When I attended singles wards, after Priesthood sessions of
conference, it was common for us to be asked by women what the prophet had
said, or what had happened in conference.
Of course, they were rarely satisfied with answers such as “keep the
commandments.” The mature and
responsible thing to do would have been to pay closer attention to the messages
to give a better accounting, but in an effort to prolong conversations with women, I would respond that the church was
planning to send proselyting missionaries to Iran, or that a Temple had been
announced in Jerusalem, or some other completely false but faith-promoting
rumor.
Ultimately, prophets and apostles really were persistently
asking us to keep the commandments.
Whether that meant moral cleanliness, magnifying our callings, studying
the scriptures regularly, or repenting of our sins, the overall message was
always familiar and repetitive.
In our last conference, (April 2013) we again heard the
words of prophets and apostles. There
were no earth-shattering doctrines announced; while new temple locations were
given, they did not include the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. We do tend to hear similar information each
time we listen to the prophet speak.
Certainly the most obvious reason for repetition is that
members of the church are not doing this well enough. The repetition is frustrating to some
people. After all, isn’t the definition
of insanity to do the same thing over and over again expecting different
results?
Of course one thing to note is that conference does not
contain any Jedi mind tricks. No prophet
or apostle waves their hands and says “these aren’t the droids you’re looking
for… oh and do your family history…” The
church leaders are not saying the same things each conference to control you…
they are trying to persuade you… to plead with you to change yourself. They expect you to find ways to heed the call
to come unto Christ from your own unique circumstances and background, and
provide tools to help you do it.
It is with a kind voice and with a gentle tone that
President Monson said: “The knowledge which we seek, the answers for which we
yearn, and the strength which we desire today to meet the challenges of a
complex and changing world can be ours when we willingly obey the Lord’s
commandments.”
Naturally, all of us have various challenges with this
request. Probably the majority of people
that watch conference keep a large number of commandments, but they may
struggle with a few, or even feel that a few are ‘unrealistic’. Consider the Israelites as they approached the
land of Canaan. Moses sent twelve spies
into the land. Unfortunately, ten of
them decided that they were not spies, but a feasibility committee. Though they reported that the land flowed
with milk and honey, they also reported that the people of the land made them
feel like grasshoppers because of their size.
Keep in mind, the same God that had smitten Egypt with
blood, frogs, lice, flies, the death of their cattle, boils, hail and fire,
locusts, darkness, and the destroying angel, and delivered them from what was
arguably the most powerful army in the ancient world by miraculously dividing
the waters of the red sea, and then swallowing the chariots of Pharaoh, was the
one that had sworn he would give the land to them. Still, they were convinced that they could
not possess Canaan because there were “big” people there.
Of course, it is easy for us to say that they were short-sighted. The same short-sightedness may been seen in
us though when a priesthood leader extends to us a calling or assignment. For some people, they transform into their
own “feasibility committee” and find numerous reasons why the same God that
through his prophets has declared whom he calls he qualifies may not be
thinking through the situation.
Certainly in some circumstances, leaders are able to follow the Spirit
more accurately when they have all the information, but ultimately, we believe
that a man must be called of God, by prophesy.
Those of us who have been baptized have sworn a covenant to keep the
commandments. Accepting, fulfilling, and
magnifying callings are fundamental to this commitment.
Fulfilling assignments allows members to cooperate one with
another in the great work of the Kingdom of God. Even if there seems to be little value,
little appreciation, and large amounts of work required, the prophets have
never made a secret of the rewards that accompany obedience. As President Monson said, “The knowledge
which we seek, the answers for which we yearn, and the strength which we desire
today to meet the challenges of a complex and changing world can be ours when
we willingly obey the Lord’s commandments.”
Of course, it is not always a big, intimidating calling that
represents the biggest challenge. There
are some people that go to great lengths to provide meaningful service, but are
more easily beset by smaller obstacles.
Consider the story of Naaman, the Syrian captain. He had been stricken with the terrible
disease leprosy. He became desperate to
find healing. One of his servants was
acquainted with a Hebrew prophet named Elisha, and suggested that he might be
able to help. Naaman prepared a caravan
with gold and silver and apparel to go and meet the man of God. When he drew close to the land of Israel,
instead of meeting the captain personally, he sent his servant Gehazi to meet
him bearing only a few simple instructions: bathe seven times in the River
Jordan.
At first, Naaman felt insulted. He had not even been permitted to speak to
the prophet directly, in spite of his journey and his prestige. Furthermore, he preferred the fountains of
his own country to the filthy water in the Jordan. He went to leave for his home when one of his
servants suggested that if the prophet had bid him do some great thing, he
would have done it. Why should he
neglect this simple task?
Persuaded by the wisdom of his servant, he went to the River
Jordan. He dipped himself into it again
and again as Elisha had instructed.
After the seventh time, when he arose from the water, he found that no
trace of the disease remained with him.
He had been completely cleansed of the disease. (2 Kings 5)
There are also examples demonstrating the consequences of
ignoring the simple commandments. We
learn in the Book of Mormon that there were many Israelites that would not look
at the brazen serpent that Moses had set up to be healed of their wounds because
it was so simple, and that they perished for their neglect. (1 Nephi 17:41)
Certainly among the most basic tasks that are recommended by
the prophet is daily scripture study. Perhaps
Harry Potter has more drama than 2nd Nephi. Perhaps it seems unimportant that Arphaxad
begat Salah who begat Eber who begat Peleg who begat Reu who begat Serug who
begat Nahor who begat Terah.
I might compare these attempts to read the scriptures to
Naaman dipping himself in the Jordan River the first six times. Persistence will eventually lead to
eye-opening experiences. To this day,
nothing is as bold or powerful as Elijah calling down fire from heaven on Mount
Carmel and humiliating the priests of Baal.
The confidence of David shouting down Goliath, or Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-Nego holding their ground in the face of Nebuchadnezzar and his fiery
furnace gives me confidence. The humility
of Gideon who wanted to be certain that he was doing what the Lord wanted when
he fought the Midianites persuades me to seek the will of God in my
dealings. I understand the feeling that
Joseph Smith had when he was moved by James 1:5 as much as I understand why the
people were astonished at the power of Jesus Christ himself after he delivered
the Sermon on the Mount.
Perhaps the most remarkable use of scripture is that of Jesus
Christ himself when he was tempted by Satan.
Though he was the God that had given the law and inspired the prophets,
he answered every request of the devil with words from the Holy
Scriptures. He used them as a shield
against evil.
It could be said that “The knowledge which we seek, the
answers for which we yearn, and the strength which we desire today to meet the
challenges of a complex and changing world can be ours when we willingly obey
the Lord’s commandments.”
Seeing the importance of commandments large and small
inevitably causes us to reflect on our pasts.
Only Christ lived every commandment without mistake. Repentance is a principal as old as
time. Prophets have always been
instructed to call people to repentance… and have even gotten into trouble when
they have not.
Consider the experience of Jonah. He was called by God to go to Nineveh and
proclaim repentance. Perhaps he thought
that it was a dangerous task, but whatever his reason, he decided to run
away. He boarded a ship for Tarshish as
if he could flee from the Lord. Of
course he could not. God sent a terrible
tempest that threatened the ship and its passengers. Reluctantly, the others on board cast Jonah
off the ship. A great fish swallowed
Jonah, and after three days, spit him out on the land again. God again called Jonah to preach repentance
to Nineveh, to which Jonah responded obediently. He warned Nineveh that if they did not
repent, they would be destroyed. To
Jonah’s surprise, they did repent, and they were spared.
God knew the value of the people of Nineveh even if Jonah
did not immediately see it. He has never
sent his prophets to mince words regarding the importance of returning back to
him. Said Lehi to Jerusalem: repent or
be destroyed. Said Jeremiah to
Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah: repent or be destroyed. Said Isaiah in the reign of Manasseh: repent
or be destroyed. Said Moses to the children
of Israel: repent or be destroyed. Said
Noah to the world: repent or be destroyed.
Warned the apostles to the fledgling church: repent or be
destroyed. Of course we know that when
Christ returns, it will not be to have a big discussion. Those that do not repent, will be destroyed.
In spite of our proximity in the fullness of times to the
return of Jesus Christ and his victory over evil in the earth, he surprisingly
does not send his prophets to warn “repent or be destroyed.” I do not recall President Monson warning
about how our enemies will invade… our old men will bury our young men… our
mothers will bury their infants... I
recall no warning of plagues, famines, droughts, and disasters as consequences
for sin or for failing to repent in time.
The perception that conference seems to be dull, repetitive,
or redundant is largely shaped by context… but only the context of other
conferences. In the context of all time…
it becomes clear that Jesus Christ is sending his prophets to say something new
and different before he returns… He
sends them to say ‘please try a little harder’, ‘please be a little kinder’, ‘please
be more forgiving’, and ‘please believe that God loves you.’ He sends them to say ‘please take advantage
of Christ’s sacrifice.’
Essentially, Jesus Christ, the most High God that is coming
in power and glory to reign and establish a paradise that has not been known
since the days of Eden, is begging us
to accept the very thing for which we should be begging him.
It is my hope that we will do as he asks… that we will be
receptive to his pleadings… that we will magnify our callings… that we will
diligently study our scriptures… that we will sincerely repent of our sins…
that we will truly keep his commandments to take advantage of the promise of
his living prophet:
“The knowledge which we seek, the answers for which we
yearn, and the strength which we desire today to meet the challenges of a
complex and changing world can be ours when we willingly obey the Lord’s
commandments.”
