Good afternoon, my brothers and sisters. I'm so humbled and excited to be here with you. Thanks for braving another winter blizzard to come to devotional. Oh wait, it's actually spring, isn't it? Well, welcome to another spring day in Rexburg! Even if the weather is a little harsh, aren't you grateful you are here learning and growing.
In preparing for my talk today, I've thought back to when I was a student at Ricks College. I came to this campus as a shy, 18-year-old freshman. I had been on two dates in my life, and I think my mom had asked both girls for me! I got excited for education here at BYU-Idaho. My instructors took an interest in me. They learned my name. I had always wanted to serve a mission because I had wonderful parents who trained me well, but the doctrines of the gospel really came alive for me here. I even got up the courage to ask a few girls on a date. I love BYU-Idaho! This place blessed my life! I pray that the Lord's blessings will be upon us today as I share an important message with you.
Today I'd like to draw some lessons from the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith when he was about your age. You might think that because he was such a great and noble spirit, he didn't get a lot of temptations. But he did get a lot of temptations, even though he was engaging in a great and noble work. Maybe I should say that he got a lot of temptations precisely because he was engaged in a great and noble work. That shouldn't surprise us. The adversary seems most interested in distracting and derailing the very people who can do the most good in building the Lord's kingdom.
That's why Joseph's example is so relevant for you. You, too, are valiant souls preparing to do a great work. The Lord needs you. He wants to bless many, many people through you. So, like Joseph, you are a target of Satan's most dangerous darts. If you are to be true to your mission, like Joseph, you will need to learn to have an eye single to the glory of God.
When Joseph Smith was nearly 18 years old, he wanted to know his standing before the Lord and to repent of his weaknesses. As he prayed, he was visited by the angel Moroni. Moroni told him that God had an important work for him, and then he told him of gold plates buried in a hill not far from his home. The next day, Joseph went to the spot, unearthed the stone box, and reached in to grab the plates. Oliver Cowdery wrote in an early Church publication that, as Joseph did so, he immediately received a shock from an unseen source that stunned his whole body. Eager to retrieve the treasure, he tried again and received another shock. Finally, thinking he just needed to exert more physical strength, he lunged for the plates only to receive the strongest shock yet. With anguish he cried out, "Why can't I obtain this book?"[1]
In a moment, Moroni was by his side and said, "Because [Joseph] you have not kept the commandments of the Lord."[2] For this great young man, who had just the night before received God's approval to bring forth the plates, this was troubling. What had he done? Although he'd been sternly warned by Moroni the night before to "be on his guard,"[3] according to Cowdery's account, as Joseph walked to the Hill Cumorah that morning and then uncovered the golden plates, he was influenced by two competing invisible powers working on his mind: one power from heaven prompting him to have the work and will of God as his only motive, and another power whispering he should sell the plates for riches, fame and an easy life. His mind would go back and forth between the reflections.[4]
Upon being shocked, Joseph realized he had been momentarily persuaded by the devil, and he turned to the Lord in prayer. As he prayed, his soul was lit up with the Holy Spirit as Moroni showed a sobering vision of "the prince of darkness [Satan], surrounded by his innumerable train of associates."[5] Just picture that-Lucifer, himself, and an endless throng of devils all gathered on the hillside united in their efforts to stop this young man. Wow! Moroni then said to Joseph, "All this is shown, that you may never be influenced or overcome by that wicked one."[6]
Through these experiences, Joseph learned that the whispers to seek worldly things brought darkness and confusion, while the thoughts of doing God's will, rather than his own, brought light and spirit. These were important lessons for the future prophet. Joseph then received an important charge from Moroni-to obtain the plates and accomplish the work of God, he must have a "pure heart" and "an eye single to the glory of God."[7]
Brothers and sisters, today I want to talk about keeping our hearts pure from the unholy and unimportant things of the world by having our eyes single to Christ. The Lord exhorts his disciples, "And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better"[8], and to not walk after worldly idols of Babylon.[9] If the devil would use worldly temptations to try to detour the great prophet of our dispensation, then he certainly will tempt you and me in the same way.
As noble youth, worthy to be here at BYU-Idaho, you may be saying, Brother Hammond, we don't smoke, drink, party, or be immoral like other college students, so why are you telling us this? For most of us, the devil doesn't start by tempting us to rob a bank, break the Word of Wisdom, or violate the law of chastity. Instead, he often paves the way by seeking to distract us from our real purpose on this earth using the things of this world. Your purpose in this life is to find the Lord Jesus Christ, commit to Him, and then spend the rest of your life bringing others to Him. The devil is going to do everything to stop you from that because he knows that as an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ, you are literally one in a thousand in this world. You young Latter-day Saints are Satan's worst nightmare because you are the light of the world.
Speaking of nightmares, you remember that in the Sacred Grove, the adversary overcame Joseph so forcefully that he feared "sudden destruction."[10] But isn't it interesting that Lucifer's tactic on Cumorah was not to physically overpower Joseph, not to run him over with hard core sin, but to simply detour him by whispering, "Joseph, you can do both, serve God and serve your own interests."[11] Satan is often portrayed in scripture as a great red dragon or serpent with big teeth and an anaconda squeeze, but he is most effective as a viper in the grass: the silent stalker, the master of the subtle attack, who sneaks up behind us, and bites us on our proverbial Achilles heel, targeting our weakest spot.12 Of the serpent who represented Satan, the Lord declared, "And now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which I, the Lord God, had made."[13] It is interesting that each time the word subtle is used in scripture, it describes Satan or someone who is following him.[14]
Remember how Amalickiah, the most devilish antagonist in the Book of Mormon, had his enemy poisoned by degrees.[15] Satan seeks to poison our souls by degrees, injecting the world into our hearts so gradually that we don't notice what's happening until it's too late. The Lord teaches us line upon line, here a little there a little, and Satan counterfeits the same method.[16] President Uchtdorf taught this same principle when he told the story of the plane that was just two degrees off course-a small error that proved fatal when the plane crashed into a mountain. He concluded, "[T]he difference between happiness and misery in individuals, in marriages, and families often comes down to an error of only a few degrees."[17] Avoiding worldly distractions really makes a difference.
The adversary often tries to distract us using things that are not inherently evil but become tools in his hands when they begin to consume us or distract us from our true purpose. I love to fish, and I developed that love from my dear dad, and so I always read John 21 with great interest. After Christ's death, Peter and some of the other apostles had returned to Galilee, where the Savior promised to meet them. Peter sounds like he's from Idaho when, in verse 3, he says to the apostles with him, "I go a fishing." I can joke about that because I'm an Idahoan! President James E. Faust said that Peter and his brethren "seemed to have forgotten that they were called to be fishers of men."[18] Later, when the Savior appears on the shore and teaches Peter over a dinner of fish, the Savior asks Peter a simple but penetrating question, "[L]ovest thou me more than these?"[19]
Fishing isn't inherently bad. Thank goodness! But if we are not careful, fishing and any other hobby can come between us and the Lord. President Faust taught, "The requirement that we should love the Lord above fish, bank accounts, automobiles, fine clothing, . . . or any other possession is total; it is absolute."[20] The Lord repeatedly warns us against setting our hearts on the things of this world. Indeed, why is it that many are called and few are chosen? "Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men."[21]
Almost every time I have listened to President Clark speak to the graduates of BYU-Idaho, he has powerfully warned them to keep the world out of their hearts. His decision to put aside the prestige and honors of being the Dean of Harvard Business School, and heed a prophet's call to come to Rexburg, shows he is a man who practices what he preaches.
Ponder, just for a moment, your Achilles heel, your most vulnerable spot. What worldly weakness do you see in your armor that may be exposed to Satan's cunning attack? Think of a subtle way he could get you. Is it a thirst for riches, fame, and the easy, leisurely life? Or does it take another form, such as an obsession for the nicest cars, toys, and technology, or for the latest fashions, music, movies, or Justin "Beiber fever?" Perhaps it's a fixation with physical appearance that you spend inordinate amounts of time lifting weights, shopping, sun tanning, dieting, or dating only those deemed gorgeous. Or maybe it is letting things like March Madness, Jimmermania, hitting the powder at Grand Targhee, watching "The Office," playing Xbox 360, or letting iPads, iPhones, iTunes, and every other thing that starts with "i" take so much of our time that we neglect the things that matter most. As disciples, we must be careful that we are not so consumed with the latest apps on our phones that we fail to use the most important app of all: applying the gospel in our lives.
Something that really helped in my college years to be less worldly and more engaged in social and academic life was not having a TV in the apartment. Anyone else find that to be true? Even though I was a C-Span, Discovery Channel, and ESPN fan, shortly after my wife and I were married, we decided that we would not have cable TV in our home. We got a little antenna that would allow us to watch a couple of local channels. For the last 17 years that's all we've had. My mother still can't get over how much money we've saved by cutting cable TV, but the greatest benefit has come to our children. I'm a better dad, and my kids are better kids without a lot of TV and worldly entertainment. Unfortunately, in our world today, the media can be not only distracting, but deadly to our spirituality.
Another thing that can distract our eye from the glory of God is a drive to excel in school or career-not so we can lift others, but so that we will be lifted over others. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland recently said to college students, "As you stand on the threshold of your bright and beautiful future, may heaven strip from you this very hour, this very instant, any budding taste you may have for acquiring unseemly wealth or authoritarian power or worldly acclaim for acclaim's sake."[22]
Now, as I observe you students, I see exemplary disciples who are standing apart from the world. Thousands of you have taken an hour out of your busy schedules to come to this devotional today even as crunch time approaches. I see you making time for temple service and devoting your energies to your Church callings. I notice in class that your focus is less on the grade and the degree and more on the learning. Faithfully, you filter your secular knowledge through the gospel sieve rather than the other way around. I'm so impressed by you young men who choose a major that is motivated less by its financial prospects than by it matching well with your God-given talents and your desires to have time for the church and your family. I respect you young women who are taking the path of my sweet wife-which is to studiously prepare for a meaningful career in the workplace without losing sight of the most important job in the world: being a full-time mother I praise her for that, and her posterity will too.
It warms my heart every time I see a young married couple that is expecting or has a little baby. It's such a sacrifice, but it's also such a blessing! As I see you strive to be independent of the world by staying out of debt and limiting your dependence on government welfare, I have hope for our country.
Kudos to you young couples who are told by almost everyone that you are too young, too immature, and too poor to get married, but when you know it's right, you courageously move forward. When Joseph Smith was 21, he didn't have a penny to his name, and his future in-laws were opposed, but he loved Emma and had a confirmation from the Lord that she was the right person. So he pursued her and convinced her to marry him.[23] Of course it's a little risky, and you should follow Elder Oaks' counsel to "inquire well" before you get engaged, but whatever you do, don't use the world's standards and judgments when it comes to who to marry and when to marry.[24]
As amazing as you are, perhaps as Christ warned in the parable of the sowers, the "cares of this world"[25] threaten to choke out the growth of the gospel in some of our lives. How do we start clearing the weeds of worldliness around us?
Of course the answer is not to remain a full-time missionary forever or go live in a cave. We must be in the world, and not of it.[26] May I suggest one key to helping us keep our eye single to the glory of God? Ironically, it is daily studying the very book Satan was seeking to prevent Joseph from obtaining and translating for us: the Book of Mormon.
President Ezra Taft Benson pleaded with us all to study the Book of Mormon daily. He gave three reasons "why Latter-day Saints should make the study of the Book of Mormon a lifetime pursuit." I'll only mention one of them: "[the book] was written for our day," President Benson declared. "The Nephites never had the book; neither did the Lamanites of ancient times. It was meant for us."[27]
Think of it. The Book of Mormon was written for the day of Facebook and iPhones, Netflix and Nintendo, pornography and PlayStation 3. Perhaps that is why, as President Benson explained, "more than anywhere else, we see in the Book of Mormon the dangers of materialism and setting our hearts on the things of the world."[28]
Here is just one clear example from Alma 39:14: "Seek not after riches, nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you." We often think of "vain" as synonymous with "proud," and it can mean that. But the first definition in the 1828 Webster's Dictionary for that word is "Empty; worthless; having no substance, value or importance."[29]
How fitting that the book written for the day of endless options for squandering our time would warn us against investing too much of ourselves in things that ultimately don't really matter at all. In Joseph Smith's day and during most of the world's history, most men didn't have the option of play and triviality; they were just trying to survive. When we feast upon the words of Christ contained in the Book of Mormon, they steer us away from the things that matter least to the things that matter most.
Again, I'm not saying that Facebook or fishing are bad. But we can all benefit from asking whether any of our hobbies are taking too much of our time. Are you spending more time on Facebook than on Foundations? Have you become more proficient at texting than at talking face-to-face with friends in need? Do we have time to surf the Net but not enough time to study our scriptures? Try substituting 30 minutes of daily Book of Mormon study instead of the 30 minutes of time you might now spend on the vain things of this world.
Marion G. Romney, a former member of the First Presidency, related that his parents were worried that he might get caught up in the world because he had chosen the spiritually dangerous profession of being a lawyer. He was worried about it too, so he made a goal that he would read the Book of Mormon for 30 minutes every day during one of the busiest times of his life. He credited that practice with keeping him on the path. And he added, "It will hold us as close to the Spirit of the Lord as anything I know."
Our little family up here on the stage has been so blessed by the Book of Mormon. As we read together each night it seems that every verse has a powerful message perfectly timed and tuned to our needs. I know it is God's word to edify and fortify us in today's challenges. President Benson said, "[O]ur families may be corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book to expose and combat falsehoods."[30] I'm not the greatest father, but probably the most important thing that I can recommend to you future fathers and mothers is to read this book with your family. The Book of Mormon will help us to keep our eye single, for it is the book of books. I love it.
Joseph Smith was God's instrument to bring forth His work in these latter days. Jesus Christ has the power to crush the serpent Satan through his great atonement, and if we come to Him, he will deliver us from sin and all our worldly desires. I praise Him for his love and mercy. I know He is beckoning us to look to him and not to the world. It is my prayer that we diligently strive to keep our eye single to the glory of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Notes
[1] Oliver Cowdery, in LDS Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1835, 198
[2] Ibid
[3] Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, 1954, 78
[4] Oliver Cowdery, in LDS Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1835, 198
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[7] Cowdery, The Papers of Joseph Smith. Edited by Dean C. Jesse, 1:87-88
[8] Doctrine and Covenants 25:10
[9] Doctrine and Covenants 1:16
[10] Joseph Smith History 1:15
[11] Matthew 6:24
[12] Revelation 12:3
[13] Moses 4:5
[14] Alma 12:4; Alma 47:4; Doctrine and Covenants 123:12
[15] Alma 47:18
[16] Doctrine and Covenants 128:21
[17] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "A Matter of a Few Degrees," Ensign, May 2008, 57-60
[18] James E. Faust, "Them That Honour Me Will I Honour," Ensign, May 2001, 4
[19] John 21:15
[20] James E. Faust, "Them That Honour Me Will I Honour," Ensign, May 2001, 4-5
[21] Doctrine and Covenants 121:35
[22] Jeffrey R. Holland, Church News, 8 May 2010, 10
[23] Richard Bushman, Rough Stone Rolling, 2005, 53
[24] Dallin H. Oaks, "Divorce," Ensign, May 2007, 73
[25] Mark 4:19
[26] John 17:15
[27] Ezra Taft Benson, "The Book of Mormon-Keystone of Our Religion," Ensign, Nov. 1986, 4
[28] Ibid
[29] "Vain," 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary, http://1828.mshaffer.com
[30] Ibid