What Matters the Most
Let me begin this morning by asking each of you a question: What matters the most to you? There are many things in life that are important to us and that matter, but determining and identifying what matters the most and then striving towards achieving that goal will dramatically affect every decision you make and everything you do in life. A few weeks ago, I was with a bishop in our stake visiting some of his ward members. We visited a family with three teenaged daughters, and during the visit, I asked each of the girls this same question: “What matters the most to you?” The youngest girl, who is 14, immediately answered, “My family,” her two older sisters both said that church was what mattered the most, and the father responded with family and serving others. These were wonderful responses. I then turned to the bishop and asked him, “Bishop, in your life, what matters the most to you.” He reflected for a moment, and then, with his eyes beginning to moisten with tears, he said, “What matters the most to me is my relationship with my Heavenly Father and in doing His will.”
My brothers and sisters, I hope that as you pondered the question of “What matters the most” that the answer that rose to the top of your list was similar to the answer of this good bishop. What matters the most is obtaining the gift of eternal life which comes through knowing our Heavenly Father and by doing His will. In other words, put God first in your lives, and all of His blessings will follow. The blessings of the gospel, eternal families, spiritual strength, increased knowledge, peace in our hearts, comfort to our souls, and so many others all flow into our lives when we put God first.
Have you ever considered what matters the most to our Heavenly Father and to the Savior? The scriptures give us some great insights. In the great intercessory prayer, Jesus said, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).
In Moses 1:39, the Lord says, “For behold, this is my work and my glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
In the first few verses of that same chapter in Moses, God revealed himself unto Moses and said, “Behold I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years.”
So the Lord appears to Moses and identifies himself and says, “Moses, I am God!”
He then tells Moses who he is: “Behold, [Moses] thou art my son.”
And then He reveals something important to Moses and to every one of us when he says, “And I have a work for thee.”
Is there anything that we cannot accomplish when we understand this relationship? That there is a God, that we are His children, and that He has a work for us! The work that God has for us is the same as His work, to help us become like Him. To become like Him, we must know Him, we must understand Him, we must follow Him, we must trust Him, and we must put Him first in everything we do. The scriptures teach us that God is love and that “we love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Likewise, isn’t it comforting to know that we can also say that we put God first in our lives because He puts us first in His?
Become Converted
To put God first in our lives, we must be obedient to His commandments and become truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Conversion means more than being a member of the Church. It is deeper than accepting gospel principles and having a testimony that they are true. A testimony of the gospel is important because it is the gateway and foundation of conversion. However, there are many who have a testimony of the gospel and yet struggle to live even its most basic principles. When we are truly converted, we act upon the things that we believe and know to be true, we experience “a mighty change in heart,” and we become more like the Savior and our Father in Heaven with every decision and choice that we make.
President Marion G. Romney described conversion as a spiritual and moral change and in turning from one belief or course of action to another. He stated, “In one who is really wholly converted, desire for things contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ has actually died. And substituted therefore is a love of God, with a fixed and controlling determination to keep his commandments.”
One of the greatest privileges as a stake president is to set apart the full-time missionaries leaving from my stake. In my interviews, I find that while each missionary is unique, there are commonalities that each of these young men and women share.
1. They have faith in a loving Father in Heaven and in the Atonement of their Savior Jesus Christ
2. They have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Restoration
3. They have “clean hands” and are worthy to represent the Lord
4. They are excited, optimistic, and energized! They are ready to serve!
Many of you who have served missions can probably remember those feelings as you were preparing to leave on yours. You may have also been a little nervous about what you were about to experience. Am I really prepared to do this? Will I be able to learn the language? Will I feel the Spirit, and how will I know what to say? Will I love the people, and will they love me?
Over the next couple of years, these young missionaries strengthen their testimonies of the gospel by exercising faith in the Lord by loving and serving their brothers and sisters, by obedience to Heavenly Father’s commandments, and by losing themselves in the work. They endure many hardships, they sacrifice the comforts of home, they put off plans for education or work, and they work like they have never worked before in their lives. Is it any wonder that when they return home, they are changed, they are transformed from who they were to faithful disciples of the Lord? The “miracle” that we witness is their conversion to gospel of Jesus Christ!
It is a humbling experience to receive these young men and women home and to release them from their missions. It’s a bittersweet experience for most as they are both happy to be home with loved ones but have also left their hearts with people and places who have strengthened their love and devotion for the Lord. A few months ago, I released a missionary coming home from his mission. The hour of his arrival was late in the evening, and he had traveled all day. We opened with a prayer and had a brief conversation about his mission and areas where he served. I then asked him to share his feelings about his mission, what it meant to him, how it had changed him, and to bear his testimony. He looked at me and then looked down at the ground. I could see the tears begin to fill his eyes and then roll down his cheeks. He began to cry, softly at first, and then continuing with large uncontrollable sobs. I came around my desk and put my arms around his broad shoulders. When he finally regained his composure, I sat back down, and when our eyes met, I simply said, “Elder, you have had a wonderful mission!” He said, “Yes, President. I have been so blessed. I can’t even begin to describe the love that is in my heart for my Heavenly Father and my Savior and for the blessing that I have had to serve them.” He had experienced a “mighty change of heart” and had been truly converted to the gospel.
Can Ye Feel So Now?
I know there are many here who have experienced this mighty change of heart. You have felt the Spirit burn within you, you have felt the Savior’s redeeming love through the Atonement, and you have witnessed miracles in your personal lives and in the lives of others. For you, the question that Alma asks is this: “If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:26).
Elder Quentin L. Cook spoke on this topic in the October 2012 General Conference. He discussed the moral deterioration in every segment of our modern culture, the challenges of being obedient to Heavenly Father’s commandments, and the apathy and lack of commitment exhibited by members of the Church. Of this, he said, “It is not surprising that some in the Church believe they can’t answer Alma’s question with a resounding yes. They do not ‘feel so now.’ They feel they are in a spiritual drought. Others are angry, hurt, or disillusioned. If these descriptions apply to you, it is important to evaluate why you cannot ‘feel so now.’”1
My experience has been that most who have been converted and then fall away usually “drift” away. Rarely does it start with a serious transgression or major doctrinal dispute. It usually begins as we become casual in our relationship with our Heavenly Father and fail to seek divine and spiritual guidance in our day-to-day lives. Our prayers become less frequent and less meaningful. Daily scripture study becomes weekly, and then monthly, and then almost nonexistent. We find ourselves becoming more involved in other activities that require our time and effort. Recreation, sporting events, and social activities also occupy our time, and soon, we find that our lives are so busy and involved that we no longer have time for the things that matter the most. Without the protection of the Spirit, pride creeps into our hearts, and we become less humble and teachable. We begin to embrace the standards and the philosophies of the world. We find ourselves easily offended, quick to judge and find fault in others, and slow to remember God’s mercy and love. In short, we have lost the companionship and guidance of the Holy Ghost and become easy prey to the temptations of the adversary. Satan knows when we are vulnerable, and he uses every temptation and every opportunity to deceive us and lead us away from our Heavenly Father.
The prophet Jacob described how Satan deceives us and the punishments that come to those that follow him: “But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state! O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think that they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish” (2 Nephi 9:27-28).
Let us not be deceived by Satan. He is the author of all lies and makes promises that he cannot keep. His sole purpose is to drag as many of us down into misery with him. Last fall, Elder Holland was here in the islands and conducted a priesthood leadership training for all of the bishops and stake presidencies in Hawaii. One of the discussions centered around the challenging times that we are living in, the erosion of principles, morality, virtue, integrity, the family, and religious freedoms. Elder Holland explained that we are literally in a fight with Satan, but that victory has already been declared. We know who will win! Elder Holland then said something like this: I have played sports for almost my entire life, and I have been on winning teams, and I have been on losing teams, but I have never, ever chosen to be on the losing team. The Lord’s team will win collectively. The tragedy is when we lose individually.
Then he asked us, “Brethren, what team do you choose to be on? Let us choose to be on the Lord’s side and to put Him first in our lives.”
Examples in the Scriptures of Spiritual Strength and Conversion
The Book of Mormon gives us many great examples of individuals who were valiant in following the Lord. Moroni was appointed chief captain over all of the Nephite armies at the age of 25. In Alma 48, the prophet Mormon describes the qualities and attributes of this great military and spiritual leader and then proclaims, “If all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men. Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons, for they were all men of God” (Alma 48: 17-18).
So what made these men great in the sight of God? How did they become so powerful in putting the Lord first in their lives, even after some of them had been the vilest of sinners who persecuted the Church and rebelled against God? Many of us learned the answer to this question as primary children: “They had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of sound understanding and they searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God” (Alma 17:2-3).
How simple, yet powerful is this example of how to become truly converted to the Lord.
Elder Boyd K. Packer taught, “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior.”2
By studying the gospel and searching the scriptures, we come to know our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ because the scriptures teach us about them. There is great power in studying the scriptures as daily scripture study will inspire us to be more committed to the gospel, provide strength to face our challenges and trials, provide safety and shelter from the temptations and storms of the world, and open our hearts and minds to receive personal revelation from our Heavenly Father.
The Sons of Mosiah “had also given themselves to much prayer and fasting.” Prayer is our connection with Heavenly Father. We pray to express love and gratitude, we pray for understanding and personal revelation, we pray to know his will, we pray for strength and courage to overcome challenges and trials, and we pray for all things that will help us feel closer to God.
My wife was trying to help our daughters understand that through prayer, we can develop a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. Many times, our prayers seem to be more of a checklist of things we are thankful for and things that we ask for rather than an opportunity for our Heavenly Father to know us and for us to know Him.
She compared it to developing a new friendship with someone you would like to get to know. How would you do that? It might start by walking up and introducing yourself like this: “Hi, my name is Darren. We go to the same school and have a couple of classes together. I have a cat and two dogs. I like the beach and going out with my friends. Nice to meet you!” Would you then walk away without waiting to hear what your new friend might have to say? Is that all that you would want to tell him about you? The next day, would you walk back up to your new friend and repeat the same information? Hi, my name is Darren. We go to the same school and have a couple of classes together. I have a cat and two dogs. I like the beach and going out with my friends” and then walk away again?
I shared this example in a youth Sunday school class not long ago and role-played it with their teacher. I acted a little goofy, and the youth got a good laugh out of it. I asked if this approach would be successful if they were trying to get to know someone? The answer was no. We then discussed how this example may be similar to the way we offer our prayers. Often, our prayers may say the same things over and over again, and what we say really doesn’t communicate very much to our Heavenly Father. We then figuratively walk away without giving Him a chance to answer. I asked one of the young women, “Do you have a best friend?” “Yes,” she replied. I asked her, “What do you tell your best friend?” With a big smile, she blurted out, “Everything!”
Heavenly Father is our best friend. He loves us more than anyone and wants to bless us with everything that he has. We need to communicate everything with Him, our hopes, our struggles, concerns, fears, doubts, joys and sorrows, and what we are feeling. Then, we need to listen.
Can we follow the example of Enos in The Book of Mormon who shared this experience: “And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens. And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, they sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed” (Enos 1:4-5).
We need to communicate with God so that He can communicate with us. He also wants to tell us everything! He’s simply waiting for the chance!
You are a Chosen Generation
My dear young brothers and sisters, you are a chosen generation that our Heavenly Father has reserved for this time and dispensation, and it is critical for you to know who you are and who you represent. In a BYU devotional, Sister Sheri Dew said this about you:
“The simple fact is that our Father did not recommend Eve or Moses or Nephi or countless other magnificent exemplars for this dispensation-He recommended you and me. Do you think God would have left the last days to chance by sending men and women He couldn’t count on? … You simply must understand this, because you were born to lead by virtue of who you are, the covenants you have made, and the fact that you are here now in the 11th hour.”3
I bear witness that you are a chosen generation and that the Lord has placed His trust in you because He knows you, has confidence in you, and loves you. As we put God first in our lives, we prepare ourselves and others to receive all that the Father has, both in mortality and through the eternities. I will close with these inspired words from President Ezra Taft Benson:
“Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He can deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, … and pour out peace.”4
When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities.
Our Heavenly Father knows you and loves you, and through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ, we can return again to His presence and become more like him. Of this I bear testimony in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
1. Quentin L. Cook, "Can Ye Feel So Now?" General Conference, April 2012.
2. Boyd K. Packer, "Little Children," General Conference, October 1986.
3. Sheri L. Dew, "You Were Born to Lead, You Were Born for Glory," BYU Devotional, December 2003.
4. Ezra Taft Benson, "Jesus Christ–Gifts and Expectations," Ensign, December 1988.