Sean is so handsome up on the stand in his Sunday best. I love seeing him up there every week.
And it was a special treat to hear him give a talk. He did a great job.
I'm so blessed to have such a righteous husband.
...
Building Zion Where You Live
I pray that I may have the spirit with
me this day as I address you. I hope I not only speak clearly with words, but
also with the spirit. The spirit is the true teacher, and will teach the
message you need to hear and understand. I have put much thought and prayer
into this talk, and I hope it edifies your life and testimony of the restored
gospel.
The history of the Lord’s people has
been one of much difficulty and struggle. Many times throughout the history of the
gospel; society became too secular and sinful and undermined the commandments
of God. The Lord’s people would be left to flee, and reestablish Zion. We saw
this happen with Abraham who fled Babylonia. Moses led his people out of Egypt. Lehi and his family fled Jerusalem, and prior
to that we saw the exodus of the Jeradites.
In more recent history, we saw the
establishment of the United States, which made it possible for many to flee
their own homelands to worship freely. This ultimately made it possible for the
gospel to be restored in our time. Joseph Smith had to flee with the Latter Day
Saints through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri and into Illinois.
President Brigham Young led the saints to the Salt Lake Valley to avoid
persecution as well. Fleeing to reestablish Zion has been a pattern throughout
the history of the Lord’s people. This has always been the pattern, but is no
longer the pattern now. We are called to build up Zion where we stand. God has
called us to be more Christ like, and have the determination to establish Zion.
I want to share
with you some stories and lessons that Elder Holland recently shared in the
June Ensign.
Lesson
1- Never Check Your Religion at the Door
The
first story, involves a young return missionary. This story is for Mathew
Lence, because the young return missionary played college basketball. He played
for one of the college teams here in Utah. He was a good young man and a great
ball player. He was not getting the playing time he hoped for, so with the full
support of his coaches and teammates he transferred schools. This is a very
common occurrence in college sports. At the new school things clicked, and he
was very successful and became a starter. When his team returned to play in
Salt Lake City the young man was met with great profanity and verbal abuse. The
young man was a newlywed, full tithe payer, served in the Elder’s quorum,
served the youth in the community, was waiting for the birth of their baby.
This young man or any young man should not have experienced the poor behavior
of the fans.
His coach, a legend
in the sport, said to the young man, “What is going on here? You’re a hometown
boy who has made good. These are your people. These are your friends.” But
worst of all, the coach asked, “Aren’t most of these members of your church?”
The next day after
the game, there was public outcry and call to repentance over the incident for
all the fans behavior the night before.
One young fan said,
“Listen. We are talking about basketball here, not Sunday school. If you can’t
stand the heat get out of the kitchen. We pay good money to see the games. We
can act the way we want. We check our religion at the door.”
We check our
religion at the door?
The first rule of
establishing Zion is we never check our religion at the door. Mosiah 18:9-
States, “to stand as witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all
place”.
We must never check
our religion at the door. We are to be an example of Christ, and his love at
all times. The Lord will give us courage to do the right thing, even when it is
not the popular thing to do. If we want to be a missionary, we need to be proud
of our religion, and live it always.
Lesson
2- Be Compassionate but Be Loyal to the Commandments
Elder Holland was
once invited to speak at a young single adult devotional. As he entered the door he noticed a woman
about 30 years old. It was hard not to notice her. She had a couple of tattoos,
a variety of ear and nose rings, spiky hair reflecting all the colors of the
rainbow, a skirt that was too high, and a blouse that was too low.
Elder Holland
wondered, “Was this woman a struggling soul not of our faith, who had been
led—or even better, had been brought by someone—to this devotional under the
guidance of the Lord to help her find the peace and the direction of the gospel
she needed in her life? Or was she a member who had strayed from some of the
hopes and standards the Church encourages for its members but who was still
affiliating and had chosen to attend this Church activity that night?”
How would you
respond in this situation? How we respond in this situation has the possibility
of making things better or worse. We should not act in a way in which we can
cause greater offense.
I would suggest
that all responses be done in love. I think in most situations we say nothing
about the appearance of an individual, but instead make them feel welcome. We
should show love and kindness. We should be a friend and get to know them.
Last week I
attended a Seattle Mariner baseball game while visiting my home town. There
were people holding up signs, saying “Repent Sinners” and etc. They had a
megaphone and were just going on and on about how evil everyone was. I thought
to myself what makes these people do this? Do they think this having a positive
effect. I then realized that many times we can act as unlovingly as the person
with the megaphone and sign. We have all the good intentions in the world, but
we forget that God’s way is to show love. We judge someone, and make a hurtful
remark. I hope we can all avoid going around with the proverbial megaphone. Our
heavenly father’s way is to teach correct principles using the spirit.
One of my favorite
quotes from President Monson is:
“Never let a
problem to be solved, become more important than a person to be loved.”
I love this quote.
It is something I try to remember. I try to remember the potential of every
person, and remember that all people need to be loved. I believe that all
people want to feel welcomed. I also have found that once you have those
relationships it is a lot easier to teach our friends, neighbors and family the
gospel.
I love primary
songs, mostly because I really am a Sun Beam at heart. One of my favorite songs
is “I am trying to be like Jesus”. My favorite line in the song is “Try to show
kindness in all that you do, be loving and gentle in deed and in thought, for
these are things, Jesus taught”. Brothers and Sisters, please try to show
kindness in all that you do. The greatest argument for which we believe is how
we treat our fellow men.
In a recent
conference address, President Uchdorf shared a bumper sticker he recently saw.
The bumper sticker said:
“Don’t judge me,
because I sin differently than you”
I try to remember I
am not perfect. Maybe my sins and struggles are more private, but nonetheless I
have struggles. Once again, I say focus on the potential of an individual.
Just because we
show love it does not mean we do not have opinions, standards, or disregard the
shalls and shall nots of the gospel. We must defend righteous principles and
truth. Every situation is different. We must pray to the Lord for guidance on
our action.
Elder Holland said,
“This Church can never dumb down its doctrine in response to social goodwill or
political expediency or any other reason. It is only the high ground of
revealed truth that gives us any footing on which to lift another who may feel
troubled or forsaken. Our compassion and our love—fundamental characteristics
and requirements of our Christianity—must never be interpreted as compromising
the commandments.
When we face such
situations, it can be very challenging and confusing. Young people may ask,
“Well, we don’t believe we should live or behave in such and such a way, but
why do we have to make other people do the same? Don’t they have their free
agency? Aren’t we being self-righteous and judgmental, forcing our beliefs on
others, demanding that they act in a certain way?”
In those situations you are going to have to explain
sensitively why some principles are defended and some sins opposed wherever
they are found because the issues and the laws involved are not just social or
political but eternal in their consequence. And while not wishing to offend
those who believe differently from us, we are even more anxious not to offend
God.
Lesson
3- Use Gospel Values to Benefit
Communities and Countries.
Reflect Your Love of Jesus
Christ
As
we work to establish Zion, we should try our best to have a greater influence
in our community. We should try to do service, and be an answer to the prayers
of others around us. The following is a poem that I love. It is reminder that
we need to be the answer to others prayers, and bless others’ lives around us.
Revelation
I knelt to pray when day was
done.
And Prayed, “O Lord, bless
everyone;
Lift from each saddened heart
the pain
And let the sick be well
again.”
And then I woke another day
And carelessly went on my way.
The whole day long I did not
try
To wipe a tear from any eye;
I did not try to share the load
Of any brother on my road;
I did not even go to see
The sick man just next door to
me.
Yet once again when day was
done
I prayed, “O Lord, bless everyone.”
But as I prayed, into my ear
There came a voice that
whispered clear;
“Pause, hypocrite, before you
pray,
Whom have you tried to bless
today?
God’s sweetest blessings always
go
By hands that serve Him here
below.”
And then I hid my face, and cried,
“Forgive me, God, for I have
lied;
Let me but see another day
And I will live the way I
pray.”
-Whitney Montgomery
When our heavenly father comes,
I hope he finds me living the gospel. I hope he finds me doing good, and
establishing Zion here on earth.
Elder Holland said,
“I want the Savior to say to me: “Jeffrey, I recognize you not by your title
but by your life, the way you are trying to live and the standards you are
trying to defend. I see the integrity of your heart. I know you have tried to make
things better first and foremost by being better yourself and then by declaring
my word and defending my gospel to others in the most compassionate way you
could.”
He will certainly
add: “I know you weren’t always successful with your own sins and with the
circumstances of others, but I believe you honestly tried. I believe in your
heart you truly loved me.”
I hope to hear
these words. They bring a lot of comfort to me, because the Lord only asks that
I try my best.
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