This past Sunday was Stake Conference and I was given the opportunity to speak. Below is my talk. I was given only 4 minutes to speak. A few minutes before it Conference was supposed to start they checked the microphone to find that it wasn't working. It didn't work until 15 minutes after we started. In the meantime we had the opening prayer and a few musical numbers to fill the time. It all worked out well in the end. The stake president closed his remarks and mentioned there were 2,000 people in attendance. Kind of an awesome site to sit and look at the faces of that many saints. Overall it was a great conference.
Making and Keeping Sacred Covenants
In the most
recent General Conference Sister Burton stated:
"Making and keeping covenants means choosing to bind ourselves to our
Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. It is committing to follow the Savior. It is
trusting Him and desiring to show our gratitude for the price He paid to set us
free through the infinite gift of the Atonement[i].
In the Book of
Mormon we read of a group of people called the Anti-Nephi-Lehites. These people were once wicked Lamanites who
had been taught the gospel by Ammon and the Sons of Mosiah but who "became
a righteous people" [ii]
and "were converted unto the Lord." [iii] As a result of their conversion "they
took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of
man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth. And this they did, it being in their view a
testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for
the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with
God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their
own lives." [iv] Later when their brethren, the Lamanites come
to battle with them, the Anti-Nephi-Lehites remained firm in their covenants
and many lost their live. "And thus
we see that, when these were brought to believe and to know the truth, they
were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin." [v]
For 90% of us
in this room there are still covenants we have yet to enter into. We look forward to, wish for, and hope for
the opportunity to make these covenants.
But are you worthy today? Are you
prepared? True conversion is what helps
us prepare to make those future covenants.
Your desire to follow the Savior should not be decided on the day you
enter the waters of baptism or on the day you walk through the doors of the
temple but must be demonstrated each and every day when you kneel in prayer,
and when you read and ponder the scriptures, and as you strive daily to
recognize and respond to the promptings of the Spirit.
A few years ago
I was called to meet with my Bishop and was extended a calling I felt
completely inadequate to fulfill but did accept the call. I remember that week being weighed down with
the responsibility that was soon to come.
I attended the temple with my ward and as I sat through the temple endowment
I was reminded in full force of the covenants I had made and the obligations I
promised to fulfill. Covenants should
not be entered into lightly for "where much is given, much is required."[vi]
Elder Russell
M. Nelson has stated:
"The
greatest compliment that can be earned here in this life is to be known as a
covenant keeper. The rewards for a covenant keeper will be realized both here
and hereafter."[vii]
I invite each
of us to consider on the covenants we have made and on the covenants we have
yet to make and measure our level of preparation or our level of covenant
keeping and notice ways we can improve.
I know there are great blessings in this life and in the next that come
from making and secret covenants. I have
been strengthened by my covenants.
I testify that
our Father in Heaven lives and demonstrates His love to us by giving us the
opportunity to make covenants with Him which allows us to be bound ourselves to
Him and allows Him to bless us. I
testify of the Savior Jesus Christ; that He lives and has made all things
possible for us through the sacrifice of His atonement. This is the true church with all the
priesthood keys, ordinances, and covenants to provide us the way back to our Father
in Heaven. I so testify in the sacred
name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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