Richard L. Evans on clinging to eternal truths

Elder Richard L. Evans (1906-1971) served as a Seventy from 1938-1953, when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.  He died in 1971 at age 65.  He was known as "the voice of the Tabernacle Choir" from the beginning of its broadcasts in 1929 until his passing.

"I would say today to those who are in the classroom, to farmers in the field, to the laborers in factories, to men pursuing professions, to young men in military service, to all of us in life, whatever the discouragements, whatever the seeming areas of conflict and confusion, whatever the infinite area of things we don't understand, cling to these eternal verities always: that God lives, that men were made in his image, that life is purposeful, that men are immortal. Cling to the commandments and give observance to them and to the knowledge that it is our Father's plan and purpose to bring immortality and eternal life to man (Moses 1:39). If we will cling to these eternal verities in simplicity and truth and keep our lives well balanced in all our pursuits, we shall reach a glorious end....

"Now as to this discouragement and confusion: I think the enemy of men's souls wouldn't care too much what means he used to render our lives ineffective, just so long as he did render them ineffective. I don't think he would care too much whether it was by indolence or indifference or by withholding willing work, or by doubt, or by discouragement, or by uncertainty—so long as he could render us ineffective, it would please him. And it must be our purpose to see that we pursue our purposes regardless of the things we don't know which we hope sometime to know. It must be our purpose to pursue with all earnestness every righteous purpose.

"No matter how much we may be discouraged or how often we are set back, we must begin again and again, if necessary, and earnestly pursue the purposes of life, full of faith for the future. Enduring to the end is exceedingly important. Pursuing the opportunities and the duties of every day is exceedingly important, and repenting while there is still time to repent is also exceedingly important."

- Richard L. Evans, "With Faith for the Future," Conference Report, October 1950, pp. 138-142
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It was 65 years ago when Elder Evans noted the complexities of life, the challenges and discouragements, the confusions, the conflicts. How those problems have intensified since then, both in society and in our individual lives! But he reminds us of the perspective of eternity that enables us to survive, if we "cling" to the "eternal verities" that are revealed in the gospel. The real challenge is to keep those things alive in our minds and hearts. The word "cling" is very descriptive.

The second point he makes is to explain how "the enemy of men's souls" makes every effort to "render our lives ineffective" through a variety of methods. We must be aware and vigilant, even in the midst of "things we don't know which we hope sometime to know."

And this final encouragement is inspiring:

N. Eldon Tanner on choosing today to serve God

President Nathan Eldon Tanner (1898-1982) was ordained an apostle in 1962.  A year later he was called as a counselor in the First Presidency, and continued in that role during the administration of four Church presidents until his death in 1982 at age 84.

"I was greatly impressed as I listened to the BYU alumni president, Ernest L. Wilkinson, M.D., tell of an emergency call that took him to the Intensive Coronary Care Unit of the LDS Hospital, where a close personal friend of his of several years' duration was in critical condition with a massive coronary thrombosis. He said: 'As I approached his bedside he grasped my hand and through an oxygen mask, though gripped with pain and breathing in a labored manner, he muttered, "Oh, Doctor, can you save me? I have so many things I have been putting off and wanting to do."

"'As we labored into the hours of the morning, utilizing all of the modern electronic gadgetry that medical science can provide, and as it became increasingly evident that my friend would not survive, I was haunted by his comment and its inference. Are we thinkers or are we doers? How many of us procrastinate the really important decisions in life? Will we be found wanting when we too are at the crossroads of life and death?'

"This is a serious and urgent question indeed. We are all nearing the crossroads of life and death ourselves. How fortunate we are to be able to make a choice. What a glorious thing it is to know that we can choose our course, write our destiny and determine our blessings. It is not too late to choose. The choice is ours, but we must choose this day whom we will serve."

- N. Eldon Tanner, "Choose You This Day," Ensign, June 1971, pp. 11-15
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President Tanner presents the poignant example of a man on his deathbed, desperate for a second chance to complete the unfinished business of his life; then he asks these pointed questions:

President Tanner then warns, "We are all nearing the crossroads of life and death ourselves." It's easy to forget that. We just don't know how near we are.  But we do know that accidents happen; fatal diseases sometimes appear suddenly; circumstances can change overnight. All of us know someone, and probably a number of people, who faced an "untimely" end.

It's truly vital that we "not procrastinate the day of [our] repentance" (Alma 13:27) — or of our resolve to improve, to be more committed, to apologize, to change direction, to improve habits, to serve more faithfully. This is a great message: "What a glorious thing it is to know that we can choose our course, write our destiny and determine our blessings. It is not too late to choose."

J. Reuben Clark on the unquenchable light of the gospel

President J. Reuben Clark, Jr. (September 1, 1871 – October 6, 1961) was a prominent attorney who served as Under Secretary of State during the presidency of Calvin Coolidge, and later as the US Ambassador to Mexico. He was called as a counselor in the First Presidency to Heber J. Grant starting in April 1933, and was ordained an apostle a year and a half later. He went on to serve as counselor to Presidents George Albert Smith and David O. McKay before he passed away in 1961 at age 90.

"Every human being is born with the light of faith kindled in his heart as on an altar, and that light burns and the Lord sees that it burns, during the period before we are accountable. When accountability comes then each of us determines how we shall feed and care for that light. If we shall live righteously that light will glow until it diffuses the whole body, giving to it health and strength and spiritual light as well as bodily health.  If we shall live unrighteously that light will dwindle and finally almost flicker out.

"Yet 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."

- J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Conference Report, Oct. 1936, p. 114

President Clark presents an interesting description of the "light of faith" that is kindled in every being, and burns in our childhood. Once we are "accountable," we determine for ourselves how we "feed and care for that light." His description of what can happen when we live appropriately is inspiring:

President Clark also offers hope to those who struggle with a loss of faith, in themselves or in one they love and care about:

David B. Haight on personal effort and progress

Elder David B. Haight (1906-2004) was sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve in 1976. He passed away at age 97, four days after attending the funeral of his colleague Neal A. Maxwell.  He was the oldest person to have served as an apostle in this dispensation.

"The Lord wants and needs all of you to be strong, to be believers, to be examples of goodness to all the world. You can become mighty rivers, flowing with truth. Mediocrity and weaklings come with little effort. The world has an abundance of them.

"I would urge you to use your time wisely. Don't waste it on frivolous pursuits. As Ted Koppel, a national newscaster, told the graduates of Duke University last spring:

"'[We] can partake of [TV's] daily banquet without drawing on any intellectual resources; without either physical or moral discipline....

"'...In the place of Truth we have discovered facts; for moral absolutes we have substituted moral ambiguity. We now communicate with everyone... and say absolutely nothing.' [Commencement speech given by Ted Koppel at Duke University on Sunday, 10 May 1987, pp. 5-6]

"I admonish you to live so you can ask for the personal revelation you are entitled to. Someone has written, "Souls are not saved in bundles—they are saved individually."

- David B. Haight, "The Streams of Your Life," BYU Devotional, November 24, 1987
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According to Elder Haight, the Lord wants us to "become mighty rivers, flowing with truth." A key element contributing to achieving that level of goodness comes from wise use of time. So much of today's easily-accessible media glut provides little benefit and little challenge to encourage growth.

This is wise and challenging counsel: "I admonish you to live so you can ask for the personal revelation you are entitled to."

David O. McKay on steps to effective prayer

President David O. McKay (1873-1970) was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1906.  He served as a counselor in the First Presidency to Heber J. Grant and George Albert Smith beginning in 1945, then then as the president of the Church from 1951 to his death in 1970 at age 96.

"Prayer is the pulsation of a yearning, loving heart in tune with the Infinite. It is a message of the soul sent directly to a loving Father. The language is not mere words....

"The first and most fundamental virtue in effective prayer is faith. A belief in God brings peace to the soul. An assurance that God is our Father, into whose presence we can go for comfort and guidance, is a never-failing source of comfort.

"Another essential virtue is reverence. This virtue is exemplified in the model prayer given by the Savior in the words 'Hallowed be thy name.' [Matthew 6:9.] This principle should be exemplified in classrooms, and particularly in our houses of worship.

"The third essential element is sincerity. Prayer is the yearning of the spirit. Sincere praying implies that when we ask for any virtue or blessing we should work for the blessing and cultivate the virtue.

"The next essential virtue is loyalty. Why pray for the Kingdom of God to come unless you have in your heart a desire and a willingness to aid in its establishment? Praying for His will to be done and then not trying to live it, gives you a negative answer at once. You would not grant something to a child who showed that attitude towards a request he is making of you. If we pray for the success of some cause or enterprise, manifestly we are in sympathy with it. It is the height of disloyalty to pray for God's will to be done, and then fail to conform our lives to that will.

"A final essential virtue is humility.... The principle of humility and prayer leads one to feel a need of divine guidance. Self-reliance is a virtue, but with it should go a consciousness of the need of superior help—a consciousness that as you walk firmly in the pathway of duty, there is a possibility of your making a misstep; and with that consciousness is a prayer, a pleading that God will inspire you to avoid that false step."

- David O. McKay, "Pathways to Happiness" (1957), pp. 225-26

President McKay offered some insightful suggestions on "effective prayer" in this excerpt. He noted five important qualities that are fundamental in achieving the divine communication we seek:

Each of these is worth pondering. I was impressed on the statements about "loyalty" — in effect, making sure our actions correspond to our words and desires. "It is the height of disloyalty to pray for God's will to be done, and then fail to conform our lives to that will."

But it is perhaps humility that is the greatest need for so many of us. Recognizing our dependence on God is essential to effective communication. When we truly acknowledge our need and His ability to help, then we approach the consciousness President McKay refers to, "a pleading that God will inspire you to avoid that false step."

Then, perhaps, we approach what is the potential we all seek.

Harold B. Lee on almost doing our best

President Harold B. Lee (1899-1973) was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1941. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency from 1970-1972, then as Church president from July 1972 until his passing less than 18 months later in December 1973.

"A good bishop made an interesting comment about what he called the saddest words that he knows of a man in high station. He read from the words in the days of the Apostle Paul when Paul before King Agrippa had borne his powerful testimony of his conversion. King Agrippa's reply was, 'Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.' (Acts 26:28.) Then the bishop said, 'The king knew the truth but he lacked the courage to do that which would be required; and he could only say then, "Almost thou persuadest," almost persuaded under certain circumstances to do the thing the Lord would want him to do.'

"And then he characterized some things that he discovered in his own ward in a short but powerful sermon. 'In response to the Master, "Come, ... follow me" (Mark 10:21), some members almost,' he said, 'but not quite, say, "thou persuadest me almost to be honest but I need extra help to pass a test"'....

"Almost thou persuadest me to keep the Sabbath day holy, but it's fun to play ball on Sunday.

"Almost thou persuadest me to love my neighbor, but he is a rascal; to be tolerant of others' views, but they are dead wrong; to be kind to sister, but she hit me first; to go home teaching but it's so cold and damp outside tonight; to pay tithes and offerings, but we do need a new color TV set; to find the owner of a lost watch, but no one returned the watch I lost; to pass the Sacrament, but I've graduated from the deacons now, almost thou persuadest me to be reverent, but I had to tell my pal about my date last night; almost thou persuadest me to attend stake leadership meeting, but I know more than the leader on that subject, so why should I go? Thou persuadest me almost to go to sacrament meeting but there is going to be such an uninteresting speaker tonight. Almost! Almost! Almost! but not quite, not able quite to reach."

- Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, April 1964, pp. 23-24; see THBL 147

President Lee's application of the classic apology from King Agrippa is thought-provoking. There are times when we almost make the right choice, almost live up to our potential. But the lack of full and total commitment holds us back. Each of us can probably find something in President Lee's list that reminds us of an area where we could be more committed, more devoted to God and His work.

I love the phrase that appears a number of times in the Book of Mormon to describe the level of devotion God asks of us: "whole soul." He doesn't want a token portion of our commitment. He wants everything.

"And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out."
- 2 Nephi 25:29, emphasis added

Or this:

"And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved."
- Omni 1:26, emphasis added

It's clear that "almost" is not what the Savior asks when he invites us to follow Him!

Howard W. Hunter on loving our neighbor

President Howard W. Hunter (1907-1995) was called to the Quorum of Twelve in 1959.  He served as Church President from June 5, 1994 to his death on March 3, 1995.

"The Lord has prepared a touchstone for you and me, an outward measurement of inward discipleship that marks our faithfulness and will survive the fires yet to come....

"Eternal life, God's life, the life we are seeking, is rooted in two commandments. The scriptures say that 'on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets' (Matt. 22:40). Love God and love your neighbor. The two work together; they are inseparable. In the highest sense they may be considered as synonymous. And they are commandments that each of us can live....

"An old axiom states that a man 'all wrapped up in himself makes a small bundle.' Love has a certain way of making a small bundle large. The key is to love our neighbor, including the neighbor that is difficult to love. We need to remember that though we make our friends, God has made our neighbors—everywhere. Love should have no boundary; we should have no narrow loyalties. Christ said, 'For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?' (Matt. 5:46)....

"These two virtues, love and service, are required of us if we are to be good neighbors and find peace in our lives."

- Howard W. Hunter, "The Lord's Touchstone," Ensign, November 1986, pp. 34-35
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The concept of a touchstone is mostly lost to modern culture. In times past, a piece of smooth fine-grained stone such as slate, jasper, or schist was used to test alloys of gold. When the metals were rubbed on the stone, they would leave marks; a skilled observer could tell the type of metal based on the color of the mark, compared to known samples. So in more general terms, the term "touchstone" came to represent any specific standard or criterion by which something is recognized or judged.

President Hunter says there is a spiritual touchstone to help identify our true inward discipleship. It is defined in the first and second of the Lord's great commandments—loving God and our neighbor. In particular, how we treat those around us, our neighbors, is a great identifier of how truly we are converted.