Brothers and Sisters –
“And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”
These words from Helaman 5:12, have been among my favorite since I was in ninth grade seminary. The words have only meant more to me as I have aged and felt the “mighty winds” more intensely.
Perhaps you have felt the winds beating against you. Maybe those winds have been hurricane-force winds that have knocked you about, destroyed much of what you thought was immovable in your life, being left with seemingly nothing.
This week’s study has also reminded us of the “pride cycle” experienced by the people in the Book of Mormon. As the people showed humility and a willingness to continually repent and align their hearts with God, they would eventually enjoy periods of peace and righteousness, leading to prosperity. After seeing prosperity, they would become prideful in their worldly possessions, power and influence, with would lead them to forget Christ and become rebellious.
This rebellion would eventually lead to suffering and destruction. Which would eventually compel them to be humble and repent. And thus the idea of a cyclical problem.
So, how do we avoid falling into our own personal cycle of pride? Here are three tips to help you avoid the long-term separation from Christ and eternal suffering demonstrated in the Book of Mormon.
1) Remember others.
Pride comes as we draw inward. As we focus too much on ourselves, we become insulated from the suffering and challenges experienced by others. It grounds us to the idea that we are sons and daughters of God and we have a responsibility to each other.
“And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.”
Mosiah 4:26
Giving a generous fast offering is a great way to bless those in need and their distribution is something I take seriously and consider a sacred privilege. Donating to the Church’s humanitarian efforts extend your reach beyond our neighborhood and throughout the world. There are also numerous non-Church charities and organizations worthy of financial support.
However, service doesn’t have to cost a nickel. It can be done as we respond to the call to help, lift the fallen and cheer the sad.
And there is a call to administer relief spiritually and temporally. Sharing testimony, teaching and studying with others extends our influence and is another way of getting outside of ourselves.
2) Remember your weaknesses.
Paul reminded the Romans, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24).
This reliance on the grace of Jesus Christ and remembrance that all are fallen and have sinned — and do sin — makes pride easier to fight. Repentance brings humility.
“And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.”
Mosiah 4:10
However, remembering that we have weaknesses and fall short at times shouldn’t keep us from trying to do better, working to improve, setting goals for personal development and utilizing our capabilities. They should simply remind us of our need to continually take stock of ourselves and continually make spiritual adjustments through repentance.
3) Remember God.
I think there’s a reason why the word “remember” is used twice in Helaman 5:12. We have short memories. We quickly forget blessings bestowed and help we’ve received. As we consciously make efforts to be reminded of our place in the Plan of Salvation — through making and renewing covenants, studying the gospel, heeding the words of the prophets — we will find it easier to remember the Lord in every aspect of our lives.
“I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.”
Mosiah 2:21
One continual way to remember is to partake of the sacrament.
“O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.
“O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.”
This week’s sacrament meeting is for Group 1, those families whose last names begin with A through G. For others, I am authorizing administration of the sacrament in homes by worthy priesthood holders of the appropriate office. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to a member of the bishopric. If you have need for priesthood holders to come to your home, please reach out to your ministering brothers or a member of the elders quorum presidency.
May we all remember, remember as we move through the storms of life. I love you all and am praying for you in your trials and triumphs.
Bishop Bennett