Sabbath Devotional :: Just and True

As I was contemplating the past week or so about my devotional message, I was reading my scriptures. Alma 18:12 jumped out: “Ammon . . . went in unto the king, and he saw that the countenance of the king was changed.” Ammon proceeded by the power of the Holy Ghost to ask King Lamoni inspired questions. Lamoni then asked, “Art thou sent from God?” (verse 33). In the next verse Ammon answered: “I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true.”

It struck me, aren’t we here as members of MWEG to teach one another things that are “just and true?” Similar to Ammon’s methods, we do so in faith and peace and a nonpartisan and proactive manner. These are our root principles.

As we read these chapters that deal with King Lamoni’s conversion, we see him experiencing that mighty change of heart. He leads his people AFTER he is taught these just and true principles. He then ACTS. Isn’t this the way? Through faith and peace he accepted the principals, but that is not enough.

I greatly admire Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I have been reading his book “Act In Doctrine.” He said this in his book: “The earth was created and prepared as a place whereon Heavenly Father’s children could be proved to see if they would do ‘all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them’ (Abraham 3:25). The very purposes of the Creation and of our mortal existence are to see if you and I will do and become what the Lord instructs and commands us to do and become. We have not been blessed with moral agency to do whatever we want whenever we will. Rather, according to the Father’s plan, we have received moral agency to choose the right, to do good, and to become whatever God intends for us to become” (Bednar, “Act in Doctrine“, 44).

We see action is required. We have the moral agency to make the choice to follow his ways, because we are being changed. We then choose to do what is just and true. Elder Bednar also wrote: “[T]he fundamental purposes for the gift of agency are to love one another and to choose God. We are commanded – not admonished, not urged, and not counseled, but commanded — to use our agency to turn outward, to love one another, and to choose God” (Bednar, Act in Doctrine, 45).

Being part of this body of women who choose God, we then want to ACT. We do so in ethical methods, in nonpartisan ways. We see the need through all types of communications. We then share the needs with others. We then are called to action, such as letters and emails to editorial boards or elected officials. We see the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters, whether food drives, equipment, or social support, to improve living conditions. We vote our consciences at the polling station. We mourn with those who mourn, and lend comfort. In essence, we love one another. We “use our agency to turn outward.” We choose God because we are taught what is just and true.

President Packer taught this: ”Perhaps the greatest discovery of my life, without question the greatest commitment, came when I finally had confidence in God that I would loan or yield my agency to him – without compulsion or pressure, without any duress, as a single individual alone, by myself, no counterfeiting, nothing expected other than the privilege. In a sense . . . to take one’s agency . . . and say, ‘I will do as thou directs,’ is afterwards to learn that in so doing you possess it all the more” (Packer, Obedience, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [Dec. 7, 1971]).

Following his truths we actually gain even greater agency and ability to become whatever God intends us to become. Because just as King Lamoni was taught, he desired his people to be taught these just and true principles. He wanted them to have what he received. We sisters want the same for others. Sometimes it is not easy to follow, to do the inconvenient, or it requires we get out of our comfort zone. That’s ok, just keep going, no matter how incremental. We follow the same pattern and we are then blessed. Our Savior taught, “Behold this is your work, to keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind and strength” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:20, emphasis added). He, being just and true, provides blessings beyond our understanding if we follow his way.