Roger Jackson, the Financial Technology Coordinator for BYU-Idaho, instructs students and listeners about following through with spiritual commitments in this week’s devotional address.
Jackson’s address is titled “If You’re Going to Be One, Be a Good One.” He began the address by speaking about his father who taught him the importance of fully committing to those things that he chose. His father was not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but he made sure his wife and children were the best members they could be. He would drive his sons to priesthood meetings and get them to their meetings and commitments on time every week.
In an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio, Jackson likened this example in his own life to the responsibility to be great at the things we have chosen to align ourselves with, including converting to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“You know, be careful what you commit to, commit to good things and when you do commit remember why you made the commitment,” said Jackson “That was my father’s advice to be a ‘good one’.”
Jackson said it can feel easy for someone to be a good person and a good member of the Church when they can see and feel the Spirit working in their lives, but there are other times when people don’t recognize the miracles that do happen and during those times “being a good one” can be difficult.
“We need to make sure that we have our testimonies based on the right things and the other is that we are going to have periods where we aren’t going to feel the spirit as much as we’d like,” Jackson said.
Jackson shared an example from the Book of Mormon where Laman and Lemuel were visited and instructed by an angel, and within one verse of the angel departing, were questioning how to accomplish the task given them and started doubting.
“The observation of a miracle did not result in even a fleeting conversion,” Jackson said. “Laman and Lemuel were so used to murmuring, questioning and blaming every problem and setback on their brother Nephi, that when an actual angel stood before them, they barely noticed.”
Jackson gave three steps to help others rely on the things they do know and continue to strengthen testimonies. The first step was to remember the experience that helped to develop the testimony, second was to understand that distance provides perspective, and the third was to accept the duty and responsibility that comes with receiving a testimony.
“You keep doing the things you know you should and at some point on the Lord’s timetable you will understand why things were the way they were,” Jackson said.