This is a General Conference Odyssey post for April 1979, Saturday afternoon.

This session taught such doctrine as to make it possible to clearly identify myself as a true Saint. We might all ask ourselves the following questions to see where our heart really lies.

 

Do I Accept Russell M. Nelson as the living prophet and spokesman of the Lord, Jesus Christ?

We hear, in General Conference a lot, the importance of following the prophet. Is this something we think about in between conferences? What does it mean to follow the prophet? What can it mean to us when we actually do what he asks us to do? Why is accepting President Nelson as our prophet so important?

Identifying myself as a true Saint means that I will remember what the prophet has asked me to do, and “do it.” Pres. Monson’s final words to us were to read the Book of Mormon and to be kind to everyone. Pres. Nelson has spoken much about keeping the family strong, both here on earth as well as providing saving ordinances to those in the Spirit World.

As confirmed in Mark E. Petersen’s talk, “Signs of the True Church,” I am a true Saint because I believe in modern revelation revealed by a living prophet, as well as additional revealed scripture. These are two hallmarks of the LDS church, and I choose to align myself with this belief.

 

Do I Labor to Live by the Spirit?

The key word is “labor.” It isn’t easy to live by the spirit and it takes consistent practice, especially needed in difficult circumstances. Howard W. Hunter quoted President Woodruff in his talk, “Developing Spirituality.” It is important to note that these words were printed in the newspaper!

“…This is the Spirit that we must have to carry out the purposes of God on the earth. We need that more than any other gift. … We are in the midst of enemies, in the midst of darkness and temptation, and we need to be guided by the spirit of God” (Deseret Weekly, 1896).

Can you imagine reading this in the newspaper today? How would it be received? Why do you think some people would have such a hard time with this advice?

Elder Hunter admits it is difficult to develop spirituality. “It takes time and frequently involves a struggle. … is accomplished only through deliberate effort and by calling upon God and keeping his commandments.”

Identifying myself as a true Saint means I will labor toward the struggle of feeling—daily—the Holy Ghost, because I know that I need His guidance every day to recognize good from evil, staying focused enough to carry out the purposes of God.

 

Do I Realize and Perform the Labor Intended to Seal My Family in the House of the Lord?

At the opening of this last and final dispensation, Moroni came to visit Joseph Smith four times with the same message (see JS-H 1:30-50). This message is the focus of our church today: to spread the gospel across the earth, as well as the Spirit World, in order to link everyone into a giant chain that will one day be presented to the Lord.

An overwhelming, but glorious, work of performance by a true Saint, to be sure.

 

Do I Claim Jesus Christ as My Savior?

This question can simply be answered in testimony through word and action. Hartman Rector, Jr. gave us some thoughtful questions in his talk, “Following Christ to Victory”:

• Do I believe I am worthy of the Lord’s blessings?
• Do I look to Him first for those blessings?

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  Am I willing to make sacrifices for those blessings?

• Am I looking for the miracle of my own salvation along with all others?
• Do I live my life with daily gratitude and humility that He will save me?

Do I Live the Law of Sacrifice?

Sacrifice isn’t talked about much in our society anymore. The world doesn’t want us to sacrifice. It wants us to “have what we deserve” almost immediately. But a true Saint recognizes that we can’t have it all. There are things that must be sacrificed. Worldly pleasures and desires should be at the top of that list.

We talk about the sacrifices made by our parents or the pioneers, but we don’t talk about what we are willing to sacrifice. In the final talk of this session, Ezra Taft Benson teaches “This is a Day of Sacrifice.” Quoting Joseph Smith, he said,

“It is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those … who have offered their all in sacrifice … unless they, in like manner, offer unto him the same sacrifice” (Lectures on Faith, 6:8).

Those who have sacrificed before us must see our sacrifice in order to make their own worthwhile. Together, our sacrifice in refusing wicked offerings takes power away from Satan.

Pres. Benson further reminds us what Moroni said:

“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:32).

Satan knows how to make things enticing, politically correct, and all-inclusive all while inviting people to “love Satan more than God. And men began from that time forth to be carnal, sensual, and devilish” (Moses 5:13).

A Saint will want to sacrifice all those things that fight against a belief in God. Sacrifice teaches humility, gratitude, and devotion toward the one, true God. President Benson ends his talk with this powerful statement:

“One of Satan’s greatest tools is pride: to cause a man or a woman to center so much attention on self that he or she becomes insensitive to their Creator or fellow beings. It’s a cause for discontent, divorce, teenage rebellion, family indebtedness, and most other problems we face.”

As we know, pride is the downfall of the Nephites. It also does great damage to our own generation. As we check ourselves, as true Saints, we might do a little soul searching and find out where our heart really lies, and make sure we are really walking the path we say we have chosen.

 

Other posts:

After we think we have done enough  Marilyn Nielson