; no mention of his hardships truly influenced many lives for good—especially mine.Again...when we are meek we can influence others to meekness also.

Brothers and sisters, I believe the Savior Jesus Christ is the supreme example of meekness. He now will give a "supreme" example Even during the last moments of His mortal life, being unfairly accused and condemned, painfully carrying His cross up to Golgotha, being mocked and cursed by His enemies, being abandoned by many who knew Him and had witnessed His miracles, He was nailed on the cross.

Even after the most intense physical suffering, the Lord turned to His Father and spoke from the bottom of His meek and humble heart: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”¹⁶ Christ faced extreme physical and spiritual suffering, giving us the opportunity to change our spiritual character and become meek like Him. Let's see:

unfairly accused
condemned
in pain
mocked
cursed
abandoned
betrayed
extreme physical suffering
extreme spiritual suffering 

Reaction: meekness, humility, forgiveness, 

I bear my witness that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I testify to you that, thanks to His love, it is possible to change. For which we should easily love him back:)It is possible to leave our weaknesses behind. and not look back...It is possible to reject the evil influences in our lives, the "fiery darts" control our anger, become meek, and develop the attributes of our Savior.Is this sequential? reject evil;control anger; become meek; develop other Christlike attributes He showed us the way. He gave us the perfect example and commanded each one of us to become as He is. His invitation to us is to follow Him, follow His example, and become like Him. How is it an invitation and a commandment? Perhaps it is an invitation until you make covenants, then it is a command Of these truths I bear testimony in His sacred name, even Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1 Moroni 7:43.
2. Moroni 7:44.
3. Guide to the Scriptures, “Meek, Meekness,” scriptures.lds.org. 

4. See Galatians 5:22–23.
5. Galatians 5:25.
6. Matthew 5:48.
7. Moroni 10:32.
8. Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service (2004), 115.
9. Matthew 11:29.
10. Luke 9:23.
11. Lorenzo Snow, in Conference Report, Apr. 1898, 13.
12. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow (2012), 100, 101.
13. 2 Timothy 2:24–26.
14. Henry B. Eyring, “Families under Covenant,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 65.
15. Doctrine and Covenants 112:10.
16. Luke 23:34. 

  IMPERATIVES 

• Change your spiritual nature and become meek and humble so that you may have more faith and hope
• Be good and kind, not mean
• Desire daily to develop meekness - use your agency to focus on becoming:
• Godfearing
• righteous
• humble
• teachable;docile
• patient under suffering
• willing to follow Jesus example
• calm;serene
• grateful
• showing strength
• healthy self-worth
• self-control
• tolerant
• submissive
• desire to please God
• recognize your weakness and dependance on God
• willing and anxious to improve
• avoid contention
• Live "in" the Spirit by having your lifestyle reflect righteousness
• Strive to change your character by emulating the Savior each day;review and renew with the sacrament
• Come unto Christ;
  deny yourself of ungodliness;
  love God
• Steps to developing meekness
• each day, try to be better than the day before
• learn how to control your temper and convey feelings with patience and gentle persuasion; especially with your spouse and family members
• become humble
• 
  
  learn to accept decisions outside your control with meekness, humility, and without resentment 
• reject the evil influences in your life

  DOCTRINAL INSIGHTS

• Being meek does not mean weakness, but it does mean behaving with goodness and kindness.
• A man “cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart”; even if he thinks he has faith or hope, it will be in vain
• None is acceptable before God save the meek and lowly of heart
• Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit and a gift from God
• Only those who are humble are able to acknowledge and understand the Lord’s answers to their prayers.
• The humble are meek and have the ability to influence others to be the same.
• Christ faced extreme physical and spiritual suffering, giving us the opportunity to change our spiritual character and become meek like Him.
• Thanks to the Love of Jesus Christ it is possible to change

  PROMISES

• If we “come unto Christ, … deny [ourselves] of all ungodliness; … and love God,” then through Christ’s grace the day will come when we may be perfect in Him
• Upon acknowledging our dedication and perseverance, the Lord will give us that which we are not able to attain due to our imperfections and human weaknesses.
• “When we with faith control our tempers and subdue our pride, the Holy Ghost gives His approval, and sacred promises and covenants become sure."
• “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers."
• we will avoid detours and sadness in our lives as long as we walk hand in hand with the Lord  

  WARNINGS