I would like to begin by giving you a pop quiz. I do not want to test your mind. I want to test your heart. I will read six very brief statements. As I read them, please pay attention, not to what you think, but to what you feel.
- I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold I am Jesus Christ. (Ether 3:14).
- I came into the world to do the will of my Father (3Nephi 27:13).
- I have drunk out of the bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world... (3Nephi 11:11).
- I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (3Nephi 9:18).
- Come unto to me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit (3Nephi 12:19).
- If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love" (John 15:10).
When I listen to these words, something happens to my heart. Tears come to my eyes. These are truth tears, the kind of tears that come when I feel the Holy Ghost. My heart softens and I feel a sense of awe and of gratitude. I feel a desire to move towards the presence of God.
If you felt similar things, I invite you to journey with me for the next 25 minutes to the feast of Christ. If you did not feel what I felt, I particularly invite you to journey with me. I promise you, in the name of Jesus Christ, if you will open your heart, you also will be nourished by the living God.
President Wheelwright has suggested that the purpose of BYU-Hawaii is to turn you into life-long learners. With this notion in mind, I will consider three questions: How do we normally enter the presence of God? What happens to us when we are in the presence of God? How can we become more effective in our efforts to enter the presence of God? I believe that if you can answer these questions, you will become life-long learners, because you will live in the state of learning.
Question One: How do we normally enter the presence of God?
In the scriptures we are told that if we do certain things, our "confidence will wax strong in the presence of God (D&C 121:45)." This statement does not seem to be talking about eternity. It is talking about right now. How could this possibly be?
Consider the story of Lehi. We know that Lehi had the great vision of the tree of life. We often forget how he obtained that vision. Lehi was led into darkness. As the hours passed, his fears grew until he became desperate. He then pled for mercy.
I know this feeling. I once had a similar experience. It happened 45 years ago. It happened on this very campus. It turned me into a life-long learner.
I had been on my mission for 13 months. I was obedient, and I was working hard. Yet I was having no success. To fix this problem, I committed to work harder. This solution did not work. I was getting quite discouraged and I blamed my external circumstances.
One day I received a call from a Samoan man who lived in Hauula. He said he had someone for us to teach. That night, in the Hauula chapel we taught a first discussion. At the end of the lesson I said these words." I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God." I turned to our friend and asked if he would like to share his testimony. He said, "I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God." When he spoke, the room filled with power. The woman started to cry. She was converted in that very moment.
That night I did not sleep. I kept replaying the event. I said some words and nothing happened. My Samoan friend said the same words and the room changed. It became a sacred place. While I rejoiced in the conversion that took place, I was troubled by my lack of power. As I focused on my weakness, I became increasingly negative. I began, like Lehi, to travel in darkness. Like Lehi, my desperation became so great, I pled for mercy.
Mercy came. A very short time later I had a conversation with a man who was visiting this campus. I explained my concerns. He ask me, "Elder, when these pretty girls pass you on campus, what do you think about?" Before I could answer, he asked more questions. Did I ever become insensitive, angry, controlling, unkind, and so on?
He explained the need to change my heart. I asked how to do this seemingly impossible thing. In response, he asked, where did Jesus bleed from every pore? Was it on Calvary, where he was crucified, or in Garden the night before the crucifixion?
He explained that Jesus bled in the garden because he spiritually lived the temptation and pain before he lived it physically. He then said, "Go home and fast for a day. In the attitude of fasting and prayer, make a list of every behavior that pokes at your spirit. Once you have made the list, covenant with the Lord that you will be obedient."
"You cannot just stop the old behaviors and start the new ones. You need to live through your temptations spiritually before you conquer them physically. So each morning go to the Lord with your list. In regards to each item, envision the temptations and specifically promise Him what you will quit doing or what you will start doing. Then go out. At night kneel down and report on each item. If you succeed on one, thank Him for his help. If you fail, ask His forgiveness and commit to keep that principle the next day. Then repeat the entire process. Do it every day for 40 days."
We went home determined to do what he suggested. We began to fast and make our lists. It proved much harder than we assumed it would be. I would pray and then I would feel impressed to write down some item. Then arguing that there was nothing wrong with the particular thing, I would fight the impression.
For example, I felt impressed to put the word golf on the list. My argument was, "There is nothing wrong with golf. It is not against the rules and we only play on preparation day." What I did not admit, is that I spent a lot of time thinking about golf. I wrestled with the Spirit and I kept losing. Finally I wrote golf. Then I wrote down a number of other things that I did not want to write.
From the moment I wrote golf, I experienced the most intense desire to play golf. Everywhere I turned there was some reminder, some temptation to think about golf. I was in agony. So it was with each item on the list. Each day I had to fight all my natural inclinations and turn to the Lord for the help necessary to overcome myself. Sometime between the 30th and 40th day, I realized that my desire for the negative things on the list had disappeared. It was as if a great anchor had been cut from my ship. My capacity to do the positive things on the list had increased. It was as if a new engine had been added to my ship.
On the fortieth day my companion and I prepared to leave the apartment. We had prayer and walked toward the door. I felt impressed to go back and pray again.
The words of the second prayer were given to me: "Father we are now doing all in our power to serve Thee. These are Thy children. Please take them the rest of way. And let the glory be unto Thee forever."
We went to our next appointment. As we taught, the room was filled by the third member of the Godhead. This means God was present in that room. Our words were filled with power. Our investigator was converted. We went to our second investigator, and again there was a manifestation of power. This investigator was also converted, as was the next and the next. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas we remained constantly in the presence of God and many people were converted.
How did this happen?
Because I could stand the pain no longer, like Lehi, I pled for mercy. When we make such a plea, it is a sign of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. The mercy came. The Holy Ghost ministered to me, and I increased in faith, hope and charity. To be filled with the pure love of Christ is to commune with Christ. To commune is to be one with.
I am reminded of a scripture, "Because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer... (Moroni 8:26)."
Question Two: What happens to us when we are in the presence of God?
Now what happens when we are in the presence of God? Lehi tells us he went forth and partook of the fruit of the tree. He observes, "I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore... I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit (1Ne 8:12)."
As two missionaries, we were living with new motives. We stopped seeking the things of the world and the honors of men (D&C 121:35). We stopped trying to impose our will, and instead took on Christ-like attributes, such as "long-suffering, gentleness, meekness and love unfeigned (D&C 121:41)." Our minds were filled with pure knowledge that greatly enlarged us (D&C 121:42). We were filled with charity and virtue garnished our thoughts unceasingly (D&C 121:45). In this elevated state, our confidence waxed strong in the presence of God, the doctrine of His power distilled into our souls, we had the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, we radiated righteousness and truth, and that radiation became a magnetic power that attracted others into the presence of God (D&C 121:45-46).
When I think about obtaining confidence in the presence of God, I think of an experience that occurred in the summer of 2006. I was called to serve as a mission president. As I anticipated this demanding role, I began to make a list of questions I could not answer. This list represented my anxieties.
We flew to Provo to attend the MTC for mission presidents. The last speaker was Elder Eyring. He was assigned a topic; "Teaching by the Spirit." He was instructed not to prepare a written talk.
He began by telling of his extended and agonizing preparation. He then told us of experiences with the love of God. I felt power fill the room. By the end, many of the people were weeping. Afterwards, I remained in my chair. I knew that we had just spent time in the presence of God. It was then that I noticed something astounding.
I glanced at my list of questions. The words were still on the page but my problems no longer mattered. I felt no anxiety whatsoever. How could this be? Elder Eyring never talked about my specific issues.
How could they be gone?
In the presence of God, I was taught directly by the Holy Ghost. He ministered to my specific needs. I suddenly had confidence that I had previously lacked.
Now think of this. Do you have anxieties about your social life, about your capacity to pass certain courses, about your family, about your physical challenges? Do you ever live with insecurity? What would happen to your problems if you spent time in the presence of God?
When we spend time in the presence of God, we partake of the fruit of the tree of the tree of life. We are filled with positive feelings such as love, confidence, and joy. Our fears evaporate. We learn that the fruit of the tree is "desirable above all other fruit." We begin to hunger for it always. This desire leads us to ask the last question. How can we become more effective in our efforts to enter the presence of God?
Question Three: How can we become more effective?
King Benjamin, like Elder Eyring, once gave a talk that lifted people into the presence of God. In that talk, he instructed his people, "Watch yourselves and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds (Mosiah 4:30)." What does this mean?
Because we put so much emphasis on chastity, we often speak of controlling our lustful thoughts. I would like to suggest a much larger perspective that includes everyone. But let me begin from the more traditional starting point.
In Australia missionaries would come to me frustrated with their efforts to overcome their lustful thoughts. They had read Preach My Gospel. The book suggests that the mind is like a stage. In our minds there can only be one actor on stage at a time. So if the actor is a lustful thought, we can push this bad actor off the stage by choosing to have a wholesome thought. In our minds we can choose to recite a hymn or scripture or prayer.
The missionaries would often tell me that they were trying to follow this, but they were still having lustful thoughts. I would give them three bits of advice.
First, I would share that I have spent my entire life trying to do this very thing. I have tried to watch myself, and my thoughts and words and deeds. Sometimes I have had moments of victory. Yet the hormones in my body are powerful. The thoughts keep coming back.
Over the years, however, I have noticed something important. Because I have tried so often to fight the battle, it is now a habit to fight the battle. May I repeat that? "Because I have tried so often to fight the battle, it is now a habit to fight the battle."
This means a surprising transformation has occurred. The negative thing, lustful thoughts, has become a springboard into the presence of God. The negative, lustful thoughts trigger me into the positive and spiritual work of entering into the presence of God.
To understand this transformation, consider a scripture." All things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good." (DC 98:3) If our purpose is to be in the presence of God, our heart will change and we will develop sensitivity. If something negative occurs, we will notice the internal change, and we will work to become positive. So, because our hearts are right, the temptation, to move away from God, is transformed and actually moves us towards God.
Second, I told them to stop focusing on lustful thoughts. Instead focus on monitoring all negative feelings. Negative feelings include jealousy, embarrassment, self-consciousness, depression, sadness, unhappiness, anxiety, fear, distaste, scorn, irritation, anger, hate, boredom, humiliation, shame, guilt, and a long list of others. These negative feelings keep virtue from garnishing our thoughts. Virtue is more than chastity. It is what we feel and think when we are righteousness, courageous, powerful and excellent. When we have negative feelings the Spirit departs and we lose our confidence and our power. We need to recognize negative feelings and immediately transform them.
Consider an illustration. I once received a call that informed me that a missionary had been disobedient. I immediately had a negative feeling which was followed by this thought." He is a problem missionary." As I had this natural thought, I had another negative feeling. I felt the virtue drain from me. Because I was sensitive to my feelings, I asked why? Inspiration followed. I was taught that I must never define anyone as a problem. A problem is something to be acted upon. People must not be acted upon. That revelation changed me, and the change in me, changed all our missionaries. The change came because I was sensitive to all negative feelings and all positive feelings.
I think of a sister missionary. Her challenge was not lustful thinking. It was negative thinking due to continued sorrow. There were some awful, external conditions in her life. Together we turned to Moroni 9, where Mormon describes some of the worst external conditions in all history. He then suggests that if Moroni is faithfully moving towards Christ, Moroni will be filled with power, and the terrible external conditions of his life would not weigh him down. Indeed, Christ would lift him up (Moroni 9:25). This touched the heart of this missionary. For the rest of her mission, she chose to move forward in her purpose while being lifted up in Christ. Her external conditions remained the same, but she was no longer determined by them.
Third, move from a reactive stance to a proactive stance. When I have a negative feeling I react by repeating the statement, "Jesus the very thought of Thee, with sweetness fills my breast. This interrupts the natural flow of thought. I then shift to a proactive intention. I repeat my life purpose." I seek to bathe continually in the pure love of Christ."
This notion of being proactive about our feelings and thoughts, about choosing to live in positive feelings and choosing to acquire Christ-like attributes can have great impact. I think of an amazing example.
I was in a meeting with some professional colleagues. One of them is a highly accomplished woman. She told us that she kept a gratitude journal for 18 months. We were impressed. Then she told us that she stopped. We expressed disappointment. She picked up the implicit message and told us she quit because she no longer needed to keep the journal. We were curious.
She told us that her father was a very critical man and she grew up with the same negative orientation. If she heard a wonderful concert, but the soloist missed a note, she remembered the mistake, not the beautiful music. She related to people in a similar fashion. Rather than celebrating their gifts and the things they did right, she looked for their flaws. She constantly corrected people and they were often angry. She lived in a world of negativity. It was a world she created. Keeping the gratitude journal changed all that. In fact, she felt she no longer needed to write because she said she was now "living in a continuous state of gratitude."
This woman was proactive. She chose to live in gratitude. By doing so, she actually rewired her brain. Think of it, by proactively cultivating one of the attributes of Christ, she transformed herself and was blessed to live a constant, positive state.
In Alma we read, "Worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you (Alma 34:38).
This scripture suggests that, wherever we are, we can be in the presence of God. It suggests that, if we can live in a constant state of gratitude, we can keep the covenant we make every Sunday. We can "always remember Him."
In closing I will again read six brief statements. As I read them, please pay attention to your feelings.
- I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold I am Jesus Christ. (Ether 3:14).
- I came into the world to do the will of my Father (3Nephi 27:13).
- I have drunk out of the bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world... (3Nephi 11:11).
- I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (3Nephi 9:18).
- Come unto to me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit (3Nephi 12:19).
- If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love" (John 15:10).
It is my hope that right now you are feasting at the table of Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that you will ever live with confidence in the presence of God, and never stop learning. That this may be your purpose, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.