I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know who I am. I know God's plan. I'll follow him in faith. I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ. I'll honor his name. I'll do what is right; I'll follow his light. His truth I will proclaim.

I Know that My Redeemer Lives!

I Know that My Redeemer Lives!

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Gospel Message Day 104

Obedience, Part 1

How perfectly appropriate to draw this topic! If you read this blog regularly (all 1 of you) or at least periodically over the last few years (perhaps the same 1 of you), then you'll know of my family's tradition of giving a gift to the Savior every year at Christmas. A resolution/goal of sorts in a way that we can be better, a way to show our love to the Savior.

For this year, I promised to try to be obedient to exactness. That comes from a scripture that a YSA bishop at BYU emphasized one summer. I kid you not--every sacrament meeting talk for every Sunday one summer was related to this scripture in Alma 57:21.

Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.

This is from the story of Captain Helaman, who had command of 2,060 young warriors--who were descended from former enemies of Helaman's people. But they were taught by their mothers (and fathers) to love God and be obedient. This is how they behaved under the command of Helaman--they followed everything he asked them to do--to exactness.

I've tried my whole life to be obedient. Like everyone, I have weaknesses and I falter here and there, now and then. But I know the Lord wants me to succeed and will assist me if I sincerely do my utmost in my part.

When I was younger, many of my promises to the Savior were in relation to something that I could be more obedient in, like reading my scriptures. Things near the end of the year had me feeling I could be more obedient in some things. But I had already spent a year trying to turn weaknesses into strengths, and felt I couldn't "fall back" and work on just one thing I could be more obedient in. This scripture came to mind, and I felt this was a challenge worth trying to tackle. And one I think I can accomplish to some degree with the Lord's help.

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