Am I Comfortable and Content???

"To the duty designated by His Father, [the Savior] turned His face, pledged His heart, and gave His life. And what a sinless, selfless, noble, and divine life it was. Jesus labored. Jesus loved. Jesus served. Jesus testified. What finer example could we strive to emulate? Let us begin now, this very night, to do so. Cast off forever will be the old self and with it defeat, despair, doubt, and disbelief. To a newness of life we come—a life of faith, hope, courage, and joy. No task looms too large; no responsibility weighs too heavily; no duty is a burden. All things become possible."

—Thomas S. Monson, "Examples of Righteousness", Liahona and Ensign, May 2008

Amen, AMEN, and amen!

As I was in the Temple the other day, I was struck by the very first covenant made and who Adam and Eve each covenanted to. We, as women, have a specific covenential relationship with the Savior…another way that we ‘are His.’ Elder James E Talmage testified, ‘The world’s greatest champion of women and womanhood is Jesus the Christ (DIMK, pg 3).” I know this is so. We are His special stewardship, as the Priesthood is to the Father. We are nurturers and creators of life, just as He is. Powerful.

In the foreword to DIMK, The First Presidency states, “We…recognize that you are beloved daughters of Heavenly Father and dedicated (covenanted, pledged, etc) disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.” This seems to be another evidence of this connection with the Savior.

So, where do my ‘loyalties’ lie? Am I ready to forsake ‘my will’ and be a covenant woman? I was just reading this devotional talk given at BYUH (11/23/2010) by Clark Gilbert entitled, ‘On the Frontier.’ He says:

“As I think of overcoming these twin constraints of pride and fear, I think of the parable of the rich young ruler and his invitation to follow the Savior to a place that was new and unfamiliar to him.  In Matthew 19 we read: “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”  When reminded of the commandments, the young ruler replies, “All these things I have kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.  But when the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” A wise friend once helped me understand this scripture though the artwork of Carl Heinrich Bloch. In the painting, Christ is showing the rich young ruler a better way.  But instead of looking to where the Lord might take him, the young man appears to be contemplating all that he might give up. What he failed to see was the light on the horizon the Savior was pointing him to.  Like the rich young ruler, when all we consider are our own possessions, identity, and circumstance, we are blind to the blessings that come only at the frontier. As we let go of our pride and fear, we can look to Christ to see a better way.”

This pulls at my heart! I have great possessions – temporal and spiritual. How often am I ‘contemplating (consciously or un) all that He might ask me to give up?’ Or should I say, all I know He’s invited me to let go of already. And I go on ‘sorrowful.’ Oh, I pray I can release my pride and fear and receive from Christ this better way!

Brother Gilbert:

“At the conclusion of a discussion about changes happening at the university (BYUI), [President Clark] made the following statement: “If you want to know the Savior, go to the frontier because that is where you will see him in action.  It is at the frontier where he does His work.”  Suddenly, all of the personal changes and sacrifices seemed less of a burden because I realized the opportunity I had been given.  The Savior was inviting me to be part of His work, but I would have to go places I had never been.  I would have to go to the frontier.

“We all will face frontiers, both personal and institutional.  Part of what will impact our ability to grow in life will be our willingness to leave the familiar and to journey to the frontier.  When those frontiers are the Savior’s, we will also be granted the opportunity to get to know Him, both because we are doing His work, but also because something changes in us when we let go of ourselves and follow Him.”

He continues, “What Laman and Lemuel could not see was that when we go to the Lord’s frontiers we are not relying on our own understanding.  If we go to the Lord’s frontiers, He will take us to places we could never even imagine, if we recognize our entire dependence on Him.  Nephi didn’t know how to build a ship.  He didn’t even know how to build tools to construct a ship.  But he immediately asked the Lord where he could go to find ore to molten that he might make tools to construct a ship, and here is the key, ‘after the manner which thou has shown me.’ Nephi wasn’t going to a frontier of his choosing.  He certainly wasn’t going to a frontier on his own. ‘And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.’ After Nephi and his family built the ship and sailed to the promised land, they knew it was by the hand of the Lord that they had been led.”

“Each of us will face our own personal frontiers.  In these moments, we will have to decide whether we are willing to go where the Lord will lead us or whether we will stay where we are comfortable and content.”

GO, WENDY, GO!!!!!!