[[⛪ Gospel Study]] # Sacrament Talk - Agency 2016-02-14 - Hello - Name - Family - Councilman walker - mom - his valentine - my valentine’s - Grandma sue - Anna - Stories - Like Aaron the first thing i did was ask my mom Hi. Good morning everyone. My parents and little sister and grandma are here today. They came into town for the Provo temple open house. I told my Mom that I had asked to speak on obedience and asked if she had any ideas for me. She told me a story about myself from when I was about 3 or 4 years-old. According to my mom, we had a family night lesson on the plan of salvation. We talked about the pre-mortal world and the war in heaven. My Mom explained the two plans: Jesus Christ's plan where we would be free choose between good or evil but would have a chance to repent and Satan's plan where we would all be compelled to follow Satan. At this point, I got very agitated. I stood up, clenched my fists and said, "I know which plan I chose, Jesus's, because no one can make me do anything!" That is when my Mom knew she had her hands full with me! But even at that young age, I understood the importance of choice, or [[Agency|agency]]. One more story from my childhood. The first Primary song I learned, and probably the same one you all learned first, was "I Am a Child of God." The chorus says, "Teach me all that I must do to live with Him someday." My mom told me that when she was a little girl she used to sing, "Teach me all that I must know to live with Him someday." President Spencer W. Kimball changed the word "know" to "do". President Kimball knew the importance of action: Just do it! was his motto way before Nike made that popular. So as I discuss obedience today I would like to use those two stories as my outline. I'll start by briefly discussing agency. Then, I'll move on to discuss the importance of "know" then "do" and finally "be" as regards to obedience. First, Agency. - Abraham on The Creation - How does he prove us? - Letting us choose To Abraham, God declared the central aim of our creation, saying, “We will make an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:24–25; emphasis added). How will he prove us? By letting us choose whether we will follow whatsoever the Lord commands. - Monson Quote - Obedience doesn’t limit freedom it frees President Monson on April 7 2013 said clearly, "Obedience is required." To some that might indicate that obedience limits freedom. But, the benefits of obedience to God's law are quite clearly and logically more freedom and more happiness in this life. For example, obedience to the Word of Wisdom, quite logically leads to a healthier life and freedom from addiction. Obedience to the law of chastity, also quite clearly keeps us physically and emotionally healthier and more free. - Steven Conversation - Beautifully Simply - We Suck at it Why then is it sometimes so difficult to obey? For me it leads back to that little boy in me that says, "No one can make me do anything!" All obedience requires submission of our will. And that's hard! Like in all things Christ is our example. \* At the beginning of his ministry, he allowed himself to be baptized, not for the remission of sins, for he was sinless, but as Nephi writes, to show “unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments” (2 Nephi 31:7). \* Jesus showed most clearly his obedience to the Father in his suffering at Gethsemane and on the cross, because it is here that we see, for a brief, sacred moment, a divergence of wills before Christ surrendered himself wholly to his Father’s will: “And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:36). To Joseph Smith, Christ later revealed that the suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink— Christ’s obedience at this moment was so great that Abinadi, who foresaw it just before his own death by fire, says that “the will of the Son \[was\] swallowed up in the will of the Father” (Mosiah 15:7; emphasis added). The will of the Son was swallowed up in the will of the Father. Like it said in the old version of "I Am a Child of God", it is important that we KNOW that we must obey. But it is more important that we "DO IT". Doing the Lord's will means allowing our will to be swallowed up in the will of the Father. - High Caliber like - Holland BOM - Holland Souls Symbols and Sacraments - Benson on Pride Elder Neal Maxwell gave a wonderful talk in 1995 by the same name, "Swallowed up in the will of the Father." Everyone should read it. Elder Maxwell said, the submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!" Elder Maxwell encourages us to ask ourselves, "In what ways am I shrinking or holding back?" He said that it is only as we progress on the path of submission that we find full joy in life and become the powerful people that God wants us to become. I like that he talks about the path of submission. Submitting our will is the path of our lifetime, but as we progress we gain blessings. For example, let's talk about tithing. Tithing is one of the few commandments that we can obey perfectly. First we need to Know what tithing is. Then, we need to Do IT--pay our tithing. Finally, we BECOME tithe payers. As we completely submit to the will of the Father--we only desire to obedient to that commandment and become in our hearts and souls tithe payers. That is where the real power of obedience is enjoyed. Obedience combined with grace can change us completely. The Lord has said in D&C 43:16: "And ye are to be taught from on high. Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power." President Harold B. Lee’s explained that the phrase “sanctify yourselves” means “keep my commandments.” Remember D&C 43:16 reads,"sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power." In light of President Lee's definition, this verse can also be read: “And ye are to be taught from on high. Keep my commandments and ye shall be endowed with power.” That is a promise to you. For being consistently and unwaveringly obedient, you will know what to do.  I’m not hating on the atonement here.  ---- Moreover, by obeying the commandments of God, you will have the power and capacity to accomplish what you are impressed to do. - confidence not pride There will grow within your being the fruit of confidence in self—not pride, but the assurance that as you continue to live worthily and continue to reach out to others, whatever you are asked to do in your life can be done. You will be trustworthy. There are many blessings for obedience: power, peace, joy, integrity, President Bednar “strength to resist temptation.”  Elder Scott said, "happiness comes not by what we have but by who we are." Agency is a gift from God. Obedience involves Knowing what we should do, choosing to Do it, and finally Becoming an obedient Son or Daughter of God, who is striving to live as a true follower of Christ. Finally, Elder Maxwell reassures us all, "that each of us “come\[s\] short of the glory of God,” we all far short (Rom. 3:23). Even the conscientious have not arrived, but they sense the shortfall and are genuinely striving. Consolingly, God’s grace flows not only to those “who love \[Him\] and keep all \[His\] commandments,” but likewise to those “that \[seek\] so to do” (D&C 46:9). May we all seek to be more submissive to the will of the Father--to willingly follow Christ. Obedience is required, but obedience is also a blessing.