YOUR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY

OBEDIENCE AND AGENCY -- NOT MY WAY BUT YOURS, LORD.

I heard Elder Boyd K. Packer give this talk about OBEDIENCE back in December of 1971 at Brigham Young University. He was, I believe, the junior member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles at the time. Then, I heard him talk about the same subject the next summer at the Faculty and Staff summer dinner. The subject he addressed was something that the Lord definitely wanted me to hear and to strive for. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get to the point President Packer talks about until about seven years ago.

President Boyd K. Packer

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The following is a excerpt from the talk

Obedience–that which God will never take by force–He will accept when freely given. And He will then return to you freedom that you can hardly dream of–the freedom to feel and to know, the freedom to do, and the freedom to be, at least a thousandfold more than we offer Him. Strangely enough, the key to freedom is obedience.

I would expose you this morning to some tender, innermost feelings on this matter of agency. Perhaps the greatest discovery of my life, without question the greatest commitment, came when finally I had the confidence in God that I would loan or yield my agency to Him–without compulsion or pressure, without any duress, as a single individual alone, by myself, no counterfeiting, nothing expected other than the privilege. In a sense, speaking figuratively, to take one's agency, that precious gift which the scriptures make plain is essential to life itself, and say, "I will do as thou directs," is afterward to learn that in so doing you possess it all the more
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I Want to Do What You Want Me to Do

I illustrate with an experience. When I was president of the New England Mission, the Tabernacle Choir was to sing at the world's fair in Montreal. The choir had one day unscheduled and suggested a concert in New England. One of the industrial leaders there asked for the privilege of sponsoring the concert.

Brother Condie and Brother Stewart came to Boston to discuss this matter. We met at the Boston airport and then drove to Attleboro, Massachusetts. Along the way Mr. Yeager asked about the concert. He said, "I would like to have a reception for the choir members. I could have it either at my home or at my club." He wanted to invite his friends who were, of course, the prominent people of New England–indeed, of the nation. He talked of this, and then he asked about serving alcoholic beverages.

In answering, Brother Stewart said, "Well, Mr. Yeager, since it is your home and you are the host, I suppose you could do just as you want to do."

"That isn't what I had in mind," this wonderful man said. "I don't want to do what I want to do. I want to do what you want me to do."

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That is the point that we all need eventually arrive to -- I DON'T WANT TO DO WHAT I WANT TO DO, LORD. I WANT TO DO WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO.

Draw a large "X" on a piece of paper. The top part of the letter is the area that you are moving around in as you have the "I want to do what I want to do." attitude.Going down the "funnel" toward the crossing point describes you moving toward complete surrender, to the "I want to do what you want me to do." attitude. Speaking from my own experience, the nearer you get to the bottom of the funnel, the hotter it becomes spiritually -- white hot as a matter of fact. Moving down the funnel is full of refining and purging -- repentance and sacrifice (broken heart and contrite spirit). The Law of Sacrifice is the spiritual acceptance that nothing in mortality is ours, including ourselves (we have sold ourselves in sin and Christ has redeemed us [bought us back] through his infinite suffering). It also involves TRUST in Heavenly Father and the Savior -- that no matter what they put you through, you will trust that it is necessary.

Going through the focal point into the bottom side of the X represents our spiritual acceptance of the principle that we only want to do what the Lord wants. But, you need to understand that going though that focal point, as President Packer says, is to gain agency and freedom in magnified abundance. IT IS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE MOST LIBERATING THING I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE! It brought with it, the realization that all service is accepted and expected of us. And, everyone who comes into our sphere of influence, no matter how short or long the time, is a part of our stewardship. We don't need an official call from the ward or stake. The call to service came automatically with our baptism.

The sooner you arrive at that point, the less the Lord has to direct you and the more you are attuned to everyone who is around you. And, the silly striving for position, attention, and power also goes away. At least, that is what I experienced. I didn't need to worry about my worth anymore, because I KNOW from the Lord whom I am. I didn't need anything to lean on for that knowledge anymore.

MUSIC — AND, THE SPOKEN WORD

 MUSIC

 
The better half and I made a day trip to Salt Lake City Tuesday last. It was my desire to attend one of the daily organ recitals on Temple Square so that I could get a "fix", musically speaking. I am an "Organ Groupie" — I love the pipe organ (that's love in the cathexis sense) and am enthralled with most of its literature. (Actually, I appreciate ALL GOOD MUSIC.)

The Tabernacle organ was being repaired, so the recitals were being held across the street in the Conference Center. The Organist for the day was Richard Elliot. That was a plus for us both. Rick is a very talented and accomplished musician. Another plus for us, he happens to be married to my wife's cousin, Elisabeth Ballentyne, granddaughter of Aunt Nora BENCH cox. We've been able to get to know them somewhat at family reunions, etc. It's nice when the "man of the hour" knows you personally...

 

-the Conference Center Organ-

Rick is at the console in the lower left.

Rick talking with some people who were in front of us.

He was sweet and condescending, allowing us to get a

picture with him.

We actually attended both the 12:00  and 2:00 PM recitals. The program was beautiful and Rick's improvisations on Come, Come, Ye Saints and "a familiar melody" were well done. Actually, the familiar melody was different piece on both programs.

...AND THE SPOKEN WORD

I suspect that most every Latter-day Saint is acquainted with the Lord's comment on music in Section 24 of the Doctrine and Covenants, which was a revelation given to Emma Smith, the Prophet's wife. She was instructed to put together a hymnal with the following words:

11 And it shall be given thee, also, to make a selection of ^asacred ^bhymns, as it shall be given thee, which is pleasing unto me, to be had in my church.

 12 For my soul ^adelighteth in the ^bsong of the ^cheart; yea, the ^dsong of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.

At least we know how He feels about the song of the heart from the righteous.

I happened onto some interesting commentary about music in a book that I read recently which more than confirmed the feelings I've had about music for decades. That is, all music has a spiritual quality and origin to it. All music reveals its spiritual origin, whether good, indifferent, or evil. The book I was reading was the near death experience of a Latter-day Saint in Idaho. The book is THE MESSAGE by Lance Richardson. The passage of the book relating to music (in case you get your hands on a copy) is on pages 74 - 75. A young woman explains to him,

 "We are using music to learn important important eternal truths. MUSIC IS A MOST POWERFUL CONDUCTOR OF THE SPIRIT. We use music to help us in our learning process."

"All music?" I asked.

Well, let's say all true music. In your world you have much that could never be conducive to the Holy Spirit... I'm sure you have experienced it. Haven't you listened to selections of music and have been moved to tears? Quite often, when you are moved to tears, it is because the Spirit is intensely present..."

"...I was left with a most certain validation that music is a great tool of God. Great truths may be learned by using uplifting music as a conductor of the Spirit. I have always enjoyed music, buy I gained a much deeper respect for its eternal purpose."     (yes, all the emphasis in the above quote is mine)

I know by a multitude of sweet, personal. spiritual experience that what Brother Richardson was taught is true. I'm most grateful to Heavenly Father for the supernal gift of music in my life.  And, I'm grateful to my earthly father for the seed of music he planted in me, and to my older brothers, who's spiritual sense and impeccable musical tastes have lead me to the best, the most sublime, and worthy music available here in this benighted world.  

WORLDS WITHOUT NUMBER

HUBBLE ULTRA DEEP FIELD

Just about everyone in the world has seen this image. (It's expandable of you click on it.) The Hubble Telescope people at NASA did a time exposure of a empty place in the sky (about the size of a grain of sand at arm's length). In this small empty field, Hubble found at least 10,000 galaxies. Since then, they have theorized that there are over 200 million galaxies in the Universe!

Just think about the billions of stars in one galaxy. Then multiply that number by ten thousand. Then, think about 200 million or more galaxies! It's mind boggling!

Because I am a Christian and a Latter-day Saint, I have to accept that this is all the handiwork of God the Father (Elohim) and God the Son (Yahweh). L. D. S. scriptures and theology tell me that this is true. For instance, The prophet Enoch, as quoted in the Book of Moses, who is in a state of wonderment at the weeping of the Creator exclaims:

29 And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst ^aweep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?

30 And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of ^aearths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy ^bcreations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever;

Moses 7: 29 -30 (copied from LDS.ORG website. Highlights are mine)

I really don't think that we have the experience in our mortal minds to grasp the significance of a number that large. The superlatives we use to describe deity are even weak -- omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent -- to describe a being capable of creating to such a magnitude and being in a through all of it.-- as Enoch in bewilderment observes, yet HE is there.

Were it not for my back ground as a Latter-day Saint, the first question I would be asking myself as a Christian would be, "WHY ALL OF THIS CREATION?"

The next question would be, " AND, JUST ONE PLANET FILLED WITH HIS CHILDREN?"

WHAT THE LORD SAYS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE USA

With all that has been happening lately, I thought it wise to remind everyone that the Constitution of the United States was divinely inspired and that the powers of governance still reside in the hands of governed, not in the hands of those who presume to "discover rights" that are not there and were never there.

 

D&C 98: 5-6  

  5 And that ^alaw of the land which is ^bconstitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me.

  6 Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the ^aconstitutional law of the land;

2. D&C 101: 77, 80

  77 According to the laws and ^aconstitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the ^brights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles;

      •  •  •

  80 And for this purpose have I established the ^aConstitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the ^bshedding of blood.

3. D&C 109: 54

  54 Have mercy, O Lord, upon all the ^anations of the earth; have mercy upon the rulers of our land; may those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the ^bConstitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever.
(All of the above scripture quotes have been copied from LDS.org/scriptures)

THE WHIRLWIND TO COME — A WARNING TO THE SAINTS AND THE WORLD

PRESIDENT EZRA TAFT BENSON

In the spring of 1968 my missionary companion and I traveled from Salzburg to Vienna, Austria for a mission conference to listen to Elder Ezra Taft Benson. I didn't appreciate then how much of an unique and honored experience it is to be personally interviewed by an member of the Twelve -- so much for my youthful lack of understanding of the "economy of God." But the interview with Elder Benson, even as unique as it was, is not what I remember most from that conference.

The conference was held in the chapel of the Vienna 2nd Branch building located on the Boecklin Strasse. During the general meeting, Elder Benson read us a  quote from the Doctrine and Covenants, the location of which I didn't catch at the time. It took me quite some time after the mission to find it again. The quote talked about the coming destructions which would occur before the second coming and the fact that the Lord would begin with his Saints first. The location of the passages is in Section 112: 23 - 26, which says:

 23 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ^adarkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the minds of the people, and all flesh has become ^bcorrupt before my face.

 24 Behold, ^avengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of ^bdesolation, of ^cweeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord.

 25 And upon my ^ahouse shall it ^bbegin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord;

 26 First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have ^aprofessed to know my ^bname and have not ^cknown me, and have ^dblasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord.

(quote is copied from the LDS Church Web Site — without permission....)

It is a serious temptation to comment on the above quote — But, for any Latter-day Saint, it shouldn't take much help from the Holy Ghost to understand what the Lord has in store for the members of his church — SAINTS and then for the World. The above passages of Scripture are very much in keeping with the previous post with the Quotes from President Heber C. Kimball. In light of all that is transpiring around us, it would seem that considerable trial lies ahead. Do you KNOW that the course of life that you are currently pursuing is in accordance with the will of God?

  

HEBER CHASE KIMBALL PROPHECIES — A TEST! A TEST!

PRESIDENT HEBER C. KIMBALL

Both of the following quotes come from the Life of Heber C. Kimball, a work by Orson F. Whitney of the Quorum of the Twelve and was published in 1888. (Elder Whitney, incidentally, is one of Heber C. Kimball's grandsons.)

ELDER EDWARD STEVENSON:

“I cheerfully contribute the following, concerning one of the greatest prophets of the nineteenth century—Heber C. Kimball: In 1858 a little group of friends, convened in the House of the Lord, were engaged in pleasant conversation on the isolated condition of the Latter-day Saints.

“Yes,’ said Brother Heber (by which name he was so familiarly known), ‘we think we are secure here in the chambers of the everlasting hills, where we can close those few doors of the canyons against mobs and persecutors, the wicked and the vile, who have always beset us with violence and robbery, but I want to say to you, my brethren, the time is coming when we will be mixed up in these now peaceful valleys to that extent that it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy to the people of God. Then, brethren, look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and many will fall; for I say unto you there is a test, a TEST, a TEST coming, and who will be able to stand?

Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball [Salt Lake City: Kimball Family, 1888], 445.)

ELDER JOHN NICHOLSON gives a valued contribution in the following:

“In accordance with your request I furnish you with a brief outline of a discourse delivered by your grandfather, the late Heber C. Kimball, in 1867. The occasion was the usual afternoon service. Whether it was held in the Bowery or the old Tabernacle, I do not distinctly recollect, but think it was the latter. My memory is, however, quite distinct in relation to the subject of the discourse; especially the prophetic part of it, with which I was specially impressed.

“President Kimball opened by stating that there were many within hearing who had often wished that they had been associated with the Prophet Joseph. ‘You imagine,’ said he, ‘that you would have stood by him when persecution raged and he was assailed by foes within and without. You would have defended him and been true to him in the midst of every trial. You think you would have been delighted to have shown your integrity in the days of mobs and traitors.

“Let me say to you, that many of you will see the time when you will have all the trouble, trial and persecution that you can stand, and plenty of opportunities to show that you are true to God and his work. This Church has before it many close places through which it will have to pass before the work of God is crowned with victory. To meet the difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves. The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess this personal knowledge or witness will fall. If you have not got the testimony, live right and call upon the Lord and cease not till you obtain it. If you do not you will not stand.

“Remember these sayings, for many of you will live to see them fulfilled. The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within himself. If you do not have it, how can you stand? Do you believe it?

Ibid: pp.449-451

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PERSONAL OBSERVATION:

I have read both of these quotes in talks of other general authorities who's ministries are much closer to our own time in this dispensation than President H. C. Kimball's. One reference to these quotes was in a book by Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone. It would appear, therefore, that President H. C. Kimball's prophecies were not referring to the circumstances surrounding the time of the adoption of  the Manifesto. If indeed, these prophecies are yet to be fulfilled, they should, at the very least, make us as Latter-day Saints take stock of our own spiritual state -- whether our personal witnesses are founded on the bedrock of revelation, and whether we are among the five wise virgins rather than the five foolish virgins.

I have had a personal concern about the "lukewarm" status of some of the Church members whom I have gotten to know over the last three decades. There seems to be way too much worldliness and ignorance of Gospel Doctrines, and way too little concern about whether the lives they are leading are in accordance with the Lord's will for them. As President H. C. Kimball notes, this is a personal matter for every individual to assess. 

For me, that assessment process includes the statement in D.&C. 1:14 "... and the day cometh that they who will not listen to the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people."