(The words in red are my thoughts on the the talk given and are my opinion only. The highlights are mine as well. Take your thoughts and impression to the Lord for confirmation. The Holy Spirit is the real teacher.)
TURN ON YOUR LIGHT
By Sharon Eubank First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency
The prophets are calling on us, my sisters. Will you be righteous? Will you articulate your faith? Will you turn on your light?
By Sharon Eubank First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency
The prophets are calling on us, my sisters. Will you be righteous? Will you articulate your faith? Will you turn on your light?
You might not know
this, but President Monson and I are twins. On the very day I was born—in the
very hour—in Northern California, the 36-year-old Thomas S. Monson was
sustained as the newest Apostle. I love my special, personal link to the
prophet of God, President Monson.
The prophets are speaking about women.1 read the footnotes. You
will hear some SIX prophets are quoted in the footnotes! of their words in this meeting. For my text I
am going back almost 40 years to a remarkable prophecy D&C 1:38”… my word shall not pass away, but shall all be
fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is
the same.” written by President
Spencer W. Kimball. September 1979 was only the second time the women of
the global Church had met in their own general meeting. President Kimball had
prepared his talk, but when the day of the conference came, he was in the
hospital. So instead, he asked his wife, very cool that he didn’t ask one of the brethren to share his voice,
but his own “equal”…Camilla Eyring
Kimball, to read his remarks on his behalf.2worth reading/listening to
the whole talk
Sister Kimball read
the prophet’s words, which emphasized the influence of LDS women on the good women of the world
look for these “good
women” prior to the Second Coming of the Savior. Look for the number of time you hear “prior to the Second Coming” in
the talks from here on out…Near
the end, there was an electrifying
charge if something “electrifies”
you, I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to make you “jump out of your seat”!!! to the women of the Church that we have been
talking about ever since.
Let me quote a little
of what President Kimball said:
“Finally, my dear sisters, may I suggest to
you something that has not
been said before so take note! or at least in quite this way. Much of the major growth that is coming
Am I a part of this “major
growth”? to
the Church in the last
days now…will come because many
of the good women of the
world … will be drawn
to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect
righteousness“reflect”…as in, we know that it comes from our Savior. We are
righteous because we know Him and we love Him and he “bestows” charity upon us,
thus we “reflect” His love ... and articulateness “uttered clearly…capable of speech; not speechless…using language easily and fluently; having facility with words expressed, formulated, or presented with clarity and effectiveness”…in their lives and to the degree one is dependent upon the
other. This prophecy happens according to how well we accept this charge to
KNOW the Lord so as to “reflect” righteousness, and how well we are able to
SPEAK! If we accept it “a little” then we get “a little” growth. If it
“electrifies” us, then we get “major” growth! that
the women of the Church are seen as distinct “distinguished as not being the same; not
identical; separate…different in nature or quality; unquestionably exceptional
or notable” and different—in happy ways not weird ways, or
questionable way…what will be most “distinct” is that WE are HAPPY and they are
not! —from the women of the world. “Among the real heroines These women who will join
us are/will be REAL HEROINES! “a woman noted for courageous acts or nobility of character…or
a woman who, in the opinion of others, has special achievements, abilities, or
personal qualities and is regarded as a role model or ideal”…in the world who will
come into the Church are women who are more concerned with being righteous than with being
selfish. These real
heroines have true
humility, which places a higher value on integrity than on visibility. …“… It will be … female exemplars of the Church
[who] will be a significant
force in both the numerical and the spiritual growth of the Church in the last days.”3 What conditions will come upon us or are now
present, to create circumstances where women, in great numbers, will have the
opportunity to choose humility, integrity, selflessness, and articulateness?
What a prophetic statement that
is. Just to summarize:
·
It will be the good relationships of women
that will trigger
much of the major growth
coming to the Church in the years ahead. My personal take on Pres. Kimball’s quote, given almost 40 years
ago, is that we are IN that prophesied period NOW of “years ahead” and that it
is not still yet the “years ahead” you might think Sister Eubanks is suggesting…I think she is saying we are still not fulfilling this prophesy, so it will have to be "in the years ahead", but that isn't years down the road, it's today and tomorrow and the next day, through the years between NOW and when the Savior returns. We've lived in a gap ("breach" as Sister Marriott will speak about) between when this statement was given and today. It's time to repair the breach and get going and to BE those women now and through the years. Stop kicking the ball down the road for someone else to fulfill. It's OUR ball, and OUR game, and OUR time! It has been for 40 years! Get in the game:)
·
The friendships that Relief
Society women, young women, and Primary girls build with sincere, faithful, godly women
and girls of other faiths and beliefs will be a significant force in
how the Church grows in
the last days. Now!
·
President Kimball
called these women from other backgrounds “heroines” who will be more concerned with being righteous than selfish, we would normally contrast selfishness with
unselfishness. Here it is contrasted with “righteousness” which I’ve
already compared to charity or the Love of Christ which is always turning
outward in service and compassion when every circumstance would justify turning
inward and focusing on one’s own needs who will show us that integrity is more valuable than visibility. This is an interesting comparison of integrity vs. visibility. But
if you define integrity as “who you are when no one is looking”, then this
could mean that we see they are consistent in their values whether anyone is
watching or if they get any credit. Look for these women…
I have met so many of
these good women as I do my work around the world. Their friendships are
precious to me. You know them too among your friends and neighbors. They may or
may not be members of the Church right now, but we connect in friendship that is very important. Well, how do we play our part? What
should we do? President Kimball refers to five things:
The first is to be righteous. Being righteous doesn’t mean being
perfect or never making mistakes. It means developing an inner connection with God,again, we have to KNOW God to reflect His love
that we have received from Him
repenting of our sins and
mistakes repentance is KEY. We need
to repent DAILY of our sins and mistakes. We are constantly being “enticed” by
one spirit or the other and when we yield to the wrong spirit, no matter how
small, we need to repent and “return” to following the right spirit. ie. “Father,
forgive me for not following the prompting to return my shopping cart to the cart
return…I choose to listen and follow next time and take responsibility for the
cart that I chose to use and to not put that responsibility on someone else.” and freely helping
others. This is referring to the help that is not “assigned”
at church. We are “anxiously engaged in a good cause and do many things of our
own free will and choice.”
Women who have repented change the course of
history. Of course…because to repent
is “to turn”, which means you are now going a different direction with a
different point of arrival! I
have a friend who was in a car accident when she was young, and from that, she
became addicted to pain medication. Later on, her parents divorced. She became
pregnant from a brief relationship, and her addictions continued. But one
night, she looked at the chaos and mess of her life and thought, “Enough.” She cried out to the Savior
Jesus Christ to help her. What things in your life are you read to cry “enough!” She said she learned that Jesus Christ was stronger than
even her terrible circumstances and that she could rely on His strength as she
walked the road of repentance. Do not try to repent in your own strength. You will fail. Willpower
is not enough. We need the “enabling power” (Grace) of God to do things beyond
our own ability.
By coming back to the Lord and His
ways, she changed the course of her history and her little boy’s history
and her new husband’s. She
is righteous; she has a wide-open heart for others who have made mistakes and
want to change.This is how God turns “all
things to our good”…our mistakes and the repentance process create in us mercy
and compassion for others that can not be obtained by reading a book about
mercy and compassion. Be grateful for ALL your experiences and the KNOWLEDGE
(information x experience) it has given you… And just like all of us, she isn’t perfect, but she knows how to repent and to keep
trying. This is the “doctrine of
Christ”… preach “Nothing but repentance”…
The second is to be articulate. Being articulate means to clearly express how you feel about something and why. Earlier this year,
there was a post on my Facebook news feed that disparaged Christianity. I read
it and I was a little annoyed, but I shrugged it off. But an acquaintance who
is not a member of our faith responded with a comment of her own. She wrote:
“[This is] the exact opposite of what Jesus stood for—he was … radical [in] his
time because he … equalized the world. … He [spoke to] prostitute[s], [he ate]
with … tax collector[s] … , befriended powerless women and children
… , [and] gave us the story of the Good Samaritan. … It follows that …
true Christians would be striving to be the MOST loving people in the world.”
When I read that, I thought to myself, “Why didn’t I write that?”
Each of us needs to be better at articulating the
reasons for our faith. How do you feel about Jesus Christ? Why do you stay in
the Church? Why do you believe the Book of Mormon is scripture? Where do you
get your peace? Why does it matter that the prophet has something to say in
2017? How do you know he is a real prophet? Use your voice and your power to
articulate what you know and feel—on social media, in quiet
conversations with your friends, when you’re chatting with your grandchildren.
Tell them why you believe,
what it feels like,
if you ever doubted,
how you got through it,
and what Jesus Christ
means to you. As the Apostle Peter said, “Be not afraid … ; but sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a
reason of the hope that is in you.”4 If you are unsure or feel inadequate about this…practice in writing;
record yourself and listen to it…ask a friend to roleplay with you or do it in
your FHE. We need to find our voice and make sure it is articulate.
The third is to be different. Let me tell you a story that happened
this July on Panama City Beach in Florida.5 Late in the afternoon, Roberta
Ursrey saw her two young sons screaming for help from 100 yards (90 m) out
into the ocean. They had become caught in a strong current and were being
carried out to sea. A nearby couple tried to rescue the boys, but they also got
caught in the current. So members of the Ursrey family dove in to rescue the
struggling swimmers, and quickly nine people were caught in the rip current.
There were no ropes.
There was no lifeguard. The police sent for a rescue boat, but the people had
been out in the ocean struggling for 20 minutes, and they were exhausted and
their heads were slipping under the water. Among the onlookers on the beach was
Jessica Mae Simmons. Her husband had the idea to form a human chain. They
shouted at people on the beach to help them, and dozens of people linked arms
and marched into the ocean. Jessica wrote, “To see people from different races
and genders come into action to help TOTAL strangers [was] absolutely amazing
to see!!”6 An 80-person chain stretched toward
the swimmers. Look at this picture of that incredible moment.
Everyone on the beach
could think only of traditional
solutions, and they were paralyzed. But one couple, in a split second, thought of a different solution.
Innovation and creation
are spiritual gifts. When we keep our covenants, it may make us different from others in our culture and society,
but it gives us access to
inspiration so we can think of different solutions, different approaches,
different applications. We aren’t always going to fit in with the world, but being different in positive ways
can be a lifeline to others who are struggling. You can learn to “articulate” this thought as one
of the reasons “why” you keep the commandments that may seem “different” from
the the world. Think of or begin to record in a journal the times when this
spiritual gift has been given to you to think of solutions outside the box.
Testify that the connection of covenants to creativity is real and important.
As you read about the prophesied events to come before the return of the
Savior, you can see there will be many opportunities to be a lifeline to others
through “non-traditional” solutions. There’s not hospital or medicines, so you
turn to “non-traditional” healing power…There’s no water, so you turn to “non-traditional”
means of faith to produce water from a rock…Others will be paralyzed when the “traditional”
solutions are not available. But you have access to a God of limitless power.
You know that “with Christ, all things are possible” and you have the
confidence to ask Him for His power, because you have been keeping your
covenants.
The fourth is to be distinct. Distinct means to be recognizably well defined.
Let me go back to the story about Jessica Mae Simmons on the beach. Once that
human chain was stretching toward the swimmers, she knew she could help. Jessica Mae said, “I
can hold my breath … and go around an Olympic pool with ease! [I knew how to get out of
a rip current.] I knew
I could get [each swimmer] to the human chain.”7She and her husband grabbed boogie
boards and swam down the chain until they and another rescuer reached the
swimmers, and then they ferried them one by one back to the chain, who passed
them to the safety of the beach. Jessica had a distinct skill: she knew how to swim against a rip current. This is an analogy for know how to swim against
Satan’s “rip tide currents” and the traps and roadblocks he puts in our way.
Like Emily Lyman in my ward taught, “you know how to use the Atonement "like a mountain
bike that is designed to go OVER the rocks, not around them”. We know how to
use the Atonement to get THROUGH the rip tides when we get caught in them
through our own ignorance or arrogance.
The restored gospel is recognizably
well defined.Who can say they don’t
know what the gospel asks us to do and become? But we have to be distinct about how we follow it. Remember “distinct” is “recognizably
well defined” – is your obedience recognizable to the point of being “different
from the world”? (or even your fellow ward member?). Just as Jessica practiced swimming, we need to practice living the gospel before the emergency so
that, unafraid, we will be
strong enough to help when others are being swept away by the current. Interesting that this is the analogy she choose
when so many have recent personal experience with real currents of water that
swept away possessions, people, and the false security of the world.. Remember
that Pres. Monson asked us in Sept 2014 “are your skills perfected?” This
suggests that we are to be practicing now, before the emergency, so that we can
be the helpers and not the needy when the prophesied storms come our way.
And finally, the
fifth is to do one through four in happy ways. Being happy doesn’t mean to slap a plastic smile on your face no
matter what is going on. But it does mean keeping the laws of God and building and lifting others.8 When we build, when we lift the
burden of others, it blesses
our lives in ways our trials cannot take away. In other words, a trial cannot rob you of the
joy that lifting and blessing others in their trials gives you. I have a quote by President Gordon B.
Hinckley placed where I see it every day. He said: “You don’t … build out of pessimism or cynicism.
You look with optimism, work with faith, and things happen.”9 This will be elaborated on in Pres. Uctdorf’s talk about the three
sisters. Happiness is a choice, not a byproduct of circumstances. Learn that now.
Believe it. Practice it now. Elder
McConkie prophesied, “For the moment
we live in a day of peace and prosperity but it shall not ever be thus. Great
trials lie ahead. All of the sorrows and perils of the past are but a foretaste
of what is yet to be. And we must prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually.”
We must choose to be happy in spite of what is to come (already here, for many…).
This happiness comes as we choose to lift and build others with faith and
optimism, focusing on the Plan of Salvation and the promises of an All knowing
and All loving Father in Heaven.
An example of that
happy, optimistic spirit is a 13-year-old girl I know named Elsa, whose family
is moving to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1,800 miles (2,900 km) away from her
friends. It’s not very easy when you are 13 to move to a new place. Elsa was
understandably unsure about the move, so her dad gave her a blessing. At the
very moment of the blessing, her mom’s phone chimed with a text. The young
women who live in Louisiana had sent this picture with the caption “Please move
into our ward!”10
These young women were
optimistic they would like Elsa without even meeting her. Their enthusiasm
created optimism in Elsa about the upcoming move and answered her prayer about
whether everything would be all right.
There is an energy that comes from happiness
and optimism This “energy” is a real,
tangible, scientifically proven thing! that doesn’t just bless us—it builds
everyone around us. Any small thing you do to light real happiness in others shows that you are
already carrying the torch that President Kimball lit. “By small and simple things…great things come to
pass”
I was 15 years old at
the time President Kimball’s talk was given. We who are older than 40 have been
carrying this charge from President Kimball ever since that day. Now I look out
at the 8-year-olds, the 15-year-olds, the 20-year-olds, and the 35-year-olds,
and I’m going to pass this torch to you. You are the future leaders in this
Church, and it will be up to you to carry this light forward and be the
fulfillment of this prophecy. We who are older than 40 link our arms through yours and feel your strength
and energy. We need you. I
hope those over 40 don’t interpret her words as permission to disengage and “watch”
the younger generation fulfill this prophesy while the rest of us “cheer them
on”. If my arm is “linked” with yours, then where you go I go and where I go,
you go. We do this TOGETHER. I may not have as much energy or strength as you
and you might have to physically pull me along, but I have wisdom and faith
beyond your young years and I will pull you along spiritually and we’ll do this
great work TOGETHER. I can really only "pass this torch" if I have been carrying it. If I haven't, then I need to repent and get on board and link arms with others willing to carry the torch.
Listen to this
scripture found in Doctrine and Covenants 49:26–28. It may have
been written under different circumstances, but tonight by the Holy Spirit, I hope you will take it
as your personal call to
this sacred work. Ask Heavenly Father, in
prayer how you can answer this personal call to this sacred work.
“Behold, I say unto
you, go forth as I have
commanded you; repent
of all your sins; ask
and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you. Go…repent…ask…receive…knock…open…
“Behold, see it done…I will go before you and
be your rearward; and I will be in your midst, and you shall not be confounded. He has prepared the way before us, He’s got our
back, and He is with us in the moment and will give us the words if we will but
open our mouths and speak "with the tongue of angels".
“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, and I come quickly.”11 See…Know…Feel…the Savior. He wants to come quickly TO YOU!
I appeal to each of
you to put yourself in a
place where you can feel the generous love God where are those “places”? (prayer, temple, church
meditation) has for you. You
cannot put yourself beyond the reach of that love. When you feel His love, when you love Him, you
will repent and keep His commandments. If you are obeying out of duty and fear of punishment, repent, and
seek the face of the Lord and replace your motives with love. Obedience will
become easier and so will repentance. When you keep His commandments, He can use you in His work. Because you will hear His voice and act when He
prompts you. His work and glory is
the exaltation and eternal
life of women and men.
The prophets are calling on us, my sisters. Will you be righteous? Will you articulate your faith?
Can you bear being distinct and different? Will your happiness in spite of your
trials draw others who are good and noble and who need your friendship? Will
you turn on your light? I testify the Lord Jesus Christ will go before us and
be in our midst. We are living below our
priviledges (Brigham Young). It is time to “turn on our light” and live the
gospel with joy and energy; to speak freely and with love about the reality of
our Father in Heaven and the joy of the Plan of Salvation. If you can’t do
that, pray for it. Desire it. Prepare to “bear” the shaming finger of the world
as you stand for truth and righteousness. When it is your turn for trial, can
you choose to be happy still?
I conclude with the
words of our well-loved prophet, Thomas S. Monson: “My dear sisters, this is your day, this is your
time.”12 Let’s do this!!!
the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
1. President Brigham Young: “Let [the sisters] organize Female Relief Societies in the
various wards. We have many talented women among us, and we wish their help in
this matter. Some may
think this is a trifling thing, but it is
not; and you will find that the sisters will be the mainspring of the movement” (in Daughters in My
Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society [2011],
41).
President Lorenzo Snow: “You have ever
been found at the side of the Priesthood,
ready … to do your part
in helping to advance the interests of the kingdom of God; and as you have shared in these labors,
so you will most certainly
share in the triumph of the work and in the exaltation and glory which
the Lord will give to His faithful children” (in Daughters in My Kingdom, 7).
President Spencer W. Kimball: “There is power
in this organization [of Relief Society] that has not yet been fully
exercised to strengthen the homes of Zion and build the Kingdom of
God—nor will it until both the sisters and the priesthood
[brethren] catch the vision of Relief
Society” (in Daughters in My Kingdom, 142).
President Howard W. Hunter: “There is a great need to rally
the women of the Church to stand with and for the Brethren in stemming the tide of evil that surrounds us and in moving forward the work of our Savior.
… So we entreat you to minister
with your powerful influence for
good in strengthening
our families, our church, and our communities” (in Daughters in My Kingdom, 157).
President Gordon B. Hinckley: “There is strength and great
capacity in the
women of this Church. There is leadership and direction, a
certain spirit of independence, and yet great satisfaction in being
a part of this, the Lord’s kingdom, and of working hand in
hand with the priesthood to move it forward” (in Daughters in My Kingdom, 143).
President Thomas S. Monson, quoting Belle Smith Spafford, ninth General
President of the Relief Society: “‘Never have women had greater influence
than in today’s world. Never have the doors of opportunity opened wider
for them. This is an inviting, exciting, challenging, and demanding period of
time for women. It is a time rich
in rewards if we keep our balance, learn
the true values of life, and wisely determine priorities’ [A Woman’s Reach (1974),
21]. My dear sisters, this
is your day, this is your time” (“The Mighty Strength of the Relief Society,” Ensign, Nov.
1997, 95).
President Russell M. Nelson: “I plead with my sisters of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to step forward!
Take your rightful and needful place in your home, in your community, and in the
kingdom of God—more than you ever have before. I plead
with you to fulfill President Kimball’s prophecy.
And I promise you in the name of Jesus Christ that
as you do so, the Holy Ghost will
magnify your influence in an unprecedented way!” (“A Plea to My Sisters,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov.
2015, 97).
2. See the video of Sister Camilla Kimball
reading President Spencer W. Kimball’s address at Sister Kimball; see also Spencer W.
Kimball, “The Role of Righteous Women,” Ensign,Nov.
1979, 102–4.
3. Spencer W. Kimball, “The Role of Righteous Women,” 103–4; emphasis
added.
4. 1 Peter 3:14–15.
5. See McKinley Corbley, “80 Beachgoers Form
Human Chain to Save Family Being Dragged Out to Sea by Riptide,” July 12,
2017, goodnewsnetwork.org.
6. Jessica Mae Simmons, in Corbley, “80
Beachgoers Form Human Chain.”
7. Simmons, in Corbley, “80 Beachgoers Form Human
Chain.”
8. See Alma 41:10; 34:28; Doctrine and Covenants 38:27; Luke 16:19–25.
10. Note from Virginia Pearce family.
12. Thomas S. Monson, “The Mighty Strength of the Relief Society,”
95.
Related Talks:
3.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-vision-of-prophets-regarding-relief-society-faith-family-relief?lang=eng
What are we being invited to do/understand/become?
What are the promises we should hold fast?
Talk
INVITATION
What are the promises we should hold fast?
Talk
INVITATION
- Respond to a prophetic call to turn on my light:
- befriend other sincere, faithful, godly women (heroines) who value:
- righteousness over selfishness
- integrity over visibility
- be righteous
- develop an inner connection with God
- repent of sins and mistakes
- freely help others
- be articulate
- clearly express the reasons for my faith and why/how I know and feel the things I do
- do this more often, in more ways, with more people
- have the courage to be distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world
- find happiness in spite of trials
- keep the laws of God and build and lift the burdens of others (See Alma 41:10; 34:28; Doctrine and Covenants 38:27; Luke 16:19–25)
- be distinct about how I live the well-defined gospel: "Practice living it before the emergency so that, unafraid, I will be strong enough to help when others are being swept away by the current."
- light real happiness in others through the energy of my own optimism and happiness.
Promises
- "I plead with you to fulfill President Kimball's prophecy. And I promise you in the name of Jesus Christ that as you do so, the Holy Ghost will magnify your influence in an unprecedented way!" (Pres. Nelson)
- The spiritual gift of innovation and creation: Keeping my covenants gives me access to inspiration so I can think of different solutions, approaches, and applications to provide a lifeline to others who are struggling.
- When I build and lift the burdens of others it blesses my life in ways that my trials cannot take away.
- "You don't...build out of pessimism or cynicism. You look with optimism, work with faith, and things happen." (Pres. Hinckley)
- “Behold, I say unto you, go forth as I have commanded you; repent of all your sins; ask and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you. Behold, I will go before you and be your rearward; and I will be in your midst, and you shall not be confounded. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, and I come quickly.”11
- Women - "My dear sisters, this is your day, this is your time." (Monson)
Snapshot:
Invitation:
Invitation:
- Hear the call of the prophets and follow
- Choose to live in and reflect light
- Be a friend
- Be righteous
- Know God
- Repent
- Help others
- Articulate faith often
- Be distinct
- Be different
- Be happy and optimistic
- Practice before emergencies
Promises:
- Influence magnified by the Holy Ghost as never before
- Lifesaving gifts of innovation and creation
- Blessings that transcend trials
- Miracles
- Answers to prayers
- Doors opened
- Companionship of the Savior
- It's the right day and time to step forward into our divine mission
