As I pondered and prayed about a topic to speak on, I felt prompted to share some things I have learned in my mortal journey.
President Gordon B. Hinckley often quoted the words of Jenkins Lloyd Jones:
Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. Most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. . . . Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride. [1]
Let’s take a ride through the journey of mortal life. What is our destination and how do we get there? Is your destination to serve a mission, or to get married in the temple? Is your destination to finish your education and get a high-paying job so you can have a big house and a fancy car? These things may be stops on our journey, but our destination should be immortality and eternal life, to return and live with Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and our families, forever.
As we left our heavenly home, parents and family on this side of the veil anxiously awaited our arrival. We knew this mortal journey would have challenges and trials, yet we were eager for the opportunity. Each of us came into this world under different circumstances uniquely our own. We began to grow and develop. We began to learn and experience new things.
Heavenly Father gave us this beautiful world. Take time to smell the roses, enjoy sunrises and sunsets, watch the full moon, star-filled nights, rivers and streams, mountains and valleys, delicate and complex flowers and plants. If Heavenly Father gave so much thought and detail to these things, think how much more thought and detail He put into creating us. He loves us and wants us to succeed.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “Deep in our souls is an echo—a memory—that tells us why we came to earth. We accepted our Father in Heaven’s plan first and foremost because we wanted to become like Him. . . . Our souls were created to grow, and we were stirred then and now to make the journey.” [2]
As we progressed in our journey, we started to develop independence. We began to exercise our agency and make our own choices. Each one of us has had the opportunity to gain a testimony of the gospel. I believe there are defining moments in everyone’s life that are key to gaining that testimony.
In the April general conference of this year, Elder Neil L. Andersen spoke of spiritually defining moments.
He spoke of Joseph Smith and the First Vision. Through intense persecution, Joseph remained faithful to what he saw. He said, “I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it.” [3]
Elder Andersen then spoke of spiritually defining moments in our own lives:
There is a lesson for us in the Prophet Joseph’s example. Along with the peaceful direction we receive from the Holy Ghost, from time to time, God powerfully and very personally assures each of us that He knows us and loves us and that He is blessing us specifically and openly. Then, in our moments of difficulty, the Savior brings these experiences back into our mind.
Think of your own life. Over the years, I have listened to thousands of profoundly spiritual experiences from Latter-day Saints all across the world, confirming to me beyond any question that God knows and loves each of us and that He eagerly desires to reveal Himself to us. These experiences may come at pivotal times in our lives or in what may at first seem as uneventful happenings, but they are always accompanied by an exceptionally strong spiritual confirmation of the love of God. [4]
When I was a youth, our ward organized a week-long Church history tour for the young men and young women. We went to Nauvoo and surrounding sites. As we started the journey home, we had a testimony meeting on the bus. For the first time in my life, I felt the Spirit strongly, and my testimony was born. After all these years, I don’t remember everything we saw on that trip, but I do remember clearly what I felt. I have had several other experiences in my life that were defining moments and have helped and guided me on my journey.
In the discussion board I asked you to think back over the journey of your life so far: What stands out as a defining moment that has helped establish or strengthen your testimony? I appreciated the heartfelt comments of strength from your experiences.
Tania, a single mother, posted that she felt prompted to move her small family to southern Utah. While there, she found her “Sacred Grove.” Tania said, “During one of these times, I felt Him closer than ever before, and I knew then that He had a purpose for me and for my family. I knew then, without any doubts in my heart, that He was mindful of me, that I was not alone, and that time in my life was temporary.”
In April 2015 general conference, Elder Wilford W. Andersen talks about the music of the gospel.
Years ago I listened to a radio interview of a young doctor who worked in a hospital in the Navajo Nation. He told of an experience he had one night when an old Native American man with long braided hair came into the emergency room. The young doctor took his clipboard, approached the man, and said, “How can I help you?” The old man looked straight ahead and said nothing. The doctor, feeling somewhat impatient, tried again. “I cannot help you if you don’t speak to me,” he said. “Tell me why you have come to the hospital.”
The old man then looked at him and said, “Do you dance?” As the young doctor pondered the strange question, it occurred to him that perhaps his patient was a tribal medicine man who, according to ancient tribal customs, sought to heal the sick through song and dance rather than through prescribing medication.
“No,” said the doctor, “I don’t dance. Do you dance?” The old man nodded yes. Then the doctor asked, “Could you teach me to dance?”
The old man’s response has for many years caused me much reflection. “I can teach you to dance,” he said, “but you have to hear the music.” [5]
Have you heard the music of the gospel? Do you have your own personal testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you know it is true?
Elder Andersen continues:
In section 8 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord taught Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart” (verse 2). We learn the dance steps with our minds, but we hear the music with our hearts. The dance steps of the gospel are the things we do; the music of the gospel is the joyful spiritual feeling that comes from the Holy Ghost. It brings a change of heart and is the source of all righteous desires. The dance steps require discipline, but the joy of the dance will be experienced only when we come to hear the music. [6]
Have you heard the music? I invite you to test Moroni’s promise as you read, ponder, and pray and find out for yourself if the Book of Mormon and the gospel are true.
Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things . . . and ponder it in your hearts . . . that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. [7]
Don’t take my word for it, or anyone else’s; find out for yourself. I testify that it is true.
How do we keep our testimony burning brightly as we navigate through the storms of life? What tools can we use? As we continue on our journey there are challenges and trials, deceptions and temptations and mists of darkness. We live in a time of extreme confusion and commotion. How do we know what is really true, what is right and what is wrong? How do we stay on the path of discipleship? How do we strengthen our relationship with Christ?
I believe that it is by doing small and simple things, regularly, consistently, day after day. Stay focused on the destination. Read the scriptures every day. Pray every day. Read the words of the living apostles and prophets. Attend your church meetings, attend the temple, when they open again. Prepare yourself each week for the sacred ordinance of the sacrament. Use that time for reflection and self-evaluation. Review your patriarchal blessing regularly for personal guidance. As you do these small and simple things, do you hear the music? Or are you just going through the dance steps? Do you need to make a course correction in your journey? Always remember the Savior and His life and atoning sacrifice for us. By doing these small and simple things you can navigate through the ups and downs, the twists and turns of life and stay on the covenant path. Through all this confusion and commotion, focus on what is really important and don’t lose sight of your goal and destination. Remember, only by living the gospel can we find true joy and happiness.
Alma told his son Helaman, “Behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass.” [8]
In our family, at the beginning of a New Year, each of us would write what we call a Year End Summary. This would include important events that happened in our lives, experiences we had, trips we had been on, and more. We would also do a preview of the coming year and record some goals of activities we would like to do and things we would like to accomplish in the coming year. My wife Bonnie and I were going through these earlier this year. They revealed hardships and challenging times. They also reminded us of the fun times we had together as a family. One thing that stood out to me was a goal that one of our children made: “My goal is to make someone happy every day.”
Think about what a different place the world would be if everyone had that as a daily goal. What if just students and employees of BYU-Idaho had that goal? We can be happy as we reach out beyond ourselves and serve others.
Last week in his devotional address, Brother Tim Belnap said, “As we journey along the covenant path, we seek to emulate the Savior Jesus Christ in our lives.” [9] He challenged us to pay attention to the quiet promptings of the Spirit and act on those promptings to serve others.
Listen to President Russell M. Nelson’s counsel:
It has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you than right now. In the Godhead, the Holy Ghost is the messenger. He will bring thoughts to your mind which the Father and Son want you to receive. He is the Comforter. He will bring a feeling of peace to your heart. He testifies of truth and will confirm what is true as you hear and read the word of the Lord. I renew my plea for you to do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation. Doing so will help you know how to move ahead with your life, what to do during times of crisis, and how to discern and avoid the temptations and the deceptions of the adversary. [10]
When I served as a bishop here on campus, I counseled with several young people who had slipped off the path and were dealing with some challenges relative to their choices. I asked some of them, “What happened? What led to this current situation?” In almost every case they had stopped praying and reading scriptures. Their church attendance suffered. They stopped doing the small and simple things. It happened over time, little by little. Maybe they stopped hearing the music, or maybe they didn’t ever hear it.
In April 2018 general conference, Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke of the power of small and simple things:
I was reminded of the power of small and simple things over time by something I saw on a morning walk. Here is the picture I took. The thick and strong concrete sidewalk is cracking. Is this the result of some large and powerful thrust? No, this cracking is caused by the slow, small growth of one of the roots reaching out from the adjoining tree. Here is a similar example I saw on another street. The thrusting power that cracked these heavy concrete sidewalks was too small to measure on a daily or even a monthly basis, but its effect over time was incredibly powerful. [11]
Doing small and simple things regularly can be good or bad. We can, if we are not careful, form bad habits, here a little and there a little, until over time, they can be devastating and slow or stop the flow of spiritual guidance. Recently I had an experience that illustrates this point. A few weeks ago, as my mother was nearing the end of her mortal journey, my siblings gathered to the family home to be with her. This is an older home with outdated plumbing in which the drain line became totally plugged. Several attempts were made to clear the line. Finally, it was discovered that a tree root had made its way into the pipe and, over time, grew to the point it completely shut off the flow. I asked the technician how that could happen. He said that a very small root makes its way along the pipe until it finds a joint or a tiny flaw and, being very small, makes its way inside the pipe and grows from there.
This happens little by little, almost unnoticeably, until, over time, it becomes a big problem. We need to guard against small things that might find a flaw in our armor and creep into our lives that slows or stops the flow of spiritual guidance.
In a New Year’s Eve devotional to the youth President Hinckley said, “Don’t make the kinds of mistakes that will bring regret. You can be wise and happy or stupid and miserable. The choice is yours.” [12]
We are given the freedom to choose the course of our journey. We need to be prepared to live with the consequences of our choices. Lehi said:
Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. [13]
If we find ourselves struggling on a slippery slope because of some choices we have made, we can repent, change, re-focus on our destination, and get back on the path. There is great hope and comfort because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Let’s review Alma’s pleading words to the people of Ammonihah that apply equally to us:
I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;
But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;
Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest. [14]
We don’t know how long our mortal journey will be. I hope that as we journey through this mortal life that we will “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope,” [15] and that we will hear the music. I pray that we will reach our intended destination and when we meet the Savior, we will feel comfortable in His presence and that He will say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: . . . enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” [16] In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[1] “Big Rock Candy Mountains,” Deseret News, June 12, 1973.
[2] Jeffrey R. Holland, “Making Your Life a Soul-Stirring Journey of Personal Growth,” Ensign, Dec. 2018.
[3] Joseph Smith—History 1:25.
[4] Neil L. Anderson, “Spiritually Defining Memories,” Ensign, May 2020.
[5] Wilford W. Andersen, “The Music of the Gospel,” Ensign, May 2015.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Moroni 10:3–5.
[8] Alma 37:6.
[9] Tim Belnap, “Our Journey on the Covenant Path,” BYU-Idaho devotional, Aug. 25,2020.
[10] Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” Ensign, May 2020.
[11] Dallin H. Oaks, “Small and Simple Things,” Ensign, May 2018.
[12] Gordon B. Hinckley in “Prophet, Church Leaders Counsel Youth at Fireside,” Ensign, Mar. 2007.
[13] 2 Nephi 2:25–27.
[14] Alma 13:27–29.
[15] 2 Nephi 31:20.
[16] Matthew 25:21.