Find rest from the intensity, uncertainty, and anguish of this world by overcoming the world through your covenants with God.
My dear brothers and sisters, I am grateful to greet you on this glorious Sabbath morning. You are constantly on my mind. I marvel at the way you spring into action whenever you see others in need. I stand amazed at the faith and testimony you demonstrate again and again. I weep over your heartaches, disappointments, and worries. I love you. I assure you that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, love you. They are intimately aware of your circumstances, your goodness, your needs, and your prayers for help. Again and again, I pray for you to feel Their love for you.
Experiencing Their love is vital, as it seems that we are accosted daily by an onslaught of sobering news. You may have had days when you wished you could don your pajamas, curl up in a ball, and ask someone to awaken you when the turmoil is over.
But, my dear brothers and sisters, so many wonderful things are ahead. In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns “with power and great glory,”1 He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful. Footnote: "the shall all the tribes of the earth mourn" - what are the ALL mourning over? JST says this is "after the tribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn." So maybe we are all mourning over the tribulations and what the "powers of heaven shaking" brings. What is the 'sign' of the Son of Man in heaven? I think it is his actual coming with power and glory.
Nonetheless, we are presently living in what surely is a most complicated time in the history of the world. The complexities and challenges leave many people feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. However, consider a recent experience that might shed light on how you and I can find rest.
During the recent open house of the Washington D.C. Temple, a member of the open house committee witnessed an insightful interchange as he escorted several prominent journalists through the temple. Somehow a young family became attached to this media tour. One reporter kept asking about the “journey” of a temple patron as he or she moves through the temple. He wanted to know if the temple journey is symbolic of the challenges in a person’s journey through life. Ask next time you go to the temple, "how is this symbolic of my journey through life?"
A young boy in the family picked up on the conversation. When the tour group entered an endowment room, the boy pointed to the altar, where people kneel to make covenants with God, and said, “Oh, that’s nice. Here is a place for people to rest on their temple journey.”
I doubt that the boy knew just how profound his observation was. He likely had no idea about the direct connection between making a covenant with God in the temple and the Savior’s stunning promise:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; … and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”2 What is truly the "rest" of the Lord? Is it the baptism by fire and the gift of the Holy Ghost? The Second Comforter?
Dear brothers and sisters, I grieve for those who leave the Church because they feel membership requires too much of them. They have not yet discovered that making and keeping covenants actually makes life easier! Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ. Please ponder that stunning truth! How do we experience this "increased power"?
The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Those who live the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. Thus, covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of rest that comes to them through their covenantal relationship with God. It seems like some of this "rest" is from the perspective that gospel truth gives you that makes life feel easier than when we have incorrect perceptions about our experiences.
Before the Savior submitted Himself to the agony of Gethsemane and Calvary, He declared to His Apostles, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”3 Subsequently, Jesus entreated each of us to do the same when He said, “I will that ye should overcome the world.”4 Footnote: After this Jesus said, "Wherefore I will have compassion upon you." I think this means because He overcame the world, he will have compassion on us as we have the world press in upon us and it is His will that we overcome the world through Him. That is what allows us to be of good cheer (which I think mean, "have hope; this too shall pass")
Dear brothers and sisters, my message to you today is that because Jesus Christ overcame this fallen world, and because He atoned for each of us, you too can overcome this sin-saturated, self-centered, and often exhausting world.
Because the Savior, through His infinite Atonement, redeemed each of us from weakness, mistakes, and sin, and because He experienced every pain, worry, and burden you have ever had,5 then as you truly repent and seek His help, you can rise above this present precarious world. Footnote Alma 7:11-13 11 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. Think about this from the perspective of us as the perpetrators, not the victims. Christ suffered every offense we have committed towards others as if we did it to Him instead. The pains and sicknesses were those of the ones who committed the sin. Probably all sinners do so because they were at one time sinned against. Jesus knows perfectly the effects of others sins on the sinner who then sins. 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; Literal death 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. Infirmities are the weaknesses in our physical or spiritual bodies. Christ knows why we are weak and therefore sin. He sees how we each have been the victim and the sinner. This gives Him the ability to judge with mercy. 13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, as in, He suffered our sins as the victim of our sins, not the punishment we would have received as the sinner, for if we don't repent we must suffer even as He - meaning we get to experience the pain that we have caused others in our sins. No amount of jail time "pays" for the sins of an abuser on the victim. They still don't understand who they messed up their life. Part of true justice is them "knowing" what they have done. Jesus does know and asks us to forgive Him as if He were the sinner. He has suffered as the victim as you have. He knows and takes the place of the sinner and asks you to forgive Him. that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.
You can overcome the spiritually and emotionally exhausting plagues of the world, including arrogance, pride, anger, immorality, hatred, greed, jealousy, and fear. What about the literal plagues of the world that are physically destructive? Despite the distractions and distortions that swirl around us, you can find true rest—meaning relief and peace—even amid your most vexing problems.
This important truth prompts three fundamental questions:
First, what does it mean to overcome the world? What
Second, how do we do it? How
And third, how does overcoming the world bless our lives?Why
What does it mean to overcome the world? It means overcoming the temptation to care more about the things of this world than the things of God. It means trusting the doctrine of Christ more than the philosophies of men. It means delighting in truth, denouncing deception, and becoming “humble followers of Christ.”6 2 Nephi 28:14 They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men. Notice only a "few" are the humble followers of Christ and even they stumble because of the precepts of men. We need to do some deep introspective to see where we are...It means choosing to refrain from anything that drives the Spirit away. It means being willing to “give away” even our favorite sins.7 Footonote: King Lamoni, to be born again, had to be willing to give away ALL his sins and all his power. We have to be "willing" (as the sacrament prayer says) and may even be tested to see if we will.
Now, overcoming the world certainly does not mean becoming perfect in this life, nor does it mean that your problems will magically evaporate—because they won’t. And it does not mean that you won’t still make mistakes. But overcoming the world does mean that your resistance to sin will increase. Your heart will soften as your faith in Jesus Christ increases.8 Footnote: King Benjamin's people are Born Again. They are "changed" through faith on His name. Overcoming the world means growing to love God and His Beloved Son more than you love anyone or anything else. Yes, even more than your "neighbor" and own family members.
How, then, do we overcome the world? King Benjamin taught us how. He said that “the natural man is an enemy to God” and remains so forever “unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.”9 Each time you seek for and follow the promptings of the Spirit, each time you do anything good—things that “the natural man” would not do—you are overcoming the world. Notice we have to "put off" and then "become". Agency is key and I believe it is a process until it becomes and "event".
Overcoming the world is not an event that happens in a day or two. It happens over a lifetime as we repeatedly embrace the doctrine of Christ. We cultivate faith in Jesus Christ by repenting daily and keeping covenants that endow us with power. We stay on the covenant path and are blessed with spiritual strength, personal revelation, increasing faith, and the ministering of angels. Living the doctrine of Christ can produce the most powerful virtuous cycle, creating spiritual momentum in our lives.10 Footnote: The scriptures says we must be "sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost" - I think that is the remission of sins by the baptism by the Holy Spirit. I think that is an event and is the "gate" to the real path that we must then continue on until our calling and election is made sure.
As we strive to live the higher laws of Jesus Christ, our hearts and our very natures begin to change. The Savior lifts us above the pull of this fallen world by blessing us with greater charity, humility, generosity, kindness, self-discipline, peace, and rest. This is my question...is this a "precept of men"? ...that this is just a lifelong process and not an event? How is this process described in the scriptures a "mighty change"? When in this process do we feel to "sing the song of redeeming love?" When do we finally have "no more disposition to do evil"? When are we given the gift of charity? When is our "remission of sins" complete?
Now, you may be thinking this sounds more like hard spiritual work than rest. But here is the grand truth: while the world insists that power, possessions, popularity, and pleasures of the flesh bring happiness, they do not! They cannot! What they do produce is nothing but a hollow substitute for “the blessed and happy state of those [who] keep the commandments of God.”11 Footnote: "...they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual"... if you struggle in either of these categories, what commandment are you not keeping?
The truth is that it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it! However, when you yoke yourself to Jesus Christ and do the spiritual work required to overcome the world, He, and He alone, does have the power to lift you above the pull of this world. Yes, through the "mighty change"
Now, how does overcoming the world bless our lives? The answer is clear: entering into a covenant relationship with God binds us to Him in a way that makes everything about life easier. Please do not misunderstand me: I did not say that making covenants makes life easy. In fact, expect opposition, because the adversary does not want you to discover the power of Jesus Christ. But yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power. Believe that you have access to the redeeming power of the baptism by fire and the Holy Ghost. Then...the words of Christ will tell you all things what you should do.
I reaffirm a profound teaching of President Ezra Taft Benson: “Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, … lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace.”12 These all sound like gifts of the Spirit.
These incomparable privileges follow those who seek the support of heaven to help them overcome this world. To this end, I extend to members of the entire Church the same charge I gave to our young adults last May. I urged them then—and I plead with you now—to take charge of your own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Don't hand it over to the ward. You are in charge and responsible for it. Work for it. Nurture it so that it will grow. Feed it truth. Don’t pollute it with false philosophies of unbelieving men and women. As you make the continual strengthening of your testimony of Jesus Christ your highest priority, watch for miracles to happen in your life.13 How do you show this is your "highest priority"? Think of all the priorities in your life...work, family, food, shelter, health,....how do you show those other things are a priority? The only miracle I would want to happen is to receive the baptism by fire and the Holy Ghost; to feel the love of God; to be given the gift of charity; experience the "mighty change". That would be a miracle!
My plea to you this morning is to find rest from the intensity, uncertainty, and anguish of this world by overcoming the world through your covenants with God. Let Him know through your prayers and your actions that you are serious about overcoming the world. Ask Him to enlighten your mind and send the help you need. Each day, record the thoughts that come to you as you pray; then follow through diligently. Spend more time in the temple, and seek to understand how the temple teaches you to rise above this fallen world.14 President David O. McKay said that in the temple we take a “step-by-step ascent into the Eternal Presence” (in Truman G. Madsen, The Temple: Where Heaven Meets Earth [2008], 11).
As I have stated before, the gathering of Israel is the most important work taking place on earth today. One crucial element of this gathering is preparing a people who are able, ready, and worthy to receive the Lord when He comes again, a people who have already chosen Jesus Christ over this fallen world, a people who rejoice in their agency to live the higher, holier laws of Jesus Christ.
I call upon you, my dear brothers and sisters, to become this righteous people. Cherish and honor your covenants above all other commitments. As you let God prevail in your life, I promise you greater peace, confidence, joy, and yes, rest.
With the power of the holy apostleship vested in me, I bless you in your quest to overcome this world. I bless you to increase your faith in Jesus Christ and learn better how to draw upon His power. I bless you to be able to discern truth from error. SO important I bless you to care more about the things of God than the things of this world. I bless you to see the needs of those around you and strengthen those you love. Because Jesus Christ overcame this world, you can too. I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Lessons Learned:
What is constantly on your mind?
Spring into action when you see others in need
Demonstrate your faith and testimony
It is vital you experience the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
We are being attacked daily by the sobering news of the world which is sin-saturated, self-centered, and exhausting, distorted and distracting
Wake up! We are in turmoil
The greatest manifestation of the Savior’s power the world has ever seen is coming!
Countless privileges, blessings, and miracles are coming to the faithful
This is the most complicated time in the history of the world
Choose rest over overwhelm and exhaustion
Spend more time in the temple to learn the symbolic journey through life taught there from natural man to the special kind of “rest the Lord offers those who are covenant with Him
Do the spiritual work to receive the power of Jesus Christ in your life by being Born Again. You’ll be given the power of charity, humility, generosity, kindness, self-discipline, peace and rest.
Live the higher laws of Christ
Through Christ we can overcome the tribulations of the world with peace and relief
Truly repent
Care about the things of God not the things of the world
Trust the doctrine of Christ, not the philosophies of men.
Delight in truth; denounce deception
Become one of the few “humble followers of Christ”
Pray to know what the precepts of men are so you are not deceived by them
Give away all sins - they drive the Spirit away
Have faith in the name of Jesus Christ that you may be Born Again; live higher laws; have your very nature changed
Love God and His Son more than anyone or anything else
Take charge of your own testimony. Don’t hand the responsibility to the church. Show you are serious through your actions and prayers.
The “mighty change” is an “incomparable privilege” to help you overcome this world
Consume truth and reject the false philosophies of unbelieving men. Discern.
Your highest priority should be strengthening your testimony of Jesus Christ. Watch for the “miracle” to happen.
Pray for the help you need each day. Record your thoughts and follow through.
The Lord is preparing a people able, ready and worthy to receive Him. Be a part of it.
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