Today was one of those days I saw a silver lining in having church online. Since I got married, Zac and I have always lived states away from my family and we have never been able to support each other while giving talks or lessons in church. Well, today, thanks to Covid, my family was able to login online and watch Abree and I give talks in church today.
It may not seem like a big deal, but having my family on watching and supporting me meant the world to me. Getting to share my testimony with them and then us being able to discuss more details brings me closer to Christ. I hope you all have the opportunities with your family to grow in Christ.
I normally wouldn't share my talk online, but with the craziness of the world I feel it's pretty applicable. Hope you enjoy!
Through much prayer, I feel that I should speak from Elder Bednar's talk, We Will Prove Them Herewith in this past October General Conference.
Elder Bednar begins his talk discussing the importance of taking tests in school. He said most students don't like the tests "But periodic tests absolutely are essential to learning. An effective test helps us to compare what we need to know with what we actually know about a specific subject; it also provides a standard against which we can evaluate our learning and development."
"Likewise, tests in the school of mortality are a vital element of our eternal progression."
We all will face trials and challenges in our life. It's not a matter of if, but a matter of when.
Elder Bednar continues by saying, "Two basic principles can guide and strengthen us as we face proving and trying circumstances in our lives, whatever they may be: (1) the principle of preparation and (2) the principle of pressing forward with a steadfastness in Christ."
I'd like to focus most of my talk today on the principle of pressing forward with a steadfastness in Christ.
Being a gymnastics coach I've learned that every child learns differently and sometimes I have to say the same word in a different way for the child to understand.
Learning is the same way for me. I always like to search the definitions of words to better understand the meaning and how the author intended for me to understand it.
Let's define a few words from the phrase pressing forward with steadfastness in Christ.
Pressing = Webster Dictionary - urgently important: CRITICAL
Forward = Oxford Dictionary - The direction that one is facing
Steadfastness = Oxford Dictionary - The quality of being resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering
All 3 of these words are action words - meaning we have a part to do.
Using the definitions of those words I'm going to rephrase that sentence to see if it speaks to my heart -
Urgently facing Christ with unwavering determination
Reading the phrase in this way opens my eyes to new understanding. When it's a phrase I've heard from my youth, I sometimes have a tendency to not even think about what it means. But hearing the phrase with these words pierced my heart! The word URGENTLY sticks out to me. There isn't time to wait! I must do it immediately.
In changing the phrase, was there anything that stood out to you or made you stop to think?
Now that we understand the phrase we need to ask the question - Why? Why do we need to be urgently facing Christ with unwavering determination?
Elder Bednar tells the story of when he was serving as President of BYU-I and he asked Elder Jeffrey R Holland the question, "If you could teach these students just one thing, what would it be?"
Elder Holland responds,
"We are witnessing an ever greater movement toward polarity. The middle ground option will be removed from us as Latter-day Saints. The middle of the road will be withdrawn.
"If you are treading water in the current of a river, you will go somewhere. You simply will go wherever the current takes you. Going with the stream, following the tide, drifting in the current will not do.
"Choices have to be made. Not making a choice is a choice. Learn to choose now."
Isn't this true today! Elder Bednar says, "Elder Holland's statement about increasing polarization has been proven prophetic by the societal trends and events of the 22 years since he answered my question. Foretelling the widening divergence between the ways of the Lord and the world, Elder Holland warned that the days of comfortably having one foot in the restored Church and one foot in the world were vanishing quickly. ..."
We live in a world where we have to make choices! We can't stand with our feet on each side of the line. We have to choose the Lord's way or the worlds way. Both come with their own set of trials and tests. But the one thing I have learned in my life is that choosing the Lord's way, is always the right choice no matter how hard the test is along the way.
When faced with trials we have a choice. We can choose to face the trial or run away from the trial. We choose to press forward with steadfastness in Christ or be carried by the current of the world.
In 2015, the website Tennessean put out a story called, "Be the buffalo and face life storms". The story goes like this:
There is a place in Colorado where there are buffalo and cows together in the same area. This same area is also where the big storms roll across. When the storms come, which they come from the west and move to the east, the cow sense the upcoming storm and runs to the east hoping to outrun the storm. And since cows are slow the storm catches up to them and they end up running with the storm the whole length of time.
The buffalo on the other hand, sense the storm, turn to the west and charge the storm. They are able to run through it and minimize the pain they suffer.
I absolutely love this story!! I first heard this story at a Time Out for Women in 2018, the year I most needed it. The phrase "face the storm" has become my motto for life. At the time I heard this, I had been passing through a trial that I was, without realizing it, running away from.
In the year 2016 I was in a car accident that caused a lot of health issue. I was in pain all the time. I couldn't have lights on, couldn't listen to music, couldn't let my kids touch me - everything caused more pain. Because of this pain I learned to numb myself. I didn't want to feel because feeling hurt and brought more pain. I struggled to feel the spirit because I taught myself not to feel. This is a dangerous line to straddle. I was naive to think this was an okay place to be.
As soon as I heard the story, I knew what the Lord needed me to do. He needed me to face the storm (my trial). He needed me to turn and face him urgently!!
When I came to the realization of what was happening, I stopped running away, turned to the Lord and began to ask the Lord what I needed to learn to pass the test.
My attitude shifted and though everything didn't magically disappear, my burdens were lighter and I could enjoy life again. I began to feel again and most importantly I began to feel the spirit. I was able to fully and urgently face Christ!
Elder Christofferson gave a talk called Firm and Steadfast in the Faith of Christ. He said, "To persevere firm and steadfast in the faith of Christ requires that the gospel of Jesus Christ penetrate one's heart and soul, meaning that the gospel becomes not just one of may influences in a person's life but the defining focus of his or her life and character."
This week in inkling.institute on instagram Emily Belle Freeman taught us about the prophet Joshua. He taught his people the importance of understanding that God will always fulfill for them. In Joshua 24 Joshua lists out all of the things the Lord has done for them. Then after listing this he says in vs 14 serve the Lord with all sincerity and then continues in vs 15 to choose you this day whom ye will serve.
Going back to Elder Bednar's talk about Elder Holland - Are we making our choice on where we stand? Are we standing with the Lord or with the world? Standing with the Lord in all our choices will define our character! This will make it easier to face Christ in the storm.
Enduring steadfastly in Christ is choosing to follow God in "all times and in all things and in all places" (Young Women Theme). We are not distracted by the world. This means that we are always facing Christ. We lean on Him, we yoke with Him, we rely on Him! We are humble in our testing times. We recognize we don't know all land need His help to guide us and show us the way. We face Him and trust that with Him we can make it through any test we are given in this life.
Elder Bednar continues by saying, "Faithfulness is not foolishness or fanaticism. Rather it is trusting and placing our confidence in Jesus Christ as our Savior, on His name and in His promises. As we "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, have a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men," we are blessed with an eternal perspective and vision that stretches far beyond our limited mortal capacity. We will be enabled to "gather together, and stand in holy places" and "be not moved, until the day of the Lord come."
Look at those promises! We will have an eternal perspective and vision; we will be enabled and be not moved. Those are amazing promises that I want to receive. All I must do is press forward with a steadfastness in Christ!
In closing, ask yourself - are you being the cow or the buffalo in life? Have you made your choice? Will you stand with the Lord?
I know Chris is our anchor! I know that life is better when I am facing Him and doing everything in my power to rely and trust in Him. I know he lives and I know only through Him will I able able to enter God's presence as a "good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).
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