#36 The Desert Shall Blossom as the Rose

Our Heritage p 81-96; The Love of God, Pres. Uctdorf Oct. 2009 Gen. Conf.

*Put this on board before class: “For what we love determines what we seek. What we seek determines what we think and do. What we think and do determines who we are- and who we will become.” Pres. Uctdorf

Think back to your childhood, what did you do that got you in trouble with your parents more than anything? Or what were your parents always ragging on you to do or not do more than anything? Messy room, rude to family, not getting homework done, bad attitudes etc.
*What happened when you weren’t obedient? Did you get yelled at, did you lose privileges, did you get beat (back in the day you didn’t get arrested for it?)

*What is the motivator behind being obedient? Fear of being punished?

I would imagine that with most of us when you finally figured out that obeying that principle brought great peace to your life, you only did that “bad” thing when you wanted to annoy your parents? But when you wanted to kiss up or you wanted something, that was one of the things you made sure was taken care of right?

*So then what was the motivator for being obedient? Was it because you were perhaps “rewarded” for being obedient?

For example, I always had a messy room growing up, my mom was always on me about it. To me it was clean, I knew which pile of clothes were clean and which was dirty, I knew right where to find my school work, right where I left it, but I always got in trouble. I cleaned it every so often when I got in trouble, (For fear of being punished) and then there were those times when I wanted to have a party or have friends over, I knew that to get on my moms best side I would clean not just my room but the entire house. (motivator-I wanted to be rewarded with a party)

But as I got older, much older, I realized that keeping my room cleaned was one way of showing respect and love to my mom, not to mention I needed to make a good impression to get a husband. (That was still being obedient, because of wanting a reward) But keeping my room cleaned to show love and respect to my mom, was just being obedient because I loved her, not anymore because I was afraid of punishment or because I wanted a reward but because I loved and respected her and her wishes. As I continued to keep my room clean I started to walk in and realize that I always had a clean space to sit and meditate in. I always had clothes hung up nicely right out of the dryer so I didn’t have to iron as much. My friends could come over, and we could hang out and they could sleep over without having to hurry and clean up. Even though all these seem to be motivated by rewards, they were my own rewards, things I got naturally because I enjoyed the end result and I was still enjoying the love/respect relationship I had with my mom; I felt peace with a clean room, I had more time to do what I wanted rather than what I had to do and my relationship with my mom flourished because we could talk about things that mattered rather than my dirty room.

That is the true motivator. We are obedient because we love the Lord! Not because we fear being punished or want the rewards. Because the Lord loves us He does reward us with blessings, however we shouldn’t be obedient just so we can get those blessings, we need to get to the point that we are obedient just because we Love Him!

Pres. Uctdorf said, “When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align…Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden.”

The Savior said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15

Let’s look at the quote on the board. What do you seek? Is it riches of the earth? Because if you seek riches that determines what you think and what you do (spent tons of time working your job/jobs, always thinking about money) and what we think and do (spend time at office) is what is determining who you are-and who you will become.

That is a negative example, let’s put in a positive one. If you love attending the temple then making time and opportunities to go is what we seek. If we find that time then we will go and do! If what we do (going to the temple) determines who we are- and who we will become. Who are you? A temple attending and loving person.
Pres. Uchtdorf said, “What and how we love not only defines us a individuals; it also defines us as a church. Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.

What does this have to do with our ancestors? The pioneers?

Let’s turn to the Our Heritage book for examples of things done by a people who were obedient to the Lord, because they had felt the Love of the Lord as they were obedient and wanted to Love him more in return by being more obedient.

Examples of: No Commandment too small or too great to obey.

P81 Their 1st act-Selecting a central site for a temple. They sought a place for a temple, they love the temple, they love the Lord. Even more than they loved food and houses! Why? Because they felt the Love of the Lord in that building, they loved the way they felt as they kept their covenants.
All the people knew was the Lord asked them to build temples, they did it even as enormous as this task was; considering that their temporal welfares weren’t even in order yet!

Examples of: Obedience without understanding why

P 84 After the 1st year Brigham Young “sent church members on explorations to discover the medicinal properties of plants and natural resources available. He sent other exploring parties to find settlement sites. In their travels these members discovered mineral deposits, abundant timber, water sources, and grasslands, as well as suitable areas for settlement.
*They were obedient to the Prophets counsel, they were blessed in return by their findings, but they were 1st obedient.
*They could’ve said why? “Why do we need to go explore, we have just settled here, you said THIS is the place why do we need to go explore other areas?” They were 1st obedient, even without knowing the why behind it, all they knew was that they loved the Lord and they were willing to follow him wherever and with whatever they were asked to do.

P 85 Elder Edward Stevenson was called to a mission in Spain. He was obedient and went, He was arrested for preaching and spent some time in jail until he was teaching the guards, almost converting one of them.
He was obedient, Because he loved the Lord and loved the gospel and loved the people he grew up with, he wanted to share the gospel with them. He could’ve asked why? “Why did I end up in jail when I was being obedient” He didn’t, he just obeyed and continued to obey even in not-so-favorable circumstances.

Examples of: God will prepare a way when we are obedient

P88 Charles Lowell Walker was one who received a call to settle in southern Utah. He attended a meeting for those who had been called and recorded: “here I learned a principle that I shall not forget in awhile. It showed to me that obedience was a great principle in heaven and on earth. Well, here I have worked for the last seven years through heat and cold, hunger and adverse circumstances, and at last have got me a home, a lot with fruit trees just beginning to bear and look pretty. Well, I must leave it and go do the will of my Father in Heaven, who overrules all for the good of them that love and fear him. I pray God to give me strength to accomplish that which is required of me in an acceptable manner before him.”

He went, knowing the Lord would prepare a way for him. He could’ve made many excuses and justified many things to stay and the Lord wouldn’t have loved him any less, Pres. Uctdorf backs this up by saying, “We are important to God not because of our resume but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, however because he went, the Lord was able to bless him in many different ways and areas, and he was putting himself on the pathway of being able to hear the Lord’s counsel.

Another brother who was asked to colonize Bear Lake area (p88-89) Charles C. Rich, he had recently returned from a mission from Europe and was anxious to stay home and be with his family, and develop his farm, but the Lord asked so he went, knowing that in the mountains, would not be an easy thing to do. “The winter was unusually severe (being tested) and by spring some of the other brethren had decided to leave. Bro. Rich’s response: “There have been many hardships. That I admit… and these we have shared together. But if you want to go somewhere else, I must stay here, even if I stay alone. Pres. Young (the Lord) called me here, and here I will remain until he releases me and give me leave to go.” Bro. Rich and his family did stay, and he became the leader of a thriving community for the next several decades.

* “Like thousands of others, he willingly obeyed his leaders in order to help build the kingdom of the Lord.”

So with all these examples of obedience: what happens or what do we get out of being obedient?

D&C 93:1 Those who repent, come unto the savior, and keep His commandment will see His face.
Spencer W. Kimball says concerning this, “I have learned that where there is…obedience to the commandments of God , the Lord pours out more and more light until there is finally power to pierce the heavenly veil and to know more than man knows. A person of such righteousness has the priceless promise that one day he shall see the Lord’s face and know that he is.”

D&C 130:19-21 A person who gains more knowledge and intelligence through diligence and obedience in this life will have an advantage in the world to come. We obtain blessings by obeying God’s laws

“It is fair to conclude that spiritual and mental growth can be attained only by obedience to the laws on which they are predicated,” Elder Albert E. Bowen

Conclusion:
Pres. Uctdorf said We can make a great production of SAYING that we know God. We can proclaim publicly that we love Him. Nevertheless, if we don’t obey Him, all is in vain, for ‘he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him’ We increase our love for our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with God’s word.”
I too can testify that when I have been obedient and sought the things of God in my life that have really tried my faith, It does change the way I think and changes what I do. When I have sought, thought, and done the will of the Lord I have been blessed by Him, a way has been provided for me, and I do stand in wonder at the Lord’s love and mercy, and because I love Him and want to show my gratitude for all He has done, I want to be more obedient, I no longer obey because I am scared or I want the reward I do because I Love HIM! The cycle continues as I apply this process with each commandment until I am obedient to all that He asks. I know that we are all striving to be obedient and continually seeking, doing, thinking, and becoming God’s children with everything we do. Keep up the good work! In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.