In late August of this year, I was returning home from an evening of meetings, listening to a devotional given at BYUI, during my 30 minutes of drive time. As I was listening, the thought came to me: that is quite the responsibility to speak at a BYUI devotional. I thought of all the devotionals President and Sister Clark have given and I could not fathom how they do it. I said to myself, I am so grateful that I will never be asked to give a devotional address at BYUI. To my surprise, it was the very next day that Sister Beattie called and asked if I would be a devotional speaker. I won't reiterate my initial conversation with Sister Beattie but let it suffice to say my thoughts were: no, not me; I have nothing to offer or anything profound to say. Then I was reminded or taught or retaught that it is the spirit that teaches and he will teach what the "one" needs to know. I have learned that if you have come wanting to understand, wanting and willing to know what the Lord would have you learn, then you "shall be directed by the Spirit" and "ye shall become instructed in the law . . . and be sanctified by that which ye (shall) receive."[1] I am humbled by this assignment but know that if your heart is prepared the Holy Ghost, in a much customized way, will tell you what the Lord would have you know and do. It is of an understanding heart that I which to speak of today.
Approximately 2,160 years ago, a prophet of the Lord boldly stood before a king and his priests.
And they began to question him, that they might cross him, that thereby they might have wherewith to accuse him; but he answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, yea, to their astonishment; for he did withstand them in all their questions, and did confound them in all their words. And it came to pass that one of them said unto him: What meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught by our fathers . . .[2]
To which Abinadi replied:
Are you priests, and pretend to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet desire to know of me what these things mean? I say unto you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the Lord! For if ye understand these things ye have not taught them; therefore ye have perverted the ways of the Lord. Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise.[3]
I believe that the principle Abinadi was attempting to teach King Noah and his priests is as applicable today as it was 2100 years ago. I submit that Abinadi was teaching us that it is not enough to understand the doctrines and commandments and teachings of the Lord in our minds but that we must also apply our heart to our understanding. It is not enough to get it here (pointing to my mind) but we must get it deep within our hearts (pointing to my heart). I submit that Noah and his priests had been taught by goodly parents the doctrines, principles and commandments of the Lord. And yet, they chose, as Abinadi reminded them, not to apply their hearts to their understanding. He reminded them that though they had an intellectual knowledge, they were not applying their hearts to their intellectual understanding.
You who are attending BYUI probably know the gospel intellectually more so than any previous generations. Yet, gospel knowledge alone is not sufficient to be truly converted. President Eyring has stated:
The pure gospel of Jesus Christ must go down into the hearts of young people by the power of the Holy Ghost. It will not be enough for them to have had a spiritual witness of the truth and to want good things later. It will not be enough for them to hope for some future cleansing and strengthening. Our aim must be for them to become truly converted to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ while they are young.[4]
I know if I were to ask anyone of you what are the Lord's standards or what does He expects of each of you in regards to worthiness, duty, etc., that you could quickly and easily recite them. A majority of you have been taught the Lord's standards, doctrines and principles from your youth. In fact, if I were to ask, many of you would say: President, you know, it is the seminary answers. But it is when we get our understanding deep within our hearts by the power of the Holy Ghost that we experience true conversion. And it is true conversion and not an intellectual conversion that drives our behavior.
I would like to share with you what I believe was a defining moment in one of my children's life. One evening I was in my room reading. My then 15 years, 11months and two week old daughter came and sat down at the end of my bed. She started the conversations this way. "Dad, John (his real name isn't John but for purposes of this address, we will call him John) has asked me to the homecoming dance." Now you have to understand that John was the quarterback of her high school football team and a star football player; someone who was popular at school. It was an invitation I am sure that she very much wanted to accept. What high school girl wouldn't be flattered by such an invitation? She continued: "I know that I am not 16 years old but would it be alright if I went to the dance with John?" You see she had asked me, I suppose, hoping that if I said it was alright, then it was my decision, and all would be square with her and the Lord. I remember looking at my daughter and saying something to this effect: "Holly, you know what counsel the prophets of the Lord have given, you are almost 16 years old and old enough to decide, so you decide and I will be alright with your decision." I will always remember her response: "That's not fair!" Well, my then 15 years 11 months and 2 week old daughter had to decide. Would she apply her heart to her understanding? Some might rightfully argue that it was only two weeks before she turned 16 and there would be no harm in going to the dance. And yet, that really, in my mind, is not the issue. The issue in my mind is are we really willing to submit as Elder Holland has taught our will to the will of the Lord, in advance, unconditionally, no matter the consequences? Well, my then 15 years, 11 months and two week old daughter chose to follow the counsel of the prophets and declined John's invitation to go to the dance. She is now 33 years old, married to a wonderful man with five children of her own. I believe that this moment in her life helped to drive what she knew intellectually deep within her heart. I know she has had other experiences in life where she has chosen to follow the Lord's teachings and that such experiences have helped her learn how to apply her heart to her understanding. Do you think that she knows how to teach her children how to apply their hearts to their understanding?
True to the Faith teaches that "conversion is a process and not an event. You become converted as a result of your righteous efforts to follow the Savior." True conversion then is a result of exercising righteous behavior. And righteous behavior comes as we apply our hearts to our understanding. And as we apply our hearts to our understanding, our conversion will come as a result of our righteous efforts. As you continue to apply your hearts to your understanding day after day, week after week and month after month, the day will come when you will find yourself submitting your will to the Lord's will, in advance, unconditionally, no matter the consequences. I believe this is what the Lord was trying to teach Peter when he asked him not once, not twice, but three times: "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" Remember, after the Lord's crucifixion and resurrection, that Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John and two other disciples gathered together. The conversation probably went something like this: Well, what do we do now? And Peter's answer was: "I go a fishing." And those that were with him said "we also go with thee." So, they went fishing. And of course you know the rest of the story. They go fishing and as the scriptures record: "they caught nothing." "Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? [And] they answered him, No." So the Savior instructs them to cast their "net on the right side of the ship" and in doing so, they catch so many fish "they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes". And then John turns to Peter and says: "It is the Lord." And Peter then realizing it was the Lord on the shore "girts his fisher's coat unto him and did cast himself into the sea." And there on the shore, the Lord had prepared a meal for them and when they had dined Jesus asked Peter "lovest thou me more than these?" And he didn't just ask him this question once but three times. And as Elder Holland reminded us, Peter was pretty sensitive to threes at that time in his life. Well, as Elder Holland has explained, the Savior was teaching Peter that he needed to get rid of the boat, jettison the oars, lose the nets and go about the work he had been called to do. He had told him once to leave his nets and follow him and was now making it clear to Peter that he was not to turn back but to go forward. He was teaching Peter if you like that he too needed to apply his heart to his understanding. It was after that experience that as Elder Holland has expounded that Peter became Peter the Great; that even his very shadow passing by them would heal the afflicted.[5]
President Harold B. Lee said: "The most important responsibility that we, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ have, is to see that we are converted to the truthfulness of the gospel."[6] When we have the gospel deep within our hearts, when we are converted to the truthfulness of the gospel, we do not question the Lord or play the why me game when life does not happen as we had planned such as when we don't get the job we wanted or the graduate program we applied for. A Christ centered disciple moves forward with an assurance that the Lord is mindful and so a Christ centered disciple moves forward with conviction, faith and trust in the Lord. A person who has the gospel rooted deep within his or her heart will find and have peace in the mist of seemingly unanswered prayers, trials and struggles. If we have the gospel deep within our hearts, we will be able to follow the counsel of President Monson and "meet our challenges with courage and our disappointments with cheerfulness."
May I suggest a few ways that will help in your quest to become truly converted; that will help in planting what you intellectually know deep within your hearts?
1. Be obedient!
"When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, at that moment, God will endow us with power."[7] Obedience really is the first law of heaven. When you are obedient to the truths you know and the covenants you have made, the Spirit of the Lord can and will guide and direct you. The resurrected Lord in speaking to the Nephites said:
I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Therefore, come unto me and be ye saved;[8] As you are obedient in doing the things which the Lord has asked you to do, even when it is not popular and especially when it is not popular, you will draw nearer to the Savior.
2. Be humble.
Be willing to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and change that which needs to be changed. Each one of us is perfectly aware of our favorite sin. "The most important of all the commandments of God is that one that you are having the most difficulty keeping today."[9] Let us humbly acknowledge our weaknesses and give up that which keeps us from coming closer to the Savior. Did not the Lord say: "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me."[10]
3. Be diligent in seeking the Lord.
Accept President Eyring's plea "to do the simple things with determination that will move you forward spiritually."[11] Be a prayerful and scripture loving person. Your spirit life will be no better than your pray and scripture life.
And I said unto them [that] whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.
What a great promise; a promise that as you find yourself consistently "feasting upon the words of Christ" you will never perish. Let us find ourselves speaking with our Heavenly Father on a daily and consistent basis. And "ye must pray always and not faint." As you speak daily with your Heavenly Father, you will indeed draw closer to him. You will be more likely to do that which you know you should do. You will be better able to judge between good and evil. Do not become casual in doing the simple things.
And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well--and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.[12]
Casualness really does lead to casualties.
4. Listen to the Holy Spirit.
"But behold there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; Wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught."[13] However, if you will not harden your hearts and if you will be obedient, humble and prayerful, feasting upon the words of Christ, then "the Holy Ghost will show unto you all things what ye should do for the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men."[14]
5. Be temple focused.
In the temple we make sacred covenants, the keeping of which will be a blessing and a protection to you. Be in the temple as often as your circumstances will allow. In the temple, you are reminded of who you are and of your purpose. You are reminded of the Lord's great love for you. You are taught how to apply your heart to your understanding. In the temple, we are reminded that when we follow the Savior with full purpose of heart, we are entitled to the guidance of the spirit.
6. Start today.
President Harold B. Lee taught:
Conversion must mean more than just being a "card carrying" member of the church with a tithing receipt, a membership card, a temple recommend, etc. It means to overcome the tendencies to criticize and to strive continually to improve inward weaknesses and not merely the outward appearances.[15]
We must as President Eyring has counseled: "have the goal not just in our minds but in our hearts." You don't need to wait until tomorrow. You can begin to apply your heart to your understanding today. Could I suggest that you go home today and ask the Lord-"help me understand what I must do to be better; what do I need to change; how can I apply my heart to my understanding?" I don't know what you need to do now, today, to apply your heart to your understanding. For each of us it will be different. But, if you will ask the Lord and if you are sincere and if you are willing to do that which is revealed to you by the Spirit of the Lord, He will tell you. You will then begin to reconcile your will to His will. You will then have a change of heart and you will follow his teachings and keep His commandments because you love Him and you will find yourself drawing nearer to Him. Get the gospel of Jesus Christ deep within your heart and not the world. You can choose today to follow the Savior with full purpose of heart.
I reiterate President Eyring's plea to do the simple things with determination that will move you forward spiritually. I know that if you will follow the Savior as Nephi described with "full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins," that the teachings, principles and doctrines that will bring you "peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come,"[16] will take root deep within your hearts. Rather than just having an intellectual conversion you will be truly converted or in other words, you will experience a true conversion. You will find yourself as Abinadi counseled "applying your hearts to your understanding" and you "shall have wisdom, even great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures." I so testify In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] D&C 42:13; 43:9
[2] Mosiah 12:19-20
[3] Mosiah 12: 25-27
[4] We Must Raise Our Sights. Ensign September 2004
[5] Acts 5:15
[6] Stand Ye in Holy Places, Deseret Book Salt Lake City, Utah, 1974, 90
[7 ]Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign May 1998
[8] 3 Nephi 12:19-20
[9] Harold B. Lee, Teachings of Harold B. Lee
[10] D&C 88:63
[11] Henry B. Eyring, CES Fireside, January 3, 1999 at BYU
[12] 2 Nephi 28:21
[13] 2Nephi 33:2
[14] 2 Nephi 32:5; 2 Nephi 33:1
[15] Harold B. Lee, The Iron Rod, Ensign June 1971
[16] D&C 59:23