Brother Kapp and I are very happy to once again visit this campus, now a university, with increasing enrollment and new and beautiful buildings. We have great respect for President and Sister Bednar, the faculty, and the outstanding reputation of BYU Idaho, a light on the hill with an expanding mission at this historic time.
This is our time, brothers and sisters, and what a time it is! Prophets from all previous dispensations have anxiously anticipated the glorious day in which we now live.
Some starry night go out alone and in wonderment look up at the endless sky and ponder deep within the questions, Why me? Why now? Why here? President Gordon B. Hinckley's words on the eve of the twenty-first century speak of our time and our responsibility. May God bless us with a sense of our place in history and, having been given that sense, with our need to stand tall and walk with resolution in a manner becoming the Saints of the Most High.[1]
In the early history of the Church a revelation was given through the Prophet Joseph Smith at Far West for all members of the Church scattered abroad in all the world.[2] That revelation is a message from the Lord for our day. Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations.[3]
Do we read this only as a line from the pages of history, or simply as an invitation for us to be involved? Or do we hear it as an urgent call in our hearts and in our minds? A call today to have the spiritual strength sufficient to raise the standard with the same fervor as Captain Moroni when he fearlessly . . . rent his coat . . . and wrote upon it — In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives and our children. . . [4]
With these same values burning within our hearts let us go forth raising the standard, whatever it requires of us. Make no mistake, we each have a part to play in this remarkable season. The Apostle Paul speaking to the Romans gave words for our day: . . . let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.[5] The armor of light is a shield against darkness, and with that shield we will have the courage to respond to the call.
These words of the Prophet Joseph Smith during the severe tests of the Nauvoo period speak of courage: A voice of gladness!. . . shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, . . .and on, on to the victory![6] Don't you just want to enlist, sign up, suit up in the armor of light and be part of this royal army, With banner, sword and shield, with a sure knowledge that there will be Victory, victory through Jesus Christ, our Lord?[7]
The world is in chaos and we are called to make a difference, to arise and shine here and now in the nation, the town, the community, the neighborhood, the street in which we live, or where we may be called to serve. Make no mistake, you and I have a vital part to play in this our second estate, or our second act, so to speak. And believe me, it will take courage. We may feel inadequate, unprepared, unworthy or fearful, but that is no excuse. Many, many others have felt the same way. With God=s help the light of Christ will shine through us. That war which was begun in heaven is raging here upon the earth and we once again must take sides for or against the Kingdom of God. With the assurance that we performed well in the first act, let us go forth with confidence, optimism and yes, anticipation as faithful Latter-day Saints, each doing our part as we come to realize our foreordained roles in this great drama in human history. What a tremendous time for us to be on stage!
Arise and Shine Forth
A few years ago I caught a glimpse of how I hope it will be one day for each of us. The Promised Valley Playhouse in Salt Lake City announced it was going to produce the play Annie. Over one hundred young girls auditioned for the leading role. Following a period of intense rehearsals, the opening night was absolutely spectacular and the young 12 year-old who played the lead took many well-deserved bows on center stage to a standing ovation as the curtain was being drawn. But as magnificent as Annie=s performance was on stage, her greatest moment came after graciously acknowledging the praises from the throngs of admirers in the lobby of the theater. In a corner of the lobby I observed an elderly gentlemen stooped with age, his eyes moist as he eagerly searched the crowd. Somehow through a small opening in that large crowd Annie caught a glimpse of the old man. Ignoring all the public acclaim and with arms outstretched, she called, Grandpa, Grandpa! The crowd parted leaving a narrow passageway for this precious moment. There was silence. The elderly man reached out his arms like giant parentheses and drew his precious granddaughter close to him while the crowd looked on. He spoke softly, and although I could not hear I think he must have said, My dear, you played your part so very, very well. It must have taken a lot of courage, faith and prayers for that young girl to walk out on stage, anxious to play her part well, when so many were depending on her.
Since that memorable occasion I have replayed that scene in my mind many times and contemplated the greeting we will each receive following the final performance of our mortal life. It won't matter if we play center stage, in the wings, or backstage. When Christ becomes the very center of our life our performance will be Christlike, we will radiate the light and live in anticipation of one day actually being encircled in the arms of his love.[8] He waits for us with open arms.[9] Can we possibly begin to grasp the magnitude of that moment? The scripture tells us, He employeth no servant there.[10]
The Light
There are two kinds of light. There is the physical light by which we see, that can affect our moods and have a great impact even on our physical health. We know something of the clinical use of light, as in light therapy. But the light of which I speak is not subject to sunrise, sunset or any weather condition. It is not subject to disappointment, despair, or distress. This light can penetrate the darkest days and the heaviest storm clouds in every season. I speak of the spiritual light that is available to each one of us. We read in the Doctrine and Covenants, That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.[11]
We know that, ...whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.[12] When you and I went into the waters of baptism we covenanted to keep the commandments and to stand as a witness for Christ at all times so we can always have His spirit to be with us.
That Thy Light May Be As a Standard
We cannot be a brilliant light or even a modest light by ourselves. We need help, and help is always available. King Benjamin explains the challenge we face as mortals here on earth. For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.[13]
When we willingly submit to the will of our Father in Heaven and strive to follow the promptings we receive through the spirit, we can expect some molding and shaping, refining, and cutting away. This can be difficult, and yes, painful. The story is told of a great sculptor who worked hour after hour in his studio carving, chipping, shaping, relentlessly cutting away day after day. He seemed to be driven by a sense of mission. A young girl often came by to watch. One day during the process her eyes lit up as she exclaimed, I know who that is! That is Abraham Lincoln! How did you know he was in there? Our Father in Heaven knows us, knows what we have the capacity to become, and has a plan for us.
When we willingly submit to the molding and shaping and to some intense chipping away we will discover our divine destiny who, and whose, we really are. The Prophet Joseph Smith, in describing his life of trials and tests said, I am like a huge rough stone rolling down from a high mountain; and the only polishing I get is when some corner gets rubbed off by coming in contact with something else, striking with accelerated force. . . knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus, I will become a smooth and polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty.[14]
Our Father in Heaven has a plan to ensure our eternal happiness if we choose to follow. And because he loves us he will smooth and polish us with trials and tests, not to destroy us but to sanctify us. Responding to the call to rise and shine we must seek the light in earnest daily prayer. There is great power in prayer. We will be receptive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit by keeping the commandments. President Benson explained, When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.[15] We will be guided day by day in our foreordained mission. President George Q. Cannon wrote, God has chosen us out of the world and has given us a great mission. . . We were selected and foreordained for [this] mission before the world was, . . . we had our parts allotted to us in this mortal state of existence as our Savior had His assigned to Him.[16]
Does your responsibility seem overwhelming at times? Or does it awaken within you a realization, perhaps a memory of who you really are and your capacity to make a difference in such a way that your light literally will be a standard in your area of influence.
Clearly, Satan desires to have us[17] and wants to reinforce any feelings of inadequacy we may have. He seeks to diminish our light, our righteous influence. We hesitate sometimes to open our mouths; not because we are ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ but perhaps because we sense a lack of ability to explain what we know and what we feel in our hearts. My sister Shirley wrote a few lines for her 11 children in poetic preachment encouraging them to follow the Spirit with courage and conviction. She tells them how:
Listen to your inner drummer,
Step to its quiet beat
The world beats another rhythm,
A rhythm of defeat.
Let us become a holy people,
Peculiar and divine,
Living in the world
But walking out of time.
It has been said, It takes courage to take a stand when values are compromised for convenience and popularity is preferred over principle. But stand we must, even if it requires standing alone.
It was in a Second Grade classroom while supervising student teachers that I witnessed a magnificent example of a child who did actually arise, and the room was literally filled with light. Miss Nelson, the student teacher, with all eyes on her, explained to the girls and boys that she was going to read them a story about two different neighbors. After the story they were to think about the characteristics of each neighbor and tell how they felt.
There was a Mr. Brown, she began, the friendliest man in town. She told in great detail how he knew everyone=s name, including the children, and how he would make whistles out of willows and knew the names of all the birds. With a full description of Mr. Brown implanted in the hearts and minds of the children she paused to change the mood before reading about poor old Mr. Jones. He had a very loud voice and would stand on the front porch and shake his fist and yell when the children walked by. If they crossed his property he chased after them, waving his cane. Closing the book she asked for their response. Much discussion followed. Their enthusiastic comments gave evidence of their appreciation for Mr. Brown. With the lesson nearing completion, almost as an afterthought, Miss Nelson posed a question: Who would like to be a friend to Mr. Jones?
There was silence for a few moments, and it seemed that there would be no response, until one little boy near the back row raised his hand hesitantly. Some of the students near him responded with a few childish snickers. The boy withdrew his hand ever so slightly, and hesitated an instant as others joined in the snickering. Then holding his hand steady he stretched his arm full height and waited. I glanced at Miss Nelson. She was obviously unprepared for anyone to express interest in being a friend to Mr. Jones. The snickering continued but the young boy looked straight ahead with his arm held high and his eyes on the teacher. Something in that moment changed the mood. The snickering stopped and the teacher simply said, Jeff? He lowered his hand nervously, and with all eyes on him said hesitantly, I wish Mr. Jones was my neighbor. Because, if he was my neighbor my mom would make a pie for me to take to him. He took his eyes from the teacher, looked at the children, his peers, and added with conviction, And then he wouldn't be that way anymore. A hush fell over the room. I sensed the challenge of 22 second graders trying to give meaning to what they had experienced. And then almost as a benediction the silence was broken by one child who whispered just barely loud enough for all to hear, I wish I'd said that!
That day in the Second Grade I learned lessons from a child who for a moment became a master teacher. These lessons have served me well through many intervening years, in circles of higher education, in settings of considerable responsibilities, and in quiet contemplation. The following four lessons remain paramount:
- Dare to stand alone when you know in your heart it is right. Logic and reason may not always be reliable but a spirit that connects to the divine source is. A child in a classroom, a youth reaching for popularity and approval, or an adult facing a personal, family, or community issue can know what is right.
- Believe in people and believe they can change. It may take a pie or some other intervention, but it is possible.
- You cannot change the whole world, but your influence can change the world in which you live. Change can happen if you are willing to leave your comfort zone and set aside your need for the approval of the group. An atmosphere of ridicule and doubt can be changed to an atmosphere of reverence by the voice of one.
- Others seeking truth will follow. When you have courage to speak truth some will whisper, if not out loud then within their hearts, I wish I'd said that! Then go a better way.
I'm impressed by the words of Joan of Arc in the play Joan of Lorraine by Maxwell Anderson.
She says, I know this now, every man gives his life for what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing. One life is all we have. We live it as we believe in living it, and then it's gone. But to surrender what you are and live without belief, that's more terrible than dying. More terrible than dying young. The question is not what we are willing to die for but rather what we are willing to live for.
Trials and Tests Can Increase the Light
Sometimes the journey is difficult, very difficult, but the Lord has promised the light will come: Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.[18] Could it ever be that He would knock and we would not open the door? Perhaps we cannot hear the knock because the voices of despair, discouragement and disappointment drown out the whisperings of the spirit.
I vividly remember a very difficult time in my own life years ago. It was Thanksgiving Day. The image of Thanksgiving in my mind pictured large happy families everywhere gathered around bounteous tables with children and grandchildren and parents and grandparents and joy inexpressable, the future bright. With the reality of only two plates on our Thanksgiving table, no family near and no children, the room seemed dark. The light was fading rapidly. I learned on that occasion and many others since that when we invite Him in to sup with us we need never eat alone. Our tables are laden and the room is filled with light. We can feast in a spiritual banquet even as we hunger for blessings not yet realized. And then like a personal letter from home we hear in our minds and hearts the promise: And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.[19] We begin to see things differently. We see the hand of the Lord in our lives. We learn to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not lean on our own understanding.[20] Then we can help light the way for others.
Contending Against Evil
Suppose in our response to the call to hold up our light in this ever-darkening world our united effort would be as powerful as the efforts of the early pioneers when the black crickets were killing their tender crops. They united together, shoulder to shoulder, and when they had given their all the Lord sent the seagulls. Like the crickets, the evils of our day attack our youth, our tender, impressionable youth. Suppose we were to make a pledge to do all within our power to rid ourselves of the black crickets of our day, the evil influences in our lives. Suppose there was no compromise, no justification, no excuses to tolerate any enticement of the world in our entertainment or other activities that would lessen the spirit. Let us strive every day to avoid anything and everything that could weaken our spirit and extinguish the light. We must simply give it up, turn our backs, and walk away.
Suppose we shared the same dedication to future generations as expressed by Vilate Raile, a Mormon pioneer:
They cut desire into short lengths
And fed it to the hungry fires of courage.
Long after, when the flames had died,
Molten gold gleamed in the ashes.
They gathered it into bruised palms
And handed it to their children
And their children=s children
Forever.
I thrill with the words of President George Q. Cannon concerning any confrontation with evil. When Satan comes and assails us, it is our privilege to say, Get thee behind me, Satan, for I have no lot nor portion in you, and you have no part in me. I am in the service of God, and I am going to serve Him, and you can do what you please. It is no use you presenting yourself with your blandishments to me. . . I will not listen to you; I will close my heart against you.[21]
We are placed here as free agents to develop our divine nature. If we were not surrounded by darkness, explained President Cannon, Awe could not develop. . . Good and evil must be presented before us. . . We are free to do right or to do wrong and to choose the path we shall tread in.[22]
President John Taylor indicated that our physical senses, our faculties, have been given to us to enable our spirits to learn physical things more quickly and accurately. He stated, If I had time to enter into this subject alone I could show you upon scientific principles that man himself is a self-registering machine, his eyes, his ears, his nose, the touch, the taste, and all the various senses of the body, are so many media whereby man lays up for himself a record which perhaps nobody else is acquainted with but himself.[23]
We choose what we expose our faculties to by way of sights, sounds, thoughts and feelings, but the consequences of our choices are fixed. And when we choose the right we hunger and thirst after righteousness. But if the conduit for the spirit becomes polluted by what we choose to expose our minds to and the light goes out, the hunger and thirst for the things of the world can become an enslaving addiction. Can we be casual about what we expose our minds to? King Benjamin, in one of his last great addresses looking forward to our time warned, And finally, I cannot tell you all things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them. But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God...even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish...[24] The light will dim, and will gradually die out. It has been said, In the armory of thought [man] forges the weapons by which he destroys himself.[25]
An old Navaho was telling his grandson, as the story goes, about a fight that was going on inside himself. He said it was between two wolves. One is evil, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, self-pity, arrogance, resentment, inferiority, superiority and so on. The other is good, joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness and empathy. The grandson thought about this and asked, Which wolf wins? The simple reply: The one I feed.
Yes, the one we feed. While some of us are concerned with regulating diet to control cholesterol, others count fat grams and calories as if life itself depended on it. We should be more concerned with our spiritual diet, since our eternal lives do in fact depend on it!
The growth of God's kingdom in these latter days is commensurate with the faithful followers of Christ who hold the line. Every effort to seek the light, follow the light, be the light and share the light will shine through every act of service, every truth taught, every commandment obeyed, every resistance to evil, every effort to share the gospel and every prayer. When no one is watching our performance and there is no public applause, in the still quiet moments we will feel our Heavenly Father's approval.
Without a true sense of our spiritual identity we can be overcome by relating our feelings of worth to our appearance, our performance and other peoples opinions. If we use these worldly standards our days will always look dark. I will never forget the day in the beauty shop where the hairdresser with a strong accent stepped back to examine her work, looked at me and said, I'll bet you were really pretty when you were young!
I'm comforted by the words of Elder John Groberg:
If there were any eternal value to earthly wealth or position or title or income or physical beauty or prowess, then God would be a partial God, which He specifically says He is not. But there is no value to these things.
What then is the common denominator that covers all men and all women over all time and all circumstances? The amount of love they choose to develop in their hearts! Everyone is on equal footing to achieve that, to whatever degree they desire.[26]
Ordinances and Covenants
With a sincere desire and commitment to arise and shine forth that our light may be a standard for the nations we will be drawn to the light that comes through the ordinances and covenants of the temple.
President Packer reminds us, In the temple we face the sunlight of truth. The light of the temple, that understanding, shines upon us as does the light of the sun. And the shadows of sin and ignorance and error, of disappointment and failure, fall behind us. Nowhere quite equals the temple.[27]
In the past two and a half years Brother Kapp and I have had the opportunity to spend much time in the temple. I have had my eyes opened and my understanding increased as never before. I have a deeper sense of the magnitude and the vastness and eternal nature of the ordinances and covenants available in the temple. It is through the covenants made in the temple we find our greatest source of light and knowledge and power. It is in the ordinances of the temple we begin to more fully comprehend the very purpose of this earthly journey and the great plan of happiness. We learn of our divine inheritance as a child of God and our potential as an eternal being.
In the temple we learn to see things differently. Our values change. The light of the temple helps us gain an eternal perspective. Our covenant relationship with the Savior strengthens our desire and our commitment to arise and shine forth. We know that we can do better than we have ever done before.
The grandest blessing of the temple is the sealing power that unites families. It has been said, the marriage relationship, more than any other because it is more intimate, more constant, more important, is our greatest spiritual challenge and has the greatest potential along with parenthood, to make us godlike. I have found it most effective to use a challenging experience to tutor ourselves rather than to coach our partner. The challenge is not to train our companion but to train ourselves to focus on what is right rather than what is wrong, intent on fixing the relationship rather than fixing the blame.
Satan is real. His influence is real. The battle is raging and evil influences are marshaled to create contention, conflict, misunderstanding and miscommunication, and to use every effort to weaken the husband and wife relationship and destroy families. And if that happens the enemy scores a victory, and he laughs.
President Ezra Taft Benson promised, [The] temple will be a standing witness that the power of God can stay the powers of evil in our midst... There is a power associated with the ordinances of heaven-even the power of godliness-which can and will thwart the forces of evil if we will be worthy of those sacred blessings.[28]
When we were in the mission field one of the young sister missionaries who deeply admired the mission president - my husband - cornered me with what for her was a serious question she had obviously been pondering: AHow did you find a man like that?@ I responded, I didn't find him like that! Then I explained, We didn't begin where we are now. He has patiently guided, blessed, encouraged and protected me for these many years, and I've worked a bit on him. And we're not through yet. Over the years we have found our greatest strength, comfort, and guidance through our temple covenants as our love continues to grow.
Elder John A. Widstoe gave us this promise: Spiritual power is generated within temple walls, and sent out to bless the world. Light from the house of the Lord illumines every home within the Church fitted for its reception by participation in temple privileges. The path from the temple to the home of man is divinely brilliant. Every home penetrated by the temple spirit enlightens, cheers, and comforts every member of the household. The peace we covet is found in such homes.[29] It is little wonder that the First Presidency, in a letter dated March 11, 2003, asked, Where time and circumstances permit, members are encouraged to replace some leisure activities with temple service.[30]
In the temple we learn more of the great plan of happiness and our reason for unwavering hope. We learn of the promises in relation to our covenants and we feel God's binding love. We might feel as five year old Adam James did when his father asked, Adam do you know Heavenly Father loves you?@ Without hesitation he responded, Yes.
How do you know? his father asked.
He tells me in my mind to know.
The conversation continues. But you can't see him.
But he can see me.
What if someone said you can't know?
The child spoke again the truth he could feel. He tells me in my mind to know.
There are times when that assurance is absolutely essential if our light is to shine as we face the trials and tests which are the very purpose for this mortal life.
Of temple work President Boyd K. Packer wrote, No work is more spiritually refining. No work we do gives us more power. No work requires a higher standard of righteousness. Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people.[31] What price would you pay to insure these temple blessings for you and your posterity? You might ponder the question, How far do I live from the temple? I don't mean in miles or kilometers or minutes or hours. Someone living thousands of miles from a temple, who honors the covenants made in the temple, may live closer than someone who lives across the street. The distance to the temple is not measured in miles or minutes, but in priorities and commitment and preparation.
I witnessed the power and effectiveness of early preparation for the temple this past year. The Primary theme, as you may remember, was I Love to See the Temple, I'm Going There Someday. I had the opportunity to speak with many, many children in small groups and to learn from them. Now I want to tell you, there is a place to see a command performance of those willing to arise and shine! There is a light that emanates from such a gathering, not so much in what you see, but in what you feel.
This past year we received letters from primary children from as far away as Brazil asking about our temple. Their questions were varied. One astute young man wanted to know the reason the Cardston Temple does not have an angel Moroni on top. AIs it because you have low flying planes?@ A thoughtful inquiry for a young boy.
Addressing one group of children I asked, How are you preparing to come to the temple? Their arms shot straight in the air, eager to tell. One child on the front row with his arm straight in the air exploded with this wisdom: Don't drink Coke! Another gave additional wisdom, Don't eat bad stuff, and another, Do what is right no matter what! I was told that one child, when asked if his whole family kept the word of wisdom, responded regretfully, All but grandpa. He puts tobacco sauce on his food.
Then I asked, How many of you are preparing and looking forward to coming to the temple and being married in the temple? Every hand went up. I asked them, How many of you are trying to be obedient? Once again a unanimous response. One more question. What do you do to be obedient?@ A quick answer, Do what your mom says. Is it any wonder we are to become even as a child,[32] as the scripture teaches us?
As a child in Primary I remember standing and singing with my whole heart and soul, Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, to shine for him each day.[33] I remember feeling like he really needed me. And I remember how I felt deep inside singing, I'll be a sunbeam for him,[34] and feeling, AI can, if I but try. He still needs us, brothers and sisters, to shine for him each and every day. I know that we can if we but try. He will magnify our efforts.
We may never carry the light, the flame, the fire of the Olympic torch with the world looking on. But let us be a bright and burning flame as we pass the cleansing light of Christ to every nation through every generation when we do our part with the same conviction and enthusiasm as these children.
Our Commitment
The light from the temple is passed from one generation to the next through those who arise and shine forth, who take a stand and make a commitment to endure whatever difficulty or hardship is required. May it be recorded for generations to come that during our brief time of trial and test in this earth life experience that we did arise and shine forth fearlessly, courageously, and boldly. President Hinckley in a voice of warning for our day tells us, You cannot simply take for granted this cause, which is the cause of Christ. You cannot simply stand on the sidelines and watch the play between the forces of good and evil. Said Nephi, They who are not for me are against me, saith our God.(2 Nephi 10:16)[35] We are all enlisted till the conflict is o'er; Happy are we! Happy are we![36]
As we go forth from this gathering I=m impressed with the words of Rachel Naomi Remen:
Days pass and the years vanish and we walk sightless among miracles. Lord, fill our eyes with seeing and our minds with knowing. Let there be moments when your Presence, like lightening, illuminates the darkness in which we walk. Help us to see, wherever we gaze, that the bush burns, unconsumed. And we, clay touched by God, will reach out for holiness and exclaim in wonder, How filled with awe is this place and we did not know it.[37]
When we are committed to give all we have with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, His light will shine through us. And we will be filled with awe at the opportunities to influence and to lift others. In the words of Emily Dickenson,
We never know how high we are
Till we are called to rise,
And then, if we are true to plan,
Our statures touch the skies.
I bear witness from a lifetime of experience that God lives. He is our Father. We are his children. Jesus Christ is our Savior and our Redeemer, the life and light of the world.[38]
I pray that we will each resolve with increased determination to answer the call to arise and shine forth, that our light will be a standard for the nations.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Gordon B. Hinckley, At the Summit of the Ages,@ Ensign, Nov. 1999, 74
[2] D&C 115:3
[3] D&C 115:5
[4] Alma 46:12
[5] Romans 13:12, emphasis added
[6] D&C 128:19,22
[7] Behold! A Royal Army,@ Hymns, #251
[8] D&C 6:20
[9] Mormon 6:17
[10] 2 Nephi 9:41
[11] D&C 50:24
[12] D&C 84:45
[13] Mosiah 3:19
[14] Joseph Fielding Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 1976, p. 304.
[15] Quoted by Donald L. Staheli in AObedience, Life's Great Challenge,@ Ensign, May 1998, p. 81
[16] George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of President George Q. Cannon, selected, arranged, and edited by Jerreld L. Newquist, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1987, p. 18
[17] 3 Nephi 18:18
[18] Rev. 3:20
[19] D&C 88:67
[20] Proverbs 3:5
[21] George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of President George Q. Cannon, p. 17
[22] Ibid, p. 13
[23] Journal of Discourses, 26 vols., London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot, 1854-1886, 26: 32
[24] Mosiah 4:29-30
[25] James Allen, As a Man Thinketh, Putnam, p. 5
[26] John H. Groberg, In the Eye of the Storm, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1993, p. 279
[27] Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple , Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1980, p. 42
[28] Ezra Taft Benson, The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], p. 256
[29] AThe Holy Temple,@ Editorial, Improvement Era, 1936, Vol. XXXIX. April, 1936. No. 4
[30] First Presidency Letter, 11 March 2003
[31] Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1980], p. 265
[32] Mosiah 3:19
[33] Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam,@ Children's Songbook, p. 60
[34] Ibid.
[35] Gordon B. Hinckley, BYU Devotional address, Sept.17, 1996
[36] We Are All Enlisted,@ Hymns, #250
[37] Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., My Grandfather's Blessings, Redriver Book, pp. 72,73)
[38] D&C 10:70