Thank you for the prayers, the scripture, and the musical number.
The gospel of Christ teaches us that repentance, forgiveness, and service are essential for our salvation.
God wants His children to be happy in this life and exalted in the next. He ministers and nurtures sinners, the poor, and the oppressed. Please ponder these verses from Luke 18:9–14:
"And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
As we follow Christ’s example and repent of our sins, forgive others, and serve those in need, we deepen our faith in Him and our testimony of His gospel. We also learn to be more realistic and humbler in our expectations of ourselves, our fellow Church members, and our Heavenly Father, knowing that we all fall short of perfection but can rely on His grace.
For me, faith in the gospel has come through applying its principles and observing the lives of imperfect people around me who make an honest attempt to serve others and overcome the natural man.[1]
It has not come through empirical evidence or philosophical reasoning. I find myself unable to answer some doctrinal questions. Nonetheless, I maintain the belief and faith that I will eventually receive answers to these questions due to the positive outcomes I have experienced from gospel living.
We can easily become sidetracked by the imprecision of language when articulating our faith in Jesus Christ. Some say they know the truths of the Gospel “without a shadow of doubt.” Others say they believe the Church is true, or that they have faith that the Church is true. We should not become excessively concerned about how individuals articulate their testimonies. It can and will be different for each person.
In the Book of Ether, the brother of Jared takes stones up on the mountain and asks the Lord to touch the stones so that they will provide light for the ships he built. The Lord shows Himself to the brother of Jared and touches the stones. In Ether 3:19, it reads:
"And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting."
The brother of Jared had attained a sure knowledge of Jesus, having seen Him. I have a sure knowledge that living the Word of Wisdom is a true principle. I have seen the benefits of living this principle in my own life and the negative consequences in the lives of those who don’t. I continue to live the principle because I know it is a commandment of the Lord.
But in other things, I must continue to exercise faith. For example, I do not have a perfect knowledge of what happens to people after they die. I have a belief and a hope I will someday see my loved ones again who have passed on, but not knowledge.
Empirical knowledge, in fact, is not as important as faith, as knowledge does not necessarily lead to a commitment to Jesus Christ. The crucial difference between knowledge and faith is that faith requires action.
In Christ’s day, there were people who saw Him perform miracles but did not follow His teachings. Their knowledge did not save them. However, miracles did strengthen the testimonies of those who already were exercising faith to follow the Savior’s teachings. Another way to increase faith and understanding is to attend the temple, as Brother Nate Watson taught us in his devotional address last Tuesday.
In a recent conference address by Elder Gerrit W. Gong titled “Room in the Inn,” he explains that the good Samaritan in the New Testament symbolizes our Savior Jesus Christ. Each of us should emulate Jesus Christ by ministering to all people, binding up their wounds and bringing them to the inn. But all too often “we pass to the other side of the road, for whatever reason.”[2]
We will now watch a brief video clip about the good Samaritan.[3]
Elder Gong goes on to list five things the parable of the good Samaritan teaches us about Christ and ourselves. I will address only the first point, which is, “First, we come to the Inn as we are, with the foibles and imperfections we each have.”[4]
In Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's conference talk titled “Be Ye Therefore Perfect Eventually,” he addresses the problem of Church members feeling unworthy:
"Around the Church I hear many who struggle with this issue: 'I am just not good enough.' 'I fall so far short.' 'I will never measure up.' I hear this from teenagers. I hear it from missionaries. I hear it from new converts. I hear it from lifelong members. One insightful Latter-day Saint, Sister Darla Isackson, has observed that Satan has somehow managed to make covenants and commandments seem like curses and condemnations. For some he has turned the ideals and inspiration of the gospel into self-loathing and misery-making."[5]
Self-loathing leads people to feel like they don’t belong attending church and worshiping among the community of Saints. In Brother Bradley R. Wilcox’s conference address titled “Worthiness is Not Flawlessness,” he explains this misconception:
"Some mistakenly receive the message that they are not worthy to participate fully in the gospel because they are not completely free of bad habits. God’s message is that worthiness is not flawlessness. Worthiness is being honest and trying. We must be honest with God, priesthood leaders, and others who love us, and we must strive to keep God’s commandments and never give up just because we slip up. Elder Bruce C. Hafen said that developing a Christlike character 'requires patience and persistence more than it requires flawlessness.' The Lord has said the gifts of the Spirit are 'given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do.'"[6]
Brother Wilcox goes on to tell the story of a young man he calls Damon, who struggled with pornography addiction, and his feelings of giving up on trying to live the covenant path:
Considering how long Damon had struggled, it was unhelpful and unrealistic for parents and leaders assisting him to say “never again” too quickly or to arbitrarily set some standard of abstinence to be considered “worthy.” Instead, they started with small, reachable goals. They got rid of the all-or-nothing expectations and focused on incremental growth, which allowed Damon to build on a series of successes instead of failures. He, like the enslaved people of Limhi, learned he could “prosper by degrees.”[7]
All of us struggle with certain weaknesses and temptations. Some of us have greater challenges than others. Others have sins that are more visible than others. In 2 Corinthians 12:6–8, the Apostle Paul admitted that he was afflicted by “a thorn in the flesh.”
We do not know the nature of the thorn, but we assume it to be a temptation or a weakness with which Paul struggled. He asked multiple times for the Lord to remove the thorn, but He did not.
Elder Richard G. Scott taught, “The Lord sees weaknesses differently than He does rebellion. . . . When the Lord speaks of weaknesses, it is always with mercy.”[8]
Like the Apostle Paul, each of us is afflicted by some weakness, temptation, or disposition that we may never completely overcome in this life. We must show greater love, compassion, and forgiveness to ourselves and to others when we fail at overcoming whatever our challenges might be. The main question to ask ourselves is whether we are trying to overcome the natural man.
Having correct expectations about how God blesses us can also strengthen our testimonies. In Elder D. Todd Christofferson’s conference talk, “Our Relationship with God,” he explains:
"Some misunderstand the promises of God to mean that obedience to Him yields specific outcomes on a fixed schedule. They might think, 'If I diligently serve a full-time mission, God will bless me with a happy marriage and children' or 'If I refrain from doing schoolwork on the Sabbath, God will bless me with good grades' or 'If I pay tithing, God will bless me with that job I’ve been wanting.' If life doesn’t fall out precisely this way or according to an expected timetable, they may feel betrayed by God. But things are not so mechanical in the divine economy. We ought not to think of God’s plan as a cosmic vending machine where we (1) select a desired blessing, (2) insert the required sum of good works, and (3) the order is promptly delivered."[9]
What I have learned is that the greatest gift that we receive by obeying the commandments is the quiet peace that comes through obedience to the law. For example, when I pay my tithing, I change as a person because I give of my substance of my own free will. This act in and of itself makes me a less selfish person and requires me to budget my resources. Other blessings may come because of tithe paying, but I do not expect any other specific blessing from the Lord.
Learning how the Holy Ghost reveals Himself to us helps our testimony grow. The manifestations of the Spirit are profoundly personal. While some have heard audible voices in response to prayer, others have described being overwhelmed by the Spirit or experiencing intense emotions during spiritual encounters. However, it is important to recognize that many of us have not had these types of experiences, and we should not feel excluded or inadequate as a result.
The manifestation of the Spirit has been referred to in scripture as the still small voice. In 1 Kings 19:12, the Lords speak to Isaiah and proclaims, “And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”
In Doctrine and Covenants 85:6, as part of a letter written by Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps, he states, “Yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things, and often times it maketh my bones to quake while it maketh manifest.”
To put it differently, the Spirit generally operates in a gentle and understated way. When I exercise control over my thoughts and emotions, engage in acts of service, and prioritize the well-being of others, I experience a comforting sense of peace and contentment. I also perceive a heightened sense of meaning and direction in my life. These feelings are accessible to all individuals through the power of the Holy Ghost. However, those who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost can receive an ongoing confirmation of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Lastly, having realistic expectations of our fellow Church members helps us stay on the covenant path. In Elder Holland’s conference talk, “Lord, I Believe,” he explains,
"So be kind regarding human frailty—your own as well as that of those who serve with you in a Church led by volunteer, mortal men and women. Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we. And when you see imperfection, remember that the limitation is not in the divinity of the work. As one gifted writer has suggested, when the infinite fulness is poured forth, it is not the oil’s fault if there is some loss because finite vessels can’t quite contain it all. Those finite vessels include you and me, so be patient and kind and forgiving."[10]
As Jian Walker posted on the devotional discussion board, “President Russell M. Nelson has asked us to minister in a higher and holier way by showing genuine care to one another.”
In my home ward growing up, Brother Smith (not his real name) was the choir director for as long as I can remember. It was not until years later that I learned that Brother Smith had a Word of Wisdom problem that he never completely overcame. I am grateful to the members of our ward who made room for Brother Smith in the inn. I am also grateful to Brother Smith, who came to church and served despite his weakness. We, like the members of my home ward, should do our best to welcome all of God’s children at the inn. Most importantly, we should see ourselves as always welcome at the inn.
Brothers and sisters, it is my hope that we can learn to have more realistic expectations of ourselves, other Church members, and God. May we be more kind and forgiving of ourselves and others. And may we always make room in the inn for all of God’s children by emulating the life of Christ. In His holy name, amen.
Notes
[1] See Mosiah 3:19.
[2] Gerrit W. Gong, “Room in the Inn,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2021.
[3] “Parable of the Good Samaritan,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Oct. 2011, video, 1:26–2:45.
[4] Gerrit W. Gong, “Room in the Inn.”
[5] Jeffrey R. Holland, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017.
[6] Bradley R. Wilcox, “Worthiness Is Not Flawlessness,” Liahona, Nov. 2021.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Richard G. Scott, “Personal Strength through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013.
[9] D. Todd Christofferson, “Our Relationship with God”, Liahona, May 2022.
[10] Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lord, I Believe,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2013.