Some years ago, while living in Arizona, the company that I worked for gave me the responsibility to organize and direct a week-long high school youth tour of Washington, D.C. This became an annual event that required months of planning and organization. It was no small task to bring 30 to 40 students and chaperones to our nation's capital for a week-long tour.
The hard part was to make all the preliminary arrangements for flights, hotel rooms, tour busses and other accommodations. Once that was accomplished, the actual trip itself was always enjoyable and rewarding. Many of the students had never been to Washington, D.C. before and it was a real pleasure to take them there and enjoy the wonderful and interesting sights the capital city has to offer.
One of the highlights of the tour was to visit the impressive monuments located along the National Mall. It was always an inspiring sight to see the Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials and to reflect on the remarkable accomplishments of these men. There were many other monuments to visit. All of them brought deep feelings of gratitude and veneration for the founders and protectors of our nation.
Out of all the monuments, one in particular stood out to me. This was the Vietnam Veteran's memorial which honors the men and women who served in the Vietnam War. The Memorial is made up of two massive rock walls more than 200 feet long. The smooth, black, stone walls have been polished to the point that they appear as giant mirrors sunk into the ground with the earth behind them. Engraved on these reflective walls are the names of fellow Americans who gave their lives in service to their country. More than 58,200 names are permanently chiseled in the gleaming stone.
When I visited this memorial for the first time, I noticed a distinctive change in the way the tourists approached it and viewed it. The normal chatter from visitors diminished and the whole area seemed to invoke a quiet reverence as each visitor began to move down the slightly sloping path along this wall.
Some of the visitors left notes, flowers and other sentimental items near this wall. Others placed small pieces of paper over specific names and with the use of pencils carefully produced rubbings of the names of loved ones and friends. Although the wall was designed in a simplistic style, it seemed to have a remarkable capacity to beckoned each visitor to stop, reflect and examine it closely. I have never forgotten my first visit to the Vietnam Memorial. I have been privileged to return many times over the years. Each time I visit, it always invokes the same attitude of reverence, honor and gratitude.
A question came to my mind. Why? Why did this particular memorial invoke such powerful feelings of respect and veneration from the visitors? Certainly it was because these were common ordinary people who were willing to do uncommon things and lay down their lives in valor and service for their country. But perhaps it was something else. The Wall gives tribute to each name individually. For me the names became more powerful than the artwork or canvas they were written on. There is a reverence that comes when each individual name is distinguished, respected and valued.
Even when a name a name is not known, a person can still be honored. Not far from this wall in Virginia is the Arlington Cemetery. At this cemetery is the Tomb of the Unknowns, commonly referred to as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Inscribed on the massive monument and guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days per year by fellow soldiers is the simple statement: "Here rests in Honored Glory, An American Soldier known but to God."
Names really are sacred. Having a specific name that identifies us makes each of us distinctive and unique. In Doctrine and Covenants Section 20 verse 70 the Lord says, "Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name." The naming and blessing of children is an ordinance performed by the power and authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
A good name is desirable. In Proverbs it says, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold."
Where your name is listed on certain documents can be extremely important. As a teacher at BYU-Idaho I always have several students ask this question at the beginning of each semester: "Is my name on your roll?" For that person, the verification that their name is indeed on the class roll provides reassurance that they can get proper credit for the class.
But there is another roll that we should be even more concerned about. This roll or record is essential to our salvation. In the Book of Mormon the Lord says "the names of the righteous shall be written in the book of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right hand"[1]
Christ knows us by name. Referring to himself as the great shepherd and to those who know and follow him, he said:
"The sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."[2]
The prophet Alma gave also said:
"And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things; and behold, their names shall be blotted out, that the names of the wicked shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people."[3]
These scriptures teach us why our ward clerks work so diligently to accurately identify ward members and record essential ordinances for each one. Ward and stake clerks are remarkable servants of the Lord who keep track of addresses and contact information and do all they can to ensure that the sheep of the Shepherd are not lost.
In reference to names, we often hear the term, "name calling." This is usually in reference to derogatory identifiers placed on others in a futile attempt to belittle or put down a person's sacred identity. Is it any wonder that name-calling is not only offensive to the person offended, but it is also a grievous offense to God Himself who gave that person his or her individuality.
Many people today are concerned about "identity theft." This refers to unscrupulous people who steal our identities and use our personal information in devious ways. However, the most diabolical thief of all who truly wants to practice identity theft, is Satan. He is constantly working day and night to strip us of any identity. He does not want us to know who we are, where we came from or what our purpose is.He wants to erode our confidence in what we can do and what we can become. In other words, he wants to dissolve us from any connection with deity and then damn us with doubt, despair and distain for ourselves.
Our unique individuality is essential to God's great plan of happiness. We might think our role in God's great work is minor, small or insignificant. We might even think we don't fit in because we may be different. Satan would have us think that we are not needed. Some of God's children actually go astray or just leave because they feel they don't belong.
Elder Joseph Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve taught that these people may, "look, act, think, and speak differently than those around them and that sometimes causes them to assume they don't fit in. They conclude that they are not needed."
Elder Wirthlin continues with this statement:
"Tied to this misconception is the erroneous belief that all members of the Church should look, talk, and be alike. The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world. Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony. All of Heavenly Father's children are different in some degree, yet each has his own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole."[4]
Every person born into this world is singular and unique and has a distinctive role in helping God perform His work and glory. Even those who may think they are feeble or unsuitable are important. The Apostle Paul compared each person as if they were a part of the body. Each part of the body has important and distinctive functions and characteristics. For instance the ear can do things that the eye cannot do and the eye cannot do things that the ear can do. Paul said:
"God set the members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him. Those members of the body which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour: and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness."[5]
Every person is important, needed and wanted. The Lord wants variety in his kingdom and not just duplicates of everybody. If you don't believe that, just look around at all of his creations. The Lord knows the names of all of his creations. The Psalmist says, "He telleth the number of the stars and he calleth them all by their names."[6] Isn't this wonderful? Isn't this great news?
I have two sisters in my family and I love them both. Even though all three of us come from the same parents, we all have very different personalities, interests and traits. My sister Sherlyn has many talents. She loves to paint. She loves to paint portraits, landscapes and many other things with oil paint. She takes classes and continues to learn all she can about painting.
Here is one of her paintings. It depicts a pioneer girl gazing across the plains as she makes her journey to the Salt Lake Valley. Sherlyn's daughter Ashleigh posed for this painting. This painting actually won an award in an art contest and was displayed for a time in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Sherlyn's husband and her two sons love to fish. Sherlyn decided to paint the three of them fishing in a river. Here is another painting, depicting the three of them holding on to each other and bracing against the current while working their fishing rods.
My other sister, Janilee, just loves horses. Since she was very little, she has always had an interest in them. She has raised, trained, sold and has shown horses for many events. Today she works with 4-H youth programs helping younger people gain appreciation for equestrian activities.
One of my hobbies, which I find very fascinating, is to keep bees and produce honey. I have been involved in beekeeping since I was a teenager. In this photo I am standing next to one of my hives that I tend. This hive, by the way holds about 50 to 60 thousand bees.
Honey bees are amazing creatures. They are a principle source for pollinating most of our world's food crops. They all work together for a common cause-to produce honey and sustain themselves. Yet they are not the same when it comes in their roles and responsibilities in the hive. Some are designated as nurse bees to take care of the young. Others are wax workers that produce the beautiful intricate and distinctive honeycomb designs for storing honey. Certain bees are field workers who have the responsibility to gather nectar and bring it back to the hive. This division of labor within the hive creates an amazing system of cooperation that has the potential to produce an incredible harvest of delicious honey-sometimes as much as 60 pounds or more per hive.
Whenever I hear the phrase, "You Mormons are all alike," I cringe. My response is, "Nothing could be further from the truth." Yes, we as members of the Church have many things in common. We profess and practice our faith together. We all strive to keep the same covenants and standards. We even strive to all be one with each other and with God. The Lord commanded us to be united with each other and with Him. He said, "If ye are not one, ye are not mine."[7] However, we are still separate individuals with individual thoughts, traits, gifts, talents and personalities that are essential to the work of God. Each of us was meant to be a ship of curious workmanship, not to be built after the manner of men, but to be built by the designs of God.
All of us are given different gifts and talents. In the Doctrine and Covenants section 46 verse 11 it states, "For all have not every gift given unto them: for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God." Our responsibility is to discover, enlarge and implement the gifts we have been given. Perhaps some may ask if they have any gifts at all. Too often we associate gifts with some sort of creative talent such as music, art, writing, science or some other ingenious skill to do something different such as mechanical work or fixing someone's computer.
Although these things are gifts, there are many others that may not be so obvious. They can be so subtle that we may not even realize we have them. Perhaps it is the ability to have compassion for others. Perhaps it could be a believing heart. Or it could be the capacity to recognize the good in other people.
I'm sure we can all think of people that we know that have demonstrated these gifts. One person in particular that I remember was Judy White. I became acquainted with her while we lived in Arizona. Both of us were employees for the electric utilities that sponsored the Washington Youth Tour. She and others helped me to organize our annual trip to Washington, D.C. She lived in a small home in a very small rural town in Duncan, Arizona. Although she was older and never married, she had a remarkable influence in her community.
She was an avid fan of all the local high school sports teams. She attended almost every sporting event and provided encouragement to all of the students involved. Although she had no children of her own, she treated nearly every student at that small school as if he or she was her very own. She volunteered her time for many school and civic projects. She gave freely of her time with the students for many years and became their dear friend.
She served faithfully in the callings she was given in the Church. She gave her best efforts to her employer at the local electric utility. When she attended several of our meetings in her employment capacity, it was if a breeze of fresh air entered into the room. She was always genuine, happy, friendly and humorous with everyone who was there. I was amazed at how she remembered not only the names of the people in our group, but she remembered the names of each group member's family and even the names of their pets. I was astonished at times by the way she simply loved and really cared about other people. She was like a magnet that drew people in around her.
She was never afraid to express her opinions even when they differed from others. Many people admired and respected her for that.
It was a sad day, when we learned that Judy passed away of a sudden heart attack. I remember attending her funeral at the Duncan Stake Center. When I walked in I was stunned by the throngs of people that were there. Every seat was filled. The overflow area and the cultural hall were filled to capacity. Although she had few family members, I said to myself, "Look at the impact just one woman had on her community."
Regarding gifts given to people, the Lord said, "To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby."[8] Here was a woman who was given a gift and many were certainly "profited thereby." There are many gifts and we are commanded to seek earnestly the best gifts, "always remembering for what they are given."[9] The variety of gifts bestowed upon us are essential for God to do his great work in bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
As we look at the gifts and talents the Lord has given each of us, there is the temptation to compare ourselves with others. We may see certain gifts and talents in others that we envy or wish we had. When we begin comparing ourselves with others to determine our own value and self-worth, we are treading a dangerous path. This is an element of pride. President Ezra Taft Benson said:
"The proud depend upon the world to tell them whether they have value or not. Their self-esteem is determined by where they are judged to be on the ladders of worldly success. They feel worthwhile as individuals if the numbers beneath them in achievement, talent, beauty or intellect are large enough. Pride is ugly. It says, 'if you succeed, I am a failure.'"[10]
We cannot compare ourselves with others.
Many years ago, I served my mission in Norway. As missionaries we heard rumors about the great success the missionaries were having in Mexico. Hundreds of people were being baptized in Mexico and very few people were being baptized in Norway. It was hard for us to understand why there was so much apparent success in Mexico and so little of it in Norway. Some of the missionaries in Norway began to speculate it was because we did not have as much faith as the missionaries in Mexico and that it was our fault that we could not baptize as many people.
During this time President Monson, who was then a member of the Quorum of Twelve came to visit our mission. I remember him clearly telling us not to compare ourselves with Mexico. He said, "Compare Norway with Norway and Mexico with Mexico." He further told us that there were times he wished he could speak as well as Elder LeGrand Richards, who was also a member of the Twelve at the time. But he said that he learned that he should not do this, but simply try the best he could to be a good speaker with the simple talents that the Lord had given him.
I don't think anyone today who sincerely listens to President Monson will doubt his ability to reach our hearts. He truly is a great speaker in his own special way.
The Savior said, we should be careful about judging others. Many times we look at this as placing people in the negative, but we should also be careful about our possible faulty perceptions of elevating others at unrealistically high levels. Nobody is perfect even if they appear to be perfect. Comparing ourselves to other mortals to determine our self-worth is deadly and is not pleasing to our Father in Heaven. We should also be careful about comparing ourselves with the spiritual qualities of others. There is only one whom we should really try to emulate and that is our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Working out our salvation is process that involves each of us at different levels and in different situations and circumstances. The Lord is mindful of this and He will not fail us, if we reach out to him and ask his help .
Much of the work of the Lord is done on an individual basis. One person helping another. One person being baptized. One person being confirmed a member of the Church. One person praying to God seeking guidance. One by one, we all partake of the sacrament. Temple ordinances are done one person at a time. Doing things one person at a time may be slow and not very efficient in the eyes of man, but it is the way God intended it to be.
Some questions we might ponder are these: Why are there three members of the Godhead and not just one? Why do we have a Quorum of Twelve Apostles and not a quorum of one? Why are there three members of a bishopric and not just one?
The Nicene Creed, a false doctrine established in AD 325, was an attempt to erase the individuality of each member of the Godhead. When the God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ appeared (as separate glorified beings) to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord said the religious creeds of the day were, "an abomination in his sight."[11] In other words, God was displeased when man obliterated the true knowledge of His individuality.
The Lord knows us individually and he wants us to know him in the same way and to become acquainted with him on a very personal level. The visit of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ to the young Joseph Smith in the spring of 1820 was one of the most singular events to happen in the history of mankind. It is interesting to note that the very first word spoken by the voice of God the Father was simply "Joseph."[12] God knew his name and addressed him personally.
This was not the only time Joseph was personally addressed by a heavenly being. Recounting the visit of the Angel Moroni, Joseph said, "He called me by name."[13]
Today, Joseph Smith's name continues to be spoken throughout the earth as prophesied in Doctrine and Covenants section 122:
"The ends of the earth shall inquire after thy name, and fools shall have thee in derision, and hell shall rage against thee: While the pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous shall seek counsel and authority and blessings constantly from under thy hand."[14]
We too can be an influence. Maybe not as big as Joseph Smith or Judy White. But we can be an influence in our own special way. We can reach others that perhaps no one else can. We can do God's work with the abilities and circumstances He has given us.
He who notes the sparrow's fall, also knows our names. He is well aware of our circumstances. He knows our hearts. He knows our weaknesses and our mistakes. He is just. He is merciful. He is kind. He is so willing to bring us home that He sent his only begotten Son to redeem us. And it is through the name of Jesus Christ that we can indeed come home to live again with our Eternal Father. I bear testimony of this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Alma 5:58
[2] John 10:2-5
[3] Alma 5:57
[4] April 2008 Conference Report, "Concern for the One"
[5] 1 Corinthians 12:18 and 23
[6] Psalms 147:4
[7] D&C 38; 27
[8] D&C 46:12
[9] D&C 46: 8
[10] April 1989 "Beware of Pride" by Ezra Taft Benson
[11] Joseph Smith History 1:19
[12] Joseph Smith History 1:17
[13] Joseph Smith history 1:33
[14] D&C 122:1-2