(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.)
We Have Great Reason to Rejoice
By Carole M. Stephens
First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency
When you love, watch over, and serve others in small and simple ways, you are actively participating in the work of salvation.love, watch over, serve - active participation, not passive
When
my father-in-law passed away, our family gathered together to greet
others who came to pay their respects. Throughout the evening, as I
visited with family and friends, I often noticed our 10-year-old
grandson, Porter, standing near my mother-in-law—his “granny.” Sometimes
he was standing behind her, watching over her. Once I noticed his arm
linked with hers. I watched him pat her hands, give her little hugs, and
stand by her side.
For
several days after that experience, I couldn’t get this image out of my
mind. I was prompted to send Porter a note, When you "can't get an image out of your mind", it can be a prompting. Ponder why it is staying on your mind telling him what I had
observed. I emailed him and told him what I had seen and felt. I
reminded Porter of the covenants he had made when he was baptized,
quoting Alma’s words in Mosiah chapter 18:
“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;
“Yea,
and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those
that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all
times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until
death, … that ye may have eternal life—
“…
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?”1
Bearing burdens, mourning, comforting, witnessing of God - IS serving God. These are the commandments he has given us and we have covenanted willingly and weekly to keep them.
I
explained to Porter that Alma taught that those who want to be baptized
need to be willing to serve the Lord by serving others—for your whole
life! Again: we serve the Lord BY serving others. We do it for our whole lives because it IS our lives; it IS "who we are". That is just "how" we are. And we do it BECAUSE we love HIM. I said: “I don’t know if you realized it, but the way you showed
love and concern for Granny was keeping your covenants. We keep our
covenants every day as we are kind, show love, and take care of each
other. Every day...I just wanted you to know I’m proud of you for being a covenant
keeper! Take on this identity As you keep the covenant you made when you were baptized, you
will be prepared to be ordained to the priesthood. This additional
covenant will give you more opportunities to bless and serve others and
help you to prepare for the covenants you will make in the temple. Thank
you for being such a good example to me! Thank you for showing me what
it looks like to be a covenant keeper!”
Porter
replied back: “Grandma, thanks for the message. When I was always
hugging Granny, I didn’t know that I was keeping my covenants, but I
felt warm in my heart and felt really good. I know that it was the Holy
Ghost in my heart.” Pay attention and correctly identify the source of your "warm feelings".
I
also felt warm in my heart when I realized that Porter had connected
keeping his covenants with the promise to “always have his Spirit to be
with [us]”2—a promise made possible by receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Part of "receiving" the gift of the Holy Ghost is "recognizing" what feelings come from Him. When we don't connect the feelings to the source, we are not fully "receiving" the gift because we lose out on the increased gratitude we can feel by acknowledging our Father's awareness and love for us. We need to recognize the many times and ways He keeps his promise to us. It will strengthen our resolve to keep our promise to Him.
Sisters,
as I have visited you around the world, I have observed that many of
you Is this you? are like Porter. You quietly None of this is about being seen or noticed stand as witnesses of God, mourn with
those that mourn, and comfort those who stand in need of comfort without
realizing that you are keeping your covenants—Maybe because you do it so quietly, perhaps without thanks or recognition, you don't make the connection. Learn to feel the approval of God through the gift of the Spirit and you will glow with joy without the need for outward approval. the covenants you made in
the waters of baptism and in the temple. When you love, watch over, and
serve others in small and simple ways, you are actively participating
in the work of salvation, Active participation doesn't have to be a grand production. Just do something...anything. It all counts! God’s work “to bring to pass the immortality
and eternal life of man.”3
As “daughters in [the Lord’s] kingdom,”4 we have made sacred covenants. We are walking in what Nephi called the “strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life.”5
We’re all at different places on the path. But we can work together to
help each other “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a
perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.”6
"For some must push...and some must pull... as WE go marching up the hill." Don't worry about where you are on the path. Just work together; steadily; in the same direction; with hope and love of God; (most important motivator) which is the reason you love all others!
Jeanne
serves as a Young Women adviser. Several months ago she learned about
an upcoming activity for the youth in the ward: hiking to a place called
Malan’s Peak. She was excited because she had recently set a goal to
make that climb. Setting goals are good...
When
she arrived at the trailhead, her good friend Ashley approached her.
Linking arms with Jeanne, she offered to hike with her, saying, “I’ll go
with you.” Ashley, who was 16 years old at the time, had some physical
challenges that made it difficult for her to climb very fast. So she and
Jeanne walked slowly, noticing Heavenly Father’s creations: the rocks
on the mountain peak above them and the flowers all around them. Jeanne
later said, “It really didn’t take me long to forget about my goal of
hiking to the peak, for it soon became an adventure of another kind—an
adventure to point out the beauties along the path, many of which I
would have missed had I just hiked to reach the goal of Malan’s Peak.” Be prepared to set aside the "good" for the "best". Every time God asks us to set aside our "good" goal for the "best" He has planned, I hear Him saying, "Wait....I will show you something..." (Christmas story of the Three Trees)
As
Jeanne and Ashley continued hiking, far behind the rest of the group,
they were joined by Emma, another young woman in the ward, who had
decided to wait and walk with them. Emma added to their enjoyment. She
taught them a song and provided extra support and encouragement. Jeanne
recalled: “We sat and rested, we sang, we talked, and we laughed. I was
able to get to know Ashley and Emma in a way I wouldn’t have been able
to do otherwise. It wasn’t about the mountain that night—it was about
much, much more. It was about helping each other along the path, one
step at a time.” Improving together is much more satisfying and important than achieving a goal alone.
As
Jeanne, Ashley, and Emma hiked and sang and rested and laughed
together, they probably weren’t thinking, “Hey, we are keeping our
covenants right now.” But they were keeping their covenants. They were
serving each other with love, compassion, and commitment. They were
strengthening each other’s faith as they encouraged and ministered to
one another. Remember, there is a reason that it's important to connect your actions with the idea that you are keeping your covenants. What is it? Surely you are blessed for serving and loving another even without making the connection. Why is this so important right now?
Marina
Kuyzena is a covenant daughter of God There is the "label" or "identity" who knows who she is and what God
expects of her. Second time said. Accept your identity as "covenant-keeping daughter of God" and you will have much more clarity in the choices you are faced with each day. Kind of a twist on "What would Jesus do"...now it's "What would a covenant-keeping daughter of God do?" When she welcomed me into her home in Omsk, Russia, I
thought I was there to serve her, but I soon realized that I was there
to learn from her. You are invited to learn from her as well... A convert to the Church, Marina lives by the
direction found in Luke 22: “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”8 She has faith in the words of our living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, who said: Remember conversion is more than testimony. It is belief put into action.
“Now
is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work
together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him. …Now! The mandate isn't new, but if you have been putting it off...don't! The time is NOW!
“…
When we act in faith the Lord will show us how to strengthen His Church
in the wards and branches in which we live. He will be with us and will
become an active partner in our missionary labors.Believe, claim, act upon this promise! Faith is the key. "I will go and do the thing the Lord commands; for I know he giveth no commandment... save he shall prepare a way..."
“…
Exercise your faith … as you prayerfully consider which not "if" but "which" of your family,
your friends, your neighbors, and your acquaintances you would like to
invite to your home to meet with the missionaries, that they might hear
the message of the Restoration.”9 Praying specifically in this way IS exercising your faith.
Marina
follows this counsel by watching over and ministering to the sisters
she has been asked to visit teach and also reaching beyond this
assignment. She has many friends who are less active or who have not yet
heard the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Each day Remember, you have promised to keep your covenants...every day...she
exercises her faith and prays to know who needs her help, and then she
acts on the prompting she receives. She makes phone calls, expresses her
love, and tells her friends, “We need you.” She has family home evening
in her apartment every week and invites neighbors, members, and
missionaries to come—and she feeds them. Spiritually and physically..She invites them to come to
church, watches for them, and sits by them when they arrive. A These are all small and simple things that demonstrate our faith in and love for the Savior. Look at all the ways she is being prompted. Following those promptings is keeping her covenants.
Marina
understands Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s recent reminder that “an
invitation that is born of our love for others and for the Lord Jesus
Christ … will never be seen as offensive or judgmental.”10
Promise! She keeps a list of people who say they have been offended; she
continues to minister to them. Because they know that she loves them,
she can tell them, “Don’t be offended. That’s ridiculous!” She has sooooo many people that she has talked with that she has to keep a list to remember them all!
Marina
is a covenant-keeping disciple Have you got this phrase down yet? of Jesus Christ. Although she does not
have a priesthood holder in her home, she feels God’s power Priesthood is God's power....you don't have to be ordained to it to benefit from it or feel it! When you feel God's power you experience the power of the Priesthood. each day in
fulfillment of her temple covenants as she presses forward on the path,
enduring to the end and helping others participate in the work of
salvation along the way. You can feel God's power each day as you keep your covenants. Recognize it!
As
I shared these experiences with you, did you see yourself in the work
of salvation? See yourself as a covenant-keeping daughter of God Take a moment to think of another daughter of God who
needs encouragement to get back on the covenant path Help her see herself the same way; help her see when she is kind, and helpful to others she is on the covenant path or who needs a
little help to stay on the path. Ask your Father in Heaven about her.
She is His daughter. He knows her by name. He also knows you, and He
will tell you what she needs. Ask in faith and you will receive Be patient and continue in faith and
prayer even if she doesn't respond right away on her behalf, and act on the promptings you receive. This is true faith - acting As you act
on these promptings, the Spirit will confirm that your offering is
acceptable to the Lord. And what are you offering? Your love, your faith, your heart.
“Sister
Eliza R. Snow … gratefully acknowledged sisters’ efforts to strengthen
one another. … She told them that although the Church did not keep a
record of every donation they made to help those in need, the Lord kept a
perfect record of their saving work:"Angels in heaven are silent notes taking, of every action, then do what is right" (hymn 237)
“‘…
President Joseph Smith said this society was organized to save souls.
What [are we doing] to win back those who have gone astray?—to warm up
the hearts of those who have grown cold in the gospel?—Another book is
kept of your faith, your kindness, your good works, and [your] words.
Another record is kept. Nothing is lost.’”11 Not that we do things for the recognition, but it can help you to "be not weary in well-doing" to know that all the good you do is being noticed by God. And why wouldn't you want him to notice it? For you are doing it to show him you love him. You want him to see it! Not out of pride, but gratitude.
In
the Book of Mormon, Ammon speaks of the great reason we have to
rejoice. He says: “And now, I ask, what great blessings has [God]
bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?”
In
his excitement, Ammon doesn’t wait for an answer. He says, “Behold, I
answer for you; … this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us,
that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about
this great work.”12 We have yet to collectively feel this kind of joy...but the Lord is calling us to it. This time of "hastening" is no small thing. Elder L. Tom Perry said, " “This is the most remarkable era in the history of the Church. This is
something that ranks with the great events that have happened in past
history, like the First Vision, like the gift of the Book of Mormon, like the Restoration of the gospel...," Think of it! The stories that will be written about the wave of conversions throughout the world will rival the miraculous stories of the pioneers. I think that is why this talk is titled "We Have Great Reason to Rejoice"... But only if we collectively catch the vision of it! We do that by first embracing this identity of a Covenant-Keeping Son or Daughter of God...then we'll be a covenant keeping church!
We
are covenant daughters in the Lord’s kingdom, To echo the words of the Savior, "For such a time as this, came I into the world." This is who we are! Take off the blinders of the world and embrace the mission for which you were born! and we have the
opportunity to be instruments in His hands. Opportunity, and duty, and right, and privilege. As we participate in the
work of salvation each day in small and simple ways—watching over,
strengthening, and teaching one another—Do not discount the small, daily, consistent acts! Remember Elder Ballard's talk of the honey bee Oct 2012. Each bee only contributes 1/12th of a teaspoon in it's whole short life. But together, all the bees thrive. It would be worthwhile to review that talk "Be Anxiously Engaged" We need a testimony of this principle so that we will take seriously our part in this work each and every day! we will be able to join with
Ammon, who declared:
“Behold, my joy is full, "How great shall be your joy if ye bring save it be one soul unto me!"yea, my heart is brim with joy, He brought many! and I will rejoice in my God.
“Yea,
I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will
not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I
can do all things.”13
Every missionary knows that this is God's work, not man's. All success is for him and by him and through him. That is why He will succeed! Get in the game!
Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
- Mosiah 18:8–10.
2. Doctrine and Covenants 20:77.
3. Moses 1:39.
4. Doctrine and Covenants 25:1. Everyone who "receives" the gospel are sons and daughters of the kingdom.
5. 2 Nephi 31:18.
6. 2 Nephi 31:20.
7. Russell M. Nelson, “Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 88.
8. Luke 22:32.
9. Thomas S. Monson, “Faith in the Work of Salvation” (worldwide leadership training broadcast, June 2013), lds.org/broadcasts.
10. Jeffrey R. Holland, “Our Responsibility to Invite” (worldwide leadership training broadcast, June 2013), lds.org/broadcasts.
11. Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society (2011), 83.
12. Alma 26:2–3.
13. Alma 26:11–12.
Notes - Insights from "unpacking"...
- Participate in the work of salvation
- love, watch over, strengthen, teach and serve others in small and simple ways
- Love the Lord by serving others with love, compassion and commitment- your whole life.
- Connect keeping covenants with the promise of the Sacrament Prayers to "always have his Spirit to be with you". Receive the gift.
- Work together to help each other "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men" - strengthen faith
- Claim your identity as a "Covenant Keeping Daughter of God"
- Have faith in the words of the prophet concerning missionary work
- Prayerfully consider who to share the gospel with
- Save souls by winning back and warming up
DOCTRINAL INSIGHTS
- Keeping the commandments/covenants we made at baptism IS serving God directly; though it is manifested by service to others.
- Active participation in the work of salvation is loving, watching over, and serving others, even if it is small and simple.
- The Lord keeps a perfect record of your saving work
PROMISES
- When you keep your covenants, you will have the Spirit to be with you - always...every time...that is the promise.
- When we act in faith the Lord will show us how to strengthen His Church in the wards and branches in which we live. He will be with us and will become an active partner in our missionary labors
- Do not fear: an invitation that is born of our love for others and for the Lord Jesus Christ … will never be seen as offensive or judgmental.”
- As you act on promptings, the Spirit will confirm that your offering is acceptable to the Lord
- In God's strength we can do all things!
- Great blessings are bestowed on all those who participate in the saving of souls.
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