"Sacred Support"
Michael C. Cannon
November 23, 2004
It’s a great delight and opportunity to be with you during this week of Thanksgiving, though I recognize it is a tough time to be a turkey! (And I speak somewhat from personal experience in this regard!) That aside, I’m thankful to have not yet attained “stuffed status” and for bounteous blessings, including the privilege of working and living and learning among you and of being uplifted by your energy and goodness. Hardly a day goes by that I’m not reminded of what a privilege it is to work and serve on this campus and hope you feel that way as well.
In contemplating recent experiences common at BYU–Idaho, many impressions and images come to mind. They include being in the Idaho Falls Temple and feeling your collective strength and goodness; being edified by your teaching and powerful testimonies; having two of you come in and ask for support to raise $10,000 for medical equipment for a 5-year-old boy; grading examples of creative, professional-quality work that rivals anything produced anywhere; receiving a thoughtful note or two – with plates of cookies and other goodies that could contribute to grade inflation; listening to a delightful persuasive speech – by a male, of course – suggesting that women who ask men on dates are fulfilling the commandment to act and not be acted upon; witnessing the spiritual synergy of service as 400 of you fill a cultural hall and compile, pack and load for shipment more than 1,000 school kits for needy children worldwide; being mistaken for BYU–Idaho religion professor Greg Palmer, which happens often and always makes my day; interviewing some of you for temple recommends and Church callings; sensing the support of hundreds of you for a young man who, in stake conference, speaks from a tender heart about being the only Church member in his family, and of his desire to overcome parental and sibling animosity concerning his conversion; observing countless small acts of courtesy and kindness – from doors held to equipment carried to encouragement given classmates who struggle with an assignment; listening to you discuss world events with wisdom and insights beyond your years; and sensing in these and so many other things compassion and commitment and capacity and courage connected to your covenants that conveys great hope and confidence in the future of the Church as you move forward as leaders and lights in a darkening world. Thank you for who and what you are and are becoming – and for what you represent and do.
In these examples – and countless others we could share – is a consistent theme of what I would like to call “sacred support” – the title of this address. This includes support for one another, for the Lord and His Church, and for each of us from a loving Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son who direct, sustain, tutor, cleanse and comfort us through the Holy Ghost. As those in the “fold of God” who are “called his people,” we are nurtured and supported by each other as a result of being “willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in…that ye may be redeemed of God…that ye may have eternal life” (Mosiah 18:8-9).
This notion of “sacred support” originates in the 44th Chapter of Alma, where Captain Moroni – whose workout and leadership-training programs I’d like to someday adopt – speaks boldly to Lamanite leader Zerahemnah. Moroni and his men had gained the upper hand in battle, and he called upon Zerahemnah and his troops to lay down their weapons of war and enter into a covenant of peace. Moroni explains to Zerahemnah that it was the support of the Lord that has given the Nephites their advantage. “Yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion” (Alma 44:4).
He then commands the Lamanites to disarm and depart in peace,
in the name of that all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have gained power over you, by our faith, by our religion, and by our rites of worship (ordinances), and by our church, and by the sacred support which we owe to our wives and our children … and also by the maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us (Alma 44:5, emphasis added).
This brief phrase, “sacred support,” has resonated in my mind and feelings for some time. Let’s consider sources of sacred support in our lives and how we can render such support to other people. We all need help from heaven and, at times, from others. And as mentioned in Mosiah 18, we are under covenant obligation to render such assistance as disciples of Jesus Christ.
As with all gospel doctrines, principles, ordinances and covenants, the roots of “sacred support” tap into the all-encompassing Atonement of our Lord and Savior. He and He alone is our only sure, unfailing source of support that we know will always be there – come what may. Family and friends and other means of help are sometimes strong and seemingly sure. But we can all think of examples when these and other means of strength are diminished due to change, choices, death or other circumstances. Being built upon the “rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God,” ensures
that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds (and he surely will), yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall (Helaman 5:12).
While the Lord is always there for support, the scriptures remind us “that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell” (Alma 30:60).
There is never support from the adversary, who works fiendishly and frantically for our misery and desires to destroy you. He is not a myth or fairy tale but, as the Prophet Joseph said concerning his bout with the powers of darkness prior to the First Vision – “not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being” (Joseph Smith History 1:16). Fortunately for Joseph and all of us, sacred support manifested itself in the form of the Father and the Son. Peter describes the adversary as a “roaring lion … seeking whom he may devour.” Satan despises you for helping vanquish him in the pre-mortal world through the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony. We cannot dabble in darkness without taking huge risks. Conversely, we have nothing to fear as we are faithful.
When Moroni said in his final testimony that “despair cometh because of iniquity,” (Moroni 10:22), I believe he was primarily referring to the loss of hope that comes from sin. But despair also may result from the iniquity of others, and to spiritually sensitive souls who can become overwhelmed with world conditions. Then, of course, there are the seemingly random bad things that happen to good people. In all of this I testify that there really is no randomness – that God is at the helm and notes even the sparrow’s fall. I know He does micro-manage our lives without ever robbing us of our agency, especially as we seek His influence and support.
In times of trial, our faith must deepen and give way to hope in and through the Savior, which leads to charity, the pure love of Christ. President James E. Faust noted in the October 2004 General Conference, “Each of us needs to have our own storehouse of faith to help us rise above the troubles that are part of this mortal probation” (Ensign October 2004, p. 20). Great faith – gleaned primarily through obedience – is why Nephi could also be filled with hope and love in spite of persecution from his brethren, the death of his father and other difficulties. The Lord delights to support those who “look to [Him] in every thought” and who doubt and fear not (Doctrine and Covenants 6:36).
Between his workout sessions at the gym, Nephi spoke succinctly of sacred support and the blessings of leaning upon the Lord:
My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh (2 Nephi 4:20-21).
Perhaps the summary theme throughout the Old Testament – and really in all of scripture – is to trust implicitly in the promises and powers of Jehovah for support. As latter-day saints, we must have the reliance so often lacking in the children of Israel as we consistently cultivate and demonstrate full faith in the Lord Jesus and in His plan and timetable for us.
If we have truly internalized the teachings of Jesus Christ as true disciples who have “no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually”; who have taken upon ourselves His name and undergone a mighty change of heart and maintained a remission of sins through continual repentance; then we qualify for the Lord’s sacred support and can count on it for cleansing, comfort, direction, protection and strength. We will stand strong, recover when we stumble, endure, overcome and prevail. And our journey will be joyful, in spite of external influences and opposition. The Savior, of course, is the perfect embodiment of all of this.
Perhaps this box with its supports can illustrate this principle. Let’s presume the box is you or me or any of us – more like me than you since it’s a lifeless square and doesn’t have hair. These “pillars” represent sources of support that could be family, friends, health, employment – any number of good things. But let’s suppose one is taken away for some reason, then another. Suddenly, what we assumed would always be a sure foundation is undermined and looks a bit flimsy. Then it seems as if everything is pulled out from under us through tragedy or adversity of some sort. To outside eyes, it appears as if we will fall.
But the man or woman of Christ will still stand who has laid “hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful,” and will be led in a “strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery … and land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven” (Helaman 3:29-30). This support comes from internalizing spiritual things and having them become part of us. Our foundation then rests upon the rock of our Redeemer, as Helaman said, “on whom for a blessing” we can call with confidence.
This importance of “clinging” to the rod – the word of God – and not casually touching it now and then was reiterated when going though the Haunted Mill a few weeks ago with our 14-year-old daughter, Kristen, and three of her friends. They voted 4-1 for me to lead, then bunched up behind me with hands on my shoulders and around my neck. It was a fearful trip, mostly due to the screams of my young companions. And there really were moments where it was pitch dark and confusing.
I thought, “Great, they’ll either have to turn on the lights to get us out of here or find us sometime the next morning.” But I had to be brave and, fortunately, found railings or ropes at key moments to latch on to that got us through. I would take hold of these guides really tight, and we made it through without incident.
Life can likewise have twists and turns, ups and downs. I testify that clinging to the rod – the word of God in all its forms – and maintaining the Holy Spirit as our guide is a sure source of strength and direction through it all.
Besides daily immersion in prayer and scriptures, other sources of spiritual support include priesthood ordinances and blessings, resolute repentance, personal purity, sustaining those with keys and mantles who preside, receiving righteous rebukes, temple worship, fasting, keeping covenants, gratitude, tithes and offerings, faithful friendships, service, ministering in word – both written and spoken, physical and fiscal fitness, integrity, honoring the name of Christ we’ve taken upon ourselves, and to “always remember Him and keep His commandments,” that we may “always have His Spirit” to be with us. In all of these things there is safety, peace, joy, power and constant support.
Trusting in the arm of the Lord is always essential, though at times it becomes especially critical.
As a mission president, that reliance was literally 24/7 for three years. It had to be. The telephone rang one morning, and I was told one of our marvelous senior missionaries, Elder Howard Jensen, was seriously ill in a Lexington hospital 75 minutes away. Elder Jensen was a sweet, good man and president of a small branch in southern Kentucky. He and Sister Jensen were a remarkable source of support and leadership to the saints there.
Things quickly went from bad to worse with Elder Jensen’s health. I got to the hospital, where he was receiving mechanical assistance breathing and with other vital functions. One of his sons was there with his parents, and I ran an errand to a nearby pharmacy. Elder Jensen’s prognosis looked grim. It was an agonizing time.
As I drove back into the hospital parking garage, I prayed fervently to know what to do. The impression came that Elder Jensen would not live, that I should offer Sister Jensen a blessing from her son and then bless Elder Jensen. The Lord would manifest His will through that blessing, and we all would know what needed to be done. That happened, and we released Elder Jensen to continue his faithful service on the other side of the veil, in accordance with the Lord’s will. As difficult as these events were, I think they would have been impossible without the constant guidance and support of the Spirit, which also provided great comfort in the aftermath. We received a powerful witness of Elder Jensen’s sublime status and preparation.
In this and other experiences, prayer is such a sweet source of support. When Satan confronted Moses, “tempting him” and calling him “son of man,” Moses remembered he was a son of God. He was not deceived and “calling upon God, he received strength” and chased the adversary from his presence (Moses 1:12-22). Nephi reminds us we must pray, and that the evil spirit teaches us not to pray. The Brother of Jared was chastened three hours for not calling upon the Lord, and then repented of the “evil” he had done in being neglectful. The Savior often arose early and prayed and was strengthened in Gethsemane as He called upon His Father. How much more, then, do we need the blessings of prayer?
Spiritual support is a great assurance and source of security, but as noted it doesn’t guarantee a leisurely stroll through mortality. Yet if we walk with the Lord, as Cleopas and another disciple discovered while traveling the Emmaus road after the resurrection of Jesus, our hearts will “burn within us, while he [talks] with us by the way, and while he [opens] to us the scriptures” (Luke 24:32). I witness of this reality, that Jesus is the Christ and that He has borne our sins, sorrows, sicknesses, grief –
suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor (support) his people according to their infirmities (Alma 7:11-12).
I know Jesus descended below and experienced all things that we might rise above them, but we must make the initiative to take His yoke upon us. He beckons, but we must act:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
This loving invitation is laced with action words on our part, such as “come,” “take,” and “learn.” There are many things we can do to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him, and deny [ourselves] of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:32-33) so we can qualify for the grace of the Savior. To merit His help, we must be “doers of the word and not hearers only” (James 1:22). Then, as we receive His sacred support, we must do our best to lift and encourage others.
A number of years ago I witnessed a nice example of friends rejoicing in others’ successes and in cheering each other on. I drove a school bus for three years during college. It was a real kick – everything from kindergarten kids as cute as bugs to junior high students you sometimes wanted to squash like bugs! While driving the afternoon route for several weeks I would regularly see the Cedar High School cross-country team working out. I enjoyed running and would clock their speed while trying to stay off the sidewalk. There always was a pack of runners and then one lone runner some distance behind. He ran with a noticeable limp, and I admired his spunk. Sometime later, I received an assignment to drive this group to the regional meet in Utah County. We had a nice trip, and I was impressed with the close-knit nature of the team. The runner with the limp was Geoff, and his impediment stemmed from birth. He fit right in, and the others told him this was his big day. Geoff had finished dead last in every meet to that point, and his friends suggested this meet he would outrun someone – anyone. They built up his confidence.
As runner after runner staggered across the finish, heaving and huffing, there was still no Geoff. Everyone on his team was finished, when they suddenly started to yell and cheer wildly. The reason for their enthusiasm could be seen a quarter-mile away. Geoff was ahead of a couple of runners and was trying to hold them off as they kicked toward the finish line. A teammate sprinted out to meet him and ran along, cheering him on. Others whooped and hollered, and Geoff finished ahead of one or two others to the delight of his teammates in his last race of the season. He beamed as they slapped him on the back and congratulated him for his courage and effort. It was a touching little scene of sacred support that fulfilled Paul’s words: “Ye ought to support the weak … and to remember … it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
Of course, like anything we wish to attain, the Lord’s support for us hinges upon our desire for it and faith we will receive it. Before Nephi conversed with the Spirit of the Lord, he “desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain.” In the scriptures, mountains have great significance as places of holiness – natural temples – where the Lord often reveals Himself. From Moses on Sinai to the Brother of Jared on Shelem to Nephi’s mountain to the Mount of Transfiguration to Cumorah – marvelous manifestations often occur in sacred mountaintop experiences. Those ascending these “mountains of the Lord” have clean hearts and hands and a desire to be in the Lord’s presence and to obtain His support for sometimes difficult issues.
There is clarity of vision that comes from literal and figurative mountaintop experiences. We can feel the Lord’s love and guidance every day as we pray, ponder and search the scriptures. Nephi said that his father, Lehi, “As he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord” (1 Nephi 1:12). We receive this same blessing as we search the scriptures consistently.
It was enjoyable last summer to hike Mount Timpanogos in Utah with my brother and his sons. The early morning trip up was delightful, with wildflowers in full bloom and not much heat. Our light backpacks were filled with lunch, water, cameras and snacks. Like any journey to a higher elevation, there was some fatigue. But with a goal and encouragement, it was a pretty smooth hike. The view from the summit extended for miles and was breathtaking.
When we ascend spiritual summits, we may become fatigued or blistered due to the sometimes rocky and steep trail. There was one person climbing Timp who had a badly sprained ankle and had to turn back. Another group we passed was fearful of heights and retreated from the summit. That didn’t matter, except they missed the view. It does matter spiritually, however, if we are injured and can’t or won’t reach our goals and potential. Our divine destiny is at stake. Support from higher sources and others can help keep us going, or even carry us when injured.
As we cry unto the Lord and qualify for His help, we can, like the people of Alma,
be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage (that bondage may be physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, intellectual, social, even political).
And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience (two key virtues for all of us to develop) that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage (Mosiah 24:13-16).
Sometimes “on the morrow” is literally the next day, as in this instance. But other times deliverance “on the morrow” is according to the Lord’s reckoning of time and plan for us and requires endurance. The Prophet Joseph learned this lesson repeatedly, including while he languished in Liberty Jail. After months of imprisonment and abuse, Joseph understandably cried out, “O god, where art thou? … How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye … behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries?” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:2)
What was a merciful Heavenly Father’s response? “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes” (v. 8). These foes include death, sin, and all forms of adversity inherent in mortality.
The Father continued in a subsequent revelation: “Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?” (Doctrine and Covenants 122:7-8)
It is helpful to remember that in all afflictions, the only ones that have lasting impact are those we inflict upon ourselves and do not properly resolve. Failure to repent – with complete confession of serious transgressions, such as violations of the law of chastity – makes the Savior’s suffering for our sins null and void and necessitates we pay the demands of justice ourselves without qualifying for His mercy: “For behold, I, God have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; but if they would not repent they must suffer even as I” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-17).
Sin not properly and completely resolved is the only lasting tragedy from an eternal perspective. Everything else – injustice, abuse, separation, sickness, death – is completely swallowed up through the all-encompassing Atonement of our Lord once we depart mortality.
Elder Marion D. Hanks, an emeritus member of the Seventy, had a plaque on his office wall in the Church Office Building that caught my attention during an interview. “To believe in God is to know all the rules will be fair, and there will be wonderful surprises.” I love this statement and testify of its validity. My wife, Shauna, has stitched it onto a number of pillows for people who have endured suffering or lost loved ones to death. It rings sweet and true and hopeful. In some of these dark and difficult moments I’ve seen and felt – as have many of you – the sacred support of the Savior in rich abundance.
His love and blessings have been needed and given more times than I could name through the years. I’m thankful for good parents who implemented faith in my heart, and for a wonderful mother who taught me the power of prayer before she was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I would get bad earaches as a boy, and we would kneel at her bedside. She would ask Heavenly Father to bring relief and comfort and sleep – and it seems to me as if they always came. Her faith was tested and strengthened as she and my less-active father began the process of conversion together and were taught by full-time missionaries. When the time came to commit to baptism or go another direction, Mom put her trust in the Lord and in a spirit of fasting and prayer opened the Book of Mormon randomly to find an answer. It opened to Alma Chapter 7, and verse 15 seemed to jump off the page:
Come and fear not, and lay aside every sin which easily doth beset you … yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism (Alma 7:15).
That was her answer in powerful fashion, and she followed through. Dad got things in order and baptized her, and we were sealed as a family in the temple two years later. Their choices and examples have provided a foundation of sacred support that has blessed our family and countless others since, including many in South Africa where they served as missionaries.
A wonderful wife and companion picked up the tutoring when parents nudged me from the nest at the appropriate time. Shauna is a woman of deep faith and inherent goodness who understands spiritual support and how to receive and administer it. She just finished the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants and is wrestling with Romans in the New Testament, which she’s read multiple times. The sacred support and influence of righteous, virtuous women in the Lord’s scheme of things cannot be overstated. Men and women need to support each other in our divinely appointed duties and roles.
It is instructive that the risen Lord appeared first to “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary,” according to the account in Matthew 28, then sent them to give the glorious news to his brethren. President Joseph F. Smith’s Vision of the Redemption of the Dead speaks of the Savior’s visit to the Spirit World between death and resurrection and notes an assembly of “great and mighty ones,” including “our glorious Mother Eve, with many of her faithful daughters who had lived through the ages and worshiped the true and living God” (Doctrine and Covenants 138:38-39).
There should always to be sacred support for women and womanhood, especially by men of Christ who need to treat daughters of God with the utmost of respect and affirmation. And women need to conduct and clothe themselves accordingly and reciprocate respect and support for the priesthood: “Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:11). This is true of marriage and in the kingdom generally. Everyone who is worthy has a seat at the banquet table and at ward and stake councils. We ought to be extending heartfelt hands and invitations to those who are not worthy to help them get there.
In speaking of exemplary women, I am reminded of three remarkable young sister missionaries with whom we had the privilege of serving in Kentucky and who have since passed away. All three had the Spirit in their lives in rich abundance. All three were worthy and ready when “called home” at such an early age. They provide powerful examples of being “justified” before the Father and receiving His support, which simply means the Holy Ghost is active in our lives so our ordinances and covenants are in full force. Thus the Savior can justify our lives and efforts as our advocate with the Father – and his grace is sufficient for us to receive eternal life.
Sister Shellise Sharp was killed near Boise when her vehicle was hit broadside by a speeding car. She was a great missionary who helped teach a woman in our home who Sister Cannon contacted at the Kroger bakery. They had a sweet experience working with this woman who ended up joining the Church.
I mentioned how Heavenly Father is in charge and knows the end from the beginning. Sister Sharp was with us when we spoke in sacrament meeting upon returning home in July 2002. She literally glowed with a radiance that was somewhat surreal and unearthly, which Shauna and I discussed on our drive home. Eight days later, we understood why. Though we, her family and friends mourned – and still mourn – her passing when we gathered for her funeral, the Spirit bore witness concerning how prepared she was to move on.
We didn’t have the privilege of having Sister Josie Johnson in our mission for long. She was assigned temporarily to Kentucky while awaiting her visa to serve overseas. But she was one who, when arriving at the mission home with her companion, instantly made a profoundly positive impact. My wife and I just looked at each other and thought, “Wow. What strings can we pull at Church headquarters to have her assigned to us permanently?” Of course, that wasn’t the plan, and a few weeks later she was off to Belgium. She left a huge imprint for good on her area in Kentucky and upon her associates. We were heartbroken to learn she was hit and killed while bicycling in one of the canyons above Salt Lake City a few months ago.
Sister Alexandria Wagley was another incredible missionary who inexplicably was diagnosed with lung cancer shortly after her return home. Her cancer was one of those seemingly random bad things that happen to great people. No habits in her life could have predicted it. Sister Wagley endured chemotherapy, radiation, several hospitalizations and finally succumbed on September 28 of this year.
In the words of her parents: “We will always miss Alexandria. She was an amazing person. We’re amazed that Heavenly Father entrusted her to our care for 29 years. What an undeserved blessing that was! How we loved her! Throughout this whole ordeal she never complained, nor did she whine, ‘Why me?’ In fact, she was so uncomplaining that we had no idea how near to death she was. We know that the spirit world is a happier place with our sunshine girl there.”
I know it is, too, and reiterate in these three circumstances – and in so many others – that “to believe in God is to know all the rules will be fair, and there will be wonderful surprises.” There is hope. There is a life – everlasting life and, if faithful like these three, eternal life – beyond this veil of tears thanks to what Jesus has done for all of us.
The promise in Isaiah is sweet and sure: “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces” (Isaiah 25:8). I like to believe that drying of tears is something the Savior will do personally, for as Jacob points out, “the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there” (2 Nephi 9:41).
I testify of that and of Him and His chosen servants, the living oracles Bishop H. David Burton spoke of in a devotional here a few weeks ago. I love and sustain President Gordon B. Hinckley and all those called to direct the Lord’s work at every level. It’s a blessing to serve in the BYU-Idaho 2nd Stake under a sweet and inspired stake president and with other dedicated leaders who provide strong spiritual support and leadership.
President Hinckley has challenged us to do our best, but I think sometimes we can rationalize a bit into thinking we’re giving our all when we probably have much more to give. He clarified his thoughts and encouragement at a worldwide satellite training broadcast.
I have been quoted as saying, ‘Do the best you can.’ But I want to emphasize that it be the very best. We are too prone to be satisfied with mediocre performance. We are capable of doing so much better. Brethren and sisters, we must get on our knees and plead with the Lord for help and strength and direction. We must then stand on our feet and move forward (“Standing Strong and Immovable,” Jan. 10, 2004, Satellite Training Broadcast).
Does anyone exemplify doing one’s best, moving forward with faith and urgency, and trusting in the Lord more than our beloved prophet and leader?
I recall being in Hawaii on a Church News assignment in February 1996. President and Sister Hinckley had gone there for several events in connection with the Polynesian Cultural Center and to fulfill other responsibilities. I was privileged to report on the “Aloha” outpouring given them. It was a delightful experience.
Before returning home, I attended a session in the Hawaii Temple. President David Hanneman was a gracious host and invited me to dress in a room adjacent to his office. He said President Hinckley had been there the previous day for a session, and pointed out the white socks worn by the prophet that were still there. I dressed and realized I had forgotten my temple socks. President Hanneman said he would get me a pair, then he smiled and asked: “Maybe you would like to wear President Hinckley’s?” I said it would be an honor – and it was.
More important than following in a prophet’s socks is following his footsteps and example and in doing our very best. I testify in doing so there is safety, security and spiritual support that bring peace and joy in this life and eternal life in the world to come.