Brothers and sisters, aloha.
I am grateful to my wonderful wife for all the joy and happiness she brings into my life and into our home through her loving hands. I pray each day that I may bring joy into her life that will match the joy she brings into mine. Brothers and sisters, if you get nothing else from this Devotional today, get this: pray that you can make your spouse happier each day than he or she makes you.
I want to thank Kyla and Ani for the beautiful hymn in which was referenced our Savior who suffered and died for us on the cross with nails driven through His hands. We recognize those hands as part of the Atonement, which allows us to return and live with Him again.
Today, I would like to reflect on the living hands of the Savior and how we can make those hands part of our daily lives. I will consider three ways in which we can do this. First, there are times when we need to prayerfully seek the hands of the Lord to bless our lives. Second, at times, in answer to the prayers of others, we become the Lord’s hands to bless their lives. And last, we need to recognize when the hands of the Lord are touching our lives.
During the creation of this earth, the Savior served as the hands of our Father in Heaven. This established a pattern that the Savior would follow throughout His life in accomplishing the Lord’s work, and it also sets a pattern for us to follow in our lives.
The Savior was preparing Himself from His early years to become the Lord’s hands. Luke writes that as a child, the Savior “grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40).
He continued this preparation through His youth. At the age of twelve, He was “in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, and they were hearing him, and asking him questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luke 2:46-47, JST).
Early in His ministry, He goes to the river Jordon seeking John the Baptist to be baptized of him, thus making a covenant with the Lord to always remember Him and to keep His commandments. When we were baptized, we took upon us these same sacred covenants. Alma teaches that the baptismal covenant means that we are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light and “are willing to mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things” (Mosiah 18:8-10). In other words, when we are baptized, we are willing to become the hands of the Lord in other’s lives.
As the Savior’s ministry continues, we see Him healing the sick, causing the blind to see and the lame to walk and restoring life where it had been taken away. He taught us the beatitudes and the commandments, showed us the way, and demonstrated how we can become the Lord’s hands.
Because the Savior loved us, He promised us that He will not forget us because He has “graven [us] upon the palms of [His] hands” (Isaiah 49:16). And our promise to Him must be that we will not forget Him, for we have engraven Him upon the flesh of our hearts.
To become His hands, we must first have unconditional love for one another, but it cannot simply stop at love. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf stated, “True love requires action. … Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day of His life. He did not remove Himself from the crowd. Being amidst the people, Jesus reached out to the one. He rescued the lost. He didn’t just teach a class about reaching out in love and then delegate the actual work to others. He not only taught but also showed us how to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” … When the Savior stretches out His hands, those He touches are uplifted and become greater, stronger, and better people as a result. If we are His hands, should we not do the same?” ("You Are My Hands," General Conference, April 2010).
When I was about seven years old, my uncle built us a new house. After we moved in, he started building the home next to us. It was to be the home of my friend Johnny. One day after school, Johnny and I were walking home, and Johnny excitedly told me that they now had electricity in their house. He wanted to show me, so we anxiously ran to his new home that was nearing completion. There were no workers around, so Johnny plugged in a construction lamp in the living room and ran down the hall to the electrical circuit box where he turned on the electricity. Sure enough, the lamp turned on. We were excited, and I told Johnny that I wanted to try. He turned the electricity back off. and the plan was then for me to plug in the lamp, and he would turn the electricity back on. Johnny was down the hall out of site and waited a time for me to get the lamp plugged in. Then he turned the electricity back on. Unfortunately, I was still holding onto the plug, and the electricity shot up my arm and down the side of my body and out my right foot. When it did this, it caught my clothes on fire along with the new carpet.
I don’t remember much about the experience after that. I remember someone pushing me to the ground outside to put the fire out. I don’t remember the trip to the doctor, but I do remember lying in a tub of cold water and then laying on my bed with pillows all under my right side. I also know that I received a priesthood blessing that night from my dad. I don't remember the words that were spoken, but I know at that moment, my father was the Lord’s hands as he blessed me, and I was healed. Today, I do not have a single mark on my body to remind me of that experience, just a lasting impression on my heart of the power of the holy priesthood.
That was not the first, nor was it the last, blessing I received at my father’s hands. Each time that I was sick, I never wanted the doctor. I just wanted the Savior’s hands in the form of my earthly father to bless me and heal me, and they always did. I am eternally grateful to my father for his wonderful example of a priesthood man and for the love he showed as he served as the Lord’s hands in blessing me and our family.
Brethren of the priesthood, we have a responsibility to exercise the sacred priesthood authority in service to our fellowmen each time we are called upon to do so. As we do this, we literally become the hands of the Lord. We must realize that when the time for action has arrived, the time for preparation is passed. When we are unworthy to exercise our priesthood, we deprive others of being blessed by His hands, and we deny ourselves of the blessing of being His hands.
There are always those that are in need of His hands. President Thomas S. Monson said, “My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us” ("What Have I Done for Someone Today?" General Conference, October 2009).
We recognize the period of time that we serve as full-time missionaries as a time in which we are anxiously engaged daily as the Lord’s hands. Many are the prayers that reach to heaven, pleading for the Lord’s hands to watch over His missionaries.
During my first month in the mission field, my companion and I were riding our bikes along a six-lane road in front of the train station. This was generally a very busy road, but as it was lunch time, there was not much traffic. We needed to cross the road to get to the train station. My companion was riding in front of me and started across the road. Riding a bike in a foreign country still made me a little nervous, and I hesitated in following my companion. My companion was nearly across the road when I looked back to check for cars. All I saw was a single car a little ways behind me. I felt it was safe, so I started across the road. As I looked again, a car that had been hidden behind the other car pulled out and was accelerating directly toward me. I’m sure I began pedaling harder to avoid being hit, but the next thing I remember was taking a couple of steps and then standing by the side of my companion who was sitting on the other side of the road, looking back at what was happening. The car continued down the road, and my bike was left lying in the middle of the road, spinning around. I went out into the road and picked up my bike, which I had to carry home because the back tire was twisted and mangled. I realized that day that the many prayers of my family and others had invited the Lord’s hand to reach down and protect one of His missionaries. I needed His hand, and He was there.
Blessings await those who become the Lord’s hands. President Uchtdorf taught that “as we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart. ... As we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful, and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. ... As we contemplate with reverence and awe how our Savior embraces us, comforts us, and heals us, let us commit to become His hands, that others through us may feel His loving embrace" ("You Are My Hands," General Conference, April 2010).
While living in Colorado, we were partners in a wilderness camp which had a 24-foot climbing wall as one of the adventures. Our sons always worked at the camp in the summer. One week on the first day of camp, our son Chris, who was 14-years old at the time, was part of the maintenance crew. Because he was so quick and nimble, the staff member at the climbing wall had sent him up the wall to hang the climbing rope. However, they had failed to give him safety gear to get back down. He quickly climbed the wall and hung the rope, but as he started back down, he slipped and fell about 20 feet to the ground. He landed hard on his right foot, and it began to swell. I had to go back to town to work, but Chris didn’t want to leave the camp, so I let him stay. Before I left, we gave him a blessing. On Friday evening, I returned to the camp and found Chris still limping and his foot still swollen.
Saturday morning, I took him to the doctor, and x-rays showed that the main bone in his foot had been shattered. There were only two large pieces left. Chris was scheduled for surgery, and the doctor hoped he could screw the two large pieces back together, but there wasn't a whole lot more that could be done with the many small broken pieces. The doctor feared that the bone was so shattered that it would die and never heal. A priesthood blessing was given, and Chris went in for surgery. When we returned to the doctor six weeks after the surgery, the doctor asked us to join him in the x-ray viewing room. He had the original and the new x-rays he had just taken posted side by side on the wall. The doctor shook his head as he pointed out the bone that had been broken. All the shattered pieces had moved back together and reformed the bone, and it was alive and well. He turned to me and said, "We had a little help with that one, didn't we?" He recognized the Lord’s hand in healing the foot of our son. We were grateful for the blessing we had received.
Brothers and sisters, we should always seek the Lord’s hands when we are in need and seek to become the Lord’s hands when we are needed.
The sisters of the Church are such a powerful force for good in this world. During the time I served as a bishop in a family ward, I had three wonderful sisters that were called as the Relief Society president. Each of these sisters faced their own personal challenges during the period of time in which they served. They could have given up at any time, but they didn’t. I was humbled as they faithfully worked through their trials and served the sisters and families of the ward, caring for the needy, helping the sick, delivering needed food, teaching sisters to cook, spiritually feeding the sisters each Sunday and throughout the week, and the list goes on. Usually, when I got a report that a particular family was experiencing difficulties, these wonderful leaders had already engaged the sisters of the Relief Society and were well on their way to meeting the family’s needs. Each of these sisters became, and continues today, to be the Lord’s hands in faithful service to their families and those around them. I love and appreciate these wonderful sisters, their thoughtful service, their inspired leadership and council, and the support of the wonderful sisters of the Relief Society that served with them.
Sister Julie B. Beck, a former Relief Society general president, stated, “Our compassionate service and assistance with the welfare needs of individuals and families are an outgrowth of visiting teaching. A Relief Society president learns of the needs of people in her ward through visiting teachers and her own visits to ward members. Sometimes she organizes us to help others, and at other times we serve “according to [our] natures,” following the promptings of the Holy Ghost. ... We can know with certainty that our Father in Heaven knows us personally because He sends us to be His hands and heart to those in need. As we do so, our faith in Him is strengthened” ("Relief Society: A Sacred Work," General Conference, October 2009).
I have watched the many sisters in our young single adult wards privately extend their loving hands each day in service to others. They are not looking for recognition among men. They are not always doing big things, but they are always doing something, and that makes a difference. Whether it is for a roommate, a neighbor, a fellow sister in the Relief Society, a spouse, or someone she may not even know, her charitable hands of love are extended to those in need.
Now brothers and sisters, I know that sometimes we feel inadequate; we feel that we are weak and lack the strength to help and assist others, but the Savior taught us that it is not the big things in life we do but all of the little things that make the difference. He taught, “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:34-40).
The scriptures provide us another example of some young men who took no thought for themselves but sought only to serve others. Each of these young men turned down the opportunity to be the Nephite king and instead desired to go on missions among their enemies the Lamanites. In Alma, we read that the Sons of Mosiah “fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth” (Alma 17:9). Instead of following their temporal desires that could have provided them a life of luxury as the king of the Nephites, they instead followed the desires of their hearts, and they sought to become the hands of the Lord to their brethren the Lamanites.
We all know that despite their hardships, these brethren faithfully served and brought many to the understanding of the gospel who were baptized unto the Lord. The experiences of the sons of Mosiah are a striking example of seeking, recognizing, and becoming the Lord’s hands. If we really want to be instruments in God’s hands, that desire will permeate our prayers and be the focus of our fasting just as it was for the Sons of Mosiah.
When we prayerfully seek opportunities to become the Lord’s hands, we often receive promptings regarding God’s children. When we act upon those promptings and are obedient to the righteous impressions we receive, God gives us additional opportunities to serve and grow. We must be ready to be an instrument in His hands so that He can use us anytime and anywhere.
Early in our marriage, we lived in Oklahoma where I was called to be the Elder's Quorum president. It was a ward spread over a large area and included many of the Lord’s sheep that needed rescued.
My counselor and I went out one evening to find the Davis family, a family unknown to anyone in the ward. We drove to the address listed in the Church records and knocked on the door. The man who answered the door said he had lived in that house for many years and that he did not know Lamar Davis. As we drove away from the house and rounded the bend on the street, the thought came to me that it was possible that some of the numbers in the address had been reversed. I mentioned this to my counselor. There were four numbers in the address, and we switched the middle two. When we looked up, the house we were sitting in front of was that house number. We looked at each other and knew we had to knock on that door. We did so, and this time, Lamar Davis answered the door. He invited us in, and over the next few months, the Davis family was taught the gospel, and Brother Davis was able to baptize his two children. The Lord's hand had reached out to one of His lost sheep.
But the story doesn't end there. The Davises became good friends and often would babysit our young son Skyler. Linda was nearing the delivery date of our second son, and it was our wedding anniversary. Our anniversary dinner was cut short when we had to rush to the hospital for our second son’s birth. The Davises lived close by, so on our way to the hospital, we dropped Skyler off at their home. They kept Skyler through the night, and we never worried about him for a minute. Now their hands had become the Lord's hands in our time of need, and they had reached out and served us.
King Benjamin taught, “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). In other words, when we are serving others, we are the Lord’s hands.
Now, I turn to those who have touched my life, whose hands have left an everlasting impression etched on my heart because of their examples and love. This list is long, so I will mention only a few.
First are the hands of my beloved mother. There are no hands like a mother’s hands, especially my mother’s hands. Her hands could type 120 words per minute on a manual typewriter, which she often did to help me complete my school reports. She cooked, cleaned, washed and ironed clothes, bottled fruit and vegetables we grew in our garden, and just about anything else. My mother’s hands have made many quilts that cover the beds of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. And there was nothing like her arms and hands wrapped around us, giving us love and support in our daily lives and in our times of need.
I watched her tender hands as she took care of her parents in their old age. Grandma had cancer, and mom cared for her until her death and then took care of my grandfather until he passed away. Her hands are loving hands of service.
I also honor the hands of my mother-in-law. Her hands have served her family dutifully for all the years of her life. She continues to serve today by assembling histories of her ancestors, which are shared with her posterity. Her hands bring their stories to life, and they are remembered today, and their temple work is completed.
Loved are the hands of a mother. Their love is great, and they are truly the Lord's hands each day of their lives.
Next are the hands of my father. They were not the hands of a skilled surgeon, a rocket scientist, or a company CEO but rather the hands of a worthy priesthood man that supported our family. There is a definite dignity in the hands that give honest labor and toil tirelessly for a wife and eight children. We knew he loved us because he was a faithful priesthood holder who stood at the head of our home and whose hands were always in service to his family. I honor the hands of my father.
I also honor the hands of my father-in-law. His countless acts of service to many in the community were fondly remembered at his funeral last year. His good friend told of many occasions where help was needed and without being asked, he would show up with his tractors, do the work, and then leave without notice, never charging a dime to someone in need.
Today, each member of my family and my wife’s family tries to honor our parents by living our lives as they lived theirs: in service as the Lord’s hands to our families, neighbors, friends, and all who are in need.
My grandparents were wonderful examples of the Lord's hands. Each of them were called as temple missionaries. They became wonderful servants of the Lord as His hands and helped me develop a love for the temple. My grandfather was set apart as a temple sealer and became the Lord's hands to many of his posterity and others as he sealed them for time and all eternity in the holy temple.
Now, I turn the clock back 33 years to a time described by President Monson. Said he, “Then comes that day when the hand of a boy takes the hand of a girl, and parents suddenly realize their children have grown. Never is the hand of a girl so delicately displayed as when there glistens on her finger a ring denoting a sacred pledge. Her step becomes quicker, her countenance brighter, and all is well with the world. Courtship has come. Marriage follows. And once again two hands are clasped, this time in a holy temple. Cares of the world are for a brief moment forgotten. Thoughts turn to eternal values. The clasped hands speak of promised hearts. Heaven is here” ("Hands," Ensign, August 1990).
I will never forget the day when my sweetheart knelt across the altar from me in the St. George temple, and we made an eternal covenant with one another and with our Heavenly Father. To this day, she provides the most humble example of the Lord's hands in my life. I look at our four wonderful sons, and the men they have become. They are strong priesthood holders of God, two of whom have been married in His holy temple, sealed to their wives and children for time and for all eternity. Our third son Cory will be sealed to his sweetheart Katie in just a couple of months. Our fourth son Brandon serves as a deacon and always extends a loving and helpful hand to all around him always with a joyful smile on his face.
I think of the many years that their wonderful mother was with them every day, playing with them, reading to them from the scriptures and storybooks, teaching them the gospel, getting them ready for church meetings and school, fixing wonderful meals, patching their little cuts and scrapes, and the list goes on. I also think of the many charitable acts she has done in my behalf which are too many to list, the patience she has always had with my faults, and the joy and happiness she brings into my life every day through her service. Treasured and loved are the hands of my wife.
Last, we are all indebted to the loving hands of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His Atonement alone makes it possible for us to return and be with our Heavenly Father.
Elder Robert D. Hales stated, “I am especially impressed as I consider the week leading to His death: the chief priests challenged His authority, tried to trap Him, and twice conspired to kill Him. In Gethsemane, while His disciples slept, He suffered the sins of all mankind and bled from every pore. He was betrayed, arrested, questioned, struck, spat upon, and beaten. After interrogation by the ruling council, He was mocked by Herod and finally taken to Pilate, where He was made to stand before an angry mob. Whipped and crowned with thorns, He was forced to carry His cross to Golgotha. Nails were driven into His hands and feet. His body was raised up between common thieves. Soldiers cast lots for His earthly possessions, and vinegar was given to quench His thirst. After six hours, He commended His spirit into the hands of His Father, gave up the ghost, and died” ("Faith through Tribulation Brings Peace and Joy," General Conference, April 2003).
I am grateful for the sacrifice and Atonement of the Savior, the life He lived, the lessons he taught, and the example he set. It is my testimony that His hands have touched each of our lives in many ways. We are forever indebted to His hands, hands that rescued each of us through His atonement. That we may be instruments in His hands in serving the precious lambs for which He gave His life is my humble prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.