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“We
must believe in ourselves and realize that even in our weaknesses, the Lord
is able and will make us strong and effective people,” said Elder D.
Lee Tobler in his devotional address Tuesday.
“He
knows, and we know, we have flaws which must be dealt with. But He knows, and we should know,
that we are valuable and capable children of a loving Father in
Heaven,” he added.
Elder
Tobler, an Emeritus member of the Second Quorum
of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
admonished students to believe in themselves to
reach their temporal and spiritual potential.
Elder
Tobler shared five insights with students on how
they can develop their capabilities and reach their potential.
“First,
I have learned how important it really is to develop a healthy belief in
ourselves...[we need] to have a healthy, even
inspiring, regard for who we are and what we can do,” he counseled.
In
finding and developing a healthy belief in ourselves we parallel becoming
more like and believing in our Savior Jesus Christ, he said.
“The
second great principle...[is]...once we believe in
ourselves and have a vision of what is possible for us, we must follow a
pattern of preparation and hard work,” he said.
“Achieving
our potential will not come by wishing or dreaming,” he added.
He
told students to act on their impressions and feelings that come from the
Holy Ghost. If people
don’t act on them, these impressions are no longer unique or special
and are reduced to something of lesser value.
“The
third insight I have learned is that reaching our potential must involve
major challenges, and we should expect them,” said Elder Tobler.
“Eternal
life has a cost which is paid in doing all we can do to remain faithful in
a world of testing. I can
truthfully say that I have learned a little from my successes, but I have
learned far more from my failures and bruisings
from numerous challenges,” he said.
“For
a pattern of frequent yielding is like a cancer which grows unchecked until
it consumes our faith and belief in God and in ourselves. It robs us of vision, leaving us
with little prospects, and a diminished desire to pay the price for real
temporal or eternal achievement.
What terrible costs for us who know the truth about ourselves and
what we can achieve,” he said.
“The
fourth insight that has come to me is the need to keep the Gospel of Christ
dominant, which is His Way of Life, functioning in a steering or controlling
capacity,” added Elder Tobler.
“It
will also be important for us not only to adopt and defend the culture of
the Gospel, but also to school our personalities so that they are shaped,
enlarged and changed into personalities that are harmonious with the
principles and teachings of the Lord,” he said.
Elder
Tobler also counseled students to reject the
thought that they can’t change.
“We
are all better than that,” he stated. “The seeds of Deity that are
within us should constantly coax us to reach for the best that is within us
and be ready to give up traits that are not good, not endearing or
harmonious with the Gospel,” concluded Elder Tobler.
Weekly
devotionals are held Tuesdays at 2 p.m. in the Hart Auditorium with
additional seating in the Hinckley Chapel, Taylor Chapel, and Kirkham Auditorium. Devotionals are broadcast on
KBYI-FM 100.5 at 2 and 9 p.m. each Tuesday. Next week’s devotional speaker
will be Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the First Quorum of the Seventy.
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