This has been an eventful month – what’s happened in the financial markets -general conference, listening to prophets of God. This past week Ashley my daughter - went to the temple and was married – she loved the 40th ward experience and those of you that attend here.
I would like to start my remarks by giving a quote from a man sustained as a prophet, seer and revelator.
“I assume, without elaborating, that we can all agree that we are living in a day of confusion and bewilderment. As conditions worsen, it becomes more apparent every day that we are on a collision course with disaster. I am persuaded that nothing except the guidance of the Holy Spirit can bring us through safely. I call attention to our unpleasant situation not because I want you to be discouraged, but because I want you to see and clearly recognize the predicament of the world in which we live.
Personally, I am not disheartened. I am concerned, but I do not live in terror. It has been said that the late President J. Golden Kimball once attended a stake conference session in which the speaker who preceded him occupied nearly all the time with an intense call to repentance, and that when Brother J. Golden followed him, he simply said, “Well, brothers and sisters? I suppose the best thing for all of us to do is to go home and commit suicide.”
Serious as are our times, however, I do not recommend Brother Golden’s prescribed course, because I have an unwavering confidence that if we will heed and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Lord can and will preserve and bring us through safely.”
What profound words for the times in which we now live.
But this quote was given in these times. It was given in Aug. of 1980 by President Marion G. Romney a member of the first Presidency at that time. I was almost 21 years old, about the same age of most of you; this was just before I came home from my mission and was ready to enter collage to get my education.
There were questions of great concern at that time as there is today. Numerous people were fretting and worrying about what the future would hold and would life as we know it come to an end in the near future.
We defiantly live in the last days – the Lord told us about our day
And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth. (D&C 45: 26)
Working for a bank and in the stock market – I understand what the Lord means by “men’s hearts shall fail them.” It had defiantly been an interesting and challenging time.
My purpose today is to shed some light on your futures and even more important the present and whom and what you are!
President Ezra Taft Benson -
You, young men (and women)… have been born at this time for a sacred and glorious purpose. It is not by chance that you have been reserved to come to earth in this last dispensation of the fulness of times. Your birth at this particular time was foreordained in the eternities. You are to be the royal army of the Lord in the last days. You are “youth of the noble birthright.”
In the spiritual battles you are waging, I see you as today’s sons of Helaman. Remember well the Book of Mormon account of Helaman’s two thousand stripling warriors.
I always loved hearing about those stripling worriers – for lack of a better phrase they were studs. If you look at the Book of Mormon paintings they were also pretty buff. But more important than that - they were taught to put on the whole armor of God, to place their trust in the Lord, and to doubt not. They were extremely valiant and obedient to what ever they were asked to do.
If a prophet of God likened you to those stripling warriors, your goal should be to emulate their examples. None of them had the desire to live contrary to the teachings of Christ and had the faith that God would protect and deliver them through their difficulties.
Now your difficulties hopefully don’t include a sword or a cimeter. But in the D&C it talks about taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and that God would extend his arm and support you against all the fiery darts of the adversary. (D&C 27:17, D&C 3:8)
Envision if you can what this might look like if Hollywood was to create this scene - thousand of fiery darts being flung through the air as we journey down the path of life. What is our protection – breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit? This in reality is a war for the salvation of your soul and your personal happiness. Each dart that hits you will eventually bring you down and make you unhappy if you do not take steps to repair or repent of the damage that takes place.
What are some of these darts? Pornography, immorality, lying, cheating, the number of possibilities are innumerable. Some darts are large and easy to avoid – others are small and seemingly don’t affect us or at least we try to tell ourselves that they don’t hurt. But if not taken care of, they will weaken us and affect our ability to withstand the larger or more fatal sins or transgressions –darts.
Now if this scene were in a movie it would be intense and almost seem overwhelming. Many may even become discouraged or give up. Others would press forward like the stripling warriors - determined and resolute not only to destroy evil but to protect and warn others of the impending danger.
Because it is hard and because we’re human, many of us have been deceived into believing that it’s not that important. Many have done as Elder J Golden Kimble jokingly suggested and have committed spiritual suicide. They’ve stopped reading the scriptures on a daily basis, praying for help and assistance, have left sins or transgressions unchecked or resolved. Then the greatest problem is that they become complacent in their progression or become past feeling, living without the companionship of the Holy Ghost. When is the last time you felt the constant companionship of the spirit for an extended period of time?
Many have justified their lack of dedication or repentance by questioning their testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This makes it easier for some to explain why they aren’t doing what they are suppose to do. But no matter how small or weak our testimony may be at different times, when we follow God’s formulas of truth those embers of faith will kindle a fire within our soul, removing doubt giving us hope and direction. This is when we feel the Love of God and know our potential and destiny.
Elder M. Russell Ballard counseled -
Make sure all of our youth understand who they are. From their earliest days in Primary, our children sing “I Am a Child of God”. Help them to know what it really means to be a child of God.
Do you understand what that truly means? You are his offspring – giving you potential to become like Him.
Remind them that they are here at this particular time in the history of the world, with the fulness of the gospel at their fingertips, because they made valiant choices in the premortal existence.
You are not here by accident – you are some of the most valiant spirits to ever live. You earned the opportunity to be born under such a great time.
Our youth need to stand firm for righteousness and truth. They need the vision of the blessings that can be theirs as they demonstrate their love for Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ through their willingness to serve.
So we know that all (of us) have within (us) the Light of Christ. Our responsibility …. is to kindle that light … until the flame of testimony burns deep within (our) hearts and souls and then to encourage each (other) … to take that flame and use it to help kindle the Light of Christ in others.
Then the next part of his quote is something that I believe all of us understand, but fell to think about or understand the urgency of our dedication and commitment.
Of course, the adversary knows this and is working overtime to influence some of our youth to disregard the teachings of the Church. That is why parents, leaders, and teachers (and the youth themselves) need to counsel together and know every young man and young woman—every one. Whether they are active or not, we need to know them.
I commend each of you for being here. Listening to the words of God and partaking of the emblems of the atoning sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ in the sacrament are essential in kindling the flames of testimony in our hearts and souls. This burning testimony then not only allows - but motivates us to turn outward to seek those that need our assistance.
Think of the Savior’s example during His greatest time of suffering and despair. While in the Garden of Gethsemane after bleeding from every pore – he turned his attention to heal the severed ear of one of his captors.
Hanging upon the cross He counseled His disciples to take care of His Mother – then He turned to a common thief and told him that they would be together in paradise. He asked his father to forgiver them because they knew not what they were doing.
But His greatest act of love and kindness was in the atoning sacrifice it’s self. There he suffered for each of our transgressions, sins and also our sorrows, pain sicknesses and disappointments. There is nothing of discouragement we can tell Him that he doesn’t already know. Depression, physical pain, or even the slightest snubbing or discrimination was part of that Atoning Sacrifice.
Alma 7: 11-12
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.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; 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.
Simply stated – He understands! He experienced it all! He knows how you feel and what will help you.
Another fact that sheds light and hope on this act – was stated by Isaiah and later quoted by Abinadi to King Noah –
And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation? Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed? ( Mosiah 15: 10 )
When he suffered for our sins – he saw all those that would accept that great act of love. He hopefully saw each one of us. I believe seeing those that would accept His ultimate sacrifice lifted Him in His time of need.
As God’s children and as followers of Christ – we have been promised wonderful and amazing blessings. But, if we fail to do our part – those promises and blessings could be lost. Talking to those that have received the priesthood or other promises the Lord stated -
That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. (D& C 121: 37)
I wish to emphasize, that although we may continue to hold the office or be a member of the church, we may lose the power or promises given. Many of us seem to think that because we have been baptized or ordained, we can break a covenant and a commandment here and there, and sin in this way or that, and yet still have within us the power of God, and that the Holy Ghost will remain with us. Many even try to use the priesthood to bless others. This becomes mockery, and I believe that in such a case, we take the name of God in vain. We profane the name of His Beloved Son. We desecrate the sacred gift which comes through covenants, and the authority which we lose because of transgression.
But even in those times – the Lord extends out His love and willingness to help us come back. As hard as it may sometimes be, we have a Bishop and the assurance that the Savior will help us through the repentance process even Devine assistance..
In conference a couple of weeks ago – after talking about how the angles of God can assist us in our time of need, Elder Holland stated –
In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. “[N]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved.” On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal.
May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for, the Lord’s promise as contained in one of President Monson’s favorite scriptures: “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, . . . my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” In the process of praying for those angels to attend us, may we all try to be a little more angelic ourselves—with a kind word, a strong arm, a declaration of faith and “the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.” Perhaps then we can be emissaries sent from God.
This is the right and blessing of all followers of Christ. Your future may have bumps and bruises – but you are promised if you are like the sons of Helaman and put on the whole armor of God, place your trust in the Lord, and to doubt not. Be valiant and obedient to what ever they were asked to do. If you cloth yourself with the breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit? You will be able to withstand all the fiery darts and God will not forsake any of us.
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