Boyd K. Packer on the real test of life

President Boyd K. Packer (1924-2015) 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 served as president of that Quorum from 1994 until his death on July 3, 2015 at age 90.

"The crucial test of life, I repeat, does not center in the choice between fame and obscurity, nor between wealth and poverty. The greatest decision of life is between good and evil.

"We may foolishly bring unhappiness and trouble, even suffering upon ourselves. These are not always to be regarded as penalties imposed by a displeased Creator. They are part of the lessons of life, part of the test.

"Some are tested by poor health, some by a body that is deformed or homely. Others are tested by handsome and healthy bodies; some by the passion of youth; others by the erosions of old age.

"Some suffer disappointment in marriage, family problems, others live in poverty and obscurity. Some (perhaps this is the hardest test) find ease and luxury.

"All are part of the test. And there is more equality in this testing than sometimes we suspect....

"What, then, do we want you to do? Simply this:

"Be good!

"Study the gospel.

"Live it!

"Stay active in the Church.

"Receive the ordinances.

"Keep your covenants."

- Boyd K. Packer, "The Choice," Ensign, November 1980, pp. 20-22
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We face so many choices every day.  Many are trivial and of little lasting import.  Some have far-reaching implications. We may or may not recognize the decisions of the second kind; some of them seem like the first kind! Elder Packer points out that the most crucial of all decisions are those between good and evil:

I think the list he provided of some of the "tests" of our mortal experience is fascinating.

• poor health
• a body that is deformed or homely
• handsome and healthy bodies
• the passion of youth
• the erosions of old age
• disappointment in marriage
• family problems
• live in poverty and obscurity
• ease and luxury (perhaps the hardest test)

Each of those varied conditions can be a test or trial, requiring us to choose how we will respond. The right way to respond is by simple goodness, obedience, faithfulness.

Quentin L. Cook on the consecration of steady daily faithfulness

Elder Quentin L. Cook (b. 1940) was called as a Seventy in 1996, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2007.

"In a lecture at Brigham Young University, James S. Jardine, former chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Utah, indicated that when he was a student, he thought 'of consecrating [his] life in one grand, heroic gesture' but came to realize that 'consecration is not a once in a lifetime event; it is a daily devotion.'

"When I was young, I too wanted to prove myself through some heroic gesture. My great-grandfather David Patten Kimball was one of the young men who helped carry the members of the Martin handcart company across the Sweetwater River. That sounded like the kind of consecration for which I was looking. Later, as I visited with my grandfather Crozier Kimball, he explained that when President Brigham Young sent the men on their rescue mission, he instructed them to do everything they possibly could to save the handcart company. Their consecration was specifically to 'follow the prophet.' My grandfather told me that consistent, faithful dedication to one's duty or to a principle is to be much admired. As heroic as it was for David Patten Kimball to help rescue the pioneers, it might be equally heroic today to follow the prophet by not watching immoral movies or by refraining from using vulgar language.

"My mission president put all this into perspective for me and taught that, in some cases, seeking to perform a heroic effort can be a form of looking beyond the mark....

"Some members profess that they would commit themselves with enthusiasm if given some great calling, but they do not find home teaching or visiting teaching worthy of or sufficiently heroic for their sustained effort.

"God uses us 'not according to our works, but according to his own purpose' (2 Tim. 1:9). We are looking beyond the mark if our consecration is conditional or does not involve daily devotion."

- Quentin L. Cook, "Looking Beyond the Mark," Ensign, March 2003, pp. 40-44
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This was a very thought-provoking message. What is the real nature of consecration to the Lord, and how is it demonstrated? Does it come in a single, grand, heroic effort? Or is it part of a steady, consistent, perhaps less-spectacular, ongoing pattern of faithfulness?

We have a tendency to glorify and celebrate the "heroic" acts to a degree that it's easy to forget that most of us are never called upon to give that kind of sacrifice. The story Elder Cook mentions of his great-grandfather, David Kimball, is an example. After hearing that three young men had carried the hundreds of handcart pioneers across the frozen stream, suffering exposure that would eventually claim all three of their lives, Brigham Young reportedly "wept like a child" and then stated: “That act alone will ensure C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant and David P. Kimball an everlasting salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God, worlds without end.” (Solomon F. Kimball, “Belated Emigrants of 1856,” Improvement Era, Feb. 1914, p. 288.)  So we are tempted to think that's the way to merit our own eternal salvation! If only I were called on to perform some grand service, I would prove my loyalty and devotion to God!

I love Elder Cook's reminder that the real consecration asked of us is simply to "follow the prophet." We should know his counsel by listening and studying, and then follow his counsel by faithful obedience. It's the simple, steady, consistent performance of our duty, in humble obedience, that the Lord must prize greatly.  That's what will earn the treasured praise, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (Matthew 25:21, 23).

Howard W. Hunter on the gospel of belief and action

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

"The greatest search of our time is the search for personal identity and for human dignity. Each of us wants life to be worthwhile and to have real meaning—a personal meaning—in the living we do from day to day. There is a search being made by people everywhere, a search as important as life itself for self-respect, for self-fulfillment, and for emotional maturity....

The friends we choose, the choices we make, and what we do about these choices are the determining guide lines that form and mold our lives; but choices alone are not enough. The best goals, the best of friends, and the best of opportunities are all meaningless unless they are translated into reality through our daily actions.

"Belief must be realized in personal achievement. Real Christians must understand that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not just a gospel of belief; it is a plan of action. His gospel is a gospel of imperatives, and the very nature of its substance is a call to action. He did not say 'observe' my gospel; he said 'live' it! He did not say, 'Note its beautiful structure and imagery'; he said, 'Go, do, see, feel, give, believe!' The gospel of Jesus Christ is full of imperatives, words that call for personal commitment and action—obligatory, binding, compulsory."

- Howard W. Hunter, Conference Report, April 1967, pp. 115-118; Improvement Era June 1967 p. 101
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As the years go by and I approach a transition into a next phase of life (retirement, within a few years) I have pondered the questions President Hunter mentions here: Is my life worthwhile? Does it have "real meaning"? What are the things that contribute to "self-respect" and "self-fulfillment" in this life? Those are grand questions.

The quote acknowledges that things like friends and choices are crucially formative. We can have wonderful friends, excellent opportunities, and inspiring goals; but they are all meaningless unless they result in a better reality filled with daily actions.  Christ's message was one of action; it is filled with imperatives, urging us to deeds of worship and goodness.

L. Tom Perry on the difference between doing and being

Elder L. Tom Perry (1922-2015) was called as an Assistant to the Twelve in 1972, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1974. At the time of his passing at age 92, he was the oldest living general authority and the third in seniority among the leading quorum.

"I remember many years ago, when we lived in New York, coming back to Utah on vacation and stopping to visit a ninety-one-year-old aunt of my wife's. She lived alone in a small but comfortable home. At her age, she was completely self-reliant. Her home was clean and orderly; her house was filled with beautiful plants, so well cared for. Around one chair we found the well-used scriptures and other church publications. In our conversations with her we were amazed at her knowledge of current events. At the end of our visit she taught us a great lesson. She said, as we prepared to leave, 'You know, I have found in life that it is not enough just to do. You also have to be.' I encourage you tonight to be. Be physically strong, living the Lord's code of health, making even more dramatic the difference between the children of the Lord and the children of the world. Be socially and emotionally acceptable to those you are privileged to associate with, and be comfortable in their presence. Show some life, some spirit, and some enthusiasm as you go about your activities each day.

"Grow mentally each day. Prepare yourself for the eternities to come. Be close to the Lord. Understand the potential within you as one of his spirit children. I encourage you to start this new year with a plan, with new goals, with new objectives, to lift yourself physically, socially-emotionally, mentally, and spiritually to newer heights on your eternal course toward eternal life.

"Again we would encourage you to recognize: 'I Need Thee Every Hour,' in every aspect of a life based on his plan, his law, and his way."

- L. Tom Perry, "I Need Thee Every Hour," BYU Fireside, January 2, 1977
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Elder Perry's description of an aged relative living a simple, but happy, life brought back memories of my own two grandmothers, each of whom lived similarly in their later years. They each might have given the same advice about truly being strong, committed, active, and obedient, and not just doing the things superficially that might hint at those traits.

Elder Perry himself was well-known for perhaps having followed the advice to "show some life, some spirit, and some enthusiasm" in daily activities.

I especially appreciate the injunction to "grow mentally each day" as we prepare for the future.

His remarks were given at the start of a new year, and he encouraged his listeners to take advantage of that time to recommit with specific goals of growth and progress.  Good advice.  And in particular, the reminder that each of us should never forget: "I Need Thee Every Hour."

Spencer W. Kimball on the path to a more abundant life

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) was ordained an apostle in 1943 and served as President of the Church from 1973 to 1985.

"You will find that the more you reflect upon what must be done to have a richer and more abundant life, the more you will be led back to central considerations that are contained in the messages of the Master. If we follow in his footsteps, we can live by faith rather than by fear. If we can share his perspective about people, we can love them, serve them, and reach out to them—rather than feeling anxious and threatened by others.

"During youth and young maturity time flies with great speed. To travel listlessly is just futile. One should have a destination and a goal to reach. One should determine what he wants out of life and then bend every effort toward reaching that goal. He must realize that life is more than meat and drink and fun and fortune. However, it is often easy for young people to follow the line of least resistance and to be found to be 'even as chaff is driven before the wind, or as a vessel is tossed about upon the waves, without sail or anchor, or without anything wherewith to steer her.' (Morm. 5:18.)"

- Spencer W. Kimball, "The Abundant Life," address given at Weber State College, Ogden, UT on Nov 4, 1977; see Ensign, July 1978 pp. 2-7
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I love President Kimball's teachings. He was the prophet of my youth, and his kind and gentle manner always spoke to my soul as much as his words. There was a sense that he truly knew about "the abundant life," a topic he addressed on several occasions. Here, he teaches that abundance comes only through following the message and example of the Savior, in learning to love, serve, and reach out to others:

What a beautiful promise! If I would have a life that is richer and more full, I must make a greater effort to love and serve my fellowman. And President Kimball suggests that we must set goals if we are to achieve progress in this, and any other, area. If we don't, we "follow the line of least resistance" to a life that is far from ideal, and is in fact directed by the adversary (see Mormon 5:17-18).

M. Russell Ballard on covenants, goals, and progress

Elder M. Russell Ballard (1928- ) was called as a Seventy in 1976, and has served as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1985.

"A periodic review of the covenants we have made with the Lord will help us with our priorities and with balance in our lives. This review will help us see where we need to repent and change our lives to ensure that we are worthy of the promises that accompany our covenants and sacred ordinances. Working out our own salvation requires good planning and a deliberate, valiant effort....

"Set short-term goals that you can reach. Set goals that are well balanced—not too many nor too few, and not too high nor too low. Write down your attainable goals and work on them according to their importance. Pray for divine guidance in your goal setting....

"Not long ago, one of my children said, 'Dad, sometimes I wonder if I will ever make it.' The answer I gave to her is the same as I would give to you if you have had similar feelings. Just do the very best you can each day. Do the basic things and, before you realize it, your life will be full of spiritual understanding that will confirm to you that your Heavenly Father loves you. When a person knows this, then life will be full of purpose and meaning, making balance easier to maintain."

- M. Russell Ballard, "Keeping Life's Demands in Balance," Ensign, May 1987, pp. 13-15
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What a worthwhile consideration: to make a "periodic review" of our covenants and priorities. As we think of "new year resolutions," it would be especially appropriate to consider the things of greatest import in our lives and evaluate our standing and progress. A resolution can be a form of repentance, if done well and properly. In particular, as we "work out our own salvation" we would be wise to engage in such a review frequently—much more than once a year!

Elder Ballard gives encouragement on the process of self-review and progress:

The other valuable counsel Elder Ballard offers in this excerpt is to not be discouraged by the seeming magnitude of the task. One day at a time, doing our best with the tasks at hand—that's all we can do. But the promise is wonderful: as we do those basic things, life soon becomes "full of spiritual understanding" and we feel the depth of our Heavenly Father's love. That gives us "purpose and meaning" and helps us maintain balance and perspective.

Marvin J. Ashton on finding happiness in becoming, not obtaining

Elder Marvin J. Ashton (1915-1994) served as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles from 1971 until his death in 1994 at age 78.

"True happiness is not made in getting something. True happiness is becoming something. This can be done by being committed to lofty goals. We cannot become something without commitment.

"Commitment as a word cannot stand alone. We must always ask, 'Committed to what?' As all of us blend into the programs of the Church, it behooves us to set goals for ourselves in order to reap the blessings of self-improvement and excellent performance in given assignments.

"'Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

"'For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.

"'But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.' (D&C 58:27-29.) ...

"In setting our own goals we need to examine our own needs and abilities. The direction in which we are moving is more important than where we are at the moment. Goal setting should cause us to stretch as we make our way."

- Marvin J. Ashton, "The Word is Commitment," Ensign, November 1983, pp. 61-63
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This is perhaps one of the key messages of the gospel of Jesus Christ: true happiness comes not in "getting something," but in "becoming something." Possessions are superficial and temporary, but what we become is lasting and eternal.

And the key to becoming is to recognize where we are through examining our lives, our needs, our abilities. Then using our God-given agency to set the goals that will bring improvement and change as we "stretch" along the way.