Opening Remarks (1:23)
Good morning. I bring you greetings from - and express the love & gratitude of - President Todd Wolfley, our fine Stake President. He strives to do that which is right, for your benefit.
With the new Fall semester, there are some new faces in the ward, so perhaps an introduction is in order. My name is Lee McMains and I am the chair of Industrial Technology & Energy Studies at Aims Community College. I am about halfway through a Master’s Degree in Environmental Law & Policy at Vermont Law School; admittedly I’ve been about halfway through this program for a few years. I’ll finish someday. I have been on the Greeley Stake High Council since August of last year. My beautiful wife Rebecca is attending the Glenmere Ward, our home ward, with our 3-year old daughter, Lydia, and our 1-year old son, Nole. Our dog, Hickory, is at home, keeping a careful eye on all the passers-by.
I would like to ask for your permission to share some prepared remarks, largely as they’re written. I find that the Holy Ghost speaks to me much more clearly while I prepare my talks than when I give them, and I’d prefer to not step over something that may encourage or enlighten someone here today if it can be avoided.
Introduction (1:46)
There are blessings to be found in what we have seen and heard today. We have assembled ourselves under proper priesthood authority, we have sung songs of praise, and we have renewed in full our covenants with our Heavenly Father. Thank you for letting me spend some of your day with you.
One of our collective duties on the High Council is to study & ponder a topic of doctrine, as assigned by President Wolfley, and to prepare to teach the stake presidency what we have learned. As we interview the priesthood leaders in our assigned wards and branches, we likewise ask those leaders to study these same topics & to prepare to teach us. Those leaders, in turn, are encouraged to invite members in their stewardship to teach them about that same topic.
The topic for this month is ‘Disciple’ and I encourage you to study & ponder this topic, and consider whom you might commit to teach what you have learned - perhaps within your family, or with your home- or visiting-teaching families, or with your priesthood and organization leaders.
To that end, we have been counseled to review Elder Robert D. Hales’ April 2017 General Conference talk “Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” I’m grateful for that assignment, and for my opportunity to share with you a few thoughts today. I have prayed, while preparing these remarks, that I might say something that you will benefit from hearing (just as I have learned while preparing this), something that allows the Holy Spirit to prick your heart and teach you.
The Quilt & the Tapestry (2:34)
When Rebecca and I got married we had plaid tablecloths at our reception. One of my mother-in-law’s friends used part of that plaid tablecloth as the basis for a quilt, which was given to us as a (belated) wedding present. For a little more than a year it hung on the wall behind the couch in our living room. When we moved, we didn’t unpack it. Elder Hales made a comment in his talk that reminded me of that quilt, so the other evening my daughter and I pulled it out of storage and unfolded it. (make a face) Wow, is that thing ugly?! I know that the gift was from the heart, and it took some effort to make, but...shooting stars and lacey curls are truly not our style. That said, the workmanship was really quite good. That quilt was woven with care.
Despite the many non-complementary colors, and the interesting decorations, this is a quilt that will hold together for many years, perhaps long enough for our children to store in their closets. This quilt was not made by a novice quilter, rather someone with a good deal of practice. I am sure that this person has made mistakes before: misaligned patches, or connected parts inside out, but this person has persevered, and for every time that they gave up, they tried again. What may have started as a hobby, maybe even as a test, has become a skill, and they are very likely able to see potential errors before they actually become problems.
In his General Conference talk Elder Hales taught that
Disciples live so that the characteristics of Christ are woven into the fiber of their beings, as into a spiritual tapestry.1
This friend of my mother-in-law did not become skilled at quilting overnight, and we can see that the first obstacle they faced was not the end of their effort. I am - in more than a few ways - thankful for their tenacity, and for the gift of their talents.
It is on this idea of striving, of practicing & learning how to weave a spiritual tapestry, that I would like to dedicate the balance of my comments.
(say this) Chapter 1. Defining Discipleship (1:42)
Elder hales begins his talk with a question: What does it mean to be a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ, and then he immediately gives an answer. As I read his response, think about whether there is another word that you might use to encompass his definition:
A disciple is one who has been baptized and is willing to take upon him or her the name of the Savior and follow Him. A disciple strives to become as He is by keeping His commandments in mortality, much the same as an apprentice seeks to become like his or her master.
Isn’t he defining the Sacrament? How wonderful that we do more than renew our covenants with Heavenly Father each time we partake of that ordinance; we also renew our discipleship to Jesus Christ! If there was ever any thought of being casual about the Sacrament - taking it when we oughtn’t or missing it when we shouldn’t - it is so much more than a little piece of bread and a little cup of water. Renewing the covenants we have made, and promising to strive to live up to the covenants in front of us, and thereby seeking to be like the Master, is not something that we can afford to wave away with a shrug. May I suggest that if you arrived this day after the Sacrament was passed, then you are a week behind. Please make more of an effort.
(say this) Chapter 2. The Progression of Discipleship (3:42)
Elder Hales quotes the Apostle Peter who wrote
Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
So it’s a progression, right? Where are you in this progression?
It starts with practicing - not just to have, but to exercise - faith. Follow impressions that you receive, the first time you receive them. When you get kinda good at that, work on your virtue. Spend your free hours in noble pursuits with like-minded people. When you’ve got a handle on that, add to your intelligence with better scripture study and temple service, and so on.
I think it’s interesting that “godliness” isn’t the final step; it’s kind of in the middle. It makes sense if you think about it. The first several attributes that Peter teaches are internal to each of us: things we must learn to do or have, qualities we must hold within ourselves. The last few, kindness and charity, are rather outward-facing attributes. “Remove the beam from thine own eye--, put on your oxygen mask before helping others,” that kind of thing.
As in all corners of the scriptures, there is another teaching moment in Peter’s placement of godliness. Godliness has associated with it a power - priesthood power. This power does not come naturally, nor all that easily. One must “labor to obtain the power of godliness found in that priesthood.”2 The fruit of this labor is the ability to bless others, which is probably why kindness and charity are listed last in that progression. Moroni teaches that we should cleave unto charity3; I better understand now that that’s not our starting point, I can’t just jump to charity, I have to work up to it by fixing those areas of weakness in my life first. Sure, I can do charitous things now and again, but I can’t have charity - I can’t have the pure love of Christ4 - until I’ve put in a lot of effort. Effort, by the way in case you’re wondering, that is totally gonna be worth it.
These steps (faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, kindness, and charity) are the threads that make up what Elder Hales called a spiritual tapestry of personal discipleship. Each thread is necessary for the tapestry to remain whole. A weakness in one can damage the whole thing, which brings me back to diligent labor, and honest, prayerful reflection before God about what might be missing.
(say this) Chapter 3. An Example of Faith (1:47)
I don’t think it would be inappropriate to share that, like Enos in the Book of Mormon, my soul has at times hungered to once again be near my Heavenly Father.5 When I have prayed to be forgiven I have, in effect, exercised faith that I could be forgiven and be cleansed - faith that my failings did not put me “beyond the reach of divine love” as Elder Jeffrey R. Holland put it.6
President Russell M. Nelson offers some counsel on how we can claim the joy of being cleansed.
We can start by “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” “in every thought.” We can give thanks for Him in our prayers and by keeping covenants we’ve made with Him and our Heavenly Father. As our Savior becomes more and more real to us and as we plead for His joy to be given to us, our joy will increase.7
Did you hear it? He teaches us to give thanks for Jesus the Christ in our prayers, which means we should pray even when we don’t feel that our words have any worth to God. He teaches us to keep covenants we’ve made, and we’ve all made covenants. Today we covenanted to remember Christ in everything that we do. Doing these things - I was going to say better but that’s not what I mean - doing these things with more diligence than yesterday will allow our savior to more fully live within us, and our faith will increase.
(say this) Chapter 4. Defining Virtue (1:23)
Sister Elaine S. Dalton, former Young Women General President, gave an impassioned definition of virtue in her first general conference talk. Said she:
Virtue “is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards.” It is the accumulation of thousands of small decisions and actions. Virtue is a word we don’t hear often in today’s society, but the Latin root word virtus means strength. Virtuous women and men possess a quiet dignity and inner strength. They are confident because they are worthy to receive and be guided by the Holy Ghost.8
She continues by quoting our prophet, saying:
President Monson has counseled: “You be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone. Have the moral courage to be a light for others to follow. There is no friendship more valuable than your own clear conscience.9
(say this) Chapter 5. An Example of Faith Leading to Virtue (2:50)
A few months ago Rebecca and I met with the bishopric of our ward and then President Hatch to renew our temple recommends. In our interviews we were asked meaningful questions worthy of reflection, like whether we had testimonies of our Lord Jesus Christ and whether we sustained the prophet. We also received specific instruction that neither of us had recognized before. We were counseled that the covenants we make, and the reminders of those covenants, must be protected at all times, and specific examples were cited.
Please forgive my vagueness. These interviews are a step toward entering and serving in the Temple of the Lord and each of us must make that journey individually - I would rather not imprint my experience onto yours. I will, instead, read a few lines from a letter the First Presidency sent to priesthood leaders in 1988:
“Church members who have been clothed with the garment in the temple have made a covenant to wear it throughout their lives.
“The fundamental principle ought to be to wear the garment and not to find occasions to remove it. Thus, members should not remove either all or part of the garment to work in the yard or to lounge around the home in swimwear or immodest clothing. Nor should they remove it to participate in recreational activities that can reasonably be done with the garment worn properly beneath regular clothing. When the garment must be removed, such as for swimming, it should be restored as soon as possible.”10
What struck us both, separately, was the reference to yard work. A few years ago I intended to mow the backyard, and I commented that this would be a good time for me to work on my tan (such as I could ever hope to attain). She pointed out that taking off the garment for yard work was unnecessary and would therefore be a deviation from the path that the Lord has set for us. Because of my wife’s gentle counsel, and because I strive to keep my covenants, I am more virtuous that I was before - I hold myself to a higher standard than I did before.
In order to live worthy of the Spirit of the Lord we must - everyday - and repeatedly every day - make choices that encourage the Spirit’s companionship. Some decisions are made easier because we have entered into covenants to keep them, but that is not always the case. Nevertheless, we are free to seek the counsel and protection of our Heavenly Father, who can reveal Himself to us through the Holy Ghost if we are worthy to receive Him.
(say this) Chapter 6. An Example of Kindness and Charity (2:54)
President Monson shared an experience he had one sunny afternoon many years ago, and I think it meets our criteria quite well.
As a bishop, I worried about any members who were inactive, not attending, not serving. Such was my thought as I drove down the street where Ben and Emily lived. They were older—even in the twilight period of life. Aches and pains of advancing years caused them to withdraw from activity to the shelter of their home—isolated, detached, shut out from the mainstream of daily life and association.
I felt the unmistakable prompting to park my car and visit Ben and Emily, even though I was on the way to a meeting. It was a sunny weekday afternoon. I approached the door to their home and knocked. Emily answered. When she recognized me, her bishop, she exclaimed, “All day long I have waited for my phone to ring. It has been silent. I hoped that the postman would deliver a letter. He brought only bills. Bishop, how did you know today was my birthday?”
I answered, “God knows, Emily, for He loves you.”
In the quiet of the living room, I said to Ben and Emily, “I don’t know why I was directed here today, but our Heavenly Father knows. Let’s kneel in prayer and ask Him why.” This we did, and the answer came.11
I felt the unmistakable prompting to park my car and visit Ben and Emily, even though I was on the way to a meeting. It was a sunny weekday afternoon. I approached the door to their home and knocked. Emily answered. When she recognized me, her bishop, she exclaimed, “All day long I have waited for my phone to ring. It has been silent. I hoped that the postman would deliver a letter. He brought only bills. Bishop, how did you know today was my birthday?”
I answered, “God knows, Emily, for He loves you.”
In the quiet of the living room, I said to Ben and Emily, “I don’t know why I was directed here today, but our Heavenly Father knows. Let’s kneel in prayer and ask Him why.” This we did, and the answer came.11
The answer that they received that afternoon is not terribly important. In fact the answer was not shared in his talk; and that is right, for the Spirit touches each of us in a language of personal, individual feelings. When we have learned how to do more than exhibit charity, when we have learned to have charity, we will walk with our Saviour and readily recognize the Holy Spirit when it is our turn to do something. As Elder Rasband explains,
These feelings are gentle, a nudge to act, to do something, to say something, to respond a certain way.12
I feel those impressions sometimes, just as you likely do. And I don’t respond the way I should every time. So my tapestry is not yet finished, and I’m grateful that I was given the gift of waking up today so that I can reach and strive a bit more. I hope to wake up tomorrow and continue working on my tapestry of personal discipleship.
Testimony (0:38)
Brothers and sisters, thank you for letting me spend a few moments with you today. I testify that if we strive to live worthy of our covenants, that if seek after the Holy Spirit, if we recognize and act on those first promptings, our access to the authority & attending power of the priesthood will increase immeasurably, and we will have the Holy Spirit to always be with us; our lives will be filled with joy beyond understanding. I leave this with you in the name of our beloved Savior, Jesus the Christ.
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Amen.
1. “Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ” Robert D. Hales General Conference April 2017.
2. “The Power of Godliness” LDS Media Library https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-04-002-the-power-of-godliness?lang=eng
3. Moroni 7:46
4. Id, v47
5. Enos 1:4
6. Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign. May 2012
7. Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival,” Ensign. November 2016
8. Elaine S. Dalton, “A Return to Virtue,” Ensign. November 2008
9. Id.
10. The Temple Garment: “An Outward Expression of an Inward Commitment” Elder Carlos E. Asay Emeritus Member of the First Quorum of the Seventy
11. Thomas S. Monson, “The Spirit Giveth Life.” Ensign. May 1985.
12. Ronald A. Rasband, “Let the Holy Spirit Guide.” Ensign. May 2017.
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