ALOHA. My dear brothers and sisters, what a great privilege and opportunity it is for my dear wife and I to return to this great institution of learning. When I was younger, I had dreams of getting an education here but the opportunity never presented itself. I hope you realize that your being schooled here is a gift from our Father in Heaven.
While serving as a bishop many years ago, my counselors and I decided that we would visit all of the members' homes once a year. During one such visit, we found ourselves walking along an abandoned railroad track lined on both sides with small cardboard box homes. I found it very difficult to believe that people actually lived there. The homes were very small - perhaps no more than two by two meters. This 4 square meter space serves as the family's living room, dining room, bedroom, and kitchen rolled into one.
The adults living in that area have very set ways and established routines. Men are mostly unemployed or under-employed. They spend much of their time gathered together around a make-shift table smoking and sharing a few bottles of beer. The women also have their own little gatherings that focus on the most controversial news of the day sprinkled with a little bit of backbiting and gossiping. Gambling is also a favorite past time for the young and old. Perhaps because it provided some excitement to an otherwise boring existence. In addition, it allows them to hope and dream of a better life.
It amazed me that people were able to live in those conditions. What disturbed me was they seemed to be content in living out their entire lives in that manner. Their children often marry at a very young age. And so begins another generation of almost meaningless existence. I later concluded that perhaps for most, it was the mere hopelessness that allows them to believe that they are consigned to this fate. It was indeed a heart-wrenching sight to behold.
A few years later, I learned that my counselor who was an engineer used to live in that area. I never would have guessed it because his family was very different from the families I saw there. All of the siblings were educated and are raising good families. What struck me was that their father was a simple man. He was not eloquent in his speech neither was his outer appearance impressive.
Then the questions came to me. How did the father manage to pull his family out from those conditions? How was he able to elevate himself? What made him catch a vision of what could be? Where did he find hope when everything about him seemed hopeless? How was he able to raise a good family when the conditions that surrounded him dictated otherwise?
Many years later, we gathered all of the Philippine mission presidents and their wives in the Manila temple. We decided to begin our seminar by participating in the sacred ordinances of the temple. A wonderful surprise greeted me as I entered one of the rooms. Standing before me was the father of my counselor, that quiet and unassuming man, all dressed in white.
At that moment there opened before my eyes two scenes. The first one was of a man drinking beer with his buddies and wasting away his life. The second scene showed the same man, dressed in white and officiating in the ordinances of the holy temple. The stark contrast depicted in those glorious scenes will forever remain in my heart and mind.
Indeed, "the preaching of the word had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them."
President Ezra Taft Benson said:
"The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ would take the slums out of the people, and they would take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature."
President Boyd K. Packer taught: "True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will change behavior faster than the study of behavior will change behavior."
There are few other activities we can engage in that will bring greater benefits to us than the daily, consistent study of the scriptures. The scriptures have been preserved through miraculous means so that we can have them today.
Growing up in the Philippines, I learned that as late as the early 1900s, access to the Holy Bible was limited to priests. People were not allowed access to or ownership of sacred writ. Imagine what it would be like if you and I did not have access to the scriptures today? An awful feeling of emptiness and of being lost would probably come upon us.
In contrast, we live in a day and age when access to scriptures is unprecedented. Never in the history of the world have men had the opportunity to partake of these sacred material as we do now. Written copies are readily available in bookstores. Electronic copies can be accessed instantaneously through the worldwide web and downloaded to notebooks, handhelds, and smart phones. Preparing talks, writing articles, and searching for related topics have never been easier. In fact, one can appear scholarly by merely knowing which buttons to press in the computer.
God has given these things for a wise purpose. The adversary has stepped up his offensive. His tactics have become quite sophisticated. The technological advancements intended to help man is being utilized by Satan very effectively to further his purpose of making us "miserable like unto himself." Hence, if we are to get ahead, we need to learn to use what our Heavenly Father has given us in a more effective and consistent manner.
President Kimball said: "I am convinced that each of us, at least some time in our lives, must discover the scriptures for ourselves- and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again... Access to these things means responsibility for them. We must study the scriptures according to the Lord's commandment.
The Book of Mormon speaks about a condition when men take sacred things for granted. In the 28th chapter of second Nephi we read: "a bible, a bible, we have got a bible and we do not need another bible." This attitude towards sacred things is slowly creeping into the lives of many latter-day saints. We claim to accept scripture but our actions and regard for them say otherwise. It demonstrates shortsightedness and a lack of understanding of the value and importance of the scriptures. This attitude towards the scriptures is aptly described in the following passages:
"And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron... .(1 Nephi 8:20)
And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.
And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.
And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who have commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost. (1 Nephi 8:22-23)
To think that we need only to commence on the path, without regard for the rod of iron is man's folly and will surely lead to destruction. In contrast, there were those who thought it wise to use all that they were given to keep from being lost:
"Behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree." (1 Nephi 8:30)
"And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree." (1 Nephi 8:24)
Nephi explained what it meant to "hold fast to the rod of iron:
"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." (2 Nephi 31:20)
Let us further examine what happened to those that recognized the significance of the rod of iron as they tried to reach the tree, "whose fruit was desirable to make one happy:"
"... and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction." (1 Nephi 15:24)
There are those of us today who have started on the path and held fast to the rod of iron. Unfortunately, as we have gone through one, or perhaps two or three of these "mists of darkness", we become complacent because we survived. We begin to think that we already know enough and do not need to continue "clinging to the rod of iron".
"Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received and we need no more."
"Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!" (2 Nephi 28:27,29)
Those who fall into this mindset need to understand that the Lord gives to us only those portions that we are willing and ready to receive. When we determine that we have received enough and we feel that we are at a level that we are comfortable, we will begin to slide back. In the principle of eternal progression, there is no staying in one place. We either move forward or slide back.
"For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, we have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have." (2 Nephi 28:30)
In Alma 12 we read:
"It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full. And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell." (Alma 12:9-11)
I believe that neglecting to study the scriptures on a regular basis is a form of hardening our hearts. I fear that if we persist in our course that we will be given a lesser portion of the word and in the end will know nothing of His mysteries. We can do better in using more effectively this powerful weapon that God has given us.
"Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked-" (Helaman 3:29)
We will be able to unmask the deceptions of the devil. We will be able to discover the snares that he has laid to catch us. Drinking daily from the words of the scriptures will build spiritual strength.
It is time that we re-awaken our desire to know the mysteries of the kingdom. To once again make the reading of the scriptures a high priority in our lives.
I would like to ask you three questions. Rather than responding openly, may I invite you to allow the Holy Ghost speak to your mind and heart:
- Do I take time to study the scriptures everyday?
- If not, what excuse do I have for not doing so?
- Will my excuse be acceptable to the Lord?
I challenge you to begin today to read the scriptures daily. Do not go to bed tonight until you have done so. As you do, there will come to you a greater desire to do the will of the Lord.
May we once again "try the virtue of the word of the God" is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.