November’s doctrinal topic is spiritual and temporal self-reliance. Whenever this topic is discussed, I am reminded of the often-quoted words of Heber C. Kimball, “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. … 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. … Therefore seek for the testimony of Jesus and cleave to it, that when the trying time comes you may not stumble and fall.” (Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1967, p. 450.)
That was said in 1867. In April, 150 years later, President Russell M. Nelson gave us a similar warning, “If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation. … In the coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation.”1 With such a pleading from a prophet of God, it is undeniable that now is the time for each of us to become spiritually self-reliant by having a firm and unshakable testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ, of His Church, and of His prophet!
In our most recent general conference, President Nelson challenged the sisters of the Church to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. I have enjoyed this experience so much! From the very first page, I could feel the words as though they were from our prophet to us. And just as the prophets of old were trying to prepare the people against the evils of their day, President Nelson is trying to prepare us now.
There is a great lesson we can learn about spiritual and temporal self-reliance and preparedness from Captain Moroni. Once the wicked Amalickiah had gotten into power, his goal was for the Lamanites to “overpower the Nephites and to bring them into bondage.” (Alma 48:4) Because they heeded Moroni’s warnings, the Nephites had begun preparing themselves to defend their religious liberties, their families and their lands. They built forts and walls to protect their cities. Because of their diligence in building up fortifications, even cities which had once been weak were now strong. But Moroni had not only been strengthening his armies physically, he had also “been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God.” (Alma 48:7) This gave them power over their enemies. (Alma 49:23)
We, likewise, have received prophetic warnings, most recently in October’s general conference. Two of those warnings were very similar. In his opening remarks, President Nelson said, “The adversary is increasing his attacks on faith and upon us and our families at an exponential rate.”2 In his last talk he said, “The assaults of the adversary are increasing exponentially, in intensity and in variety.”3 However, we do not have to face those attacks alone or unprotected. He also told us how we can build up fortifications or, in other words, how we can become spiritually self-reliant. “To survive spiritually, we need counterstrategies and proactive plans. Accordingly, we now want to put in place organizational adjustments that will further fortify our members and their families.”2 Did you notice the word fortify? We will now be involved in “an integrated curriculum to strengthen families and individuals through a home-centered and Church-supported plan to learn doctrine, strengthen faith, and foster greater personal worship.” President Nelson reminds us, “We are each responsible for our individual spiritual growth. … It is the responsibility of the Church to assist each member in the divinely defined goal of increasing his or her gospel knowledge.”2
Quentin L. Cook explained that the adjustment is more than a shorter Sunday meeting schedule. It is meant to “bring greater gospel joy” to us all, deepen our conversion and strengthen individuals and families.4
David A. Bednar expounded on that, saying, “We live in a remarkable and revelatory season of the restored Church of Jesus Christ. The historic adjustments announced today have only one overarching purpose: to strengthen faith in Heavenly Father and His plan and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement. The Sunday meeting schedule was not simply shortened. Rather, we now have increased opportunities and responsibilities as individuals and families to use our time for enhancing the Sabbath as a delight at home and at church. Our desire is that faith in the Father’s plan and in the Savior’s redeeming mission might increase in the earth and that God’s everlasting covenant might be established. … The purpose and purification, the happiness and joy, and the continuing conversion and protection that come from ‘yielding [our] hearts unto God’ and ‘[receiving] his image in [our] countenances’ cannot be obtained merely by performing and checking off all the spiritual things we are supposed to do. Rather, the power of the Savior’s gospel to transform and bless us flows from discerning and applying the interrelatedness of its doctrine, principles, and practices. Only as we gather together in one all things in Christ, with firm focus upon Him, can gospel truths synergistically enable us to become what God desires us to become and endure valiantly to the end.5
President Nelson declared, “The new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith.”3
The shortened Sunday schedule, if truly used for personal and family study time, will be one of the ways we can build up fortifications against the adversary. But there is more. If we are going to survive spiritually in these last days, we will need the continuing conversion Elder Bednar referred to. And continuing conversion is just that—continuing. It will include our daily attention to the other challenges we were given as well. Here are a few that I think are vital to our preparations. As you study the conference talks, I am sure you will find many more.
President Nelson: “I urge you to study these [general conference] messages, commencing this week. They express the mind and the will of the Lord for His people, today.”3
“Our time in the temple is crucial to our salvation and exaltation and to that of our families. After we receive our own temple ordinances and make sacred covenants with God, each one of us needs the ongoing spiritual strengthening and tutoring that is possible only in the house of the Lord. … Our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. … make an appointment regularly with the Lord—to be in His holy house—then keep that appointment with exactness and joy.”3
“Feast upon the word of the Lord and apply His teachings in your personal lives.”3
“Pray to understand your spiritual gifts—to cultivate, use, and expand them, even more than you ever have. You will change the world as you do so.”6
President Nelson also invited the women and young women to do these four things: 1) fast for ten days from social media to evaluate what influences we are allowing into our lives; 2) read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year; 3) regularly attend the temple; and 4) fully participate in Relief Society.
Ronald A. Rasband: “I plead with you to set aside worldly influences and pressures and seek spirituality in your daily life. Love what the Lord loves—which includes His commandments, His holy houses, our sacred covenants with Him, the sacrament each Sabbath day, our communication through prayer—and you will not be troubled. To receive personal revelation, we must place priority on living the gospel and encouraging faithfulness and spirituality in others as well as ourselves.”7
D. Todd Christofferson: “To persevere firm and steadfast in the faith of Christ requires that the gospel of Jesus Christ penetrate one’s heart and soul, meaning that the gospel becomes not just one of many influences in a person’s life but the defining focus of his or her life and character. … It is in keeping their covenants with exactness that those ‘who are the elect according to the covenant’ avoid deception and remain firm in the faith of Christ. … Pray constantly, feast on the scriptures daily, serve and worship in the Church, worthily take the sacrament each week, love your neighbor, and take up your cross in obedience to God each day.”8
Gerrit W. Gong: “When righteous patterns and spiritual yearnings join, time and eternity come together. Spiritual light and life come when regular religious observance draws us closer to our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. When we love the spirit and letter of the law, the things of eternity can distill upon our souls like the dews from heaven. With daily obedience and refreshing living water, we find answers, faith, and strength to meet everyday challenges and opportunities with gospel patience, perspective, and joy.”9
Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “We must do more than merely have an intellectual understanding of the gospel. … We must incorporate it into our lives—make it part of who we are and what we do.”10
Henry B. Eyring: “Take more time to pray, to ponder, and to meditate on spiritual matters. … It will take faith to endure. … Pray with greater faith. … Pray for the Spirit to enlighten your mind.”11
Neil L. Andersen: “Each one of us will be wounded in the battle of life, whether physically, spiritually, or both. Never give up—however deep the wounds of your soul, whatever their source, wherever or whenever they happen, and however short or long they persist, you are not meant to perish spiritually. You are meant to survive spiritually and blossom in your faith and trust in God. … Pray with all your heart. Strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ, in His reality, in His grace. … Remember, repentance is powerful spiritual medicine. Keep the commandments and be worthy of the Comforter.”12
Dale G. Renlund: “Choose faith in Christ; choose repentance; choose to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost; choose to conscientiously prepare for and worthily partake of the sacrament; choose to make covenants in the temple; and choose to serve the living God and His children. Our choices determine who we are and who we will become.”13
The scriptures tell us that the Nephites were prepared for battle against the Lamanites “in a manner which never had been known … after the manner of the instructions of Moroni.” (Alma 49:8) As we hear and heed the instructions of our leaders, we too can be prepared unlike we have previously been. As we prepare and fortify our lives, great blessings have been promised. Here are a few that stood out to me:
Quentin L. Cook: “The announcements made today will result in profound blessings for those who enthusiastically embrace the adjustments and seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost. We will become closer to our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. … The ultimate blessing of deep and lasting conversion is worthily receiving the covenants and ordinances of the covenant pathway.”4
Ronald A. Rasband: “No matter how much wickedness and chaos fill the earth, we are promised by our daily faithfulness in Jesus Christ the ‘peace of God, which passeth all understanding.’”7
D. Todd Christofferson: “Always remember the promise of good things to come, both now and hereafter, for those who are firm and steadfast in the faith of Christ.”8
Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. This is the promise to all who seek to believe.”10
Jeffrey R. Holland: “If we follow the basic principles that have been taught, stay aligned with priesthood keys, and seek the Holy Spirit to guide us, we cannot fail.”14
Just as President Nelson gave a lengthy list of challenges, he gave us an equally lengthy list of blessings. Consider these prophetic promises:
“I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining.”3
“I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples.”3
“I bless you with increased faith in Him and in His holy work, with faith and patience to endure your personal challenges in life. I bless you to become exemplary Latter-day Saints.”3
And to the sisters he promised, “As impossible as that may seem (to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year) with all you are trying to manage in your life, if you will accept this invitation with full purpose of heart, the Lord will help you find a way to achieve it. And, as you prayerfully study, I promise that the heavens will open for you. The Lord will bless you with increased inspiration and revelation. …
I now bless you with the ability to leave the world behind as you assist in this crucial and urgent work. Together we can do all that our Heavenly Father needs us to do to prepare the world for the Second Coming of His Beloved Son.”6
Just as Captain Moroni’s people were prepared in a way that had never been known because they listened to their leader, we too can be prepared unlike any others as we listen to the prophet.
I hope that we will accept the challenge to prepare now. May we individually and as families continually build the necessary fortifications to keep the adversary out of our lives. My prayer is that we will have eyes to see and hearts to feel the miraculous changes and blessings that will surely come to us as we do what we have been asked to do. Oh how blessed we are to be led by a prophet of God!
References:
1. Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson
2. Opening Remarks – Russell M. Nelson
3. Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints – Russell M. Nelson
4. Deep and Lasting Conversion to Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ – Quentin L. Cook
5. Gather Together in One All Things in Christ – David A. Bednar
6. Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel – Russell M. Nelson
7. Be Not Troubled – Ronald A. Rasband
8. Firm and Steadfast in the Faith of Christ – D. Todd Christofferson
9. Our Campfire of Faith – Gerrit W. Gong
10. Believe, Love, Do – Dieter F. Uchtdorf
11. Women and Gospel Learning in the Home – Henry B. Eyring
12. Wounded – Neil L. Andersen
13. Choose You This Day – Dale G. Renlund
14. The Ministry of Reconciliation – Jeffrey R. Holland