I would like to express how overwhelmed I feel to be in your presence as students and faculty, and to be able to spend time today with President and Sister Clark. I have a special love for this University because, both Sister Andrus and I, as well as 12 of our 13 children attended school here. I have spent many hours seeking the Lord's direction on what I might share with you. I want to first bear my testimony which I feel is worth more than anything this world can produce. I have received the sweet assurance through the Spirit, that God is my Father, and He is your Father. You and I are literally sons and daughters of a Living, Loving God. I testify that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Son of the Living God and the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is the Atoning One. He is the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind. I testify to you that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God. He saw the Father and the Son in the spring of 1820 as clearly as you see me, and they spoke to him, just as distinctively as you can hear me. I testify that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord's living Prophet upon the earth today. I testify that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living Church upon the face of the earth, and that all of the essential keys, powers, and authority, held by all of the prophets anciently, have been restored to the earth to bless and unite families forever.
My brothers and sisters, I want to share some thoughts on a commodity we have each inherited called time. As I share these thoughts and use some parables, please follow the counsel of the Savior when He was asked by His disciples why He spoke to the multitude in parables. He responded: "because they seeing see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." He then told His disciples: "blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear." Brothers and sisters, my greatest desire is that you will see and hear, but more importantly, that you will feel and understand and be taught from on high by the Holy Ghost. Nephi taught: "the Holy Ghost will show unto you all things what ye should do." In 1830, the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith --"it is the eleventh hour, and the last time that I shall call laborers into my vineyard."[1] The Lord also revealed in 1832: "Behold, I will hasten my work in its time."[2] What time is it? What is the value of time? Brigham Young taught that: "The property which we inherit from our Heavenly Father is our time, and the power to choose in the disposition of the same. This is the real capital that is bequeathed unto us by our Heavenly Father..."[3]
In a fireside address to the students at BYU, President Eyring said:
"Time passes at a fixed rate and we can't store it. You can just decide what to do with it--or not to do with it. Even a moment's reflection will help you see that the problem of using your time well is not a problem of the mind but of the heart. It will only yield to a change in the very way we feel about time. The value of time must change for us. And then the way we think about it will change, naturally and wisely."[4]
We either spend our time or invest our time. The value of my time has changed and continues to change for me as the fleeting years go by.
As I have pondered about this valuable commodity, I have also thought of two questions we should ask ourselves when making important decisions in our lives. Those questions are: 'Who are we, and 'Why are we really here?' When the Apostle Paul entered Athens on his 2ndmissionary journey, he found an altar that had been erected with the inscription "to the unknown god." He boldly declared: "Ye men of Athens, ...whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you." "[He]...hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation."[5] He then declared: "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device."[6]
Each of you is enrolled in this university to learn all you can, to help provide for your current or future family. But as you move forward in your lives, don't postpone marriage in the Lord's way, in His Holy Temple, and don't forget the Lord's commandment to multiply and replenish the earth. Our time on this earth is short, and like President Eyring stated, it is not "a problem of the mind, but of the heart."
About 5 years after we were married we were living in Springville while we were attending BYU, and were actively involved in one of the wards there. At that time we had two little girls. I remember, as if it were yesterday, the ward having an activity in which we were invited to sing with another young couple. We sang the song entitled "Turn Around". Some of the words of that song bring back tender memories as I think about them today:
"Where are you going my little one, little one?
"Where are you going, my baby my own?
"Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four,
"Turn around and you're a young girl going out of the door.
"Where are you going my little one, little one?
"Little dirndles and petticoats, where have you gone?
"Turn around and you're tiny, turn around and you're grown.
"Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of your own."[7]
Our little girls were actually two and four at that time, and are now grown with seven and eight babes of their own!!
I have often thought of the statement made by Jacob to his son Enos, as he concluded his writings: He stated: "I, Jacob, began to be old." He then said: "The time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream."[8]
I heard a parable of a man who had a dream and went to the City of Everywhere. In this city, all of the streets came together like the spokes of a wheel, and in the very center was a bank. On the front of the bank were the words: "Time Bank". People were entering the bank through the revolving doors, so he followed them to see what was happening. Inside the bank were long hallways with small cubicles. Each cubicle had a loan officer and a person wanting to borrow Time. They were willing to pay any interest rate. In his dream, he was able to overhear some of the conversations. (1) The first was a young lady who wanted to borrow 2 years. She had become an accomplished violinist, but had decided to set it aside and tour the world. Two years had passed, her fingers were stiff and she was unable to play as she once had done. With tears she pleaded for 2 years. (2) Next was a middle-aged man who wanted to borrow 3 years. Three years earlier his boss had come to him and said: "John, if I were transferred to another assignment, would you be ready to assume my responsibilities?" "I would advise you to prepare." The time had passed; his boss was transferred; John had failed to prepare. John pleaded for 3 years of time. (3) In the final conversation he overheard an older gentleman plead for 4 years. His doctor had recommended some things to keep him healthy, but he had failed to heed them. Now his health was very poor. He was pleading, and begging to borrow 4 years of time. With this, the man awoke; sat up in bed; and thought to himself. What a ridiculous dream. Everyone knows we can't borrow back time! But it caused him to ponder this precious commodity.
President Monson has taught:
"This is our one and only chance at mortal life--here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey--now."[9]
He shared portions of a letter he received:
"In the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, Church member Jay Hess, an airman, was shot down over North Vietnam. For two years his family had no idea whether he was dead or alive. His captors in Hanoi eventually allowed him to write home but limited his message to less than 25 words. What would you and I say to our families if we were in the same situation--not having seen them for over two years and not knowing if we would ever see them again? Wanting to provide something his family could recognize as having come from him and also wanting to give them valuable counsel, Brother Hess wrote---and I quote: "These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year."
President Uchtdorf taught recently:
"We know what matters most in life--The light of Christ teaches this to everyone. We as faithful Latter-day Saints have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion to teach us the things of eternal value--Our weakness is in failing to align our actions with our conscience."[10]
Brothers and Sisters, as you invest your time, learn to listen and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and don't try taking spiritual shortcuts.
In the 1960's I learned a hard lesson when I failed to follow the promptings I received which could have cost lives and a significant amount of money. Our small trucking company operated between Idaho and Arizona. On one occasion, my younger brother, Heber, and I were returning from Phoenix to Flagstaff in one of our 18 wheelers when we encountered a severe blizzard. The weather turned much colder as the snow storm blanketed the entire area. We knew we were gaining 100's of pounds of additional weight and were afraid to proceed to the port-of-entry where we knew we would be overweight. On the other hand we didn't want to lose time by waiting out the storm. We stopped to ask about possible short-cuts. We were told there was one, and were given directions to take. As we proceeded down the road everything seemed fine, at first, but soon the road became narrow and questionable. We looked for a place to turn around but there was none. It was snowing so hard we couldn't see to back up. I knew we shouldn't be there and felt prompted to stop. However, we continued down the road and finally negotiated a curve to the right followed by a curve to the left. We realized that on our right side was a sharp drop off into a canyon and on our left side was a mountain range, with a rather deep gutter. We eventually slid off the road toward the mountain and were immediately stuck. I later realized that this was a tender mercy of the Lord.
We walked back to town, a distance of approximately a mile and approached a company that operated wreckers, but after telling them where we were, they refused to come and help. We approached the only other company in town with equipment large enough to assist. The owner agreed to help, but needed to put chains on his wrecker. Finally the three of us got inside the wrecker, and after driving to the area, we backed down the road until we came to the location of the truck. The operator hooked the cable from his wrecker around the frame of the trailer to lift some of the weight, and allow the trailer to more easily slide back onto the road. However, when the pressure was applied to the cable, the front of the wrecker lifted off the ground. He looked for a tree to which he could attach the winch on the front of his wrecker to hold it down. There were only three trees large enough to offer any assistance. He attached to the first one, but when pressure was applied, the tree snapped and broke off like a twig. He then attached to the second one, but under the pressure it literally pulled out of the frozen ground roots and all. He turned to me and said: "I guess you realize that if this last tree doesn't hold, you are here for the winter?"
No one will ever know the feelings that went through my heart. I knew it was in the Lord's hands. I knew the impact this could have on our small business if we were stranded for the winter. I also wondered how I could explain to my father that we are okay and would be home soon, but the truck wouldn't be home until spring. It was also obvious that this last tree was about the same size as the other two. I walked to the side of the trailer, and bowed my head and silently pleaded with the Lord for forgiveness in failing to follow the promptings of the Spirit. I pleaded for His help. I don't think I have ever prayed harder. I prayed that the Lord would bless that tree with extra strength to withstand the pressure it would need.
As the cable was tightened, the springs creaked and popped as the weight was lifted enough to slide the trailer back onto the road. (I can still hear that sound today.) He then directed me to get inside the truck and use the power of the engine to assist him as he pulled the rest of the truck back onto the road. A feeling of peace and gratitude came and I thanked the Lord for His goodness. It was still snowing so hard that I was unable to see out of the mirrors He pulled us backward all the way to Flagstaff while my brother stood on the running board to tell me when to turn the steering wheel to the right or to the left. When we finally got back to town it was dark! We had lost all day! Precious Time! It required all of our money to pay the wrecker fees. When it finally stopped snowing we were able to knock some of the snow off the truck. However, it was now a mute point. The port of entry was closed. Not only had we lost all day and all of our money, we now had to finish the rest of our trip without food.
In addition to the temporal lessons that were learned, the spiritual lessons were invaluable. I thought about everything as we drove home through the night. The Lord knows us personally, loves us, and warns us through the Holy Ghost. We must learn to follow His promptings! The Lord hears and answers our prayers, but we must first do all we can and then trust Him! There are no spiritual short-cuts! The adversary wants us to believe that it's easy to return to the strait and narrow path, but he is the great deceiver.
As I thought about the trees, I compared the first one to people who won't withstand peer pressure and will break rather than keep the commandments. Don't be one of them! I compared the second tree to others whose testimonies are weak and lack the depth of conversion. They are like the seed planted in stony places that have no root in themselves and when tribulations or persecutions arise, they are offended. Strengthen your testimonies daily! The tree that stood strong I compared to parents, bishops, stake presidents, and good friends who will assist us when we take the wrong road. There are those who will refuse to help. They are like the priest who 'saw' and the Levite who 'looked' and then passed on the other side of the road, as depicted in the Story of the Good Samaritan. Don't be one of them! The man who helped us onto the road and back to that point where we had departed from the path, was like the Good Samaritan who "came where we were and had compassion on us." Be like the Good Samaritan!
This experience has influenced the decisions I have made throughout my life. Time is an inherited commodity, there is a time appointed for us, and precious time is lost forever when we take the wrong road. The only way back from spiritual short cuts is repentance. It requires a change of heart and a change of directions. The atonement of the Savior is the one sure foundation we can always rely on. This experience was indeed a wake-up call.[11]
Amulek received a wake-up call from an Angel and was told to bring Alma to his home and feed him and care for him. Amulek had previously been rebellious. However, he was taught and reminded of many things by the Angel. He then accompanied Alma and testified to the wicked people of the City of Ammonihah. He told them: "I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore, I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against God, in the wickedness of my heart."[12]
Approximately 12 years later, Amulek, who had learned the importance of this life, taught the Zoramites: "This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God, yea behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I have said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore I beseech of you, that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed."[13]
This life is the time to Prepare, to Perform, and to Improve. We PREPARE by building upon the rock of Christ as Helaman taught his sons: "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation, that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea his shafts in the whirlwind, yea when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."[14]
It was Jacob who said: "Before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good--to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted."[15] We PERFORM by doing as King Benjamin taught his people: "If ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants." He also helped them understand that: "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." We perform by serving others. We perform by loving others. We perform by "bearing testimony to all the world - those things which are communicated unto us."[16] We IMPROVE by "putting off the natural man and becoming a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord, and becoming as a child, Submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even as a child doth submit to his father."[17] This is a lifetime process.
Elder Nelson taught:
"Your life will be a blessed and balanced experience if you first honor your identity and priority. Keep a good, long-range view, knowing that the days of retirement from your work will come. There will also be an end to your mortal life. For the hale and hearty,those realities seem pretty remote--about the last things they worry about. But the day of your demise is coming, and eventually you will stand before the Lord in judgment."[18]
Are we ever guilty of saying that 'sometime' we will change or sometime we will do a particular thing? When is 'sometime?' Is it tomorrow? Is it next month or next year? Webster defines 'sometime' by saying: It is "At some unspecified time, not known, in the future." It is an example of procrastination, which means: "To put off doing something unpleasant or burdensome until a future time, (especially) to postpone such actions habitually."
Elder Hafen gave a talk entitled "Planning to Repent". He said: "There is something especially perverse about "Planning to Repent" in the very act of transgression. This is twisting a sublime source of healing to make it actually inflict more sickness, like poisoning the medicine in the hospital for wounded soldiers." "Planning to Repent" is an affront to the Savior, because it assumes that we control our own forgiveness. While we must do "all we can do" to be worthy of Christ's Grace, we cannot turn that miraculous power on and off like a water faucet."[19]
As we go through life we often make our plans, use our calendars and outline our agendas, but do we consider the Lord's timetable? The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith: "There is a time appointed for every man, according as his works shall be."[20]
The Lord also revealed: "And again, it shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed."[21]
Forgive me, but I would like to share three powerful Wake-up calls in my life.
In 1971, my father became so ill that he was hospitalized and was not expected to live. He was in the intensive care unit and the doctors told us that we needed to bring our family together as quickly as possible. My father invited me to come to his hospital room and bring a notebook so he could give some final instructions about his estate. He then said: "Son, I would like to receive a Priesthood blessing, and would like you to be the voice in that blessing." As a family we started fasting, and those who lived away arrived as soon as possible. We went to an empty room in the hospital where we knelt in prayer and closed our fast. It was a long walk down the hall to my father's room. We surrounded his bed, laid our hands upon his head and proceeded with the blessing, but there was nothing. I said a few words, and pleaded in my heart that the Lord would let me know what I should say. Of course we wanted him to live, but we knew that the Lord was in charge, and that His will would be done. Suddenly it seemed almost like a book was opened and I knew exactly what I was to say. I blessed my father to get well, and promised him that he would serve missions, (plural), for the Church. As I left the room I thought what have I done? Did I really listen to the promptings of the spirit? Did I say what I wanted to happen? The doctors were so certain that he would not live, why did I make all those promises? As I pondered the blessing, I knew that the Spirit had spoken clearly to my mind and heart. Dad slowly recovered, and soon left the hospital. From 1972-1973, he served with my mother on a stake mission. From 1975-1976, they were called on an 18 month mission to Calgary, Canada. From 1977 to 1979 they served for 18 months in Anchorage, Alaska. Upon returning, they served in the temple for nearly 10 years. The Lord knows the time appointed, and that decision is not ours to make.
In 1982, my wife and I had talked about how blessed we had been as a family. We knew several others who had gone through adversity, and wondered when our day would come. It came at 6:00pm on December 28th, 3 days after Christmas. It was a life-changing wake-up call. Our oldest son, Brian, who was a deacon at the time, was playing on the snow machine we had purchased for Christmas. He had gone on his last ride, taking his cousin along. It was getting dark. He was killed instantly as they hit a sprinkler line on wheels, which was not visible because of its height and its silver color against the snowy field. The impact knocked Brian off the machine and broke his neck. His cousin was not injured. Every fast Sunday, Brian, had been the first one to bear his testimony and express how much he wanted to go on a mission. We envisioned he would receive a call like most young men at the age of 19. Our lives were changed! Our hearts were broken! Our spirits were more contrite! Our empathy for others was more pure! The following month, on the 26th of January, my wife and I went to the temple to do his work. I felt his presence with me as I was ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood and received the endowment for him. It was an emotional experience at the veil, and I wept as I felt him quickly leave, and knew he was happy to begin preaching "in the great world of the spirits of the dead."[22]
My most recent Wake-Up Call came in 2004 when I had, what I thought was a strained muscle near my clavicle. After I went through the various tests and felt good about everything, the doctor entered the room. He was very direct. His exact words were: "The results are positive; you have multiple myeloma; there is no cure, and you're going to die in 3-5 years." I was speechless and didn't dare look at my wife. I thought to myself: "That's not your call." However, after going through radiation, chemotherapy, and finally a complete stem cell transplant at the Huntsman Cancer Center my eyes have again been opened and I realize how short mortality is, how fragile it is, and how easy it is to forget who is in charge. There is a "time appointed for us" in mortality. We can't afford to waste time. We must strive to understand the Atonement and live worthy so that Our Savior can say: "Father, "spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life."[23]
I felt that I had an understanding of the Atonement after serving as a missionary and a mission president, and after memorizing several scriptures about the Atonement. However, as I went through those harsh days during the stem cell transplant procedure with my temperature approaching 104, and the mucous lining of my mouth, throat, stomach, and intestine being destroyed from the chemo injections, I gained a deeper appreciation and understanding of the spiritual, physical, and emotional sides of the Atonement. The pain was unbearable. I pleaded with the Lord during those long painful days and I received, what I believe, is extended time. How long is that time? It really doesn't matter!
Let me quickly review a few points for you to ponder:
- Review your priorities!
- Ponder why you are really here!
- Listen to, and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit!
- Don't take spiritual shortcuts!
- Stay on the strait and narrow path!
- There is a 'time appointed' for every man!
- Don't spend time; invest it!
- This life is the time to Prepare, to Perform, and to Improve!
- Don't put off important things by saying sometime; do them now!
As President Monson said: "This is our one and only chance at mortality."
I will conclude with the words of verse #2 from the hymn "Improve the Shining Moments":
"Time flies on wings of lightning; We can-not call it back."It comes, then passes forward Along its onward track."And if we are not mindful, The chance will fade away,"For life is quick in passing. 'Tis as a single day."[24]
I again bear testimony of the precious commodity we have inherited; our time. I know God is in charge and we will return to His presence at "the appointed time." Let's live so that it really doesn't matter when. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] D&C 33:3
[2] D&C 88: 73
[3] JD 18:354
[4] "Child of Promise", New Era 1993, p 4
[5] Acts 17:26
[6] Acts 17:29
[7] "Turn Around" by Harry Belafonte
[8] Jacob 7:26
[9] President Thomas S. Monson "Finding Joy in the Journey" Ensign Nov 2008, p 84-87
[10] President Dieter F. Uchtdorf "We are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down" Ensign May 2009, p 59-62
[11] Matthew 13:20-21
[12] Alma 10:4, 6
[13] Alma 34:32-33
[14] Helaman 5:12
[15] Jacob 2:18-19
[16] D&C 84:61
[17] Moses 3:19
[18] Elder Russell M. Nelson, "Identify, Priority, Blessings" CES Fireside at BYU, September 10, 2000
[19] Elder Bruce C. and Marie Hafen, "Planning to Repent" Church News, December 14, 1991
[20] D&C 121:25
[21] D&C 42:48
[22] D&C 138:57
[23] D&C 45:4-5
[24] Hymns, "Improve the Shining Moments" no 226