Russell M. Nelson on sharing the Lord's perspective

Elder Russell M. Nelson (1924- ) was an internationally-renowned heart surgeon when he was called to serve as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984.

"Imagine, if you will, a pair of powerful binoculars. Two separate optical systems are joined together with a gear to focus two independent images into one three-dimensional view. To apply this analogy, let the scene on the left side of your binoculars represent your perception of your task. Let the picture on the right side represent the Lord's perspective of your task—the portion of His plan He has entrusted to you. Now, connect your system to His. By mental adjustment, fuse your focus. Something wonderful happens. Your vision and His are now the same. You have developed an 'eye single to the glory of God' (D&C 4:5; see also Morm. 8:15). With that perspective, look upward—above and beyond mundane things about you. The Lord said, 'Look unto me in every thought' (D&C 6:36). That special vision will also help clarify your wishes when they may be a bit fuzzy and out of focus with God's hopes for your divine destiny. Indeed, the precise challenge you regard now as 'impossible' may be the very refinement you need, in His eye."

- Russell M. Nelson, "With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible", Ensign, May 1988, pp. 33-35
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This is a wonderful, useful analogy. We are familiar with the concept of binoculars, and most of us have used them on various occasions. The two lenses function together, but can be adjusted independently to form a unified whole.  The whole unit bends to fit different spacing between eyes, in order to facilitate bringing the two separated discs of vision into a single view.

Most of us have eyes that see slightly differently. On the binoculars I have seen, the general focusing mechanism (usually a center dial or wheel) affects both lenses, but then one of the eyepieces can be fine-tuned to synchronize with the other. So once the best possible focus has been obtained in the left eye, the right eye is then brought into sharp and matching focus.

Both the bending of the unit to form a single field of view, and the focusing to join in a unified sharpness, support Elder Nelson's analogy.

This reminds me of the insightful description of prayer in the Bible Dictionary:

"Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."
(Bible Dictionary, s.v. "Prayer")

When we pray, we bring our "will" into correspondence with that of the Father. The goal is not to change His will (a mistake we sometimes make); but to try to make sure our vision comes into alignment with His.

Boyd K. Packer on the gift of the Holy Ghost

President Boyd K. Packer (1924- ) served as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve (a position that no longer exists) from 1961 to 1970, when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.  He currently serves as the president of that Quorum.

"You can receive this great blessing—to become familiar with the still, small voice and learn that this voice will tell you all things that you must do. The word we use to describe this communication is promptings, the way we feel. These promptings can come many times, through many experiences. That is the voice of the Lord speaking.

"Nephi explained that angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, and you can speak with the tongue of angels, which simply means that you can speak with the power of the Holy Ghost. It will be quiet. It will be invisible. There will not be a dove. There will not be cloven tongues of fire. But the power will be there."

- Boyd K. Packer, "The Gift of the Holy Ghost: What Every Member Should Know," address given at new mission presidents seminar, 6/24/2003; see Ensign, August 2006, pp. 46-52
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President Packer's encouragement to church members is to become familiar with the way God communicates with his children, through gentle promptings. As we learn to listen and understand, our lives are blessed. But the extension of the principle is that we can also speak by the same power; when we have the Holy Ghost as a companion, the very nature of our communication with others is changed.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf on finding our highest priorities

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (1940- ) served as a Seventy from 1994-2004, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve.  He has served as second counselor in the First Presidency since 2008.

"Some of us are so busy that we feel like a cart pulled by a dozen work animals—each straining in a different direction. A lot of energy is expended, but the cart doesn't go anywhere.

"Often we devote our best efforts in pursuit of a hobby, a sport, vocational interests, and community or political issues. All these things may be good and honorable, but are they leaving us time and energy for what should be our highest priorities?

"What is the remedy?

"Once again, it comes from the words of the Savior:

"'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

"'This is the first and great commandment.

"'And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' (Matthew 22:37-39)

"Everything else in life should be secondary to these two great priorities.

"Even in Church service, it is easy to spend a lot of time just going through the motions without the heart or the substance of discipleship.

"[We] have committed to be a people who love God and our neighbor and who are willing to demonstrate that love through word and deed. That is the essence of who we are as disciples of Jesus Christ."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Are You Sleeping Through the Restoration?", Ensign, May 2014, pp. 58-62
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One of the great challenges of our time is busy-ness. Many of us can relate to the analogy of a cart being pulled in various directions by strong animals. The pulls are real, based on our desires to do many good things; and the many directions are often all things that are "good and honorable." President Uchtdorf said of his cart analogy, "A lot of energy is expended, but the cart doesn't go anywhere." In my experience with the desire to be involved in many good things, we can go places, but only in spurts before one of the other demands distracts us; the net result is inconsistent and far less effective than more focused efforts.

So how to we ensure that we are reserving both time and energy for "what should be our highest priorities"? President Uchtdorf suggests it comes in a careful evaluation against the criteria of the Savior's admonition to love God first, wholly and completely; and then to love our neighbor. If we evaluate something that is competing for our time and find that it doesn't contribute strongly to these two "highest priorities," it should be a good indication that it's not worth our attention.

Henry B. Eyring on fanning the spark of faith

President Henry B. Eyring (1933- ) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007.

"I think of those whose hearts ache over promises yet unfulfilled. Tonight, or tomorrow, many of us will pray with real intent, and perhaps with tears, over someone whose happiness would bring us happiness, who has been promised all the blessings of peace that come with baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and yet who counts the promises worthless. None of us is immune, because all of us have circles of love large enough to include such people. My heart is drawn especially to those asking the question we all have asked: 'How can I be sure I have done all I can to help?'

"Fifty years ago, in October conference, President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., of the First Presidency, gave this answer, which I carry copied on a card:

"'It is my hope and my belief that the Lord never permits the light of faith wholly to be extinguished in any human heart, however faint the light may glow. The Lord has provided that there shall still be there a spark which, with teaching, with the spirit of righteousness, with love, with tenderness, with example, with living the Gospel, shall brighten and glow again, however darkened the mind may have been. And if we shall fail so to reach those among us of our own whose faith has dwindled low, we shall fail in one of the main things which the Lord expects at our hands' (in Conference Report, Oct. 1936, p. 114).

"That lovely metaphor—of a spark, a spark of faith—gives me confidence. President Clark pictured the spark nearly hidden, almost smothered by the ashes of transgression. It may be so small that the person can't feel its warmth. The heart may be hardened. Even the Holy Spirit may have been forced to withdraw. But the spark still lives, and glows, and may be fanned to flame."

- Henry B. Eyring, "The Spark of Faith," Ensign, November 1986, pp. 73-75
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President Eyring has a tender, sensitive heart. In this address, he offered comfort and hope to those who have family members or others close to them who have let the light of the Gospel fade from their lives.

President Eyring found comfort in this beautiful analogy shared fifty years earlier by one of his predecessors in leadership, President J. Reuben Clark Jr., who was then serving as a counselor to President Heber J. Grant:

Even in what appears to be the darkest of lives, "the spark still lives, and glows, and may be fanned to flame." What a beautiful promise of hope!

Gordon B. Hinckley on a love affair with the scriptures

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) was born on June 23, 1910 — 105 years ago today.  He was called to the Quorum of Twelve in 1961, served as a counselor in the First Presidency from 1981-1995, then as Church President until his death in 2008 at age 97.

"I love our scriptures. I love these wonderful volumes, which set forth the word of the Lord—given personally or through prophets—for the guidance of our Father's sons and daughters. I love to read the scriptures, and I try to do so consistently and repeatedly. I like to quote from them, for they give the voice of authority to that which I say. I do not claim distinction as a scholar of the scriptures. For me, the reading of the scriptures is not the pursuit of scholarship. Rather, it is a love affair with the word of the Lord and that of his prophets. They contain so much for each of us....

"I urge our people everywhere to read the scriptures more—to study all of them together with the help of these tremendous aids for a harmony of understanding in order to bring their precepts into our lives.

"May the Lord bless each of us to feast upon his holy word and to draw from it that strength, that peace, that knowledge 'which passeth all understanding' (Philip. 4:7), as he has promised."

- Gordon B. Hinckley, "Feasting upon the Scriptures," talk given during the “Using the Scriptures” Churchwide satellite fireside, March 10, 1985; see Ensign, Dec. 1985, pp. 42-45
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In 1985, the Church held a special worldwide broadcast to share encouragement about scripture study. New editions of the Bible and the Triple Combination had been released in the years leading up to this, and the broadcast was an opportunity to encourage church members to understand and take advantage of those new resources. President Hinckley was a counselor in the First Presidency, and spoke along with other leaders. I appreciated these comments:

• "I love to read the scriptures, and I try to do so consistently and repeatedly." He shares his own commitment to the principle of scripture study.
• "I like to quote from them, for they give the voice of authority to that which I say." Scriptural authority adds power to any teaching setting.

He then shared this important perspective; he never claimed to be a "scholar" of the scriptures, but still found great blessing and power in his personal study:

In the years that have followed, many others have given similar urgings to "read the scriptures more... in order to bring their precepts into our lives." That invitation and challenge is just as valid today as it was 30 years ago!

Marvin J. Ashton on finding our spiritual gift

Elder Marvin J. Ashton (May 6, 1915—Feb 25, 1994) served as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles from 1971 until his death in 1994 at age 78.

"Let me mention a few gifts that are not always evident or noteworthy but that are very important. Among these may be your gifts—gifts not so evident but nevertheless real and valuable.

"Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost.

"We must remember that to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. It is our right and responsibility to accept our gifts and to share them. God's gifts and powers are available to all of us."

- Marvin J. Ashton, "There Are Many Gifts," Ensign, Nov. 1987, p. 20
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Starting with the premises "there are many gifts" and "to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God" (D&C 46:11), there is much to consider in Elder Ashton's fascinating talk. We love to study the list of gifts that appear in the scriptures and ask what gifts might be the ones given to us. But Elder Ashton suggests there might be many more gifts to consider and starts us with several fascinating suggestions of "less-conspicuous gifts":

• the gift of asking
• the gift of listening
• the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice
• the gift of being able to weep
• the gift of avoiding contention
• the gift of being agreeable
• the gift of avoiding vain repetition
• the gift of seeking that which is righteous
• the gift of not passing judgment
• the gift of looking to God for guidance
• the gift of being a disciple
• the gift of caring for others
• the gift of being able to ponder
• the gift of offering prayer
• the gift of bearing a mighty testimony
• the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost

Furthermore, the Lord's injunction is to "seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given" (D&C 46:8). We should be asking for additional gifts and working to develop them. What a fascinating concept! What might enable me to better serve God and my neighbor?

Thomas S. Monson on making friends with three fathers

President Thomas S. Monson (1927- ) was sustained to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1963.  He served as a counselor in the First Presidency with Presidents Benson, Hunter, and Hinckley until becoming Church president in 2008.

"Each of you has three fathers. First, your Heavenly Father. He stands ready to answer the prayer of your heart. Being the father of your spirit, and having created you in His own image, knowing the end from the beginning, His wisdom faileth not and His counsel is ever true. Make a friend of Him.

"Second, you have your earthly father. He labors to ensure your happiness. Together with your mother, he prays for your guidance and well being. Make a friend of him.

"Third, there is the father of your ward, even the bishop. He has been called of God by prophecy and the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel and administer in the ordnance thereof. In short, he is endowed to provide you with counsel and help. Make a friend of him."

- Thomas S. Monson, "Decisions Determine Destiny," LDS Student Association Young Women's Meeting, Logan, Utah, May 16, 1968; see TTSM p. 117

This is an interesting perspective for Father's Day from President Monson. We should not only recognize and be grateful for our three different fathers, but we should also "make a friend" of each one!

I lost my "earthly father" when I was 7 years old, before we really had much of a chance to establish a friendship. I have had many acquaintances who were still had a father living, but for various reasons were not able to build a friendship, or any kind of relationship; I think that is even more sad than my case.

But at least for me, I've been blessed on many occasions to have a father of the third type, my bishop, step in and help to compensate for the missing earthly father. What a blessing that has been!

And of course, knowing there is a Heavenly Father who loves me and cares for me, and will guide and direct in times of need as well as provide peace and hope—what a treasured blessing that is!