I am very honored, excited, and to be honest, extremely nervous to visit with you today. I am grateful for my family and the music that we just experienced. That has helped calm me a bit. I hope that I can share with you appropriately, what I feel the spirit has prompted me to share.
We had some excitement at our house a few weeks ago. We bought a car. Notice I did not say a new car because it is a very used older car; perfect for the teenage drivers that we have. There was a bonus attached to getting an old car; it had a cassette tape deck in it. I was so excited; I pulled out my old classic cassettes and have really been enjoying them. I love the cassette tapes, the way they make that noise as the go around in the player, the static, the sound. My teenage girls have been making a lot of fun of me.
By the way, this is a cassette tape. It is how we listened to music in my day. One tape I have pulled out is titled, "Automatic for the People." I thought this was a curious name for an album and so I looked into it. The band took the album name from a little diner were they would eat. The man who ran the diner had a sign hanging up that said "Automatic for the People." He said that whenever anyone asked him for something, anything, he would say, "Automatic." He focused all of his energy and attention on serving the customers that come into his restaurant.
I love that attitude. He does not have to think about it, he just does it. I want to talk about being automatic--automatic for the Lord. When we chose to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ and made covenants with our Heavenly Father, we changed. We committed to keep His commandments and always remember him. We chose to do this automatically, no questions or hesitations, for Him. We chose to, as Alma said at the waters of Mormon, "come into the fold of God, and to be called his people."[1] What a great blessing it is to be called the people of God and literally represent Him.
President Hinckley talked about the importance of representing the Lord in an Ensign article in April 2005. The article talks of President Hinckley's experience taking clergy through the Mesa Arizona temple right before it was rededicated after some major renovations. He said that one protestant minister asked, "I've been all through this building, this temple which carries on its face the name of Jesus Christ, but nowhere have I seen any representation of the cross, the symbol of Christianity. I have noted that your buildings elsewhere and likewise find an absence of the cross. Why is this when you say you believe in Jesus Christ?"
Years ago, a friend actually asked me this very question. My answer was not nearly as eloquent as President Hinckley's. Listen to how he responded. He said, "I do not wish to give offense to any of my Christian colleagues who use the cross on the steeples of their cathedrals and at the altars of their chapels, who wear it on their vestments, and imprint it on their books and other literature. But for us, the cross is the symbol of the dying Christ, while our message is a declaration of the living Christ."
The minister then asks, "If you do not use the cross, what is the symbol of your religion?" President Hinckley responds, "I replied that the lives of our people must become the most meaningful expression of our faith and, in fact, therefore, the symbol of our worship."
What a beautiful and humbling concept. As individuals we must truly represent the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. This puts a bit of pressure on us as well. We know that others watch us. We are reminded of that, sometimes by friends, sometimes by media. This is why we must be "automatic." We cannot afford to hesitate or justify when it comes to doing what we know is right. We are not perfect, but to be "automatic for the Lord" we must strive to love as he loves and keep His commandments so that we can be true instruments for him.
Jesus Christ, in the New Testament and in the Book of Mormon, is automatic in his service to God. He is our perfect example. Take the example found in Luke 18, when Jesus comes into the city of Jericho and passes by a blind man. We learn from the same account in Mark that this man's name was Bartimaeus. By this time in the Savior's ministry, he has many followers; Bartimaeus hears all the commotion around. Bartimaeus asks what is going on, and one of the disciples tells him that Jesus is traveling through. When Bartimaeus hears this, the scriptures say he cries and says, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me."
Some of the followers who are with Jesus get angry with Bartimaeus and tell him to be quiet. They might have felt that he was not that important or just another beggar. But Bartimaeus yells out again, this time in a louder voice. Of course, when Jesus hears him, he commands that Bartimaeus be brought to him. Now I wonder if those who had rebuked Bartimaeus are beginning to understand that Jesus loves everyone, no matter their circumstance, especially those who know him and cry out to him. Luke 18:40-43 says, "And when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him."
This is a great example of love for someone who is hurting or in need. This man was looked over by others but not the Savior. This is an example of not only service, but of automatic respect and compassion. We cannot always heal like the Savior did, but we can strive to treat others and often serve like he did. I, like you, have examples of this in my own life. Even in my own family.
When my oldest daughter Debanie was in fourth grade, she had a big field trip scheduled for her Idaho History studies. She invited me to go with her. She was excited for me to ride the bus with her for the hour-long ride to Massacre Rocks. When we boarded, we walked to the middle of the bus and sat down. I noticed a young man in the seat in front of us. He was by himself and even asked a few passing students if they wanted to sit with him. No one was mean, but they all politely declined and found other seats. It was like a sad scene from a movie--the lonely boy that no one would sit by. I could tell that he was sad and felt a little awkward all alone. I said to Debanie, "Hey would it be ok if I sat with Brian for a bit of the trip?" Her answer surprised me. She didn't say yes, she said, "I will sit with him." She moved up a seat and sat with Brian. What I saw was amazing. Not only did she sit with him, but she started to visit with him, they started giggling and laughing and having fun. I saw this lonely, sad boy change. His eyes shined, he had a smile on his face. I was taught by my ten year old daughter. She, just like the Savior, loved someone in need. She did not hesitate or make excuses of why she couldn't. She just automatically did the right thing and was truly an example of our faith.
My father once taught me about being "automatic for the Lord." I love all sports, but I really love basketball. When I was in high school, I was way too big and athletic to play varsity ball and so I played for the Pocatello 16th ward. Church ball was more important than anything to my friends and me. We played hard and my dad coached. I worked with my dad at our family business and one night we were hurrying home to get to a ball game. We were late, it was snowing and my dad pulled in the driveway. He stayed in the truck while I ran in the house to grab my gear. I jumped back in the truck and we headed down the street.
At the end of the street, Sister Olsen, a widow in the ward, was shoveling her driveway. My dad pulled over and said, "Grab her shovel." And then he took one out of the back of our truck and we started shoveling Sister Olsen's walks and driveway. I couldn't believe it. I was not happy. I might have even asked my dad, "What are you doing?" This game was important, not only to me, but to my dad too. Now I don't remember if we made it to the game, or if we won. But years later, I remember serving someone in need. I was taught what it meant to be a representative of the Lord. My Dad didn't hesitate or even have to think about not stopping. It's just what he does. I remember specifically feeling the spirit as Sister Olsen thanked us for the help.
At the conclusion of the October 2012 Conference, President Monson said, "May we ever watch over one another, assisting in times of need. Let us not be critical and judgmental but let us be tolerant, ever emulating the Savior's example of loving kindness. In that vein, may we willingly serve one another. May we pray for the inspiration to know of the needs of those around us, and then may we go forward and provide assistance."
It is a great blessing to be at BYU-Idaho because these principles are taught daily. I hope that you are familiar with the Student Living model. Student Living is a great resource and reminder to help us live a more Zion-like life. It helps us with our relationship with others here at school, but also prepares us to become stronger disciples of Jesus Christ.
The guiding principles of Student Living are:
A. Love: genuine love and concern for one another invites the spirit, fosters unity, and strengthens obedience in the apartment.
B. Shared responsibility: Roommates share responsibility for creating an atmosphere of righteous living and obedience in the apartment. Roommates get involved in the lives of one another and refer for help when needed.
C. Mutual respect: Roommates live the Golden Rule and value one another as sons and daughters of God.[2]
These guiding principles help us achieve what Student Living calls, "becoming." It is not just complying with guidelines and tenets of housing or Student Honor, it is becoming a stronger disciple of Jesus Christ by living a life of honor.[3] When this becomes a part of who we are, all of our relationships and future relationships with roommates, friends, neighbors, family and all whom we associate with, all those relationships will become sweeter. I promise that if these principles are followed, we will be happier because we will love more purely.
By serving one another, we are literally doing the Lord's work here on earth. We know that what King Benjamin taught is true. "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."[4] We really can be instruments in the Lord's hands.
Another way we need to be "automatic for the Lord" is in keeping His commandments or, in other words, living the standards that the Lord has put in place for us. This again is a covenant we make when we are baptized. We commit to keep His commandments. This becomes increasingly difficult as the world's standards continue to decline. But if we do keep the standards that we committed to keep, we will stand out as a testament of truthfulness and light. We will have joy and be happy. We will bring others to Christ just by our example of goodness. We all have heard stories about someone who kept their standards and, because of that, impressed others enough to interest them in the gospel of Christ.
Let me share a story that happened right here on this campus not long ago, that not only brought others to the gospel, but brought happiness to all who know Indy.
I met Indy three years ago, when she was involved in the Desi Association here at BYU-Idaho. Indy grew up in Sri Lanka and moved to Maryland during the 8th grade. Indy became very close to two friends at school, one was a member of our faith and the other was not. Indy was Buddhist. She loved these friends and after high school reunited with them one evening only to discover that her non-member friend had joined the Church. Those good friends invited her to visit the visitor center at the Washington DC Temple with them. She felt the spirit there and accepted the opportunity to hear the missionary lessons. About this time, President Monson had just been called as the prophet. She said that she heard President Monson bear testimony of the Savior and it was so powerful. Those two experiences really helped her. She decided to join the Church. This was tough on her family, especially her parents. They love Indy very much and had traditional plans for her. Indy bore her testimony to her mother and said that she knew the church is true and needed to be baptized. Her parents really struggled. Indy chose to come to BYU-Idaho. She took her baptismal covenants seriously and served in the gospel. She tried to be an example to her two sisters, which eventually followed her out here to school and attend here now. Her parents began to soften, as they saw the joy and goodness the gospel brought to their daughter. Through Indy's example, and others, her sisters have joined the church. Indy started to date Josh (I am proud to have had a hand in that). They decided to get married. I remember how nervous she was to tell her parents. It was hard, but now they love Josh and their new little granddaughter. Because Indy chose to come into the fold of God, and be one of His people, she has found joy and happiness with an eternal family. Because of Indy's commitment to the covenants she made, she has also helped others find the gospel.
The First Presidency of the Church states in "The Strength of the Youth" pamphlet:
We promise that as you keep the covenants you have made and these standards you will be blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost, your faith and testimony will grow stronger, and you will enjoy increasing happiness. [They go on to say in a later section,] strive each day to be obedient. Follow these standards, and encourage others to live them as well. Remember the covenants that you have made and that you have the opportunity to renew each week when you partake of the sacrament. Strive to keep these covenants.
Just a few weeks ago in conference, Elder Oaks taught us that we promised to keep our covenants continuously. He said, "As Jesus taught, those who love Him will keep His commandments. They will be obedient...Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and way of life that applies at all times and in all places."[5]
We are constantly taught, by apostles and prophets, through inspiration, to keep the covenants we make, because they know this brings us happiness.
King Benjamin said to his people in his great sermon, "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of neverending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."[6]
We will find joy in striving to keep the commandments of God.
Before I was born, my dad raced and showed cars. He loved it. He is small and not overly athletic. When he found that he was good with cars, it became his niche. He spent hours working on cars. He is a founding member of a car club called, "The Slicks." How cool is that? In the early 1960s he raced a '52 Chevy that he named The Tinker Toy. The Tinker Toy was an incredible car and even to this day, many car buffs in this area remember it. Most often the drag races that he was associated with were on Sunday and took him away from church.
As my father tells it, one Sunday he returned from the races, pulled into the driveway, and grabbed a bucket and rag to clean the car up. About that time, my mom and older sister (who was around four at the time) came out of the house in their Sunday dresses ready to walk to church. My mom asked my dad if he was going to join them. I am guessing she asked this about every week. He said no, that he was going to clean the car up and get it ready for next week. Something happened this time. My dad looked at the car and then looked at my mom and my sister walking away down the street and he realized that everything important in his life was walking away and that his priorities had been the car, not his family. He ran in the house and cleaned up. He ran to church and he slid in on the bench next to my mom during the opening hymn. She didn't say anything, just reached over and held his hand. He started to attend more regularly and take care of his priesthood duties. Soon his life became centered on the gospel and serving the Lord. He dropped the negative things in his life and grew into someone new and better.
I am grateful that my dad remembered his covenants and began to strive to live the standards of happiness. Because he did this, it affected not only him, but me and my children and my sisters and their children. I know that it has brought him and my mom joy. He tells me almost every time I am with him how blessed he is.
Recently I was visiting with an owner of one of our approved housing complexes, who is not a member of our faith. He has student apartments all over the country that he deals with. He told me that when he comes to our campus he feels different. He loves it. I told him that it did not have anything to do with the beautiful surroundings or buildings but the students. I shared that we are not claiming to be better than any other place or people. It is just that we are unified in trying to be Christlike and that is why it feels good here. He agreed. He said that his interaction with our students has been "incredible." It did not surprise me. I am so grateful to associate with you. You truly represent the gospel of Jesus Christ not just proficiently but with excellence. And because you do, the Spirit of the Lord abides with us here at BYU-Idaho.
Remember that story from President Hinckley about being the symbol of our faith? This is how he ends that story. He says, "As His followers, we cannot do a mean or shoddy or ungracious thing without tarnishing His image. Nor can we do a good and gracious and generous act without burnishing more brightly the symbol of Him whose name we have taken upon ourselves. And so our lives must become a meaningful expression, the symbol of our declaration of our testimony of the Living Christ, the Eternal Son of the Living God."[7]
The Lord must have great faith in us to allow us to take upon us His name, knowing that we represent Him.
It is true. I do not want to do a single thing that would tarnish the image of Jesus Christ. The very one, that I made a covenant with to always remember and keep His Commandments. I want to help His image be a symbol of hope, peace and love.
I know that as we continue to serve and as we strive to keep the covenants that we have made with our Heavenly Father, the Lord will bless us with his spirit. We can be "automatic for the Lord."
I know that the Savior walked the earth. That he died so that we can live again. That he taught the same truths that we teach today. I love him for that and I will do my best for him.
Notes
[1] Mosiah 18:8
[2] Student Living Guidebook page 2
[3] Student Living Guidebook page 5
[4] Mosiah 3:17
[5] Dallin H Oaks April 2013
[6] Mosiah 2:41
[7] Ensign April 2005