Elder Gerrit W. Gong on remembering the Savior

Elder Gerrit W. Gong (born December 23, 1953) was called as a Seventy in April 2010, then to the Presidency of the Seventy in October 2015. He was sustained to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in April 2018.

"Each week, in partaking of the sacrament, we covenant to always remember Him. Drawing on the nearly 400 scripture references to the word remember, here are six ways we can always remember Him.

"First, we can always remember Him by having confidence in His covenants, promises, and assurances....

"Second, we can always remember Him by gratefully acknowledging His hand throughout our lives....

"Third, we can always remember Him by trusting when the Lord assures us, 'He who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.' (D&C 58:42) ...

"Fourth, He invites us to remember that He is always welcoming us home....

"Fifth, we can always remember Him on the Sabbath through the sacrament....

"Finally, sixth, our Savior invites us to always remember Him as He always remembers us."

- Gerrit W. Gong, "Always Remember Him," General Conference April 2016
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

When Sunday is done and we return to our "normal" daily lives, how much are we impacted? How do we keep the spirit of the Sabbath alive? Specifically, how do we maintain awareness of the covenants and promises of the sacrament through the coming days?

Elder Gong offered these suggestions when he was serving as a member of the Seventy, before his call as an apostle. Only a brief summary is presented here; it's very worthwhile to review the entire talk by clicking on the link above, and read the further details he offers for each of the six suggestions.

The challenge to "always remember Him" is perhaps one of the most important ones we are given. Elder Gong's suggestions are very valuable in providing ideas on how we can do that more effectively.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

President Thomas S. Monson on dealing with challenges and handicaps

President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) 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 and then became Church president in 2008. He led the Church for almost a decade until his passing in January 2018.

"In our lives, sickness comes to loved ones, accidents leave their cruel marks of remembrance, and tiny legs that once ran are imprisoned in a wheelchair.

"Mothers and fathers who anxiously await the arrival of a precious child sometimes learn that all is not well with this tiny infant. A missing limb, sightless eyes, a damaged brain, or the term 'Down’s syndrome' greets the parents, leaving them baffled, filled with sorrow, and reaching out for hope.

"There follows the inevitable blaming of oneself, the condemnation of a careless action, and the perennial questions: 'Why such a tragedy in our family?' 'Why didn’t I keep her home?' 'If only he hadn’t gone to that party.' 'How did this happen?' 'Where was God?' 'Where was a protecting angel?' If, why, where, how—those recurring words—do not bring back the lost son, the perfect body, the plans of parents, or the dreams of youth. Self-pity, personal withdrawal, or deep despair will not bring the peace, the assurance, or help which are needed. Rather, we must go forward, look upward, move onward, and rise heavenward....

"To all who have suffered silently from sickness, to you who have cared for those with physical or mental impairment, who have borne a heavy burden day by day, year by year, and to you noble mothers and dedicated fathers—I salute you and pray God’s blessings to ever attend you. To the children, particularly they who cannot run and play and frolic, come the reassuring words: 'Dearest children, God is near you, Watching o’er you day and night.' (Hymns, 1985, no. 96.)"

- Thomas S. Monson, "Miracles—Then and Now," General Conference October 1992
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

President Monson was a young counselor in the First Presidency when he shared these remarks in general conference. Throughout his ministry he displayed a sensitivity and awareness of those who face special challenges and difficulties in life. This excerpt is a great example of that. Note that he speaks not just to those who are suffering from handicaps or injuries, but also to those who care for them, and to those who might have had some involvement in accidents or incidents that led to the injuries. All of those people carry weights and struggle with challenges due to the handicaps.

We can't "second-guess" the decisions and actions of the past. We can't un-do the consequences of anything that occurred previously. President Monson warns about dwelling too much on those unanswerable questions. He instead invites us, in language that was so typical of his expressions of hope and love, to "go forward, look upward, move onward, and rise heavenward.."

President Monson doesn't minimize the challenges and difficulties of those who deal with these challenges. He "salutes" them in recognition of their sacrifices and faith, and adds his prayers of faith for God's continued blessings of support and hope for a glorious future.

Truly, sometimes the miracle we are blessed with is not the correction of what we perceive as a great sorrow or challenge; but instead the strength to endure, the faith to trust in God, and the hope for a better time.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Neil L. Andersen on honesty and spirituality

Elder Neil L. Andersen (born August 9, 1951) served as a Seventy beginning in 1993, and was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2009.

"The Savior constantly rebuked those who professed one thing publicly but lived differently in their hearts. (See Matthew 23:27.) He praised those who lived without deception. (See D&C 124:15.) Can you see the contrasting difference? On the one hand there is truth and light and honesty and integrity. On the other hand there is lying, deceiving, hypocrisy, and darkness. The Lord draws a sharp distinction....

"The world would tell us that truth and honesty are difficult to define. The world finds humor in casual lying and quickly excuses so-called 'innocent' deception. The contrast between right and wrong is dulled, and the consequences of dishonesty are minimized....

"To constantly receive the Spirit of Truth, our lives must be filled with truth and honesty. As we become completely honest, our spiritual eyes are opened to increased enlightenment.

"You can easily understand how this spiritual strength lifts our learning in the classroom. But can you also see how this principle applies to your critical decisions of how you spend your time, with whom you spend your time, and how you shape the life that will follow BYU?

"You cannot separate the spiritual endowment of truth you need and want to receive here at BYU from your being a person of honesty and truth. The truth you seek is tied to the person you are. Light, spiritual answers, and heavenly direction are unalterably linked to your own honesty and truth. Many of your lasting satisfactions here at BYU will come as you continually elevate your commitment to personal honesty."

- Neil L. Andersen, "Honesty–The Heart of Spirituality," BYU devotional, September 13, 2011
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

What is the value of integrity? The Savior warned of "whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness." That description seems extreme to us, but in ways that are perhaps smaller and more subtle it's a great challenge in our time. The contrast between truth and light, vs. darkness and deception, is everywhere; how important to heed the Savior's warning:

Elder Andersen was speaking to an assembly of students in these remarks, but the principles apply to all of us. The "spiritual endowment of truth" offered to us comes only to those who are firmly committed to principles of integrity. "To constantly receive the Spirit of Truth, our lives must be filled with truth and honesty. As we become completely honest, our spiritual eyes are opened to increased enlightenment." That's a divine gift we all desperately need.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder D. Todd Christofferson on always remembering the Savior

Elder D. Todd Christofferson (b. January 24, 1945) was called to the Seventy in 1993, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2008.

"The sacramental prayers confirm that one of the central purposes of that ordinance as instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ is that we might 'always remember him.' Remembering the Savior obviously includes remembering His Atonement which is symbolically represented by the bread and water as emblems of His suffering and death. We must never forget what He did for us, for without His Atonement and Resurrection life would have no meaning, whereas, given the reality of both the Atonement and the Resurrection, our lives have eternal, divine possibilities.

"I would like today to elaborate with you what it means to 'always remember him' (D&C 20:77, 79). I will mention three aspects of remembering Him:  first, seeking to know and follow His will; second, recognizing and accepting our obligation to answer to Christ for every thought, word, and action; and third, living with faith and without fear in the realization that we can always look to the Savior for the help we need.

"First, remembering the Lord certainly means doing His will. The sacramental blessing on the bread commits us to be willing to take upon us the name of the Son, 'and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given [us]' (D&C 20:77)....

"You and I can put Christ at the center of our lives and become one with Him as He is one with the Father (see John 17:20-23). We could begin by stripping everything out of our lives and then putting it back together in priority order with the Savior at the center. We would first put in place the things that make it possible always to remember Him—frequent prayer, studying and pondering the scriptures, thoughtful study of apostolic teachings, weekly preparation to partake of the sacrament worthily, Sunday worship, recording and remembering what the Spirit and experience teach us about discipleship. There may be other things that will come to your mind particularly suited to you at this point in your life. Once adequate time and means for these matters, for centering our lives in Christ, have been put in place, we can begin to add other responsibilities and things of value insofar as time and resources will permit, such as education and family responsibilities. In this way the essential will not be crowded out of our lives by the merely good, and things of lesser value will take a lower priority or fall away altogether."

- D. Todd Christofferson, "Always Remember Him," BYU-Idaho devotional, January 27, 2009
Click here to read the full talk

In this address to BYU-Idaho students, Elder Christofferson considers possible meanings of the phrase "always remember Him" and how they might bless our lives. We often think we know what that sacramental instruction is asking us to do, but I was grateful for the three additional suggestions that were offered here. Review the complete talk for details!

To "always remember Him" certainly does begin with holding in our thoughts the unmatched and eternal blessings of His sacrifice and Atonement on our behalf. But it's the additional implications of that remembering that Elder Christofferson expands upon. What will that mean in our lives, what will it lead us to do, how will it change us?

The first important implication is that we will be filled with the desire to be obedient, to "know and follow His will" in all things. Elder Christofferson suggests an interesting application of how we might be led to do that:

What a wonderful, challenging exercise, to mentally "deconstruct" our life and put it back together in order of the things that matter most! If we first make sure the things that focus our lives on Christ are in their proper place and priority in life, then we can "begin to add other responsibilities and things of value" including family duties, work, education, etc. This would ensure that the most important things of life truly do take precedence. But it will likely mean minimizing or eliminating other things that may be taking more time than they deserve.

What a profound challenge, as we strive to "always remember Him"!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Quentin L. Cook on finding peace amid the commotion of the world

Elder Quentin L. Cook (b. September 8, 1940) was called as a Seventy in 1996, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2007.

"The world literally seems to be in commotion. (See D&C 45:26; 88:91.) There is a level of contention that is unprecedented. Peace of mind and feelings of security can seem elusive and even unobtainable. My message to you this evening is that we should not have fear even in a dangerous and troubled world. The scriptures assure us that we can have complete joy because of the Savior. (See D&C 101:35–38.)

"There are certain wonderful events that many of you have etched in your hearts and minds in a very positive way. You can remember every detail of the event. Examples might include opening the envelope that contains a mission call, a sealing to a spouse in the temple, the recognition that the Holy Ghost has witnessed to your soul the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. These are the kinds of cherished events that bring not only a rewarding but a lasting joy. It is interesting that individual events that in any way relate to the Savior are usually the ones that bring the greatest joy....

"You need not be afraid, despite the dangers and challenges you will face. You will be blessed and protected when you seek righteous, worthwhile goals. Plan and work with grit and determination, avoid inappropriate use of social media and the Internet, and rely and focus on faith, repentance, saving ordinances, and the Savior’s atoning sacrifice as you endure to the end. Focusing on the temple will help you achieve these goals."

- Quentin L. Cook, "Fear Not... in Me Your Joy Is Full," Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, September 11, 2016, Washington D.C. Stake Center
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Are there reasons to be afraid in our world today? With all the contention, commotion, and uncertainty we see around us, should we be worried or fear for our future our opportunities, or our safety? In this address to the young adults of the Church, Elder Cook reassures them that they can replace their fear with joy, "even in a dangerous and troubled world," if they are grounded in the Savior.

One good suggestion is to focus on the positive, strengthening events in life—to remember and to dwell on those. When those memories are vivid and alive, they can help bring "not only a rewarding but a lasting joy" to us in times when we need strength. And the greatest joy comes from events most closely connected to the Savior.

Throughout this message, Elder Cook reassures us that we don't need to fear, regardless of "the dangers and challenges" that we encounter in life, as long as we're seeking righteous goals and focusing on "faith, repentance, saving ordinances, and the Savior’s atoning sacrifice." And he adds that a focus on the temple will help us keep all the other things in their proper places!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder David A. Bednar on being offended by others

Elder David A. Bednar (born June 15, 1952) was serving as the president of BYU–Idaho when he was called and sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2004.

"When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.

"In the grand division of all of God’s creations, there are things to act and things to be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:13–14). As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we have been blessed with the gift of moral agency, the capacity for independent action and choice. Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation....

"The Savior is the greatest example of how we should respond to potentially offensive events or situations.

"'And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men' (1 Nephi 19:9).

"Through the strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, you and I can be blessed to avoid and triumph over offense. 'Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them' (Psalm 119:165)."

- David A. Bednar, "And Nothing Shall Offend Them," General Conference October 2006
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Bednar teaches us that sometimes, the verb tense makes all the difference in understanding our mortal experience. In reality, though people often do things that are offensive, the issue is not that they offend us, but that we choose to be offended by them.

Understanding the eternal role of agency becomes critical. God has created us as agents, endowed with our own personal and moral agency, to choose how we act. No one can "make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter" without us exercising our agency to allow those feelings to appear. We are not passive objects being acted upon; we are the ones who "choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation."

Elder Bednar's example of the Savior responding to offensive actions is a great one. He chose to suffer those things inflicted by others "because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering" for His persecutors. When we feel Christlike love for others, we are less likely to allow their offensive actions to impact us. It truly is in and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can learn to "avoid and triumph over offense" and live our lives in peace and love.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

President Henry B. Eyring on trusting God

President Henry B. Eyring (born May 31, 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.

"God sends messages and authorized messengers to His children. I am to build trust in God and His servants enough that we will go out and obey His counsel. He wants that because He loves us and wants our happiness. And He knows how a lack of trust in Him brings sadness.

"That lack of trust has brought sorrow to Heavenly Father’s children from before the world was created. We know through the revelations of God to the Prophet Joseph Smith that many of our brothers and sisters in the premortal world rejected the plan for our mortal life presented by our Heavenly Father and His eldest Son, Jehovah. (See D&C 29:36–37; Abraham 3:27–28.)

"We don’t know all the reasons for Lucifer’s terrible success in inciting that rebellion. However, one reason is clear. Those who lost the blessing of coming into mortality lacked sufficient trust in God to avoid eternal misery.

"The sad pattern of lack of trust in God has persisted since the Creation....

"The young Nephi in the Book of Mormon stirs in us a desire to develop trust in the Lord to obey His commandments, however hard they appear to us. Nephi faced danger and possible death when he said these words of trust that we can and must feel steadily in our hearts: 'I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.' (1 Nephi 3:7.)

"That trust comes from knowing God. More than any other people on earth, we have, through the glorious events of the Restoration of the gospel, felt the peace that the Lord offered His people with the words 'Be still, and know that I am God.' (Psalm 46:10.) My heart is filled with gratitude for what God has revealed about Himself that we might trust Him."

- Henry B. Eyring, "Trust in God, Then Go and Do," General Conference October 2010
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

What does it mean to trust in God? It's easy to be grateful and feel confident when we perceive that blessings are received. But when prayers are unanswered or answered in ways we don't desire; when blessings are delayed; when disappointments occur—those are times when we are tested to see if our trust is real and sincere. President Eyring points out how much a lack of trust in God has impacted mankind, including the beginnings in the pre-existence.

But with the abundance of revealed knowledge and understanding, we have many reasons that we should feel trust for Him:

We can trust God when we know God—and perhaps only then. As we come to know Him better, our experiences will build faith and confidence for him in our lives and trust will come easy.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)