When I was a little boy, my mother became concerned one early December by the amount of time I was spending perusing the JCPenney Christmas catalog and the lengthy wish list I had amassed for Santa. To help me catch the true meaning of the season and to overcome these selfish tendencies, my mom decided that for the 12 days prior to Christmas each evening I should visit the home of the 9 or 10 widows who lived within our ward boundaries and deliver a small Christmas gift. Plainly put, I was not happy about being compelled to sacrifice my time and interests for these older ladies. But every evening, I reluctantly walked to the door of each widow and hand-delivered goodies and other hand-crafted presents prepared by my mother. When Christmas Eve rolled around, my mother thought it would be special if I were to sing "Silent Night" solo on each doorstep. To say that I was less than excited would be an understatement, but somehow, she got me to do it. The first home I went to was a woman who lived a secluded life and didn’t participate in church. As I sang, this woman was visibly moved to tears. (To this day, I’m not sure whether she was crying because of the Spirit she felt or how poorly I sounded.) But as the song concluded, she gave me a huge embrace. That evening, a similar experience occurred at each of the other homes. Only, after that first door, being there was no longer a "burden" but a privilege. Each year thereafter, I looked forward to visiting my widows the 12 days before Christmas. I thank my mother for having given me that special privilege. Now that my mother herself is a widow, that childhood experience has all the more meaning.
Like my perceptive mother, each of us has a loving Heavenly Father who is not only aware of our weaknesses but also knows of our incredible potential. Knowing this, He provides us with tailor-made experiences—opportunities—to help us realize our potential and live up to our privileges. Today I wish to discuss how recognizing and living up to our spiritual privileges can deepen our conversion as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
A common characteristic I have observed in those deeply converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ is that to them each calling, assignment, or invitation to act is viewed not as a “have to” but as a “get to.” These individuals are anxious to serve wherever and however they can, which is evidenced in how they magnify their callings. These disciples have desires to serve God with all their “heart, might, mind and strength,”[1] and their motives for serving are rooted in their love of God. This is not to say that the call is necessarily easy, convenient, or without frustrations or disappointments. Still, these individuals relish the chance to serve the Lord and their fellow men.
Do we view the call to serve, wherever it may be, as an honor and a privilege, or do we view His invitation to follow Him or to feed His sheep as an obligation, sacrifice, or worse—a nuisance? Do we expect recognition, rewards, or place term limits and conditions upon our service?
In a 1988 Liahona article, A. Lynn Scoresby told of a calling he received to serve as a branch president at the missionary training center in Provo, Utah. As he interviewed missionaries and heard them speak, he learned a great deal about their preparation, spiritual maturity, and dedication to service. As he listened, he noticed that every missionary used the words “sacrifice” or “privilege,” and sometimes both, to describe his or her feelings about serving a mission. He heard those two words so often that he began to take note and tried to understand what they meant as exemplified by how the missionaries acted.[2] Fortunately, Brother Scoresby observed that many of those who entered the MTC viewing the mission as a sacrifice left viewing the mission as a privilege.
So, brothers and sisters, do we view living the gospel as a sacrifice or do we consider it a privilege?
In our day, the word “sacrifice” has come to mean to give up or suffer the loss of worldly things for the Lord and His kingdom. But anciently it meant to make something or someone holy. As members of the Lord’s Church, we covenant to sacrifice all things for the Lord. In Lectures on Faith, we are taught that “a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.”[3]
Of these sacrifices, Heber J. Grant says: "There are no people that make the sacrifices that we do, but for us it is not a sacrifice but a privilege . . . the privilege of entering into a working partnership with our Father in Heaven and earning the choice blessings promised to those who love Him and keep His commandments.”[4]
Besides mistakenly viewing our privileges as sacrifices, the word “privilege” (in our day) has been hijacked and often carries a negative connotation, leaving some ashamed of their privileges. Many, lured by those in the great and spacious building, point a finger of scorn at those seeking to live up to their privileges, judging them as “goody-goody,” “holier than thou,” or “self-righteous.” To despise and revile against those that do good simply because they are striving to live up to their spiritual privileges can be destructive to one’s own spiritual foundation!
That said, as members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ, surely there are none more privileged than you and I. As a covenant-making people, the greatest privileges that our Father in Heaven can bestow are available to us.
In this week’s discussion board, I invited you to share some of the spiritual privileges that you get to enjoy as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here are just a few privileges that you identified:
- Getting to communicate with our Father in Heaven in prayer.
- Getting to serve a mission.
- Getting to hold a church calling.
- Getting to minister.
- Getting to pay tithing.
- Getting to gather with fellow Saints each Sunday and partake of the sacrament.
- Having access to the Lord’s priesthood power.
- Having the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
- Being able to go to the temple and receive saving ordinances.
- Knowing who I am, that I have a purpose, and that God has a plan for me.
- Having a more complete understanding of the gift of the Atonement.
- Having the words of a living prophet.
Thank you for recognizing these privileges. Now it behooves us as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ to help others enjoy these same privileges.
Just this last week in our Come Follow Me study of the Old Testament, we read the story of Esau who sold his birthright to his younger brother Jacob for a mess of pottage. Anciently, the firstborn son was regarded as belonging to God and received a double portion of his father’s possessions.[5] With that blessing, after his father’s death, he was responsible for the care of his mother and sisters. This is spoken of in the scriptures as birthright.[6] Why did Esau sell his birthright? Perhaps he didn’t see the value of inheriting a double portion of blessings, only to have to turn around and use them on others.
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, the firstborn in eternity, we likewise receive through Him a birthright inheritance, and under covenant, we are expected to share what we have been given to bless the rest of the human family, that they, too, might receive the blessings of the gospel.[7]
Please note that our Heavenly Father’s choicest blessings are not reserved only for a select few of His children. You don’t have to be asked to serve as a zone leader, Relief Society president, or mission president to receive our Heavenly Father’s choicest privileges.
An example of living below our privileges is illustrated in the instructive yet tragic story told by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of a man who went on a Mediterranean cruise. Unaware that his ticket included all the meals and ship activities, he sat in his room and ate beans and crackers. It wasn’t until the last day of the cruise that the man learned that almost everything on board the cruise had been included in the price of his ticket. “Too late the man realized that he had been living far beneath his privileges.”[8]
The question this parable invites us to consider is whether we, too, are living below our privileges? Undoubtedly, we have all made choices that have caused us to live below our potential and privileges. This being the case, the Savior invites us to repent, come unto Him, and with Him make the necessary changes.
One major difference between the man in Elder Uchtdorf's parable and our own spiritual voyage is that our passage has been paid for by our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. Are we laying claim to this incredible gift as a result of the price He paid? Are we willing to do whatever He asks in return, and do we treat the many opportunities He has given us aboard His covenant ship as privileges?
Almost a year ago, I was released as a YSA Bishop here on campus. One of the greatest privileges that bishops have is to help others repent and come unto Christ. How I love and respect the repentant who have a sincere desire to change. As a bishop, what a privilege it is to see the happiness, joy, and increased confidence that come into the lives of the truly repentant. And what an even greater privilege it is to witness the ultimate fruits of repentance manifest by a meek and submissive desire to do whatever the Lord or His servants require.[9] President Russell M. Nelson confirms: “Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance.”[10]
Elder Weatherford T. Clayton of the Seventy provides a beautiful description of what this daily focus on repentance looks like. He says:
Every time we turn more to Christ, we are repenting—we are following Him. When we sincerely pray to the Father, in a very real sense we are repenting. When we read the scriptures and ponder them, we are repenting. As we make changes because of what we are learning about Christ and His gospel, we are repenting. When we do things that make us better, kinder, gentler, more sensitive, more spiritual, more virtuous, and truer, we are repenting. Whenever we choose the better path, we are repenting. Though we all repent of things that are sinful in our lives, most of our repenting comes from hearing His words and doing them—from turning to Him. This builds our foundation, and we want that foundation to be as big and as wide and as deep and as sturdy as possible.[11]
Unfortunately, some may not view repentance as a privilege, but as punishment and something to be avoided. How tragic it is that one would hide from repentance rather than experience the liberating joy that repentance brings. Elder Theodore M. Burton says: “The meaning of repentance is not that people be punished, but rather that they change their lives so that God can help them escape eternal punishment and enter into his rest with joy and rejoicing. If we have this understanding, our anxiety and fears will be relieved. “Repentance” will become a welcome and treasured word in our religious vocabulary.”[12]
Brothers and sisters, with all the spiritual resources available here at Brigham Young University-Idaho, I would dare say that there are few places on earth better suited to help us change. The man on the cruise ship may not have known what his opportunities and privileges were. Do we? Again, in this week’s discussion board, you shared some of the spiritual resources available to you here at BYU-Idaho. Your responses included:
- Being surrounded by peers who largely share my same values and standards.
- The ability to study secular subjects through the lens of the gospel.
- Participation in religious courses and devotionals that deepen my gospel understanding.
- The privilege of being close to a temple of God that I can visit regularly.
- An environment where the Spirit is present.
Thank you for recognizing these spiritual resources. Please maximize your use of these privileges while a student here at BYU-Idaho. If you do, you will come to recognize more and more each day what a privilege it is to be here.
Of these church institutions Elder Boyd K. Packer reminds us: “For those privileged to attend a Church school, there is a tuition other than money which we must require of you—a tuition of conduct and performance.” He continues: “For those very few whose focus is secular and who feel restrained as students or as teachers in such an environment, there are at present in the United States and Canada alone over 3,500 colleges and universities where they may find the kind of freedom they value. And we are determined to honor the trust of the tithe payers of the Church.”[13]
Ultimately, our adherence to these standards comes down to our commitment and love for the Lord. Please consider the questions Sister Melanie Rasband posed in devotional two weeks ago. These included: “How strong is your sense of debt to move you to want to be more like our Savior? To love what He loves? To do as He would do in our daily situations and relationships? To share His message, truth, and grace with others?”[14]
To these questions, President Joseph Fielding Smith provides the beautiful response: “If we fully appreciated the many blessings which are ours through the redemption made for us, there is nothing that the Lord could ask of us that we would not anxiously and willingly do.”[15]
Please let that thought marinate. How much do we appreciate the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives? Are we willing to do whatever He asks? Do we view His commandments and living His gospel and its standards as privileges?
In the years since Elder Uchtdorf’s talk about the man on the cruise, I have been drawn to the word “privilege” and the number of times our privileges are mentioned in the scriptures and by our prophet and Church leaders. I have also tried to do a better job of recognizing the many opportunities and privileges that my Heavenly Father has granted me.
One such experience occurred during the open house of the renovated Idaho Falls Temple. One evening, I had volunteered to clean the temple following a day of temple tours. Before starting the cleaning shift, the volunteers met in the downstairs chapel for a devotional. The lead custodian who gave the message read from King Benjamin's address, "When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God."[16] She offered that in most of our service to God, there is always a middleman. She added, "Tonight there is no middleman; tonight you have the privilege of serving the Lord personally by cleaning His house." This thought really hit me! As I vacuumed the temple that night, I felt it such a privilege to be in His house vacuuming His floors. Here He was, the Savior of all mankind, the one perfect being to walk the earth, the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all things therein. And here I was, a very imperfect being, privileged to be in His house cleaning His floors. Certainly, the Lord has even greater things in store for us if we will keep our covenants and live up to our privileges.
Brothers and sisters, it is a wonderful privilege to serve the Savior. It is a privilege to have any part in His great work of salvation. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the best thing you and I have going for us. We should anxiously pursue the many opportunities available to us as members of His Church. If not, we may be living below our privileges.
My invitation to you is to search out and discover the many privileges that the Lord has in store for you. Each time you have something that you have to do, please turn it into something that you get to do. You may find that in doing so, it is one of the Lord's choicest privileges He has prepared for you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Doctrine and Covenants 4:2.
[2] See A. Lynn Scoresby, “It's a Privilege,” Ensign, Jun. 1988.
[3] “Sacrifice,” Guide to the Scriptures.
[4] Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant, 2011, p. 27.
[5] See Deuteronomy 21:17.
[6] See Genesis 43:33.
[7] See “Firstborn,” Bible Dictionary.
[8] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Your Potential, Your Privilege,” Ensign, May 2011.
[9] See Moroni 8:26.
[10] Russell M. Nelson, “We Can Do Better and Be Better,” Ensign, May 2019.
[11] Weatherford T. Clayton, “The Rock of Our Redeemer,” BYU devotional, Mar. 2017.
[12] Theordore M. Burton, “The Meaning of Repentance,” Ensign, Nov. 1988.
[13] Boyd K. Packer, “To Be Learned Is Good If . . .,” Ensign, Nov. 1992.
[14] Melanie T. Rasband, “Soul Shined?,” BYUI devotional, Feb. 13, 2022.
[15] Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, 2013, p. 10.
[16] Mosiah 2:17.