( 2ns ward)Apologize – supposed to speak last week – conflicts – made someone speak sooner, which could have brought added stress, I’m sure their better today.
All of us have busy lives – work- family and activities seen to take there toll. For almost twenty years one of my hobbies has been that of coaching athletic teams – most of the time for my kids and their friends. The majority of that time has been spent in football, basketball and soccer. I never played soccer so most of my knowledge has been learned through clinics or as a spectator. But, I also know my limitations –I will coach them through third or fourth grade, but then they need to play on a team with a coach that really knows what they are doing.
This spring was the most enjoyable soccer season I have ever coached. In recreational soccer you don’t get to choose your players – or at least your not suppose to be able too.
Some over zealous parents try to have a number of assistants or claim they have the same babysitter so they can have the kids that they know are good players on their team.
My team, was by far the worse team I have ever been assigned. I started the season like any other – we had practices and tried to teach the proper techniques, which would allow a team to be successful. It was disastrous – we didn’t even score the first three games. Sometime during those first few weeks – I came to a conclusion, we were not going to win a game and I needed to do something to make this fun for these seven and eight year old girls – most of which had never played soccer. Because the games won’t be fun the practices needed to be.
The drills and technique sessions were replaced with dodge-ball, tag and a game similar to lightning or speed in basketball was put into place. All of these were done with their feet and needed to be done as a team. Practices became fun and went by really fast – each one ended with a short talk that was accompanied by picking grass and a grass fight. But the ends result was far different than I expected. About halfway through the season we barely lost our game and scored three goals. Then we went on to win four of our last five games, two of which were against teams that had beaten us by more than five goals at the first of the season, and one against the only undefeated team in the league. None of my experience or teaching would have recommended the approach that was taken. The key was that we decided to remember the purpose, or why we were doing it in the first place – for the girls to have fun.
The first Presidency has told us that the purpose of the church “Is to bring all unto Christ.”
Everything that we do in the church and in our families should be designed to bring us closer to the Savior Jesus Christ. At the close of Church today – each of us should ask ourselves what difference has our time here today made in our lives. Has this been a social event – an opportunity to spend time with good people, or did we in reality come closer to the Savior and increase our desire to “Come unto Him” – no matter what the cost or difficulty it might cause.
A short time ago each of us had the opportunity to partake of the sacrament in remembrance of the body and blood of the Saviors Jesus Christ. To renew our covenants and accept the Atoning sacrifice the Savior has made for each of us. This is the same as if we were baptized and become clean from all of our sins once more. But this isn’t accomplished unless we have done our part to come unto Him, repent of our sins and keep his commandments.
One of the most sacred responsibilities of the Bishopric and Stake Presidency is when we represent the Savior in giving temple recommend interviews. President Larsen has stated on many occasions that “some day the church as we know it will not exist – but the temples will – everything we do in the church should lead us to the Savior and His temples.”
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Worthiness interviews, especially.. Temple recommend interviews, give us another opportunity to review our progress in fulfilling the glorious stewardship our Father in Heaven has given each of us.
This is our opportunity to declare to God’s representative our worthiness and dedication to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love it when the Lord makes promises and covenants with us. When He does, we know that he can not lie and that the only thing that stands in the way of us receiving the promised blessing is ourselves, and our living up to our side of the agreement.
In the temple we receive knowledge and blessing reserved for those that are faithful and obedient to the commandments and who put the gospel of Jesus Christ first in there lives. It’s our responsibility to prepare for such blessings.
Elder Russell M. Nelson
“In the temple we receive an endowment, which is, literally speaking, a gift. In receiving this gift, we should understand its significance and the importance of keeping sacred covenants. Each temple ordinance “is not just a ritual to go through, it is an act of solemn promising.”
The temple endowment was given by revelation. Thus, it is best understood by revelation, prayerfully sought with a sincere heart. President Brigham Young said, “Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, … and gain your eternal exaltation.”
The endowment is a gift – and as was stated it’s our responsibility to understand its significance, this is done through revelation and by a continually renewing or participating in the endowment process.
Have you ever wondered why we have the sacrament on a weekly basis? Or would it be sufficient to only partake of it once a year? The words to the sacrament prayer have the answer.
It’s done - in remembrance of the body & blood of the Son. Reminds us- (that it) was shed for (us). That we - may, witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father. That we - are willing to take upon (us) the name of (the) Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments.
It is done as a witness or an outward manifestation, a recommitting or renewing of our promises and covenants. We need to be reminded – over and over.
He recommits - that (we) may always have his Spirit to be with us.
This same process of renewal – or recommitting should be done with all of our covenants. Including baptism and our temple ordinances.
Like the soccer team – we need to remember why we are doing this all in the first place. Ultimately we all want to return to our heavenly home. But we need to look at what the desired result is here and now.
The Prophet Joseph stated,
“Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God.”
Happiness comes as a result of our obedience and our courage in always doing the will of God, even in the most difficult circumstances.
Happiness is defined by the prophet-king Benjamin as
Mosiah 2:41
“The blessed and happy state of those [that] keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual”.
Happiness is the purpose of the gospel and the purpose of the redeeming Atonement for all men. This wonderful fact is key to our recognizing the great blessings the gospel had brought into our lives.
I think that too often we get so caught up in the day to day grind that we forget to evaluate how blessed we really are. And we don’t show our thanks and gratitude to God and His eternal plan for us.
The world and Satan’s plan are designed to make it look like happiness and pleasure are centered more on personal gratification. And many people are mistakenly convinced that these pursuits are more important than obedience to the gospel.
But, in the scriptures the Lord is explicit –
Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.
Alma 41:10
Savior himself stated -
But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return. 3 Nephi 27: 11
We must not get caught up in the thought that momentary pleasure or joy for a season is true happiness. Because by and by – we will loose the spirit and put ourselves in a position they we will not be able to withstand the temptations of the devil.
Brothers and sisters, each of us know what we can do better and what areas we need to repent of. For the majority of us, I believe it’s not as much the sins of commission but omission. Do we omit to do all the little things that we know we should? To repent of our favorite sins, to do everything possible to be worthy of and use a current recommend.
A favorite quote that I have used many times throughout the years is by Elder Neil A. Maxwell – likening sins to rocks and boulders.
He stated – That many of us have a hard time pushing the boulders or large sins from our path because we are slipping and sliding on the pebbles beneath our feet.
We need to take responsibility for our actions and put the gospel of Jesus Christ first in our lives. Then the Savior has promised to send His spirit to be with us.
This past Sunday in the New York Post – there was an article about a woman that is suing her sons little league baseball coach for failing to properly train her son in running the bases and sliding. During one of their games, her son ran to second base and slid resulting in personal injury.
In life things happen to each of us that we don’t like or think are fair. And to be honest many of them aren’t fair. It’s not healthy every time that something happens to blame other or worse God.
But as stated before – Happiness comes as a result of our obedience and our courage in always doing the will of God, even in the most difficult circumstances.
To be truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ – requires action. It requires and willing heart – to do the will of the Father.
President Harold B. Lee said,
“Conversion must mean more than just being a ‘card carrying’ member of the church with a tithing receipt … [or] a temple recommend.” One who is converted “strive[s] continually to improve inward weaknesses and not merely the outward appearances”. I invite you to have a personal interview with yourself in which you ask how effective you are in your (conversion process).
The greatest advantage of doing what is right is that it will lead us unto Christ and to the temple, the most beautiful and sacred of all the places on this earth. As we work on these goals, they will develop skills and attributes that will lead us to the temple and prepare us for a lifetime of service to their families and the Lord.
In the dedication prayer of the Kirkland Temple – it tells what blessing can come to those that worship there-
D&C: 109: 22-23
And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them;
And from this place they may bear exceedingly great and glorious tidings, in truth, unto the ends of the earth, that they may know that this is thy work, and that thou hast put forth thy hand, to fulfil that which thou hast spoken by the mouths of the prophets, concerning the last days.
I don’t know why any of us wouldn’t want to be armed with power and glory – to have the angels of God to have charge over us. To go force with His spirit to testify of this great work.
I testify that God – lives, Jesus is the Christ.
Testimony
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