5. We Can't Do It Alone

A pastoral message written on Monday, November 17, 1975, and published in Heaven-11, the BYU 11th Branch newsletter on Thursday, November 20.

In the recent general conference of the Church, Elder Robert D. Hales quoted these lines from the poet Whittier:

Thee lift me, and I'll lift thee
And we'll both ascend together.

Those lines contain an idea that is important for all of us to understand and live: We need each other; we can't do it alone.

The Lord has said it in another way: "Therefore, let every man stand in his own office, and labor in his own calling; and let not the head say unto the feet it hath no need of the feet; for without the feet how shall the body be able to stand?

"Also the body hath need of every member, that all may be edified together, that the system may be kept perfect" (D&C 84:109-110).

We have been given parents and families, the priesthood and the organization of the Church to help us return to our Heavenly Father. "The many missions which we have in life," said Elder Hales, "cannot be embarked upon successfully without the help of others. Birth requires earthly parents. Our blessing as a child, our baptism, our receiving the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, our receiving membership in his church, ordination to the priesthood, going on a mission, being married, having children of our own, blessings during illness and time of need—all require the help of others. And all these are acts of love and service which require the help of others and the giving of help to others" (Ensign, Nov. 1975, 91).

Brother Hales makes it clear that our interdependence works both ways. We need the help of others, and we need to help others. We need to both serve and be served. All of us, it turns out, really are needed.

As a branch presidency we have chosen, from among the many excellent suggestions we received, this message as the theme of our branch conference:

Thee lift me, and I'll lift thee
And we'll both ascend together.

You will likely be hearing more about it this weekend in the various sessions of the conference. In fact, the whole experience of branch conference will help us lift each other, allowing us all to ascend together. We invite you to attend, with a sense of anticipation and preparation, and you will experience a rich outpouring of the Spirit. You will be blessed and be a blessing to others.