Love of God and a Willing Mind

 "The heart is symbolic of love and commitment. We make sacrifices and bear burdens for those we love that we would not endure for any other reason. If love does not exist, our commitment wanes...

"Having 'a willing mind' connotes giving our best effort and finest thinking and seeking God's wisdom. It suggests that our most devoted lifetime study should be of things that are eternal in nature. It means that there must be an inextricable relationship between hearing the word of God and obeying it."

Elder Donald L. Hallstrom, "The Heart and a Willing Mind," Ensign, June 2001, 31-32.

Obedience Without Knowing the Reasons

 

Seeking Answers to Spiritual Questions

By Sister Tracy Y. Browning

Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency

Your willing obedience to God’s commands, despite not having a complete knowledge of His reasons, places you in the company of His prophets. Moses 5 teaches us about a particular interaction between Adam and an angel of the Lord.

After the Lord gave Adam and Eve “commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord,” the scriptures say that “Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.” We go on to read that “after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.”

Adam’s obedience preceded his understanding and prepared him to receive the sacred knowledge that he was participating in a sacred symbol of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Our humble obedience will, likewise, pave the way for our spiritual discernment of God’s ways and His divine purpose for each of us. Reaching to elevate our obedience brings us closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ, because obedience to His laws and commandments is effectually reaching out to Him.

The Doctrine of Christ in our Lives and Hearts

 

The Faith to Ask and Then to Act

By President Henry B. Eyring

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

If your faith in Jesus Christ has led to a heart softened through the effects of His Atonement, you will be more able to feel the whisperings of the Spirit in answer to your prayers....

Revelation comes to us in proportion to the degree to which we have sought to take the doctrine of Christ into our hearts and implement it in our lives....

The more we have the doctrine of Christ in our lives and hearts, the more we feel greater love and sympathy for those who have never had the blessings of faith in Jesus Christ or are struggling to maintain it....

What President George Q. Cannon said long ago is true today and will be until the Savior comes personally to lead His Church and His people: “Obedience to the Gospel brings [people] into very close and intimate relationship with the Lord. It establishes a close connection between men on the earth and our Great Creator in the heavens. It brings to the human mind a feeling of perfect confidence in the Almighty and in His willingness to listen to and answer the supplications of those who trust in Him. In times of trial and difficulty this confidence is beyond price. Trouble may come upon the individual or upon the people, disaster may threaten and every human hope may seem to be overthrown, yet, where [people] have availed themselves of the privileges which obedience to the Gospel brings, they have a sure standing place; their feet are upon a rock that cannot be moved.”

By Small and Simple Things

"A few years ago, I spoke with a young bishop who was spending hours each week counseling with members of his ward. he made a striking observation. The problems that members of his ward faced, he said, were those faced by Church members everywhere - issues such as how to establish a happy marriage; struggles with balancing work, family, and Church duties; challenges with the Word of Wisdom, with employment, or with pornography; or trouble gaining peace about a Church policy or historical question they didn't understand.

His counsel to ward members very often included getting back to simple practices of faith, such as studying the Book of Mormon... paying tithing, and serving in the Church with devotion. Frequently, however, their response to him was one of skepticism; "I don't agree with you, Bishop. We all know those are good things to do. We talk about those things all the time in the Church. But I'm not sure you're understanding me. What does doing any of those things have to do with the issues I'm facing?"

It's a fair question. Over time, that young bishop and I have observed that those who are deliberate about doing the "small and simple things" (Alma 37:6) - obeying in seemingly little ways - are blessed and, in fact, may seem totally unrelated to them. It may seem hard to draw a connection between the basic daily acts of obedience and solutions to the big, complicated problems we face. But they are related.... Small acts of faith, even then they seem insignificant or entirely disconnected from the specific problems that vex us, bless us in all we do. 

Elder Whitney Clayton October 2016 General Conference

Have Your Children Choose to do What is Right

 "Our Heavenly Father's goal in parenting is not to have His children do what is right; it is to have His children choose to do what is right and ultimately become like Him. If he simply wanted us to be obedient, He would use immediate rewards and punishments to influence our behaviors."

Elder Dale G. Renlund, Choose You This Day, Oct. 2018

Open the Heavens

 President Nelson taught about the importance of consistency in these efforts: “Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work.”

Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Liahona, May 2018, 95.

Cosmic Vending Machine

 

Our Relationship with God

By Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Some misunderstand the promises of God to mean that obedience to Him yields specific outcomes on a fixed schedule. They might think, “If I diligently serve a full-time mission, God will bless me with a happy marriage and children” or “If I refrain from doing schoolwork on the Sabbath, God will bless me with good grades” or “If I pay tithing, God will bless me with that job I’ve been wanting.” If life doesn’t fall out precisely this way or according to an expected timetable, they may feel betrayed by God. But things are not so mechanical in the divine economy. We ought not to think of God’s plan as a cosmic vending machine where we (1) select a desired blessing, (2) insert the required sum of good works, and (3) the order is promptly delivered.

Open the Heavens

President Nelson taught, “Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work.”

Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign, May 2018, 95.

Repentance is a Key Part of Obedience

A Still, Small Voice among Big Decisions

By M. Joseph Brough

Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency

From a devotional address, “Heeding the Voice of the Lord,” delivered at Brigham Young University–Idaho on October 17, 2017.

“Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles.”

I do not completely understand what exact obedience means, but here is what I have come to understand. It does not mean that we are perfectly obedient right now in all things, although we can be perfect in obeying many of the Lord’s commandments. Hence, repentance must be a key part of exact obedience. Exact obedience requires a commitment to all the warnings and promptings and commandments Heavenly Father gives us.

God Walk With Us

“God walks with us along the covenant path as we seek Him through prayerful pleadings, scriptural searchings, and obedient strivings.”

Elder Brian K. Taylor of the Seventy, “Am I a Child of God?” Ensign, May 2018, 14.

Ponder This...

Ponder This …

“What will I teach, or what am I teaching, my children by my acts and attitudes of obedience?”

Devin G. Durrant, First Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, “Teaching in the Home—a Joyful and Sacred Responsibility,” Ensign, May 2018, 44.

Obedience to Covenants

Obedience to covenants, Elder Christofferson said, can change the natural man to a Saint over time.

Heather Whittle Wrigley, "Worldwide Leadership Training Highlights Path to Real Growth," Ensign, Mar 2012, 76.

Doing God's Will Brings Blessings

Whatsoever He Saith unto You, Do It

By Elder L. Whitney Clayton

Of the Presidency of the Seventy

When we decide to do “whatsoever [God] saith unto” us, we earnestly commit to align our everyday behavior with God’s will. Such simple acts of faith as studying the scriptures daily, fasting regularly, and praying with real intent deepen our well of spiritual capacity to meet the demands of mortality. Over time, simple habits of belief lead to miraculous results. They transform our faith from a seedling into a dynamic power for good in our lives. Then, when challenges come our way, our rootedness in Christ provides steadfastness for our souls. God shores up our weaknesses, increases our joys, and causes “all things [to] work together for [our] good.”6

A few years ago, I spoke with a young bishop who was spending hours each week counseling with members of his ward. He made a striking observation. The problems that members of his ward faced, he said, were those faced by Church members everywhere—issues such as how to establish a happy marriage; struggles with balancing work, family, and Church duties; challenges with the Word of Wisdom, with employment, or with pornography; or trouble gaining peace about a Church policy or historical question they didn’t understand.

His counsel to ward members very often included getting back to simple practices of faith, such as studying the Book of Mormon—as we were counseled by President Thomas S. Monson to do—paying tithing, and serving in the Church with devotion. Frequently, however, their response to him was one of skepticism: “I don’t agree with you, Bishop. We all know those are good things to do. We talk about those things all the time in the Church. But I’m not sure you’re understanding me. What does doing any of those things have to do with the issues I’m facing?”

It’s a fair question. Over time, that young bishop and I have observed that those who are deliberate about doing the “small and simple things”7—obeying in seemingly little ways—are blessed with faith and strength that go far beyond the actual acts of obedience themselves and, in fact, may seem totally unrelated to them. It may seem hard to draw a connection between the basic daily acts of obedience and solutions to the big, complicated problems we face. But they are related. In my experience, getting the little daily habits of faith right is the single best way to fortify ourselves against the troubles of life, whatever they may be. Small acts of faith, even when they seem insignificant or entirely disconnected from the specific problems that vex us, bless us in allwe do....

God will always bless us for our steadfast obedience to His gospel and loyalty to His Church, but He rarely shows us His timetable for doing so in advance. He doesn’t show us the whole picture from the outset. That is where faith, hope, and trusting in the Lord come in.

Obedience Brings Happiness

Obedience Brings Happiness

“When we keep the commandments, our lives will be happier, more fulfilling, and less complicated. Our challenges and problems will be easier to bear, and we will receive [Heavenly Father’s] promised blessings. But while He gives us laws and commandments, He also allows us to choose whether to accept them or to reject them. Our decisions in this regard will determine our destiny. …

“May we realize that our greatest happiness in this life will come as we follow God’s commandments and obey His laws!”

President Thomas S. Monson, “Keep the Commandments,” Ensign, Nov. 2015, 83, 84.

When Obedience Ceases to be an Irritant

“When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.”

Ezra Taft Benson, in Donald L. Staheli, “Obedience—Life’s Great Challenge,” Ensign, May 1998, 82.

Obedience in Small Things

Obedience of the heart and soul embraces all of who we are: our behavior and our attitudes, our actions and our desires, our diligence and our love. That kind of willing obedience connects us to Christ in a powerful way and brings His Spirit, love, power, and joy into our lives. A casual, reluctant, surface kind of obedience will not do. The Lord requires of us obedience that is exact, willing, and deep. He wants obedience of the whole heart and soul....

Remember, obedience in small things creates a spirit of obedience in all things. Moreover, obedience in small things brings the Spirit into our lives and strengthens our faith in Christ and our resolve to do His will. It opens our hearts to Him and blesses us with the strength and discipline to withstand temptations to violate the law of chastity, succumb to greed and materialism, or fall into apostasy. Obedience in small things prepares us to give our hearts to the Lord so that we will accept and fulfill the increasingly demanding personal assignments and commandments that come to us from the Lord throughout our lives.

• APRIL 2016
• THE REDEEMING AND STRENGTHENING POWER OF THE SAVIOR’S ATONEMENT

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The Redeeming and Strengthening Power of the Savior’s Atonement

By Elder Kim B. Clark

Of the Seventy

From a devotional address, “All Things Which Are Good Cometh of Christ,” delivered at Brigham Young University–Idaho on March 31, 2015. For the full address, go toweb.byui.edu/devotionalsandspeeches.

Right Place at the Right Time

Simeon’s righteous and faithful life enabled him to be present in the temple so he could testify of the Light when at last he found it. We, like Simeon, can strive for greater sensitivity and obedience to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost so that our lives can take the path our Heavenly Father has in mind for us. Because Simeon had cultivated his ability to hear and respond to the Spirit, he was in the right place at the right time, and the Lord’s promises to him were fulfilled in the most glorious way.

The same opportunities can be afforded to each of us and can likewise allow the Lord’s plan to unfold in our lives. When we are faced with making decisions of eternal significance, when we are at a crossroads in our lives, we need clarity of thinking and correct perspective. Sometimes the very nature of making these important decisions causes us to feel unsure, unsteady, and even unable to act, down in the dark valley under the inversion. But as we take steps of faith and act according to righteous principles, we gradually see God’s plan taking shape in our lives, and we are brought back into the bright sunlight of God’s love.

Elder Patrick Kearon

• PG 32 ENSIGNDECEMBER 2011
• COME, LET US ADORE HIM

Personal Benchmarks

We hear much about benchmarks. A benchmark is “a standard of excellence [or] achievement … against which similar things [are] measured or judged.”¹⁰ There are four benchmarks that can help each of us know if our personal faith in Christ is being “made perfect” by our works. These benchmarks are:

1. 1. 
   The choices we make
2. 2. 
   The devotion we exhibit
3. 3. 
   The obedience we practice
4. 4. 
   The service we give

Bishop Keith B. McMullin, "Faith & Works in a Secular Society," Ensign, Apr 2015, 63.

Greater Control

“As we walk in obedience to the principles and commandments of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “we enjoy a continual flow of blessings promised by God in His covenant with us. Those blessings provide the resources we need to act rather than simply be acted upon as we go through life. … Obedience gives us greater control over our lives, greater capacity to come and go, to work and create.” 

D. Todd Christofferson, "The Power of Covenants," Ensign, May 2009, 21.

Sacrifice

"Sacrifice allows us to learn something about ourselves -- what we are willing to offer to the Lord through our obedience."

Russell M. Nelson, "The Law of Sacrifice," Ensign, Oct. 1998, 7.