REL A 250 - Overcoming the World

This week I was re-listening to talks giving during General Conference a few weeks ago and I was really impressed by Elder Neal A. Anderson’s talk “Overcoming the World”. It seemed to echo some of the thoughts and feelings I have had lately about where I am in life right now. Elder Anderson talked about a vision that President David O. McKay had while he was sailing on a boat to Samoa. President McKay said that he beheld a beautiful white city and that there was a great concourse of people dressed in white approaching the city. Jesus Christ was at the head of the group of people. The city was the City Eternal.

Elder Anderson explains that those who were in that city were “[those] Who Have Overcome the World!”

In John 16:33 it says, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

And in D&C 64:2 it says, “For verily I say unto you, I will that ye should overcome the world; wherefore I will have compassion upon you.”

Overcoming the world is the same as rendering ourselves entirely to Christ. Christ overcame the world by submitting himself to the will of the Father. If we wish to overcome the world we need to let go of all the worldly things that hold us back. That could be having better Sabbath-day observance, being more honest/kind to those around us, avoiding un-wholesome media, etc.

I want to be numbered among those in the City Eternal, and that requires overcoming and letting go of the world.

REL A 250 Sons of Thunder

This past General Conference weekend was really enjoyable for me and I especially look forward to re-reading and re-listening to the talks. One talk in particular stuck out to me because it had a lot of relevance to my life and even a few of the class discussions that we have had in REL A 250.

President Uchtdorf’s General Priesthood Session talk was entitled “The Greatest among You”. In his talk he references the nickname given to James and John, the “Sons of Thunder”.

He says, “You don’t get a nickname like that without an intriguing backstory. Unfortunately, the scriptures don’t provide much explanation about the nickname’s origin. However, we do get brief glimpses into the character of James and John… On one occasion, as the Savior prepared to make His final journey to Jerusalem, James and John approached Him with a special request—one perhaps worthy of their nickname.  ‘We want you to do for us whatever we ask,’ they said. I can imagine Jesus smiling at them as He responded, ‘What do you want?’ ‘Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.’”

President Uchtdorf goes on to explain that this request is not too dissimilar to us when we seek earthly or temporal power, he goes on to say, “you can’t get honor in the kingdom of heaven by campaigning for it. Nor can you ‘power lunch’ your way to eternal glory.”

Christ taught, “whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.”

This scripture should apply to all of us in some way. All of us at some time or another will have the opportunity to work in a leadership position. That may be at work, school, in a club, or in the church. I believe that as we seek to fulfill these roles in a spirit of servitude we will be better off and blessed for exercising humility. I can only imagine how different the world would be if the world leaders practiced this kind of Servant Leadership.

REL A 250 - What Lack I Yet?

While listening to conference this weekend and during my scripture study in Jesus the Christ I have heard the scripture Matt 19:20-21 several times. The scriptures says, “The young man saith unto him, All these things have I 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” (bold and italics added).

I feel that the young man in this scripture did not as Christ this question to challenge the Savior, but he truly asked because of a sincere desire to know what he needed to do better. The fact that he asked “what lack I” shows that he must have felt something was missing, that he was not whole, complete, or perfected yet. And Christ perceiving this responded appropriately, “If thou wilt be perfect…”

One of my goals recently has been to seek the kingdom of God in all that I do. Although I do not have large amounts of worldly possessions like the young man in this scripture I realized that there are activities in my life that are less-than-productive. When I ask the question “what lack I yet” while praying I normally find something that I could be using my time better, and, often I feel overwhelmed like the young man; I know what I need to change is going to be difficult. This doesn’t have to be the case, however. We can know that the Savior wants us to improve and be perfected in him.

We all should ask on a regular basis, “what lack I yet”. I believe that as we do this we demonstrate humility, but we should also learn from the young man and recognize that the Lord will likely ask us to do something difficult. We should especially ask “what lack I yet” during this conference weekend. I know as we seek counsel from the Lord and strive to do His will, we will come closer to the Kingdom of Heaven and the perfection that is our goal.