Following Priesthood Leadership

I found this talk and quite like it.  President Packer has always been firm in the need to follow the leadership of the church, and this talk, a very early talk in his ministry as a General Authority, clearly speaks to that topic.

Follow the Brethren

Boyd K. Packer Assistant to the Council of the Twelve

March 23, 1965

Boyd K. Packer, “Follow the Brethren,” Tambuli, Sep 1979, 53

It is good to be on this campus again, brethren and sisters. I, too, compliment the choir for their inspirational singing. The Lord has said that his soul delighteth "in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads." (D&C 25:12.) Those who have participated this morning in rendering this music so beautifully have called forth blessings upon their heads.

I confess, brethren and sisters, I have been restless over this assignment; I suppose I have been hesitant because of the feeling that perhaps my choice of words or inadequate ability to express or to emphasize may make the subject chosen seem unimportant to you. I am not afraid that you will misunderstand what I say, but because the subject has been reviewed before you so many times that you will fail to see in it something significant and important.

This is a devotional assembly. This is the one assembly for the entire studentbody of the University which is called for devotional or inspirational purposes. As we come here to speak to you, representing the General Authorities of the Church, we are under much more of an obligation than to merely be informative. I sense that many of you come here with the expectation that you may draw forth from us answers to some questions that you may have.

Since this is a devotional assembly, you have the right to expect some inspiration from your attendance here. But I think that it is important that you know this: the inspiration you may draw from the General Authorities as they come here to speak to you depends only partly on the effort they have expended in the preparation of their sermons; it depends much more considerably on what preparation you have made for their message. In this I make no differentiation between the members of the faculty and the studentbody.

There is a tendency always for us to be a little resistant to instruction. We hear a stirring sermon and we are always wont to say, "I wish Brother Jones were here. He surely needed that instruction."

Or we may even hear a sermon and consent to the truth of the words and yet be unwilling to change.

A poet framed this:

The sermon was ended,
The priest had descended.
Much delighted were they,
But preferred the old way.

With that much said by way of introduction, the whole burden of my message today can be said in three simple words: FOLLOW THE BRETHREN. Though I may elaborate and attempt to illustrate and emphasize, there is the fact, the disarmingly simple fact, that in the three words, FOLLOW THE BRETHREN, rests the most important counsel that I could give to you.

There is a lesson to be drawn from the twenty-sixth chapter of Matthew. The occasion, the Last Supper. Quoting from the twenty-first verse:

And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

I remind you that these men were apostles. They were of apostolic stature. It has always been interesting to me that they did not on that occasion, nudge one another and say, "I'll bet that is old Judas. He has surely been acting queer lately." It reflects something of their stature. Rather it is recorded that:

They were exceedingly sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? (Matthew 26:22.)

Would you, I plead, overrule the tendency to disregard counsel and assume for just a moment something apostolic in attitude at least, and ask yourself these questions: Do I need to improve myself? Should I take this counsel to heart and act upon it? If there is one weak or failing, unwilling to follow the brethren, Lord, is it I?

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there is no paid ministry, no professional clergy, as is common in other churches. More significant even than this is that there is no laity, no lay membership as such; men are eligible to hold the priesthood and to carry on the ministry of the Church, and both men and women serve in many auxiliary capacities. This responsibility comes to men in all walks of life, and with this responsibility also comes the authority. There are many who would deny, and others who would disregard it; nevertheless, the measure of that authority does not depend on whether men sustain that authority, but rather depends on whether God will recognize and honor that authority.

The Fifth Article of Faith reads:

We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof. (Italics added.)

In this Article of Faith lies a significant evidence of the truth of the gospel. I am interested in the word must: "We believe that a man must be called of God." You know, we do not ordinarily use that word in the Church. I question whether there has ever been a stake president receive a directive from the brethren saying, "You are hereby ordered and directed that you must do such and such." Rather, I think the spirit of the communication would be, "After consideration it is suggested that..." which, of course, by interpretation, means...

Unfortunately many of us will read it as it is written, but we act as though it read something like this:

"We believe in some circumstances, not usually, inadvertently perhaps, there may have been some inspiration with reference to the call of some men to office, possibly maybe to the higher offices of the Church, but ordinarily it is the natural thought processes leading to the appointment of the officials of the Church."

This position seems to be supported in the minds of those who are looking for weaknesses when they see the humanity in the leadership of the Church—bishops, stake presidents, and General Authorities. They sometimes notice haphazard and occasionally inadequate demonstrations of leadership and seize upon these as evidence that the human element predominates.

Others among us are willing to sustain part of the leadership of the Church and question and criticize others of us.

Some of us suppose that if we were called to a high office in the Church immediately we would be loyal, and would show the dedication necessary. We would step forward and valiantly commit ourselves to this service.

But, you can put it down in your little black book that if you will not be loyal in the small things you will not be loyal in the large things.

If you will not respond to the so-called insignificant or menial tasks which need to be performed in the Church and kingdom, there will be no opportunity for service in the so-called greater challenges.

A man who says he will sustain the President of the Church or the General Authorities, but cannot sustain his own bishop is deceiving himself. The man who will not sustain the bishop of his ward and the president of his stake will not sustain the President of the Church.

I have learned from experience that those people who come to us for counsel saying they cannot go to their bishops, are unwilling to accept counsel from their bishops. They are unwilling or unable to accept counsel from the General Authorities. Actually, the inspiration of the Lord will come to their bishop and he can counsel them correctly.

Oh, how frustrating it is, my brethren and sisters, when some members of the Church come to us for counsel. One may receive an impression—an inspiration, if you will—as to what they should do. They listen, and then we see them turn aside from that counsel in favor of some desire of their own that will certainly lead them astray.

Some of us are very jealous of our prerogatives and feel that obedience to priesthood authority is to forfeit one's agency. If we only knew, my brethren and sisters, that it is through obedience that we gain freedom.

No one loves freedom more than the holder of the priesthood. President John Taylor spoke very vigorously on this subject:

I was not born a slave! I cannot, will not be a slave. I would not be a slave to God! I would be His servant, friend, His son. I would go at His behest; but would not be His slave. I would rather be extinct than be a slave. His friend I feel I am, and He is mine:—a slave! The manacles would pierce my very bones—the clanking chains would grate against my soul—a poor, lost, servile, crawling wretch, to lick the dust and fawn and smile upon the thing who gave the lash!... But stop! I am God's free man; I will not, cannot be a slave! (Oil for Their Lamps, p. 73.)

The Lord said:

If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32.)

It is not an easy thing to be amenable always to priesthood authority. I recite the experience of the founder of this University, Dr. Karl. G. Maeser. He had been the headmaster of a school in Dresden —a man of distinction, a man of high station. In 1856, Brother Maeser and his wife and small son, together with a Brother Schoenfeld and several other converts, left Germany bound for Zion .

When they arrived in England Brother Maeser was surprised to be called on a mission in England. Much to their disappointment the families were separated and the Schoenfelds continued on to America. While the Maesers remained in England to fill the call from the Church Authorities, the proud professor was often required to perform menial tasks to which in his former station he had never stooped.

It was customary among the higher German people that a man of Brother Maeser's standing never should be seen on the street carrying packages, but when the elders were going to the train they told him to bring their carpet bags. Brother Maeser paced the floor of his room, his pride deeply hurt. The idea of carrying the suitcases was almost more than he could stand and his wife was also deeply hurt and upset to think that he had to do so.

Finally he said, "Well, they hold the priesthood; they have told me to go, and I will go." He surrendered his pride and carried the bags.

Now I add this does not represent the surrender of his agency. Brother Maeser for all of his obedience was very vigorous in the expression of his feelings. Another incident will illustrate.

During his labors in England he met a very wealthy and well-educated man who became very much interested and impressed with Brother Maeser and invited him to bring some of the missionaries to have dinner with him at the hotel. The table manners of the elders were so annoying to Brother Maeser that he said later: "I will go through poverty, I will suffer persecution, I will go to hell with the elders, but I will not go to dinner with them again."

While the men who preside over you in the wards and stakes of the Church may seem like very ordinary men, there is something extraordinary about them. It is the mantle of priesthood authority and the inspiration of the call which they have answered.

I wish you could accompany the General Authorities some time on an assignment to reorganize a stake. It has been my experience on a number of occasions to assist in these reorganizations. It never fails to be a remarkable experience. Some time ago, late one Sunday night, returning after the reorganization of a stake with Elder Marion G. Romney, we were riding along silently, too weary I suppose to be interested in conversation, when he said, "Boyd, this gospel is true!" (An interesting statement from a member of the Twelve.) And then he added, "You couldn't go through what we have been through in the last forty-eight hours without knowing that for sure."

I then rehearsed in my mind the events of the previous hours; the interviews we had held, the decisions made. We had interviewed the priesthood leadership of the stake and invited each of them to make suggestions with reference to a new stake president. Virtually all of them mentioned the same man. They indicated him to be an ideal man for a stake president with appropriate experience, a fine family, sensible and sound, worthy in every way. Near the end of our interviewing, with just two or three left, we interviewed this man and we found him equal to all of the estimates that had been made of him during the day. As he left the room at the conclusion of the interview, Brother Romney said, "Well, what do you think?"

I answered that it was my feeling that we had not seen the new president yet.

This confirmed the feelings of Brother Romney who then said, "Perhaps we should get some more men in here. It may be that the new president is not among the present priesthood leadership of the stake." Then he said, "But suppose we interview the remaining few before we take that course."

There was another interview held, as ordinary as all of the others had been during the day—the same questions, same answers—but at the conclusion of this interview, Brother Romney said, "Well, now how do you feel?"

"As far as I am concerned," I said, "we can quit interviewing." Again this confirmed Brother Romney, for the feeling had come that this was the man that the Lord had set His hand upon to preside over that stake.

Now, how did we know? Because we knew, both of us—together, at once, without any doubt. In reality our assignment was not to choose a stake president, but rather to find the man that the Lord had chosen. The Lord speaks in an unmistakable way. Men are called by prophecy.

It is in the way we answer the call that we show the measure of our devotion.

The faith of the members of the Church in the earlier days was tested many, many times. In a Conference Report for 1856, we find the following. Heber C. Kimball, a counselor in the First Presidency, is speaking:

I will present to this congregation the names of those whom we have selected to go on missions. Some are appointed to go to Europe, Australia, and the East Indies. And several will be sent to Las Vegas, to the north, and to Fort Supply, to strengthen the settlements there.

Such announcements often came as a complete surprise to members of the Church sitting in the audience. Because of their faith, I suppose the only question they had on their minds in response to such a call was "When?" "When shall we go?" I am not so sure but that a similar call made today would call forth the response from many among us, not "When?" but "Why?" "Why should I go?"

On one occasion I was in the office of President Henry D. Moyle when a phone call he had placed earlier in the day came through. After greeting the caller, he said, "I wonder if your business affairs would bring you into Salt Lake City sometime in the near future? I would like to meet with you and your wife, for I have a matter of some importance that I would like to discuss with you."

Well, though it was many miles away, that man all of a sudden discovered that his business would bring him to Salt Lake City the very next morning. I was in the same office the following day when President Moyle announced to this man that he had been called to preside over one of the missions of the Church. "Now," he said, "we don't want to rush you into this decision. Would you call me in a day or two, as soon as you are able to make a determination as to your feelings concerning this call?"

The man looked at his wife and she looked at him, and without saying a word there was that silent conversation between husband and wife, and that gentle almost imperceptible nod. He turned back to President Moyle and said, "Well, President, what is there to say. What could we tell you in a few days that we couldn't tell you now? We have been called. What answer is there? Of course we will respond to the call."

Then President Moyle said rather gently, "Well, if you feel that way about it, actually there is some urgency about this matter. I wonder if you could be prepared to leave by ship from the West Coast on the 13th of March."

The man gulped, for that was just eleven days away. He glanced at his wife. There was another silent conversation, and he said, "Yes, President, we can meet that appointment."

"What about your business?" said the President. "What about your grain elevator? What about your livestock? What about your other holdings?"

"I don't know," said the man, "but we will make arrangements somehow. All of those things will be all right."

Such is the great miracle that we see repeated over and over, day after day, among the faithful. And yet there are many among us who have not the faith to respond to the call or to sustain those who have been so called.

There are some specific things that you can do. Search your soul. How do you regard the leadership of the Church? Do you sustain your bishop? Do you sustain your stake president and the General Authorities of the Church? Or are you among those who are neutral, or critical, who speak evilly, or who refuse calls? Better ask, "Lord, is it I?"

Avoid being critical of those serving in responsible priesthood callings. Show yourself to be loyal. Cultivate the disposition to sustain and to bless. Pray. Pray continually for your leaders.

Never say "No" to an opportunity to serve in the Church. If you are called to an assignment by one who has authority, there is but one answer. It is, of course, expected that you set forth clearly what your circumstances are, but any assignment that comes under call from your bishop or your stake president is a call that comes from the Lord. An article of our faith defines it so, and I bear witness that it is so.

Once called to such positions, do not presume to set your own date of release. A release is in effect another call. Men do not call themselves to offices in the Church. Why must we presume that we have the authority to release ourselves? A release should come by the same authority from whence came the call.

Act in the office to which you are called with all diligence. Do not be a slothful servant. Be punctual and dependable and faithful.

You have the right to know concerning calls that come to you. Be humble and reverent and prayerful concerning responsibilities that are placed upon your shoulders. Keep those standards of worthiness so that the Lord can communicate with you concerning the responsibilities that are yours in the call that you have answered.

The Lord has said:

Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand.

Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you;

Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. (D&C 27:15-18.)

In closing, I say again, FOLLOW THE BRETHREN. In a few days there opens another general conference of the Church. The servants of the Lord will counsel us. You may listen with anxious ears and hearts, or you may turn that counsel aside. As in these devotionals, what you shall gain will depend not so much upon their preparation of the messages as upon your preparation for them.

Remember the verses from the D&C 1:38-391

What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, 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.

For behold and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth forever and ever.

Returning again to Karl G. Maeser, on one occasion he was leading a party of young missionaries across the Alps. As they slowly ascended the steep slope, he looked back and saw a row of sticks thrust into the glacial snow to mark the one safe path across the otherwise treacherous mountains.

Something about those sticks impressed him, and halting the company of missionaries he gestured toward them and said, "Brethren, there stands the priesthood. They are just common sticks like the rest of us—some of them may even seem to be a little crooked, but the position they hold makes them what they are. If we step aside from the path they mark, we are lost."

I bear witness, my brethren and sisters, fellow students, that in this Church men are as they indeed must be—called of God by prophecy. May we learn in our youth this lesson; it will see us faithful through all of the challenges of our lives. May we learn to follow the brethren, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

When I was a missionary in Oklahoma, Elder Pace spoke at a Stake Conference in Norman, some time before this General Conference.  He used the same analogy of the train in the Stake Conference as he did here, and it has stuck with me since that time.  I just re-read the talk and was impressed with how direct Elder Pace was.

Spiritual Revival

Elder Glenn L. Pace
Of the Seventy

Glenn L. Pace, “Spiritual Revival,” Ensign, Nov 1992, 11

When I was young I was overly dependent on my older sister. For example, I was a fussy eater, and when we went to visit our grandparents I was constantly faced with being offered food I didn’t like. To minimize my embarrassment, when the plate was passed to me, I would turn to my sister and ask, “Collene, do I like this?”

If it was familiar and she knew I didn’t like it, she would say, “No, he doesn’t like that.”

I could then say to Grandma, “She’s right, I don’t like it.”

If it was something we hadn’t eaten before she would say, “Just a minute,” and taste it, and then tell me if I liked it or not. If she said I didn’t like it, no amount of coaxing could get me to eat it.
I know it is past time for me to rely on my own taste buds and stop denying myself healthy food just because my sister told me I didn’t like it.

On a much more serious note, I believe the time has come for all of us to feast on the fruit of our own testimony as opposed to the testimony of another person. The testimony of which I speak is much deeper than knowing the Church is true. We need to progress to the point of knowing we are true to the Church. We also need to increase our capacity to receive personal revelation. It is one thing to receive a witness that Joseph Smith saw God and Christ. It is quite another to have spiritual self-confidence in your ability to receive the revelation to which you are entitled.

Many of us take the blessings of the gospel for granted. It is as if we are passengers on the train of the Church, which has been moving forward gradually and methodically. Sometimes we have looked out the window and thought, “That looks kind of fun out there. This train is so restrictive.” So we have jumped off and gone and played in the woods for a while. Sooner or later we find it isn’t as much fun as Lucifer makes it appear or we get critically injured, so we work our way back to the tracks and see the train ahead. With a determined sprint we catch up to it, breathlessly wipe the perspiration from our forehead, and thank the Lord for repentance.

While on the train we can see the world and some of our own members outside laughing and having a great time. They taunt us and coax us to get off. Some throw logs and rocks on the tracks to try and derail it. Other members run alongside the tracks, and while they may never go play in the woods, they just can’t seem to get on the train. Others try to run ahead and too often take the wrong turn.

I would propose that the luxury of getting on and off the train as we please is fading. The speed of the train is increasing. The woods are getting much too dangerous, and the fog and darkness are moving in.

Although our detractors might as well “stretch forth [their] puny arm[s] to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream” (D&C 121:33) as try to derail this train, they are occasionally successful in coaxing individuals off. With all the prophecies we have seen fulfilled, what great event are we awaiting prior to saying, “Count me in”? What more do we need to see or experience before we get on the train and stay on it until we reach our destination? It is time for a spiritual revival. It is time to dig down deep within ourselves and rekindle our own light.

President Joseph F. Smith said, “One fault to be avoided by the Saints, young and old, is the tendency to live on borrowed light [and] to permit … the light within them to be reflected, rather than original” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1939], p. 87).

The whole world seems to be in commotion. Today’s news is filled with accounts of large-scale famine, civil unrest, and natural disasters. Even more devastating in the long run is the spiritually destructive hurricane of disobedience to God’s commandments that is engulfing the world. This horrible storm is blowing the moral fiber out of the nations of the earth and leaving the land in moral desolation. Many people seem to be oblivious to this hurricane and have become so desensitized they don’t even feel a breeze.

We are following a cycle which was repeated over and over again in the Book of Mormon. As the Lord tells us, “In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me” (D&C 101:8).

We shouldn’t be too surprised, therefore, that the Lord is allowing some wake-up calls to jar us loose from apathy just as he has done in previous dispensations. In the book of Helaman, Nephi said, “And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions,… they will not remember him” (Hel. 12:3).

In our dispensation the Lord has said, “And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer” (D&C 105:6).

To some, the events unfolding in the world today are frightening. This is not a time to panic, but it is definitely a time to prepare. What can we do to better prepare ourselves for that which is at our doorstep? It is simple. We need to get back to basics and “learn obedience.” When we are obedient, we follow the first principles of the gospel and place our faith in our Lord and Savior; we repent of our sins; we are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost to guide us. We read and ponder the scriptures, pray for direction in our lives, and look for ways to help others who are going through difficult times. We share the gospel with people living on earth and make it possible for saving ordinances to be performed for those who have passed beyond the veil.

During this conference and on many other occasions we will be taught by the Lord’s anointed servants. These prophets, seers, and revelators receive revelation relative to the kingdom to which their mantle entitles them. We follow the Brethren. Finally, we prepare ourselves to receive an endowment in the temple. If we remain faithful, this endowment literally gives us additional power to overcome the sins of the world and “stand in holy places.” (D&C 45:32.)

I make a special appeal to the youth. You will remain much safer and infinitely happier if you will place your energy into current obedience rather than saving it for future repentance. When we are obedient, we establish a base from which the challenges of the future can be addressed.

In spite of our obedience, trials and tribulations will come our way. Disasters and tribulation are not always for the punishment of the wicked, but often for the sanctification of the righteous. We admire the early members of the Church for their faithfulness through their numerous trials. It is interesting to contemplate whether they succeeded in facing their obstacles because of their spirituality or whether they were spiritual because of the obstacles they faced.

Into each of our lives come golden moments of adversity. This painful friend breaks our hearts, drops us to our knees, and makes us realize we are nothing without our Lord and Savior. This friend makes us plead all the night long for reassurance and into the next day and sometimes for weeks and months. But, ultimately, just as surely as the day follows the night, as we remain true and faithful, this strange friend, adversity, leads us straight into the outstretched arms of the Savior.

I have tried to understand why we must experience tribulation before we can experience the ultimate communication. It seems there is an intense concentration which must be obtained before our pleadings reach our Father in Heaven and, perhaps even more importantly, before He can get through to us. Sometimes we must be straining very hard to hear the still small voice. Before we can be taught things hidden from the world, we must be on a spiritual frequency which is out of this world. Adversity can help fine-tune this frequency. Even the Savior communicated more intensely with our Father in Heaven when he was in agony. When the Lord was in Gethsemane, Luke recorded, “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly.” (Luke 22:44.)

The challenge for each of us, in order to prevent having to receive constant wake-up calls, is to remain obedient once we have turned upward. As the storm clears, it is possible to stay in tune by being valiant in our testimonies. We can then enjoy reprieves—sometimes long ones—and have a taste of heaven on earth. Nevertheless, it does not seem to be in the plan to have a whole lifetime of bliss if our goal is increased spirituality and perfection.

It is my hope that each of us will experience a spiritual revival as we become more obedient. This increased depth of spirituality will help give us the perspective we need to face today’s adversities and the strength we need for tomorrow.

While the world is in commotion, the kingdom is intact. We are living in the greatest and most exciting part of our dispensation since the Restoration itself. We plead with everyone to become active participants in building the kingdom. This is the hour of our opportunity, to which I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

This was a favorite on the mission. As I re-read it, I don't know how much is applicable to non-missionaries, but I still love the message.

Lock Your Heart

Elder Spencer W. Kimball
Latin American Mission Tour, 1968

 
If there are problems in the mission that you can give me light on so that I can help your President and help you, that's what I'd like. if there are situations that are difficult, if there are problems that are unknown - let me give you one example:

In one of the missions I found a bad situation. One or two missionaries had been breaking rules (as the President has talked about this morning). They began to break some rules. All they did was go over to a certain home every Sunday night for a dinner. The President didn't know anything about it. It wasn't very serious; they should have been home studying, but it was a regular thing every week. After a little while these missionaries were bringing others and pretty soon they were dancing on Sunday night, a few of them. Then they were doing a little flirting and then a few of them  got to playing cards there every Sunday night. And then they were dancing in the dark with some of the Saint's girls!

The next thing we knew there was an excommunication. I came there and the things were revealed. I found that where there was only one boy who had actually gone to the extreme where he had to be excommunicated, there were about eighteen missionaries in this area who had followed like sheep over the ledge. They had not intended to do anything wrong, but they had just kind of followed the leadership. They had gone there to the meals - and they had gotten into little flirtations - not too deeply, but the thing is that there were eighteen missionaries who knew that this boy had gone too far. They knew that he was necking and petting but not one of them would ever tell! When I interviewed them and visited with them I said, "Why didn't you tell the President that conditions were bad?" One of them said, "Well, That's none of my business! This Elder can do as he pleases! If he wants to wreck his mission, that's okay with me, it's his business, it's his mission! If he wants to ruin his life that's up to him. It's his-life!!"

And then I said to these Elders, "Well what about your missions? Isn't this your mission, too? Isn't this your church, too? Are you willing that one person nullify all that you've done here? You've spent 20 months down here, Elder, and you have been working reasonably hard and at times you have done remarkably good work. Are you willing that one scandal - one scandal in this out-of-the-world place - will neutralize all that you've done? All of your efforts? That's what happens! Are you willing to do that?" He said, "Well I hadn't thought of it like that."   Well, but that's what happened, isn't it, Elders? This is your mission!  This is your Church! One scandal in a community is enough to annihilate the work of all of you, maybe all the work you do cumulatively- for all your two years - neutralized by one scandal in the community! Do you think that you have a loyalty? Where are your loyalties? Are you loyal to yourself? Are you loyal-to your companion? Are you willing to let him go on, and on, and on, and on, until he breaks his neck?

When he was excommunicated it was a sad day in that mission because he was a fine young man and all the missionaries loved him, and some of them were weeping that day. I remember! Some of them were weeping tears! Their brother was being excommunicated from the Church and sent home in disgrace!

And then I said to them, "Elders! Do you know who excommunicated this boy? Not me; not your President; not the Elder's court. It was you!! You excommunicated your brother! How? Well, if you'd have said, 'Elder, lets  not do that! That disturbs our whole program. We lose spirituality, all of us, when things like this happen.' Now suppose that he didn't yield and you said to him again, 'Elder, you shouldn't do that! We can't be doing those kinds of things!' And then suppose you'd gone a third time and said, 'Elder, I'm sorry, if you don't desist I'm going to have to report to the Mission President because I'm not going to have you destroy my work! I've worked too hard to have it all go to the wind! I'm going to tell the President, not as a tattletale, but I'm going to report to the President so that he can protect the whole program, if you don't desist!'"

You see there is nothing ugly about that, is there? That's the way it should be because our loyalty is first to the Lord, to the Church, to the mission, to the World, isn't it?

One more little incident that is connected: In one United States mission one day a neighbor came into the home of a new member. The neighbor was not a member, but she came and she was used to just walking in through the door- you know, she didn't always knock! So she came over to this home this day and she saw her friend, the Latter-day Saint sister, sitting on a chair here and an Elder at her feet- this will shock you- trimming her toe-nails or painting her toe-nails, or something! Well, now that isn't an unpardonable sin, but it was indiscreet, wasn't it? Even if there was nothing else that happened, just the fact that he was sitting on the floor and that he didn't have on his tie and coat, and here was a woman partly dressed, and here he was painting her toe-nails or doing something! Anyway. that city was closed, absolutely closed to missionary work for 20 years! Do you think missionaries could go in that city? Why of course they couldn't! Because there was still the memory of this indiscretion! They hadn't committed sin; at least, I'm quite sure he had never committed immorality. I think it wasn't any more than an ugly indiscretion. It was ugly enough, wasn't it? It was what it led to, you see?

That's why I say this mission belongs to you. There are 150 of you and this mission belongs to all of you. If anything happens to any part of this mission it gets a black eye! It makes it more difficult to do anything! And it makes it more difficult for you to go into the homes where they have heard ugly things about the Church. That's why one Elder isn't by himself. He can't be a loner, He has got to fit into the program, hasn't he? And everyone of you is interested. Everyone!! And you can't afford to let your companion, or anyone you know, do anything very serious because it all brings trouble to you and to the whole program, Well, think about that a little, because some people say, "I'm not going to be a stool pigeon! I'm not going to tattle! I'm not going to be telling on people!" It isn't that at all! It's a reporting just like if you saw a couple of robbers going into your neighbor's home. Would you say, "Well, it's up to them! It's up to my neighbors!" No! ! We'd become involved! We'd rush to the telephone, we'd call the police! In every case, wouldn't we?

If we saw somebody being injured, being killed - like in New York sometime ago, a girl was stabbed and cut all to pieces by some maniac, and there were many people who saw it and did nothing about it! She yelled for help, screamed for help, said, "He's killing me!!" But nobody would move!  They didn't even call the police and there she lay, finally dead, on the street! Nobody would involve themselves. It's time we would begin to get involved when involvement is proper. And when any missionary in any mission begins to break mission rules, it's time that all his companions should become involved! It doesn't mean that they take over. It doesn't mean that they get ugly and mean. It just means that they are interested and involved. There is a nice way to do it! I tell you there wouldn't be very many broken rules if one missionary would just say to the other, "Brother, lets not do that! Let's don't do that! 'Let's don't stand there and talk to those girls! That isn't good!"  And if we stop it when it's fresh - when it's young you can stop it - but when it gets deeply entrenched, that sin is awfully hard to dig out. And many times we have to send missionaries home to their families in disgrace, with excommunication frequently, because maybe their companions didn't love them enough! Maybe their companions weren't helpful enough to say, "Well, now, you're getting off the line just a little here! Let's don't do that! Let's get busy and do this, and this, and this!"

This is one program and we are all concerned about it. These mission rules, you see, are very important. We've had 137 years of experience. Now that ought to be enough experience to prove something, shouldn't it?

Through 137 years we have come to the conclusion that if two people will stay together the chances for sin or serious trouble are reduced about 98%. Once in a great while two companions will both go sour at the same time, but it isn't the usual thing. If missionaries will, when they leave Salt Lake City, the Mission Home - the day they are set apart - if they will just lock their hearts! If they've got a girl in there that's all right, lock her in! But if you haven't got one in, then lock it against all other girls of every description! And the same applies for young women, too. I am talking mainly to you Elders. You lock your heart and leave the key at home. And you never open it here! It's impossible to fall in love with someone unless you open your heart! Your heart is the only organ that has any ability to get into love, you see, and when a missionary says, "I just fell in love with a girl!" Well, that's as silly as it can be! Nobody does, nobody ever did!

So we just don't fall in love unless we are fooling around. We never fall in a crater unless we are somewhere near the edge of it. I have been up to Vesuvius and on a number of craters and volcanoes and I know you just don't ever fall in a crater, unless you are on the edge of it. And so you just keep your hearts locked! I said lock them in Salt Lake when you leave the Mission Home and don't give a thought to it. But if you go around say, "Well, she is kind of a pretty girl! She surely is a sweet little thing! She's a nice girl! I'd like to talk to her- I'd just like to visit with her!" Well, you are in for trouble and that trouble can bring you a lifetime of trouble and a lifetime of regrets if you continue on with it.

So, can I impress that again? LOCK YOUR HEARTS and leave the key at home! Wherever you live, leave the key home with your folks. And your heart - it's only that part of it that deals with people generally that you open up. We just can't tolerate it, can we? We can't individually; we can't totally. Someone said, "Well, is there any harm to marry a Mexican girl if you are working in Mexico! "No, that isn't any crime, but it proves that some missionary has had his heart open! He has unlocked it! Is it wrong to marry a German girl when you have been on a German mission? Why no, there is no crime in that, if you met her some other way. But when you meet her in the mission field and you have opened your heart, I tell you it isn't right, and you have shortchanged your mission! Just keep your hearts locked. Your whole thought should be missionary work. How can I make it more plain and more important than that? I'd like to because there is no reason whatever for any missionary to ever become involved, not even in a decent way, with any girl in the mission field. It isn't the place! You guaranteed, you promised! You went through the Temple! You remember what you did in the Temple? Remember you promised you'd do all the things the brethren request of you, to live the commandments. That's one of the commandments when you go into the mission field: "Thou shalt not flirt! Thou shalt not associate with young women in the mission field - or anyone else for that matter - on any other basis than the proselyting basis." You promised, and you would not want to break a promise you made before the Lord in the Holy Temple of the Lord. And when you wrote, the letter of acceptance to President McKay that was implied in it. You knew of course - every missionary knows - that he isn't going out to court, that he isn't going out to find a wife! He's got plenty of opportunity when he gets home, and the mission field isn't the place.

Sometimes we find a young man who has not been popular at home; he has been very, very backward at home and he hasn't had many dates. So when he gets out into the mission field and somebody flatters him a little- some girl shows a lot of interest in him - why he's flattered. He thinks all at once, "Well, that's whom I should marry!" Well, I say this once more by repetition and for emphasis, you LOCK YOUR HEARTS and if you haven't done so, do it now and send the key back! You will not permit any impression, no romantic thought or impression in your mind. For two years you have given yourself to the Lord, totally, to teach the Gospel to the world.  When you have done this perfectly for two years and then you go home, you are infinitely more attractive, more able, more dignified, more mature to make those important decisions for your life in the matter of personages to enjoy eternity with you.

Well, I didn't intend to get on to that, either, but I've been on it, and I hope I have not been offensive in it at all. I hope you got the spirit of it. Should you know of any problems that are aborning, problems that are beginning to develop, some missionary who is getting off the track, some group that is getting a little careless about mission rules, you can talk to them in a sweet kindly way. If they persist, then there is something else to do and you have a loyalty to it.

God bless you missionaries and I hope to visit with you a little longer later.

Quick to Observe

This talk is wonderful. I don't remember how I first came across it, though as I'm typing this I think it was probably a top download on byub.org. Elder Bednar discusses the importance of being obedient immediately to promptings of the Spirit, and the need to pray for discernment. He shows that they are interrelated. I believe that the things he shares here are true. If we want to be worthy of the continued inspiration of the Holy Ghost, we have to quickly observe the promptings we receive.

“Quick to Observe”

DAVID A. BEDNAR

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David A. Bednar was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this
devotional address was given at Brigham Young University on 10 May 2005.

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Sister Bednar and I are delighted to be with you. She and I have been anxiously engaged in university life for more than 30 years, and we love the young people of the Church. Time spent with you this morning is a sacred privilege for us. I now seek for and invite the assistance of the Holy Ghost as I speak with you about essential spiritual truths.

In October 1987 Elder Marvin J. Ashton, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, spoke in general conference about spiritual gifts. I recall with fondness the impact his message had upon me at that time, and the things he taught then continue to influence me today. In his message Elder Ashton detailed and described a number of less conspicuous spiritual gifts—attributes and abilities that many of us might not have considered being spiritual gifts. For example, Elder Ashton highlighted the gifts of asking; of listening; of hearing and using a still, small voice; of being able to weep; of avoiding contention; of being agreeable; of avoiding vain repetition; of seeking that which is righteous; of looking to God for guidance; of being a disciple; of caring for others; of being able to ponder; of bearing mighty testimony; and of receiving the Holy Ghost (see Marvin J. Ashton, “There Are Many Gifts,” Ensign, November 1987, 20–22).

This morning I want to talk with you about another seemingly simple and perhaps underappreciated spiritual gift—the capacity of being “quick to observe.” I will also attempt to explain why appropriately seeking for this blessing is vitally important for you and for me in the world in which we do now and will yet live.

The Spiritual Gift of Being Quick to Observe

All of us have learned important lessons from the central characters in the Book of Mormon. As we read about and study the lives of Nephi, Laman, Alma, King Noah, Moroni, and many others, we discover things we should and should not do, and we realize more completely the kinds of people we should and should not become.

In my study of the Book of Mormon I have been especially impressed with a particular description of Mormon, the principal compiler of the Nephite record. The specific depiction of this noble prophet to which I would direct our attention is contained in the first five verses of the first chapter of Mormon:

And now I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon.

And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age . . . ) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe;

Therefore, when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people. . . .

And behold, ye shall . . . engrave on the plates of Nephi all the things that ye have observed concerning this people.

And I, Mormon, . . . remembered the things which Ammaron commanded me. [Mormon 1:1–5; emphasis added]

Please note that the root word observe is used three times in these verses. And Mormon, even in his youth, is described as being “quick to observe” (Mormon 1:2). As you study and learn and grow during your time as a university student, I hope you also are learning about and becoming quick to observe. Your future success and happiness will in large measure be determined by this spiritual capacity.

Please consider the significance of this important spiritual gift. As used in the scriptures, the word observe has two primary uses. One use denotes “to look” or “to see” or “to notice”—as we learn in Isaiah 42:20: “Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not” (emphasis added).

The second use of the word observe suggests “to obey” or “to keep”—as is evident in the Doctrine and Covenants: “But blessed are they who have kept the covenant and observed the commandment, for they shall obtain mercy” (D&C 54:6; emphasis added).

Thus when we are quick to observe, we promptly look or notice and obey. Both of these fundamental elements—looking and obeying—are essential to being quick to observe. And the prophet Mormon is an impressive example of this gift in action.

I now want to present several examples of the lessons that can be learned when you and I are blessed to be quick to observe.

I have a dear friend who served as a stake president. The patriarch in the stake over which he presided had experienced some health challenges and was unable to perform in his calling. The ailing patriarch had difficulty moving about and dressing and caring for himself, and his strength was limited. One Sabbath afternoon this good stake president visited the home of the patriarch to encourage him and check on his well-being. As the stake president entered the home, he found the patriarch dressed in his suit and white shirt and tie, sitting in a recliner in the front room. The stake president greeted the dear patriarch and, knowing how hard it must have been to dress himself, graciously suggested to the patriarch that it was not necessary for him to get dressed up on the Sabbath or to meet visitors. In a kind but firm voice, the patriarch reproved the stake president and said, “Don’t you know that this is the only way I have left to show the Lord how much I love Him?”

The stake president was quick to observe. He both heard and felt the lesson, and he applied it. Reverence for the Sabbath day and the importance of respect and appropriate demeanor and dress took on added importance in the ministry of the stake president. The spiritual ability to see, hear, remember, and act upon that lesson was a great blessing in his life—and in the lives of many others.

Before attending her sacrament meetings, Sister Bednar frequently prays for the spiritual eyes to see those who have a need. Often as she observes the brothers and sisters and children in the congregation, she will feel a spiritual nudge to visit with or make a phone call to a particular person. And when Sister Bednar receives such an impression, she promptly responds and obeys. It often is the case that as soon as the “amen” is spoken in the benediction, she will talk with a teenager or hug a sister or, upon returning home, immediately pick up the phone and make a call. As long as I have known Sister Bednar, people have marveled at her capacity to discern and respond to their needs. Often they will ask her, “How did you know?” The spiritual gift of being quick to observe has enabled her to see and to act promptly and has been a great blessing in the lives of many people.

Your president, Elder Samuelson, participates each month in a Church Board of Education meeting in Salt Lake City. President Hinckley serves as the chair of that board. The counselors in the First Presidency, several members of the Quorum of the Twelve, and other General Authorities and general auxiliary leaders also sit on that board. During my years of service at Brigham Young University—Idaho, I also was blessed to participate in monthly board meetings.

At the conclusion of the June 2004 board of trustees meeting, President Hinckley called upon Elder David B. Haight to offer the benediction. It was the last board meeting in which Elder Haight ever participated. At the age of 97, Elder Haight had some difficulty as he tried to stand and offer the prayer.

After several attempts to rise to his feet, President Hinckley courteously said, “David, it is all right”—suggesting, I believe, that it was permissible for Elder Haight to remain in his chair and offer the prayer.

Elder Haight responded in a voice that was both firm and appropriate and said, “President, I must stand!”

There was simply no way that mighty Apostle was going to sit and pray in the presence of the First Presidency and his colleagues of the Twelve. And of greater importance, he was not going to sit as he communicated with his Heavenly Father. So once again Elder Haight worked to stand—and was successful. I shall never forget the spirit I felt as I listened to Elder Haight pray. I hope on that occasion I was quick to observe a powerful lesson about the dignity and the humility that should always attend our prayers. In my present calling I am blessed by Elder Haight’s example and feel a deep sense of gratitude for what I saw and felt and learned that day.

Sister Bednar and I are acquainted with a returned missionary who had dated a special young woman for a period of time. This young man cared for the young woman very much, and he was desirous of making his relationship with her more serious. He was considering and hoping for engagement and marriage. Now this relationship was developing during the time that President Hinckley counseled the Relief Society sisters and young women of the Church to wear only one earring in each ear.

The young man waited patiently over a period of time for the young woman to remove her extra earrings, but she did not take them out. This was a valuable piece of information for this young man, and he felt unsettled about her nonresponsiveness to a prophet’s pleading. For this and other reasons, he ultimately stopped dating the young woman, because he was looking for an eternal companion who had the courage to promptly and quietly obey the counsel of the prophet in all things and at all times. The young man was quick to observe that the young woman was not quick to observe.

Now before I continue, I presume that some of you might have difficulty with my last example. In fact, this particular illustration of the young man being quick to observe may even fan the flames of controversy on campus, resulting in letters of disagreement to the Daily Universe! You may believe the young man was too judgmental or that basing an eternally important decision, even in part, upon such a supposedly minor issue is silly or fanatical. Perhaps you are bothered because the example focuses upon a young woman who failed to respond to prophetic counsel instead of upon a young man. I simply invite you to consider and ponder the power of being quick to observe and what was actually observed in the case I just described. The issue was not earrings!

Now one final example. I have long been fascinated by the nature of the interaction between the Spirit of the Lord and Nephi found in chapters 11 through 14 of 1 Nephi. As you recall, Nephi desired to see and hear and know the things his father, Lehi, had seen in the vision of the tree of life (see 1 Nephi 8). In chapters 11 through 14 the Holy Ghost assisted Nephi in learning about the nature and meaning of his father’s vision. Interestingly, 13 times in these chapters the Spirit of the Lord directed Nephi to “look” as a fundamental feature of the learning process. Nephi repeatedly was counseled to look, and because he was quick to observe, he beheld the tree of life (1 Nephi 11:8); the mother of the Savior (1 Nephi 11:20); the rod of iron (1 Nephi 11:25); and the Lamb of God, the Son of the Eternal Father (1 Nephi 11:21).

I have described only a few of the spiritually significant things Nephi saw. You may want to study these chapters in greater depth and learn from and about Nephi’s learning. As you study and ponder, please keep in mind that Nephi would not have seen what he desired to see, he would not have known what he needed to know, and he could not have done what he ultimately needed to do if he had not been quick to observe. Brothers and sisters, that same truth applies to you and to me!

Quick to observe. Prompt to watch and to obey. A simple gift that blesses us individually and in our families and extends blessings to so many other people. Each of us can and should strive to be worthy of this significant spiritual gift—even the capacity of being quick to observe.

Why the Spiritual Gift of Being Quick to Observe Is So Vital Today

Let me now address the question of why the spiritual gift of being quick to observe is so vital for us in the world in which we do now and will yet live. Simply stated, being quick to observe is an antecedent to and is linked with the spiritual gift of discernment. And for you and for me, discernment is a light of protection and direction in a world that grows increasingly dark.

Much like faith precedes the miracle, much like baptism by water comes before the baptism by fire, much like gospel milk should be digested before gospel meat, much like clean hands can lead to a pure heart, and much like the ordinances of the Aaronic Priesthood are necessary before a person can receive the higher ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood, so being quick to observe is a prerequisite to and a preparation for the gift of discernment. We can only hope to obtain that supernal gift of discernment and its light of protection and direction if we are quick to observe—if we both look and obey.

President George Q. Cannon, who served as a counselor to four presidents of the Church, taught powerfully about the gift of discernment:

One of the gifts of the Gospel which the Lord has promised to those who enter into covenant with Him is the gift of discerning of spirits—a gift which is not much thought of by many and probably seldom prayed for; yet it is a gift that is of exceeding value and one that should be enjoyed by every Latter-day Saint. . . .

Now, the gift of discerning of spirits not only gives men and women who have it the power to discern the spirit with which others may be possessed or influenced, but it gives them the power to discern the spirit which influences themselves. They are able to detect a false spirit and also to know when the Spirit of God reigns within them. In private life this gift is of great importance to the Latter-day Saints. Possessing and exercising this gift they will not allow any evil influence to enter into their hearts or to prompt them in their thoughts, their words or their acts. They will repel it; and if perchance such a spirit should get possession of them, as soon as they witness its effects they will expel it or, in other words, refuse to be led or prompted by it. [Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of President George Q. Cannon, comp. Jerreld L. Newquist (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974), 1:198–99]

Can we recognize how crucial this spiritual gift is in our lives today and how being quick to observe is a powerful invitation for the blessings of discernment?

President Stephen L Richards, who served as a counselor to President David O. McKay, has provided additional instruction about the nature and blessings of discernment:

First, I mention the gift of discernment, embodying the power to discriminate . . . between right and wrong. I believe that this gift when highly developed arises largely out of an acute sensitivity to impressions—spiritual impressions, if you will—to read under the surface as it were, to detect hidden evil, and more importantly to find the good that may be concealed. The highest type of discernment is that which perceives in others and uncovers for them their better natures, the good inherent within them. . . .

. . . Every member in the restored Church of Christ could have this gift if he willed to do so. He could not be deceived with the sophistries of the world. He could not be led astray by pseudo-prophets and subversive cults. Even the inexperienced would recognize false teachings, in a measure at least. . . . We ought to be grateful every day of our lives for this sense which keeps alive a conscience which constantly alerts us to the dangers inherent in wrongdoers and sin. [CR, April 1950, 162–63; emphasis added]

As we integrate the teachings of Presidents Cannon and Richards, we learn that the gift of discernment operates basically in four major ways.

First, as we “read under the surface,” discernment helps us detect hidden error and evil in others.

Second, and more important, it helps us detect hidden errors and evil in ourselves. Thus the spiritual gift of discernment is not exclusively about discerning other people and situations, but, as President Cannon taught, it is also about discerning things as they really are within us.

Third, it helps us find and bring forth the good that may be concealed in others.

And fourth, it helps us find and bring forth the good that may be concealed in us. Oh, what a blessing and a source of protection and direction is the spiritual gift of discernment!

The teachings of Presidents Cannon and Richards concerning the power of discernment to detect hidden evil and to identify good that may be concealed become even more important to you and to me in light of a specific element of Lehi’s vision. In the vision various groups of individuals were pressing forward that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree of life (see 1 Nephi 8:21). The strait and narrow path came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree (see 1 Nephi 8:20). The mists of darkness described in the vision represent the temptations of the devil which blind the eyes of the children of men and lead them into broad roads so that they are lost (see 1 Nephi 12:17). Now please pay particular attention to verse 23 in 1 Nephi 8, and let us liken this scripture to our day and the challenges we face in an increasingly wicked world:

And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost. [1 Nephi 8:23]

I repeat again for emphasis the truth that discernment is a light of protection and direction in a world that grows increasingly dark. In these latter days you and I can press forward safely and successfully through the mist of darkness and have a clear sense of spiritual direction. Discernment is so much more than recognizing right from wrong. It helps us to distinguish the relevant from the irrelevant, the important from the unimportant, and the necessary from that which is merely nice.

The gift of discernment opens to us vistas that stretch far beyond what can be seen with natural eyes or heard with natural ears. Discerning is seeing with spiritual eyes and feeling with the heart—seeing and feeling the falsehood of an idea or the goodness in another person. Discerning is hearing with spiritual ears and feeling with the heart—hearing and feeling the unspoken concern in a statement or the truthfulness of a testimony or doctrine.

I frequently have heard President Boyd K. Packer counsel members and priesthood leaders: “If all you know is what you see with your natural eyes and hear with your natural ears, then you will not know very much.” His observation should help all of us to appropriately desire and seek these spiritual gifts.

Observing and discerning also enable us to assist others who are seeking to obtain the path and who desire to press forward with steadfastness in Christ. Blessed with these spiritual gifts, we will not lose our way; we will not wander off; we will not be lost. And we can only hope to obtain the supernal gift of discernment and its light of protection and direction if we are quick to observe. As Alma taught his son Helaman, “See that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live” (Alma 37:47).

I declare my special witness that Jesus is the Christ, our Redeemer and our Savior. I know that He lives. I invoke His blessing upon each of you—that indeed you may desire to be and become quick to observe and truly discerning. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Fledgling Finches and Family Life

I read this at lunch today.  President Packer is probably the most direct person I know when it comes to living the gospel and the absolute necessity for obedience in the face of the adversary.  This talk focuses on a parent's role in helping his or her children be protected from the serpent.  The highlighted portions were particularly impactful for me.

Fledgling Finches and Family Life

BOYD K. PACKER*

Since I received this assignment from the First Presidency, I have read carefully the theme and pondered and prayed. I have reviewed the catalog listing more than 1,000 classes and the names of the instructors. There is a good feeling to all of it. I have come this morning to teach.

When we presided over the New England Mission, we lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Across the street lived Dr. Carl J. Friedrich, a retired Harvard professor, a world renowned scholar. We sent our boys over to clear their sidewalk of snow. That opened contact with them. When my wife’s parents came to visit at Christmas, the Friedrichs invited us over for the lighting of their Christmas tree, an old-fashioned tree with wax candles alit. It was a very beautiful experience.

While visiting one day with Dr. Friedrich, he told me of his academic degrees from European universities. He became very agitated and said it really irritated him when people asked what he was going to do with all the knowledge he had gained. He answered sharply, “Why should I have to do anything with it?”

Well, I know that you have something to do with the knowledge that you will gain in this great Education Week for yourself, for your family, and for the Church. You are learning much at this great conference. I do not know who wrote these very meaningful lines, but I think they apply today:

Suppose that we state as a tenet of wisdom
That knowledge is not for delight of the mind,
Nor an end in itself, but a packet of treasure
To hold and employ for the good of mankind.

A torch or a candle is barren of meaning
Except it give light to men as they climb,
And theses and tomes are but impotent jumble
Unless they are tools in the building of time.

...

And truly our tireless and endless researches
Need yoking with man’s daily problems and strife,
For truth and beauty and virtue have value
Confirmed by their uses in practical life.¹

I feel the best possible use of what you are learning at this BYU Education Week will be for your family.

The House Finches and the Serpents

The back windows of our home overlook a small flower garden and the woods which border Little Cottonwood Creek. The north side of the garden is the gable end of another part of the house. Except for a large window in the middle, this wall is thickly covered with English ivy.

Every year this ivy has been the nesting place for house finches. They are small birds dressed as drably as sparrows except in the springtime, when the male puts on a bright red cap and neckerchief as his costume for the serenading that he will do during the nesting season. The male house finch is one of the best soloists in the bird world. The nests in the vines are safe from the foxes and raccoons and cats that are about at night.

One day there was a great commotion in the ivy. Desperate cries of distress brought eight or 10 finches from the surrounding woods to join in this cry of alarm. I soon saw the source of the commotion. A snake slid partway down out of the ivy and hung in front of the window just long enough for me to jerk it out of the ivy and slam it against the ground. The middle part of the snake’s body had two bulges—clear evidence convicting the snake of having taken two fledglings from the nest.

Not in the 50 years that we have lived in our home had we seen anything like that before. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience—or so we thought.

A few days later there was another commotion, this time in the vines covering our dog run—we heard the same cries of panic and saw the same gathering of the neighborhood finches. Now we knew what the predator was. A grandson climbed onto the run and pulled out another snake that was still holding on tightly to the mother bird it had caught on the nest and killed.

I said to myself, “What is going on? Is Eden being invaded again?”

We do not destroy the snakes every time we see them, for they help to control insects and rodents. But we had learned a lesson this time.

For years I had thought the vines were perfectly safe for the birds, but the lesson was much too obvious—too clearly obvious.

I reflected upon Adam and Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden as recorded in the book of Genesis.²

Now if this story of birds and serpents is an unpleasant way to begin a sermon and makes us uncomfortable, it was meant to do just that. I have read the plainspoken words of the prophets. Some of their teachings are not always comfortable to read. But while this example is unpleasant to talk about, I hope that the principle will be more plainly understood.

The Adversary’s Influence

There came into my mind the warnings spoken by the prophets. We will not always be safe from the adversary’s influence, even within our own homes. We need to protect our nestlings.

In order to do that, we must first acknowledge that Satan, the devil, lives; what his purposes are; what his intentions would be; and what our defenses should be.

He was lying in wait in the Sacred Grove when the boy Joseph entered. No doubt Satan was hoping to forestall the Restoration. He was an “actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as [the boy Joseph] had never before felt in any being” ( JS—H 1:16).

A Dangerous World

We know that we are spirit children of heavenly parents here on earth to receive our mortal bodies and to be tested. We live in a very dangerous world that threatens those things which are spiritual. The family, the most fundamental organization of the Church, is under attack from forces seen and unseen. The adversary is about. His objective is to cause injury to the family. If he can weaken and destroy the family, he will have succeeded.

The scriptures tell us, “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

We also know that the prophets have said that Satan cannot take one sparrow, or one finch, out of our nest unless we permit it.³

Perilous Times Have Come

Paul warned Timothy and warns us. (Notice how perfectly this warning describes what is going on around us now.)

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents [let me repeat that—“disobedient to parents,”], unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection [let me repeat that—“without natural affection”], trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. [2 Timothy 3:1–7]

These verses serve as a warning, showing us the patterns to avoid. We must be ever watchful and diligent.

But Paul also gave us the key to our protection. Speaking in the same chapter, he identified healing power in this small phrase: “From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

In 2 Nephi we are warned:

Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!
Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well!
Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!
Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more! [2 Nephi 28:24–27]

Moroni spoke of the wickedness of the secret combinations and the wicked men to come among us. He warned us that they would be with us in our day and said:

When ye shall see these things come among you that ye [should] awake to a sense of your awful situation. . . .
Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved. [Ether 8:24, 26]

A Pattern in All Things

Do we need any more evidence to understand that we are at war with the adversary? The revelations teach us how to win this spiritual war:

And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations—
Wherefore he that prayeth, whose spirit is contrite, the same is accepted of me if he obey mine ordinances. [D&C 52:14–15]

The Seventy

The Lord called 70 men and sent them forth. He gave them authority to teach and instruct and combat the forces of evil. These Seventies returned, and the New Testament says they marveled “with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name” (Luke 10:17).

And the Lord replied, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19).

We have the names of these Seventies who were called at the time of Christ. Stephen, the martyr, was one of the Seventy, and Nicanor, who also died when Stephen was martyred, was a Seventy.⁴

Much has been done to prepare the Church and its members to resist the forces of evil. We live in a day of revealed direction. I have been witness as a General Authority to changes that were revealed from time to time in order that the Lord might better edify His children.

For example, when I first came into these circles of the Church there were seven Presidents of the Seventy. They were the First Council of Seventy, the seven of them, and other seventies were in stakes. That pattern of organization served its purpose for a time. As the Church began to grow and move abroad, more Quorums of Seventy were required to minister to branches and wards and stakes and missions across the globe. And much has been changed over the years. The seventies in the stake quorums have been discontinued. Instead, there are now eight Quorums of Seventy with 85 General Authority Seventies and 218 Area Seventies assigned to the work. Each of the Seventy has had conferred upon him the apostolic authority.

The role of the Seventy is to instruct and edify the leaders and members of the Church and to build up and strengthen fathers and mothers in their sacred role as parents and leaders in the home. They strengthen the parents, including single mothers who need and deserve the watch-care that they can receive.

The Seventy go where the Twelve, limited by their number, cannot. Seventies are scattered across the world, as they were in the early days of the Church. When you look at the map of the world and where they are, it is dotted with the Seventies who are now serving.

One who holds the office of Apostle, Seventy, patriarch, high priest, or elder carries the consummate priesthood authority held on the earth—the Melchizedek Priesthood or “the priesthood . . . after the holiest order of God” (D&C 84:18).

God Is Our Father

From the accounts of the Council in Heaven we learn that God is our Father, and we are His children.⁵ We would do well to always remember Him as our Father. We are instructed to address Him as “our Father which art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9).

Our Father delegates to His priesthood leaders a commanding authority to preach, to teach, to minister, and to bless.

Those with a Body Have Power over Those Without

Joseph Smith taught that “wicked spirits have their bounds.” Now listen carefully:

Wicked spirits have their bounds, limits, and laws by which they are governed or controlled. . . . It is very evident that they possess a power that none but those who have the Priesthood can control.⁶

Joseph Smith also taught a principle crucial in importance that everyone, particularly those holding the priesthood, should fully understand. He said:

We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body. The devil has no body, and herein is his punishment. He is pleased when he can obtain the tabernacle of man. . . .

All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not [let me say that again—“all beings who have bodies have power over those who have not”]. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him.⁷

Satan cannot seduce us by his enticements unless we in our hearts consent and yield. Our organization is such that we can resist the devil; if we were not organized so, we would not be free agents.⁸

Moral Agency

The agency defined in the scriptures is a “moral agency,” which means that we can choose between good and evil.

That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment. [D&C 101:78]

We feel free to choose our actions and our responses to life’s events and challenges, but we are not free to choose the consequences of those actions.

Tolerance Can Become a Vice

I must say something about tolerance. Tolerance is a virtue, but, like all virtues, when exaggerated it transforms itself into a vice. The permissiveness afforded by the weakening of the laws of the land to tolerate acts of immorality does not reduce the serious spiritual consequences that result from the violation of God’s law of chastity.

Let me say that again: We who have bodies have the power and authority over those who do not. And we are free to choose what we will and to pick and choose our acts, but we are not free to choose the consequences. They come as they will come.

Alma taught that “the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance” (Alma 45:16). In order to understand, we must separate the sin from the sinner.

While “the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance,” He is not condemning everyone because of sin. For example, when they brought Him a woman taken in adultery, obviously guilty, He dismissed the case with five words, “Go, and sin no more” ( John 8:11). That is the spirit and the letter of His ministry.

All Have the Light of Christ

We are born with the Light of Christ, a guiding influence which permits each person to recognize right from wrong.

For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him. [Moroni 7:16–17]

Teach yourself and teach your families about the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. [1 Corinthians 3:16–17]

Moses and Satan

The Pearl of Great Price begins with an account of Moses being shown all of the creations of God. When this great vision came to him, Moses learned by this enlightening experience the great difference between being in the presence of the Father and the presence of the imitator—the adversary. There is instruction for us in this account from the Pearl of Great Price.

After being instructed by the Lord and having seen all things,

the presence of God withdrew from Moses, . . . and [he] was left unto himself. . . .
And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man; and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed [meaning he was completely humble, completely reduced]. [Moses 1:9–10]

And in that circumstance, during that time, “it came to pass that . . . Satan came tempting him, saying: Moses, son of man, worship me” (Moses 1:12).

Moses refused, noting the difference in glory between the Father, whom he had just seen, and Lucifer, the fallen son of the morning. Moses said:

Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?
For behold, I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me, and I were transfigured before him. But I can look upon thee in the natural man. Is it not so, surely? [Moses 1:13–14]

In consummate arrogance, Satan angrily demanded, “I am the Only Begotten, worship me” (Moses 1:19).

Moses was frightened, but when “he received strength, . . . he commanded, saying: Depart from me, Satan, for this one God only will I worship, which is the God of glory” (Moses 1:20).

Satan did not leave. Two times more Moses ordered him to leave him. Both times he remained.

The fourth time, Moses invoked the ultimate authority and commanded Satan to depart, saying:

In the name of the Only Begotten, depart hence, Satan.
And it came to pass that Satan cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; and he departed hence. [Moses 1:21–22]

Moses learned something about himself, about the Lord, and about the limited power of the adversary through that experience.

Each one of us has to work through a similar testing.

The scriptures tell us, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Corinthians 2:12).

Focus on the Family

For several decades I have watched the changes in the Church to restructure and clarify the focus on the family.

Family home evening was encouraged by the First Presidency in 1915. The first family home evening manual was printed in 1965. Then in 1970 all auxiliaries and agencies of the Church were instructed to set Monday evening aside for family home evening.

Family home evening accommodates a man who holds the priesthood, the father of the home, to preside over and instruct his children, with his wife, the children’s mother, as his helpmeet at his side fortifying the home with their combined testimonies. And the single mothers are given that authority. The single mother is never far from His watch-care. Family home evening is not just an ordinary, routine program of the Church.

In 1995 that great document “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”⁹ was prepared by all members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It speaks of gender set before birth to be protected and never defiled.

The hope is that Latter-day Saints will recognize the transcendent importance of the family and live in such a spiritually attentive way that the adversary cannot steal into the home and carry away the children like that serpent did to those innocent nestling finches.

The Priesthood Protects Our Homes

Our homes are most vulnerable; therefore, the consummate power of the priesthood has been given to protect the home and its inhabitants. It is not an easy or small thing to be a presiding officer in the Church or in the home. The father has the authority and responsibility to teach his children and to bless and provide for them the ordinances of the gospel and every other priesthood protection necessary. He is to demonstrate love and fidelity and honor to the mother before the children that they can see that love.

“The great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8) provides that an ordinary member can be extraordinary just “by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel” (Articles of Faith 1:3). We can find safety and security for ourselves and our children by honoring the covenants we have made and living up to the ordinary acts of obedience required of the followers of Christ.

Other simple, individual acts of obedience include prayer, scripture study, temple worship, payment of tithes and offerings, and acceptance and faithful fulfillment of callings.

Isaiah said, “The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever” (Isaiah 32:17).

That peace is also promised in the revelations in which the Lord declares, “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).

Fear Is the Opposite of Faith

Some of you have come today with heavy hearts regarding the welfare of a wayward family member—a son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter. Some of you have been denied the privilege of worthy companionship or even an opportunity of marriage. Some have been denied the privilege of parenthood. But it is not finished in mortality.

Let me remind you that fear is the opposite of faith. Be hopeful, faithful, and prayerful. Lucifer will not succeed. I do not believe that any righteous, pleading prayers will go unheeded.

The Lord has said:

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. [John 17:12]

I have come to know that faith is a real power, not just an expression or belief. We have a body (Satan does not); we have faith (Satan does not). However much we suffer along the way, in the end all can be well.

Parents should know that ultimately their children need not be lost. Prayers and service will be rewarded with the thing that they desire the most: the safety and welfare of their children.

Light and Truth

The revelations teach:

The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.
Light and truth forsake that evil one. [D&C 93:36–37]

We are commanded “to bring up [our] children in light and truth” (D&C 93:40). If we explore and understand the things of the Spirit, then we can find out who the enemy is and how to protect ourselves and our children.

I pray that each of us here can come to know who we are: a child of God embodied in a physical body with attendant powers and blessings. The gospel has been restored and the consummate power of priesthood is among us. If you are righteous and faithful, He will answer your prayers, though not always in mortal life. We believe in an eternal pattern of progression under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we worship, and in reverence to the Father, who is our Father, the Father in Heaven.

I invoke His blessings upon all of us here that the knowledge of the gospel doctrines will protect us and arm us against any challenge that may come to us in our life and do so as a servant of the Lord and in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

*Boyd K. Packer was President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was delivered on 18 August 2009 during Campus Education Week.

1. Anonymous, in “Science for Service,” Improving College and University Teaching 5, no. 2 (spring 1957): 54.

2. See Genesis 2–3.

3. See Matthew 10:29–31.

4. See John M’Clintock and James Strong, Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature [New York: Harper and Brothers., 1880], 9:600.

5. See D&C 138:56; see also Acts 17:29, Romans 8:16, Hebrews 12:9.

6. Teachings, 208.

7. Teachings, 181.

8. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2007), 213; quoted by William P. McIntire, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith in early 1841 in Nauvoo, Illinois; William Patterson McIntire, Notebook 1840–45, Church Archives.

9. Ensign, November 1995, 102.