It is humbling to stand before you in this setting. As the mother of five children who all currently fall into the young adult category, I am sensitive to the struggles you face as you navigate this world. Let’s acknowledge for a moment that the adversary is real and adversity is a necessary part of our mortal journey. But, you are not alone. Elder Patrick Kearon boldly declared in the most recent general conference, “God is in relentless pursuit of you!” [1] I stand in awe of you, of your goodness and the sacred charge you have been given to prepare the world for the Second Coming of our Savior. You truly were saved for such a time as this! I pray the message I share today will allow the Spirit to touch your heart and let you know that our Heavenly Father is keenly aware of you. He loves you!
One Sunday, years ago, I was sitting in church as an older gentleman offered the closing prayer in sacrament meeting. He said, “We pray that we all might be numbered among the sheep and not the goats.” That prayer has stuck with me for years. I didn’t know much about sheep or goats at that time, and I still am not an expert on the differences between the two, but since then, I have had an experience with goats that has added to my understanding of what dear Brother Webb was praying for.
Fast forward about 15 years from that experience in sacrament meeting to the summer of 2018. Our family needed some way to maintain the acre of pasture out behind our house, so we decided to borrow a couple of goats from my brother-in-law. This seemed like the perfect solution. Strawberry and Hurricane (the second one was appropriately named) would take care of the pasture grass, and our kids would have some fun new pets to care for and enjoy.
I can attest that there is definitely opposition in ALL things. Those two goats escaped from their pen many times, creating all kinds of chaos and trouble. One particular morning, my phone rang as I was arriving on campus. I answered, and my neighbor frantically exclaimed, “Darby, your goats are on my car!” Seriously?! True enough! Right on top . . . not just on the hood . . . clear up on top of her car! She got this great picture so we can remember that day forever. Another neighbor came to the rescue and wrangled the goats, helping me get them contained once again, and $400 later we had fixed the neighbor’s damaged car.
Our summer with the goats was quite an adventure. They managed to keep the weeds down in the pasture and our boys had a grand time playing with them, hooking our little red wagon to a goat to have a wild ride . . . it’s a miracle no one broke an arm! Every time I think of our summer with the goats, I echo Brother Webb’s prayer . . . that I might be numbered among the sheep and not the goats.
In Matthew 25, starting in verse 31, we read, “When [Christ] shall come in all His glory and all the holy angels with Him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” [2]
We gain more understanding in Mosiah 5:8–9: “Therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives. And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.” [3]
What is it that separates the sheep from the goats? The sheep follow Jesus. They choose to obey His teachings. The sheep are compassionate while the goats are hard-hearted. Sheep are the believers. They hear the voice of the shepherd and have accepted Him as their personal Savior and Redeemer. The sheep desire to stay safe in His fold and are wholeheartedly committed to following Him and serving Him. The sheep know their shepherd.
In the most recent general conference, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated, “When Christ comes, He needs to recognize us—not as nominal members listed on a faded baptismal record but as thoroughly committed, faithfully believing, covenant-keeping disciples. This is an urgent matter for all of us, lest we ever hear with devastating regret, ‘I never knew you,’ or, as Joseph Smith translated that phrase, ‘[You] never knew me.’” [4]
Our desire to know the shepherd and to be numbered among His sheep requires change. It’s about intentionally entering into a covenant relationship with God and choosing to serve Him.
Sister Becky Craven, in the October 2020 general conference said, “What can we give to [Jesus Christ], who paid the incalculable price for our sins? We can give Him change . . . our change. It may be a change of thought, a change in habit, or a change in the direction we are headed. In return for His priceless payment for each of us, the Lord asks us for a change of heart. The change He requests from us is not for His benefit but for ours.” [5]
Our covenant relationship with God begins at baptism, when we take Jesus’ name upon us, covenant to always remember Him, keep His commandments, and serve Him. We continue on the covenant path when we enter the temple. There, we promise to obey God’s commandments, repent with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, live the gospel of Jesus Christ, be morally clean, and dedicate our time and talents to the Lord. In keeping our covenants, we are given the power of discernment, our sins are forgiven, and we enjoy the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
Elder Dale G. Renlund taught, “As the Holy Ghost exerts a greater influence in our lives, we progressively . . . develop Christlike attributes. Our hearts change. Our disposition to do evil diminishes. Our inclination to do good increases until we only want ‘to do good continually.’ And we thereby access the heavenly power needed to endure to the end.”
He also taught, “We become vulnerable when we slow down and especially when we stop . . . Our faith in Jesus Christ needs to be nourished daily. It is nourished as we pray daily, study the scriptures daily, reflect on the goodness of God daily, repent daily, and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost daily . . . It is not spiritually healthy to restrict our testimony-nourishing behavior to one day in the week. “ [6]
Faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost are not just a onetime process. We must repeatedly embrace the doctrine of Christ. I offer a simple daily practice. When your eyes pop open in the morning, connect first with heaven before engaging with the world. Then, at the end of the day, reconnect with heaven. When we make God the beginning and the end of every day, our thoughts will naturally turn to Him more frequently in between. Be intentional in making what matters most really matter most.
For those who are endowed, one of the most important things we can do each day to stay connected with God and remember the sacred covenants we have made with Him is to faithfully wear the temple garment. We are promised protection and reminded that “the Savior and the blessings of His infinite Atonement constantly cover [us] throughout [our] mortal journey.” [7]
Life was not meant to be easy. It requires intentional effort on our part every day to stay on the covenant path. Melissa Inouye, a gospel scholar known for her sermons on finding God amid the hard stuff of life, recently passed away after a valiant battle with cancer. In an address that she gave a few years ago at the BYU Maxwell Institute, she said, “The worst thing is to live life in a way that requires no transformative struggle from ourselves and it makes no difference for good in the lives of others.” [8]
In February of this year, my sweet dad graduated from this mortal life. He understood what it meant to be numbered among the sheep. I borrow a few words from my brother’s tribute to our dad: “He intentionally entered the covenant path and worked diligently daily to stay on it. To him, living the gospel was more than a transactional approach, checking off boxes in anticipation of good fortune. He understood that our God is a God of invitations and promised blessings, and that it is a privilege and blessing to walk with Jesus. He wasn’t just acquainted with God, he was committed to Him. When Jesus knocked at his door, my dad opened it wide, allowing God and Jesus to enter his story. He took Christ’s name upon him and yoked himself with the Savior.” [9] He willingly went through the transformative struggle of mortality, making a difference for good in this world.
Let’s return to Matthew 25:35 and continue where we left off with the separation of the sheep from the goats: “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” [10]
The way we treat each other matters to the Lord! The two great commandments to love God and love people [11] are both required in walking the covenant path. As we look more closely at these verses, we come to understand more clearly what it means to truly love God by loving people.
Think beyond food and drink as we consider hunger and thirst. Do you know anyone hungry for friendship, compassion, respect, encouragement? Maybe just hungry for someone to simply notice them. Do we recognize what an empty soul looks like? We are told in scripture that Jesus is the bread of life [12] as well as the living water. Those who drink from the well of living water will never thirst again. [13] As we partake of the sacrament each week, renewing our covenants, the bread and water remind us that we desperately need Jesus in our lives.
Consider the stranger. Are we inclusive and welcoming? Do we let others into our circles and help them feel they belong?
“Naked and ye clothed me.” This goes much deeper than just ensuring someone has clothes to wear. Ponder these words: exposed, vulnerable, embarrassed, insecure, wanting to hide. Recall the story of the woman found in sin. [14] The people around her emphasized her weakness, pointed fingers of judgment toward her, and wanted to stone her to death. When we see suffering, do we cast stones, or do we choose compassion? Henry Ward Beecher, an American clergyman and social reformer stated, “Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation.” Our words and actions should lift and encourage. Words matter! [15]
“Sick and ye visited me.” Do we show up in the ways people need us to? Shortly after our third child was born, I sat down to read a story on the couch with our girls. I was holding the book, had our new baby in my lap, and our two daughters were on either side of me. We weren’t very far into the book when I heard sniffling from Carly. I asked her what the matter was, and she tearfully said, “I just need an arm around.” [16] Sometimes it just takes a moment to put our arm around someone, offer an encouraging word, and reassure them that someone cares.
“I was in prison and ye came unto me.” Can you identify some of the prison walls that bind us today? Are we willing to make changes to break the chains of addiction, insecurity, fear, doubt? Do we encourage others to change? Do we point them to the Savior to find forgiveness and to be cleansed?
Elder Renlund taught, “We do need all our compassion, empathy, and love as we interact with those around us. Those who are struggling ‘need to experience the pure love of Jesus Christ reflected in [our] words and actions.’ As we minister, we encourage others frequently and offer help. Even if someone is not receptive, we continue to minister as they allow. The Savior taught that ‘unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will repent and return, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.’ The Savior’s job is to heal. Our job is to love—to love and minister in such a way that others are drawn to Jesus Christ.” [17]
How do we effectively love and serve others? We need to first see their needs. When our twins were born at the end of 2004, we had our hands full . . . five kids under eight. I became an expert at multitasking. One particular day, Carter was sitting at the counter, chatting with me while I unloaded the dishwasher. I heard him say the same thing three times, and I thought I had responded to him. Apparently not to his satisfaction. He got a little frustrated with me, hopped down off his stoo,l and marched around the end of the table toward the dishwasher. He then took my face in his tiny little hands and said, “Listen to me with your eyes!” [18]
What a powerful sermon taught to me that day by a three-year-old! Think for a moment about your everyday conversations . . . with God and with people. How many of those conversations are eye-to-eye and heart-to-heart? It takes intentional effort to put down our devices and remove outside distractions. Take time each day to disconnect from the virtual and connect with reality.
Here's a simple challenge for you: The next time you are walking on campus, leave your phone in your pocket, remove your earbuds, and interact with those you pass. Just smile, say hello. When you get together in social groups, set your phone aside, be where your feet are, engage with those who are right in front of you instead of being glued to your screens. Remember to live life in “real” time, not just “reel” time. Human connection is vitally important! Listen with your eyes! Don’t let anyone ever feel that they are invisible when they are around you! Help them know they are seen, and more importantly, help them know they are seen by a Heavenly Father who loves them.
Columnist David Brooks said, “Many of society’s great problems flow from people not feeling seen and known . . . [There is a] core . . . trait that we all have to get . . . better at [and that] is the trait of seeing each other deeply and being deeply seen.” [19]
We are all struggling and broken in some fashion. We are vulnerable, embarrassed, disappointed, discouraged, weary, insecure, lonely, afraid. Our weaknesses, imperfections, and challenges can easily overwhelm and consume us. We hesitate all too often to reach out and be deeply seen by others. Perhaps this simple story will illustrate this point.
When Carter was in first grade, he and his buddies were out in our backyard jumping on the trampoline. He slipped as he jumped off and came down hard on his arm. Needless to say, he broke it. Not just a little fracture, but a major break. As we headed into the emergency room, he would only let his dad touch his arm. I ended up carrying him, and his dad carefully held a pillow under Carter’s floppy little arm. During our short drive to town, I mentioned that we better call Grandma and tell her what had happened. He just groaned, “Don’t do that. She’ll just worry about me.” I explained that if we told her, then she could pray for him. I will never forget his sweet testimony as he responded emphatically, “Well, then tell everyone!” He understood at that young age that there is power that comes when people pray for you, trusting that God will hear and answer those prayers. As we seek help from the Savior to heal and change us through prayer, fasting, scripture study, worshipping in the temple, and asking for priesthood blessings, may we also invite those we trust into our story to love us, care for us, and pray for us when we are down and broken.
Elder Kearon declared, “[We are meant to] have the stretching and refining experiences of mortality, the chance to use our God-given moral agency to choose Him, to learn and grow, to make mistakes, to repent, to love God and our neighbor, and to one day return home to Him.” [20]
The Savior has promised to walk with us every step of the way. Currently in my home ward, I play the piano in Primary. Each Sunday I hear the children testify of Christ through song. In closing, I will share the words to one of my favorites: “As I walk with Jesus to my home above, He will bless me with His spirit and fill me with His love, Change my heart forever and help me clearly see, I will walk with Jesus and He will walk with me.” [21]
It is my prayer that you will choose to walk the covenant path. Cling to your covenants and find yourself in the temple often. Commit to love and serve Him with all your heart. I testify that “God’s intent [really] is to bring you home!” [22] He wants you numbered among His sheep. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Patrick Kearon, “God’s Intent is to Bring You Home,” Liahona, May 2024.
[2] Matthew 25:31–34.
[3] Mosiah 5:8–9.
[4] Jeffrey R. Holland, “Motions of a Hidden Fire,” Liahona, May 2024.
[5] Rebecca Craven, “Keep the Change,” Liahona, October 2020.
[6] Dale G. Renlund, “The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ,” Liahona, May 2024.
[7] J. Anette Dennis, “Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ,” Liahona, May 2024.
[8] Michelle Inouye, “Making Zion,” BYU Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, July 2, 2019, Video- Melissa-Inouye-Making-Zion.
[9] My brother spoke at the funeral of my father and shared these thoughts about the covenant path.
[10] Matthew 25:35–40.
[11] See Matthew 22:37.
[12] See John 6:35.
[13] See John 4:6–15.
[14] See Luke 7:36–50.
[15] See Ronald A. Rasband, “Words Matter,” Liahona, May 2024.
[16] My daughter taught me the importance of being in tune with what people need.
[17] Dale G. Renlund, “The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ,” Liahona, May 2024.
[18] My son reminded me of the importance of listening intently to others.
[19] David Brooks, “Finding the Road to Character” (Brigham Young University forum address, Oct. 22, 2019), speeches.byu.edu, quoted in Michelle Craig, “Eyes To See,” Liahona, October 2020.
[20] Patrick Kearon, “God’s Intent is to Bring You Home,” Liahona, May 2024.
[21] Stephen P. Schank, “I Will Walk With Jesus,” Friend, February 2020, I Will Walk with Jesus Words and music by Stephen P. Schank.
[22] Patrick Kearon, “God’s Intent is to Bring You Home,” Liahona, May 2024.