Becoming A Better Servant

There are instances in the scriptures where we as saints are compared to soldiers going to war. In a memorable passage, the Apostle Paul encourages the saints to put on the armour of God. The same counsel was also given in modern day to the Prophet Joseph Smith. For me the armour represents the spiritual preparation necessary to begin acquiring the Christ-like attributes listed in the passages.

Now, most of us wouldn't have experience with the preparation a soldier might go through.  On the other hand, most of us might have played a bit of sports now and then. (Some more than others!). We can then, look at the preparation it takes to get really good at a sport.  Using these modern day "soldiers", perhaps we can see how to become better at our spiritual preparation.

During an Aaronic Priesthood interview, I asked a young Zack McKenna what it would take to become a world class footballer.  He thought about it for a moment and then said, "All my coaches all say, Practice."

"Yeah, that's certainly right.", then I asked, "In the lead up to a match, how long would you say you spent in practice?"

Zack thought a bit more, then said, "I don't know how long, but I do try and get 10,000 touches."

I thought this was an amazing answer, absolutely stunning. "That's pretty cool, Zack.  So, in any given game, how many touches do you think you get?"

"I'd say about 300."

If you examine the practice discipline of any world class athlete, you'd probably find something like Zack's ratio of time spent in practice to time spent in performance. (I'd imagine the ratio would be even more extreme....) This is the little secret of expertise our modern day would have us ignore.  To become really good, like truly good, requires a tremendous and gigantic amount of energy, effort and time.  In addition, the nature of practice goes from general to finesse; at first your efforts might be ungainly and crude, but over time you become more proficient and your practice time is then spent fine-tuning all the little details.

Now think about what your spiritual practice routines are.  I'd ask you to take a good look at the time you spend in preparation, time spent becoming a better priesthood holder.  Are you really giving it enough energy, time, and attention required to become really, truly good?

Each of us can give sooooooo much more than we currently are.  I'm looking for spiritual Michael Jordans!!

So, lets start somewhere easy.  Can you begin working on your prayers?  Elder Bednar said that prayer is a form of spiritual work. So, can you...

1. Spend significantly more time in prayer?
2. Seriously examine how to improve your prayers?
3. Be more focused, attentive and meaningful during the time spent in prayer?
4. Listen, listen and then listen some more during prayers?
5. Consider integrating some method to capture yours thoughts and impressions that come as a result of prayer?

By focusing on an individual spiritual skill, you and I will see improvement in our service, ministry and life.

Awake and Arise!!!

 I take tremendous comfort in the parable of The Prodigal Son. As you know, the prodigal son takes his inheritance and spoils his time and wealth away. In consequence of this, he is soon destitute and forced to labour in awful circumstances. Of significance to me is that the moment the prodigal "came to himself", his father was there; the prodigal's father raced to embrace him.

It is my heartfelt belief that no matter where we are, what awful circumstances we find ourselves in, or how badly we have sinned, the moment we turn to Him and come to our senses, that God is immediately there. He is swift to the rescue!!

This parable is about overcoming the awful mistakes we make in life. Yet, there is another way of considering this parable. Think for a moment about the actions you could take; the good things you might do if you had the courage or discipline for it. These missed opportunities hold each of us back from fulfilling God's plan for us. I believe it is in the life we might lead that sets apart our average life from the valiant life.

What we learn from the parable is that once we determine we want to live a valiant Christ-like life, that God is immediately there, ready to support us, ready to lend His loving power. Just as He frankly forgave the Prodigal for his sins, He too will quickly forgive us for the regular shortcomings in our daily service. Those missed opportunities, those failures, can be overcome, with His help.

What does this mean for us? It means...

--If you haven't made daily scripture a habit, you can....if you start today!

--If you find ministering difficult, or impossible to figure out, you can!! If you start now.

--If you want to be more loving, patient, kind and forgiving at home....you can if you start today!!!

I'm asking you to seriously consider stepping up your discipleship to the valiant life. I'm asking you to actually get better, to be a better priesthood holder, father and husband! Start now.

Know Where You Are

 Used to be if you wanted to get somewhere you hadn't ever been, you'd need a paper map. The disconcerting thing about paper maps though, is that if you didn't know where you were, a map is both useless and confusing.  If you don't know where you are, no map will help.

We often compare the scriptures and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a map. This map helps us to know the way to go--the way to live--which enables us to work towards returning to live with our Heavenly Father. Yet, the know-where-you-are problem still exists with this map too.

Finding where you are at, right now, is that process of self-examination that all of us must undertake during our journey home. Fortunately for us, we have several self-exam "worksheets" (if you will) given in scripture.  

First, Alma chapter 5. If you recall, Alma had given up his political position to focus solely on his role as High Priest. In this sermon, he asks many questions to direct the people's minds to examine their lives in an effort to reclaim them.  Here are some of the questions Alma asks the Nephites, and by extension, us.

1. Have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers?
2. Have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them?
3. Have ye spiritually been born of God?
4. Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?
5. Do you exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?
6. If ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

Second, if you have been to the temple and taken out sacred covenants there, do you run through the recommend question at times?

Third, in Doctrine & Covenants section 121, we have an amazing list of virtues and practices that are required for the priesthood holder.  Each item can serve as a point of self-examination.  They are:

"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by..."

• persuasion
• long-suffering
• gentleness
• meekness
• love unfeigned
• kindness
• pure knowledge
• charity
• virtuous thoughts

These are just three examples of personal, in-depth, questions and topics we can use to examine where we stand and know where we are.  Without knowing this, it matters not what map you use.  So please, take this opportunity to figure out where you are, and then begin your journey home.

(Bonus: If you really want to find out where you are at spiritually, like seriously want to know, ask your wife.)

Your Heavenly Father Expects You To Grow

I believe that our Heaven Father expects us to strive to become like Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. As such He sent us here to learn, struggle and grow. Further it is only as we struggle that we build the strength, faith and discipline necessary for our salvation and the salvation of those we love.  Additionally, as priesthood holders, we are under sacred covenant to progress, to become better, more powerful servants in His hands.

As such, I feel it important that we strive to identify not only our weaknesses, but our strengths. To repent of those things we need, and build upon what we are good at.  This requires an honest personal evaluation, and then the courage to move forward. As Eldred G Smith said in General Conference, April 1954, "As long as we are not perfect, we are in need of repentance, for all improvement comes as a result of repentance. Each should take daily inventory of himself and try to do better each day. Repentance is a daily affair."

From Marvin J Ashton, General Conference, April 1984, stated, “Set your goals—without goals you cannot measure your progress. But don’t become frustrated because there are no obvious victories. Remind yourself that striving can be more important than arriving. If you are striving for excellence—if you are trying your best day by day with the wisest use of your time and energy to reach realistic goals—you are a success.”

And last, from President Kimball, General Conference, April 1976, “Accept the reality that personal improvement on the part of each priesthood holder is expected by our Father in heaven. We should be growing and we should be developing constantly. If we do, others will sense the seriousness of our discipleship and can then more easily forgive us our frailties which we sometimes show in the way in which we lead and manage.”

“It is most appropriate for Aaronic Priesthood youth, as well as Melchizedek Priesthood men, to quietly, and with determination, set some serious personal goals in which they will seek to improve by selecting certain things that they will accomplish within a specified period of time. Even if the priesthood holders of our Heavenly Father are headed in the right direction, if they are men without momentum they will have too little influence. You are the leaven on which the world depends; you must use your powers to stop a drifting and aimless world.” 

Please take this early month of 2021 to seriously consider your path, determine to change as necessary, and work towards a significantly better you.

Sunday, 03 Jan 2020

Introduction

I've thought for a while during our global pandemic about having a place where I could write some thoughts for the quorum other than WhatsApp. Mostly because WhatsApp is so transitory, but also out of a desire to help, be in touch, and communicate in more ways than just a twice monthly discussion.

So, my idea is to post every Sunday; share thoughts, summarize our discussions for those who couldn't be on Zoom, and generally share ideas, thoughts and feelings.  Hopefully, something, someday, might give you a lift, make you think, or just know that we are all brothers in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Summary of the Zoom Discussion

Jordan had chosen Elder Ballard's talk titled, Watch Ye Therefore, and Pray Always.  We spoke about how Elder Ballard encouraged everyone, not just Church members, to pray during this pandemic. We also spoke about how God recognizes the prayers of all His children. About the need to be more thoughtful and sincere in our prayers. At the end, Jordan encouraged us all to grow in our prayers allowing us to draw closer to Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Quorum Presidency Message

I posted into the group last week about how much I look forward to the new year. I appreciate Christmas and all, but for me, a new year is far more exciting!  I had asked each of you to consider and act on two simple things. First, decide that this year you will finally change, and repent of something that has been holding you back. And second, you would identify something you have been omitting, something you should have always been doing but haven't, and use the new year as the chance to begin a new discipline.

The reason is that, as I've admitted before, being valiant requires much more of us than what we are currently giving. Even though y'all are amazing, and I am gobsmacked (is that the right word?) every time we get together at how great this quorum is....we can do much, much better.  I'm asking each of you to step up, raise the level of your dedication and effort. Be valiant!!

So, take sometime in January; consider, ponder what you can improve, ask God to let you know how you can step up, and determine to become a much better priesthood holder and servant of the Lord.  And if you need help figuring this out, ask your wife, I'm sure she knows what you lack better than anyone!!!