Former Primary general president speaks about the "breath of life"

Sister Coleen Menlove, former Primary general president, spoke about the gift of the breath of life during a Brigham Young University-Idaho devotional address on Tuesday, September 26.

Sister Menlove began by asking students to visualize a dash between the first year they started their college experience and when they plan to graduate.

"The dash is where you are now," Sister Menlove said. "It signifies an important part of your preparation for your future. During your dash you are becoming fertile seeds that have been prophesied would go forth as ‘seeds to the wind.' You are becoming mighty disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and great builders of God's kingdom in your own homes with your families, in your communities, and in the Church." 

Sister Menlove then read a poem entitled "The Dash," which reads, "For it matters not how much we own, the cars... the house... the cash; what matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our ‘dash.'"

The dash represents the precious breath of life given to us by Heavenly Father, Sister Menlove said before quoting Moses 3:7.  We should be grateful for every breath we take, Sister Menlove said.

"When we gratefully acknowledge our dependence on the Lord for each precious breath of life, it is not a sign of weakness," Sister Menlove said. "It is an indication that we know where our true strength lies."

Sister Menlove listed seven lessons one can learn from reading chapters 1-3 in Moses: the nature and glory of God, our relationship with God, the work God has for us to do, the purpose of the creation, that we have a Savior to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, how we can judge between good and evil and how we can receive a witness of all things through the Spirit.

As Moses learned, "The reality is that our existence did not begin with our birth, and it will not end with our death," Sister Menlove said. "Even now we are a living, breathing part of eternity."

Sister Menlove concluded by sharing three scriptural observations - Alma 37:6, "By small and simple things are great things come to pass," Alma 29, verses 1 and 3, "for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me...and this is my joy" and Proverbs 17:22, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones".  The observations came from a man who has been confined to a wheelchair for twenty years as the result of a body surfing accident.

"I hope these observations will help you make your dash more meaningful, even more enjoyable, and of greater eternal significance... The dash between the beginning and end of college days, the dash between birth and mortal death is part of our real purpose for our daily breath, which is preparation for eternal life.  Mortal life and its accompanying experiences have for us eternal significance." Sister Menlove said.

Next week's devotional speaker will be Ralph N. Christensen, Managing Director of Human Resources for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Devotionals are held every Tuesday 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 p.m. and rebroadcast Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m.