An article I wrote in Bountiful, Utah, in late December 1986 and published in the January 1987 issue of Die Lange Zeit. This message was based on a talk I gave on Sunday, December 28, 1986, in the final sacrament meeting of the year in the Bountiful Twentieth Ward, Bountiful Utah South Stake. I was serving at the time as the second counselor in the bishopric.
The Prophet Mormon spent fifty years of his adult life in reviewing, selecting, abridging, and summarizing a thousand years of Nephite records. It must have been a glorious experience. At the same time he witnessed the sad destruction of his people.
As he came to the closing moments of his own life, knowing that soon he would stand before his Maker to answer for the unique mission that had been his, what were the final thoughts running through his mind? What was the final message he wanted to leave as he closed his record? What would be the last thing he would choose to say to those of us who lived in our day?
Of all the things he might have chosen to write, his final message was a simple one:
“Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record [the Book of Mormon] but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record [the Holy Bible] shall come from the Gentiles unto you.
“For behold, this [the Book of Mormon] is written for the intent that ye may believe that [the Bible]; and if ye believe that ye will believe this also; and if ye believe this ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them.
“And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen” (Mormon 7:8–10).
This brief closing message is in a nutshell the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ: have faith in Christ, repent of our sins, be baptized, first with water and then with the Holy Ghost, and endure in faith to the end. If we do these things, it shall be well with us in the day of judgment. It is the very same message heralded by the angel at the first coming of Jesus: “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10).
The Prophet Joseph Smith said it in another way: “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” (Teachings, 121).
On another occasion the Prophet declared: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father” (D&C 76:22–23).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s final testimony, borne less than two weeks before his death, was especially moving to any who heard it:
“As pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person.
“I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.
“But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way” (Ensign, May 1985, 11).
Showing posts with label 1986. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1986. Show all posts
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
9. A Season of Thanksgiving
A bishopric message written on Tuesday afternoon, October 28, 1986, and published in the November 1986 issue of the Bountiful Twentieth Ward Newsette.
Autumn is a glorious time of year. It is the season of general conference. A special time for Latter-day Saints. A time of rejoicing, of spiritual refreshment, of waiting upon the Lord. A time envisioned thousands of years ago by Isaiah when he declared, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3).
It is the season of harvest. A time of completion and fulfillment. A time when our physical labors are rewarded with the fruits of honest effort. A time to be reminded of even more important spiritual harvests: “For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul” (D&C 4:4).
It is the season of thanksgiving. A time when we count the Lord’s blessings in our lives, remembering that “all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; . . . and it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.
“And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments” (D&C 59:18–21).
As a bishopric, we express our love and appreciation for all that you do to serve the Lord and His children. Your quiet and faithful efforts are much appreciated.
Autumn is a glorious time of year. It is the season of general conference. A special time for Latter-day Saints. A time of rejoicing, of spiritual refreshment, of waiting upon the Lord. A time envisioned thousands of years ago by Isaiah when he declared, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3).
It is the season of harvest. A time of completion and fulfillment. A time when our physical labors are rewarded with the fruits of honest effort. A time to be reminded of even more important spiritual harvests: “For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul” (D&C 4:4).
It is the season of thanksgiving. A time when we count the Lord’s blessings in our lives, remembering that “all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; . . . and it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.
“And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments” (D&C 59:18–21).
As a bishopric, we express our love and appreciation for all that you do to serve the Lord and His children. Your quiet and faithful efforts are much appreciated.
8. Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy
A bishopric message written on Tuesday afternoon, July 29, 1986, and published in the August 1986 issue of the Bountiful Twentieth Ward Newsette. The new hymnbook had been published just the year before, replacing the hymnal that had been in use since 1948. The consolidated meeting schedule, which placed all Sunday meetings in a three-hour block, had been introduced six years earlier.
One of the new hymns in our hymnbook reminds us of one of the important reasons why we keep the Sabbath day holy:
In sweet remembrance of thy Son,
We gather in thy house as one
To join in prayer, to sing thy praise,
To worship thee and learn thy ways.
Father, on this the Sabbath day,
Be with us gathered here, we pray.
The Lord’s day, as the very name suggests, is “in sweet remembrance” of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a day set apart to help us remember Him more fully, to come to know Him, and to become more like Him. Our thoughts and our actions on this day should all be directed toward these ends: remembering Him, coming to know Him, and becoming more Christlike. Any thought or action that does not help us accomplish these ends is probably not appropriate for the Sabbath day.
Formal worship—which includes singing, praying, partaking of the sacrament, studying His word—is a central and important part of keeping the Sabbath day holy.
Our Sabbath observance cannot end, however, when we leave the chapel and return home from our meetings. As this same hymn continues:
And may our thoughts still turn to thee,
With loved ones, friends, and family.
In all we do till day is gone,
May worship still continue on.
Father, on this the Sabbath day,
Be with us in our homes, we pray.
An important reason for the change in the Church meeting schedules some years ago was to allow more time for families to be together in home-centered gospel living.
“We are confident,” said President Kimball at that time, “that . . . we will indeed see an upsurge in quality family life, in Christian service, and in attendance at Church meetings” (Ensign, May 1980, 4).
He also said, “We hope our parents are using the added time that has come from the consolidated schedule in order to be with, teach, love, and nurture their children” (Ensign, Nov. 1980, 5).
Finally, we hope that Sunday provides a rich opportunity for studying the scriptures in some depth (even more than the half an hour a day President Benson has asked us to read the Book of Mormon each day during the week).
Help each to seek a quiet hour
To read thy word and feel thy pow’r,
To hear thy voice, though small and still,
Renew our strength to do thy will.
Father, on this the Sabbath day,
Be with us in our hearts, we pray.
Clearly, there are few better ways to remember the Lord and come to know Him better than to invest ourselves in serious study of the scriptures, those sacred works which testify of Him and His grace toward us.
May the Lord bless each of us in our keeping His day holy so that we may “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) and thus have eternal life (see John 17:3).
One of the new hymns in our hymnbook reminds us of one of the important reasons why we keep the Sabbath day holy:
In sweet remembrance of thy Son,
We gather in thy house as one
To join in prayer, to sing thy praise,
To worship thee and learn thy ways.
Father, on this the Sabbath day,
Be with us gathered here, we pray.
The Lord’s day, as the very name suggests, is “in sweet remembrance” of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a day set apart to help us remember Him more fully, to come to know Him, and to become more like Him. Our thoughts and our actions on this day should all be directed toward these ends: remembering Him, coming to know Him, and becoming more Christlike. Any thought or action that does not help us accomplish these ends is probably not appropriate for the Sabbath day.
Formal worship—which includes singing, praying, partaking of the sacrament, studying His word—is a central and important part of keeping the Sabbath day holy.
Our Sabbath observance cannot end, however, when we leave the chapel and return home from our meetings. As this same hymn continues:
And may our thoughts still turn to thee,
With loved ones, friends, and family.
In all we do till day is gone,
May worship still continue on.
Father, on this the Sabbath day,
Be with us in our homes, we pray.
An important reason for the change in the Church meeting schedules some years ago was to allow more time for families to be together in home-centered gospel living.
“We are confident,” said President Kimball at that time, “that . . . we will indeed see an upsurge in quality family life, in Christian service, and in attendance at Church meetings” (Ensign, May 1980, 4).
He also said, “We hope our parents are using the added time that has come from the consolidated schedule in order to be with, teach, love, and nurture their children” (Ensign, Nov. 1980, 5).
Finally, we hope that Sunday provides a rich opportunity for studying the scriptures in some depth (even more than the half an hour a day President Benson has asked us to read the Book of Mormon each day during the week).
Help each to seek a quiet hour
To read thy word and feel thy pow’r,
To hear thy voice, though small and still,
Renew our strength to do thy will.
Father, on this the Sabbath day,
Be with us in our hearts, we pray.
Clearly, there are few better ways to remember the Lord and come to know Him better than to invest ourselves in serious study of the scriptures, those sacred works which testify of Him and His grace toward us.
May the Lord bless each of us in our keeping His day holy so that we may “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) and thus have eternal life (see John 17:3).
7. Exercising Our Faith and Prayers
A bishopric message written on Tuesday afternoon, April 29, 1986, and published in the May 1986 issue of the Bountiful Twentieth Ward Newsette.
A few weeks ago we finished another glorious general conference. What a thrill it was to see the mantle fall on our new Prophet and to feel the spirit and power of his sacred calling. What a privilege it was to sustain President Benson and his two counselors as our new First Presidency.
President Benson’s comments in the opening moments of the conference set a mood and a theme for all that followed: “I earnestly seek an interest in your faith and prayers that what I say may bless and edify our souls. I realize my dependence upon the Lord, and I also know that Jesus Christ is the head of this church and that through Him we can do all things that are needful” (Ensign, May 1986, 4).
The Brethren do need our faith and prayers, and they—along with each of us—need to depend upon the Lord in all things.
Today is our normal fast Sunday, a day of fasting and prayer. In addition, President Ronald Reagan has proclaimed it a national day of prayer. In support of this proclamation, the First Presidency has said:
“In keeping with the annual tradition dating back to 1775, the President of the United States has again this year proclaimed a National Day of Prayer. The date of the observance will be Sunday, May 4, 1986. We endorse that proclamation and encourage our individual members and our congregations throughout the nation to join with the President that day in a prayerful petition to our Heavenly Father, giving thanks for all that He does for us, seeking His guidance and inspiration in the conduct of our lives, and asking for the blessing of peace in a troubled world.
“Also, while we enthusiastically support the proclamation, let us not limit our supplications to a designated observance. We commend the practice of daily prayer to people everywhere. May we all . . . express daily gratitude to the Father of us all. And, to paraphrase a familiar hymn, when sore trials come upon us, when our souls are full of sorrow, when our hearts are filled with anger, let us think to pray and, in so doing, seek guidance and comfort and forgiveness from Him who have us life” (Church News, Apr. 20, 1986, 3).
In addition, our county commissioners—along with commissioners from five other nearby counties—issued this joint statement on praying to avoid potential lake flooding:
“We are requesting that people of all faiths and religious persuasions begin immediately to exercise their faith and prayers and then unitedly join in a day of fasting and prayer on May 4 in a supplication to the Creator for the weather patterns to return to normal that the potential disaster might be averted” (Church News, Apr. 27, 1986, 3).
This is surely an appropriate subject for our prayers, as the Book of Mormon teaches us (see, for example, Amulek’s excellent instruction on prayer in Alma 34:17–28 and Alma’s counsel to his son Helaman in Alma 37:36–37).
As a bishopric, we commend this counsel to you and invite you to exercise your faith and prayers. Pray in your families. Pray as husbands and wives. Pray individually. And may the Lord reward your heartfelt, righteous prayers with blessings upon your heads.
A few weeks ago we finished another glorious general conference. What a thrill it was to see the mantle fall on our new Prophet and to feel the spirit and power of his sacred calling. What a privilege it was to sustain President Benson and his two counselors as our new First Presidency.
President Benson’s comments in the opening moments of the conference set a mood and a theme for all that followed: “I earnestly seek an interest in your faith and prayers that what I say may bless and edify our souls. I realize my dependence upon the Lord, and I also know that Jesus Christ is the head of this church and that through Him we can do all things that are needful” (Ensign, May 1986, 4).
The Brethren do need our faith and prayers, and they—along with each of us—need to depend upon the Lord in all things.
Today is our normal fast Sunday, a day of fasting and prayer. In addition, President Ronald Reagan has proclaimed it a national day of prayer. In support of this proclamation, the First Presidency has said:
“In keeping with the annual tradition dating back to 1775, the President of the United States has again this year proclaimed a National Day of Prayer. The date of the observance will be Sunday, May 4, 1986. We endorse that proclamation and encourage our individual members and our congregations throughout the nation to join with the President that day in a prayerful petition to our Heavenly Father, giving thanks for all that He does for us, seeking His guidance and inspiration in the conduct of our lives, and asking for the blessing of peace in a troubled world.
“Also, while we enthusiastically support the proclamation, let us not limit our supplications to a designated observance. We commend the practice of daily prayer to people everywhere. May we all . . . express daily gratitude to the Father of us all. And, to paraphrase a familiar hymn, when sore trials come upon us, when our souls are full of sorrow, when our hearts are filled with anger, let us think to pray and, in so doing, seek guidance and comfort and forgiveness from Him who have us life” (Church News, Apr. 20, 1986, 3).
In addition, our county commissioners—along with commissioners from five other nearby counties—issued this joint statement on praying to avoid potential lake flooding:
“We are requesting that people of all faiths and religious persuasions begin immediately to exercise their faith and prayers and then unitedly join in a day of fasting and prayer on May 4 in a supplication to the Creator for the weather patterns to return to normal that the potential disaster might be averted” (Church News, Apr. 27, 1986, 3).
This is surely an appropriate subject for our prayers, as the Book of Mormon teaches us (see, for example, Amulek’s excellent instruction on prayer in Alma 34:17–28 and Alma’s counsel to his son Helaman in Alma 37:36–37).
As a bishopric, we commend this counsel to you and invite you to exercise your faith and prayers. Pray in your families. Pray as husbands and wives. Pray individually. And may the Lord reward your heartfelt, righteous prayers with blessings upon your heads.
6. Come Feast at the Table of the Lord
A bishopric message published in the January 1986 issue of the Newsette, the monthly newsletter of the Bountiful Twentieth Ward, Bountiful Utah South Stake, over the signature of the bishopric (Bishop Delbert H. Strasser, Ron Duerden, and Dean B. Cleverly). We had been serving together in the bishopric since July 14, 1985.
A few days before Christmas the First Presidency issued a tenderly worded invitation to all those of our brothers and sisters who are not enjoying the full blessings of Church membership and activity.
“To all such we reach out in love,” the Prophet and his two counselors said. “Come Back. Come back and feast at the table of the Lord, and taste again the sweet and satisfying fruits of fellowship with the saints.”
As your bishopric, we echo that same message: We love you. We desire to have fellowship with you. We want you to enjoy the sweet blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
To those who have felt the tender mercies of the Lord, who have felt to sing the songs of redeeming love, we in turn invite you to open your arms and your hearts to receive and assist those who wish to return.
May the Lord bless all of us, brothers and sisters in the truest sense, in our efforts to help each other return to His presence.
A few days before Christmas the First Presidency issued a tenderly worded invitation to all those of our brothers and sisters who are not enjoying the full blessings of Church membership and activity.
“To all such we reach out in love,” the Prophet and his two counselors said. “Come Back. Come back and feast at the table of the Lord, and taste again the sweet and satisfying fruits of fellowship with the saints.”
As your bishopric, we echo that same message: We love you. We desire to have fellowship with you. We want you to enjoy the sweet blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
To those who have felt the tender mercies of the Lord, who have felt to sing the songs of redeeming love, we in turn invite you to open your arms and your hearts to receive and assist those who wish to return.
May the Lord bless all of us, brothers and sisters in the truest sense, in our efforts to help each other return to His presence.
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