THE ENSIGN OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS • MARCH 2001

Keep Negativism Out of Marriage, p. 22 How to Increase Participation in Lessons, p. 32 Preparing theublication P of the Danish Bookmon, ofby Mor Scott M. Snow

Elder Erastus Snow of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Peter O. Hansen put the final proofreading touches on the Book of Mormon in Danish 150 years ago in Copenhagen. Its printing in 1851 was the first publication of the Book of Mormon in a language other than English. THE ENSIGN OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS • MARCH 2001

VOLUME 31 NUMBER 3 2 FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE ON THE COVERS: Front: Photo by Tamra Ratieta. Back: Photo WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? by Craig Dimond. Inside front: Preparing the Publication of the Danish Book of Mormon, by Scott M. Snow, oil on President James E. Faust canvas, 36” x 48”, 2000. Inside back: Land Bountiful, by 8MISSIONARY WORK AND THE ATONEMENT Garth Oborn, oil on canvas, 40” x 60”, 2000. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland THE FIRST PRESIDENCY: Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust 16 THE PRINCIPLE OF PRESIDENCY Elder Joe J. Christensen QUORUM OF THE TWELVE: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, David B. ON T ET EGATIVISM UIN OUR ARRIAGE Haight, Neal A. Maxwell, Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, 22 D ’ L N R Y M M. Russell Ballard, Joseph B. Wirthlin, Richard G. Scott, Terry Baker Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, Henry B. Eyring 27 THINGS LEARNED AS A MOTHER EDITOR: Dennis B. Neuenschwander ADVISERS: L. Lionel Kendrick, Yoshihiko Kikuchi, 30 CAPSIZED! Michael R. Johnson John M. Madsen 32 INCREASING PARTICIPATION IN LESSONS CURRICULUM DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATORS CAPSIZED!, P. 30 MANAGING DIRECTOR: Ronald L. Knighton Jonn D. Claybaugh and Amber Barlow Dahl EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Richard M. Romney 37 “I LOVE YOU, SISTER LIBBY” Katie A. Libby GRAPHICS DIRECTOR: Allan R. Loyborg EDITORIAL STAFF 38 HELPING OTHERS, HELPING OURSELVES MANAGING EDITOR: Jay M. Todd 44 LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITORS: Don L. Searle, Jonathan H. Stephenson SAND TRAP Gary M. Johnson ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Judith M. Paller, LaRene Porter Gaunt, N THE ALM OF IS AND Devan Jensen, Garrett H. Garff I P H H Emma Ernestina Sánchez Sánchez ASSISTANT EDITORS: Rebecca M. Taylor, Kerry G. Smith, THEIR SERVICE OPENED OUR HEARTS Judith A. Wilkinson Barbara Jean Jones IVING P Y RAVEN MAGE TEXT PROGRAMMER: Sally J. Odekirk G U M G I Manuel J. Rosario DESIGN STAFF 50 CAREFULLY SCHOOLED IN THE FIRST PRINCIPLES AND ORDINANCES MAGAZINE GRAPHICS MANAGER: M. M. Kawasaki ART DIRECTOR: J. Scott Knudsen Richard E. Bennett SENIOR DESIGNERS: C. Kimball Bott, Fay P. Andrus, 57 VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE: “THAT I MAY HEAL YOU” Tadd R. Peterson DESIGNER: Thomas S. Child 58 I HAVE A QUESTION: AVOIDING DANGER ON THE INTERNET PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION William C. Porter PRINTING DIRECTOR: Kay W. Briggs DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR (SUBSCRIPTIONS): Kris T. Christensen 60 THE LATTER-DAY SAINT HUMANITARIAN CENTER © 2001 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. 64 LATTER-DAY COUNSEL The Ensign (ISSN 0884-1136) is published monthly by ORTRAITS The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 East 66 P North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150-3224, 68 PERSPECTIVES United States of America. Periodicals Postage Paid at Salt Lake City, Utah, and at additional mailing offices. 70 RANDOM SAMPLER All materials may be copied for incidental, noncommercial 73 NEWS OF THE church or home use unless otherwise indicated. Other uses CHURCH HELPING require permission of the copyright owner. OTHERS, The Ensign (preferred pronunciation: N’sign, not N’sun) HELPING will consider unsolicited manuscripts and art, but submis- URSELVES sions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped O , envelope if return delivery is desired. Unsolicited manu- P. 38 scripts and comments may also be submitted via e-mail at [email protected]. We encourage inter- ested authors to see “Call for Articles,” printed from time to time in “Comment.” Unless identified in captions, some persons photographed are models representing the situations portrayed. TO SUBSCRIBE: Send $10.00 U.S. check or money order to Church Magazines (see address below). Subscription help line: 1-800-537-5971. Credit card orders (American Express, MasterCard, Visa) may be taken by phone. Audiocassettes: Individuals with visual impairment or physi- cal disability may obtain half-speed, four-track audiocassettes of the magazine. These are available monthly free of charge or through donations. Write to: Ensign Talking Book (see address below) or call 1-800-537-5971. Regular issues are to reach U.S. and Canadian subscribers by the first of the month, May and November general conference issues about two weeks later. NOTICE OF ADDRESS CHANGES: Sixty days’ notice required. Include address label from a recent issue; old address, as well as new address, is needed. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Salt Lake Distribution Center, Church Magazines, P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, Utah 84126-0368, United States of America. CANADA POST INFORMATION: Publication Agreement #1604791 THE ENSIGN/MONTH 2001 1 F IRST P RESIDENCY M ESSAGE WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ?

B Y P RESIDENT J AMES E. FAUST alcohol, or immorality, and their lives become shat- Second Counselor in the First Presidency tered. Instead of being happy with who they are, they become dissatisfied and discontent. They measure salute you young people as chosen, their self-worth solely in terms of their talent and ac- special spirits who have been re- complishments instead of who they really are inside. served to come forth in this genera- It is not always true that the more you achieve, the hap- tion. You are Ibeginning the struggle to discover who pier you will be or that you will like yourself more. you are and to find your place in life. You have new, As sons and daughters of God, we are obligated to strong feelings. You have great challenges. I hope you develop as many of our divinely given talents as we are beginning to achieve and excel in some special can. All of us should work to achieve worthwhile ob- way. Perhaps it is your smile, your personality, or jectives. We should learn skills and get an education. your ability to lift others. Perhaps you are discovering You will be happier if you know who you are and feel your talent as an athlete, scholar, computer specialist, good about yourself. musician, builder, artist, or in a hundred different ar- So who do you think you are? Who you think you eas. This might give you some personal recognition. are and who you really are can be two different ver- These accomplishments may cause you to think sions of yourself. From an eternal perspective, these about who you really are. two versions need to come together. God knows you Dr. Fred Riley, a prominent social worker, has and what you can become because He has known treated many athletes who identify themselves as ath- you from the beginning when you were His spirit letes rather than as children of God. He relates: “What sons and daughters. What you become will depend happens when they can’t play basketball? Their iden- in large measure upon how you follow righteous tity is shot.”1 Their self-worth is related to their physi- principles and do good works. cal skills rather than their character. Many who achieve world-class recognition may not like themselves. Some s sons and daughters of God, we are obligated to of the rich and famous, even though they have great develop as many of our divinely given talents as we talent and ability, are insecure and succumb to drugs, Acan. All of us should work to achieve worthwhile objectives.

2 STEVE BUNDERSON Y PHOTO B

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 3 STEVE BUNDERSON

Y n your quest to define yourselves, do not get PHOTO B Icaught up in comparisons with role models or body types that may seem to be macho or chic but in reality are not becoming to you as sons and daughters of our loving Heavenly Father.

You may ask, “How do I learn to like myself?” “All my life I had done things for everyone else. I suggest five ideas that may be helpful. The grades, the manners, the awards—everything for them, nothing for me. This eating thing, this losing 1. CHANGE BAD BEHAVIOR. weight had become mine. It represented me and my choices, and now my dad was trying to take that We need to change our bad behavior. We need to away from me, too! repent. As Alma said to his son Corianton, “Wicked- “As I lay in bed that night crying and feeling fat, I ness never was happiness.”2 It’s hard to like ourselves knew I needed help. I knew I was hurting people I if we are doing things that we know to be wrong. loved. Most of you have been taught about good behavior “After staying up all night, I came to the conclu- by your parents and youth leaders. You also have the sion that it wasn’t my dad I hated. I hated ME! I re- scriptures and the pamphlet For the Strength of Youth alized that I wasn’t in control. For the first time in to guide you. my life, I understood that this was my problem. I In your quest to define yourselves, do not get needed to take control of my life—not let the disease caught up in comparisons with role models or body control it. types that may seem to be macho or chic but in reality “Things didn’t change overnight. In fact, it was are not becoming to you as sons and daughters of our one long road to recovery. But slowly, with the help loving Heavenly Father. One 17-year-old girl became of friends and family, I began to heal. Now that I’m at so obsessed about her figure that she began to skip my ideal weight, I have stopped weighing myself al- meals and ended up with an eating disorder. When it together. I no longer peruse fashion magazines, ei- became apparent to her father, he insisted that she eat ther—I may not be ‘in style,’ but I feel just right!”3 a substantial meal. This confrontation ultimately Feeling “just right” about ourselves contributes to brought her to her senses, and she wrote: our happiness and our sense of identity.

4 As we change our bad behavior and turn to the your ability to choose what is right. It is also impor- Lord, we qualify for the companionship of the Holy tant to be able to excel in some field. Ghost, which has a profound effect upon our well- Last summer, the Olympic Games were held being. This great gift comes through righteous living, in Sydney, Australia. Certain rules and disciplines obedience to the commandments of God, and service were attached to the various Olympic events: runners to others. Parley P. Pratt had this insight concerning and swimmers had to stay in their lanes, shot-putters the gift of the Holy Ghost: had to stay within the circle marked on the playing “It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, field, wrestlers had to stay on the mat—or the ath- enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural pas- letes would be disqualified. In addition, the use of sions and affections. . . . It inspires virtue, kindness, performance-enhancing drugs was forbidden. goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. . . . It One young man from Denver, Colorado, who won invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intel- an Olympic silver medal later was awarded the gold lectual man.”4 because the gold-medalist in his event was disquali- fied for using a banned steroid. In his response, he 2. FORGIVE OURSELVES AND OTHERS. referred to his unfortunate competitor’s loss of the medal: Forgiveness is an important part of putting bad be- “I do feel sorry for him. But we all have choices. . . . havior behind us. As we make the necessary changes, He made his choice, and I made my choice. . . . we need to forgive ourselves. But we may also need to “I believe God was watching out for me. I believe forgive others who have been he watches out for all of us. I’ve traveling with us on the wrong learned so many lessons from UKE

path. Forgiveness will help us to how this has taken place. I expe- JOHN L let go of the bad behavior we are rienced the agony of defeat be- Y

forsaking. The Book of Mormon fore the thrill of victory. That PHOTO B tells us how we can know that made me so much more of a we have made the turn from bad stronger person, mentally and to good. After King Benjamin spiritually.”6 had delivered his masterful dis- We grow and develop by course about Christ, the Nephites making good choices. Confi- all cried with one voice: dence comes as we decide to “The Spirit of the Lord pray daily, attend sacrament Omnipotent . . . has wrought a meetings, keep the Word of mighty change in us, or in our Wisdom, obey our parents hearts, that we have no more and priesthood leaders, read disposition to do evil, but to do the scriptures, and control good continually. . . . our bodily appetites. “And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our 4. GIVE SERVICE. king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowl- If we really want to feel bet- edge, whereby we do rejoice with onfidence comes as we decide to pray ter about ourselves, we should such exceedingly great joy.”5 Cdaily, attend sacrament meetings, keep do deeds of kindness. Kindness Feeling joy and peace, we the Word of Wisdom, obey our parents and shapes our character and makes will know who we are and act priesthood leaders, read the scriptures, and us more like our Father in accordingly. control our bodily appetites. Heaven. The Savior taught us, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour 7 3. GAIN CONFIDENCE BY MAKING GOOD CHOICES. as thyself.” As we demonstrate our love for others, in turn we will understand better You are now beginning to make important the love our Savior has for each of us and that we are choices. Choices have consequences. In some meas- children of a loving Heavenly Father. Occasionally we ure these choices will affect not only the rest of your should look for public service opportunities. Indeed, life but all eternity. Remember, my young friends, as a prominent psychiatrist once wrote: “We feel pleas- fame and fortune do not necessarily mean happiness. ure when we are involved with other people, and It is far better to have confidence in yourself and to be they are involved with us, but we feel pain when we comfortable in your own skin. This depends upon are uninvolved and lonely. The path to an acceptable

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 5 TT REIER MA Y PHOTO B

reat satisfaction can come in helpingG the poor, the sick, the elderly, or others who have special needs. Look around you; there are all kinds of opportunities.

identity in any society is involvement.”8 Great satis- Smiling brings a glow to our countenances that ra- faction can come in helping the poor, the sick, the eld- diates to others. Being friendly to our neighbors, to erly, or others who have special needs. Look around people at school, at church, or at work is a great way you; there are all kinds of opportunities. to show the Lord that we want to keep the covenant we made at baptism “to bear one another’s burdens, 10 5. CHOOSE HAPPINESS. that they may be light.” I recommend friendliness because so many people are shy or lonely and need a The most fundamental of all human searches is for kind word or smile. Lifting others expands our inner happiness. We each choose our own happiness. As selves. It is also the way of the Master.11 Like Anna in President Harold B. Lee once said: “Happiness does The King and I, I find whistling “a happy tune” and not depend on what happens outside of you but on singing (especially when I am alone!) can also lighten what happens inside of you. It is measured by the my spirits. spirit with which you meet the problems of life.”9 It Many years ago my father told us about going for will often be necessary for all of us to choose between a walk through the woods with an old friend, Judge having a good time and leading a good life. Bringhurst. The judge sang so loudly along the way Each of us is born with natural “happiness” hor- that he frightened all the wildlife. But my father said mones. When stimulated, they secrete powerful he enjoyed the judge’s singing so much that he didn’t chemical substances into our bodies. There are many mind not seeing any animals or birds. So when we kinds. Some are called endorphins. Generally when laugh, smile, sing, whistle, or exercise, we seem to feel we are in pain or distress, endorphins give us a sense better. We either forget our concerns or they are put of well-being. Medical science has long known that in better perspective. As we reach out to others, our our mental outlook and well-being affect our physical happiness hormones are stimulated and we find our health. A sign in a large hospital says, “Laughter is true selves. the best medicine.” Smiling is good for the soul. I recall a study some years ago that was made to

6 determine what influences keep young people mov- Gospel topics: identity, repentance, forgiveness, choices, service ing on the straight and narrow track. Of course there NOTES were several critical influences. All were important. 1. Quoted in Sarah Jane Weaver, “Developing a Healthy Self- They included the influence of parents, priesthood Regard,” Church News, 10 Feb. 1996, 2. advisers, Young Women advisers, Scoutmasters, and 2. Alma 41:10. 3. Gabriella Tortes, “‘Gabby, You’re Sooo Skinny,’” in Chicken peer association. But I was surprised to find that one Soup for the Teenage Soul: 101 Stories of Life, Love and Learning, comp. golden thread of singular importance ran through this Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger (1997), study. It was the belief that one day each of us would 234–35; emphasis in original. 4. Key to the Science of Theology, 9th ed. (1965), 101. have to account for our actions to the Lord. Many be- 5. Mosiah 5:2, 4. lieved that “the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of 6. Brandon Slay, quoted in “U.S. Wrestler Savors Gold, Even Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there Though It Came Late,” Deseret News, 24 Oct. 2000, D3. is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot 7. Matt. 22:39. 12 8. Quoted in The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, ed. Clyde J. Williams be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.” Those (1996), 477. who had an eternal perspective 9. “A Sure Trumpet Sound: Quo- had an extra amount of spiritual tations from President Lee,” Ensign, Feb. 1974, 78. strength and resolve. Feeling a 10. Mosiah 18:8. TT REIER

personal accountability to the 11. See Luke 6:31. MA Savior for our actions and stew- 12. 2 Ne. 9:41. Y 13. History of the Church, 6:303.

ardships and responding to it PHOTO B provide a profound spiritual protection. Ralph Waldo Emerson gave a IDEAS FOR HOME yardstick by which to measure TEACHERS our personal success. He wrote: Some Points of Emphasis What is success? You may wish to make these To laugh often and much; points in your home teaching To win the respect of intelligent discussions: people 1. From an eternal perspective, and the affection of children; who we think we are and who we To earn the appreciation of honest really are need to become the same. critics 2. The following are ideas for and endure the betrayal of false learning to like who we are: friends; a. Change bad behavior. It is To appreciate beauty; hard to like ourselves when we are To find the best in others; miling brings doing things we know to be wrong. To leave the world a bit better, a glow to our b. Forgive ourselves and others. This will help us let go whether by Scountenances that of the behavior we are forsaking. a healthy child, a garden patch c. Gain confidence by making good choices. We will or a redeemed social condition; radiates to others. feel better about ourselves when we choose what is right. To know even one life has breathed d. Give service. Great satisfaction can come in helping easier because you have lived; others. This is to have succeeded. e. Choose happiness. When we laugh, smile, sing, whis- tle, or exercise, we seem to feel better. So who do you think you are? The Prophet 3. Knowing who we really are is closely tied to knowing Joseph Smith said, “If men do not comprehend the God, for we are His children. character of God, they do not comprehend them- selves.”13 Knowing who you are—who you really Discussion Helps are—is closely tied to knowing God, for you are His 1. Relate your feelings about what helps make you feel children. Following the simple suggestions I have truly successful. outlined will help you know God and hence yourself. 2. Are there some scriptures, quotations, or stories in this I believe in you, that you will be obedient and valiant article that the family might read aloud and discuss? and that you will receive the blessings of the Lord in 3. Would this discussion be better after a previsit chat your quest to establish your identity as His choice with the head of the house? Is there a message from the sons and daughters. អ bishop or quorum leader?

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 7 MissionaryWork and the Atonement

The Atonement of Jesus personal sins of everyone else who would ever live in this world from Christ is rightfully seen as Adam to the end of time. the central fact, the crucial Some of those blessings are un- conditional, such as the gift of the foundation, and the chief Resurrection. Other of the blessings, doctrine of the plan of at least the full realization of them, are salvation, which we are very conditional, requiring the keeping of commandments, the performance of called to teach. ordinances, and living the life of a disciple of Christ. Either way, the essential message of the gospel, B Y E LDER J EFFREY R. HOLLAND the starting point for all other truths, is this from the Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Master’s own lips: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”3 Thus the he Prophet Joseph Smith once Atonement of Christ, which makes that return to the declared that all things “which Father possible, is rightfully seen as the central fact, the pertain to our religion are only ap- crucial foundation, and the chief doctrine of the great pendages” toT the Atonement of Jesus Christ.1 In like and eternal plan of salvation—“our Heavenly Father’s manner and for the same reasons, every truth that a plan,” which we are called to teach. missionary or member teaches is only an appendage Little wonder, then, that the Apostle Paul, the to the central message of all time—that Jesus is the greatest missionary the world has ever known (or at Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, the Holy least one of them), said: “The preaching of the cross is Messiah, the Promised One, the Savior and Redeemer to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are of the world; that He alone burst the bands of death saved it is the power of God. . . . For the Jews require and triumphed over the captivity of hell; that no one a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we of us could ever have those same blessings without preach Christ crucified.”4 His intervention in our behalf; and that there never shall be any “other name given nor any other way nor THE “GOOD NEWS” means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, [except] in and through the name of Christ, Inherent in all of this is a rather simple definition the Lord Omnipotent.”2 of the gospel, at least when considered in its essence. Our basic message is that with a complete offering The word gospel as we use it in English comes down of His body, His blood, and the anguish of His spirit, to us through early scriptural language which meant Christ atoned for the initial transgression of Adam literally “good news” or sometimes “glad tidings.” and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and also for the The “good news” was that death and hell could be

8 ARSON DEL P Y B TEST OF ALL, THE GREA : very truth that a missionary or member teaches is only an appendage to the Ecentral message of all time—that Jesus is the Christ. CEPT AS NOTED; RIGHT STEVE BUNDERSON, EX Y PHOTOGRAPHY B

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 9 escaped, that mistakes and sins could be overcome, I have asked missionaries what it is they want investi- that there was hope, that there was help, that the in- gators to do as a result of their discussions with them. soluble was solved, that the enemy had been con- “Be baptized!” is shouted forward in an absolute quered. The good news was that everyone’s tomb chorus. could one day be empty, that everyone’s soul could “Yes,” I say, “we do want them to be baptized, but again be pure, that every child of God could again what has to precede that?” return to the Father who gave them life. Now they are a little leery. Aha, they think. This is This is the essence of the message delivered by a test. It is a test on the first discussion. “Read the Book every prophet who has ever lived and every Apostle of Mormon!” someone shouts. “Pray!” an elder roars ever called to the work. It is the message we are from the back of the room. “Attend church!” one of called to declare. It is the message of the angel who the sisters on the front row declares. “Receive all of came to those unsuspecting Judean shepherds: the discussions!” someone else offers. “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, “Well, you have pretty much covered the commit- and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: ments in the first discussion,” I say, “but what else do and they were sore afraid. you want your investigators to do?” “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, be- “Be baptized!” The chorus comes a second time. hold, I bring you good tidings of great joy [or, in other “Elders,” I plead, “you have already told me about words, I bring you the gospel personified], which shall baptism, and I am still asking!” be to all people. Well, now they are stumped. It must be commitments “For unto you is born this day in the city of David from the other discussions, they think. “Live the Word of a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”5 Wisdom!” someone says. “Pay tithing!” another shouts. And so it goes. PREREQUISITES FOR BAPTISM I don’t always run through this little exercise in a zone conference, but sometimes I do. And I have Probably there are very few missionaries, if any, to say that almost never do the missionaries get who do not know the centrality of this doctrine. But I around to identifying the two most fundamental have been surprised to regularly be with the mission- things we want investigators to do prior to baptism: aries and discover that this is not something that read- have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and repent of ily comes forward in a discussion of missionary work. their sins. Yet “we believe that the first principles For example, in zone conferences, which are some and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the of the greatest teaching moments we as General Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; [then] third, Authorities have with these young elders and sisters, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins;

he only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way toT eternity is through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. UKE JOHN L Y PHOTO B

10 fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy this ordinance and the Atonement of Christ, which Ghost.”6 makes it efficacious. A convert’s new life is to be built upon faith in the Probably no other meeting we hold in the Church Lord Jesus Christ and His redeeming sacrifice—a con- has the high referral and future baptismal harvest that viction that He really is the Son of God, that He lives a baptismal service does. Many of the investigators this very moment, that He really is the door of the who attend a baptismal service (that is, the service of sheepfold, that He alone holds the key to our salvation someone else being baptized) will go on to their own and exaltation. That belief is to be followed by true re- baptisms. That is more likely to occur if this service is pentance, repentance which shows our desire to be a spiritual, strong teaching moment in which it is clear clean and renewed and whole, repentance that allows to participants and visitors alike that this is a sacred act us to lay claim to the full blessings of the Atonement. of faith centered on the Lord Jesus Christ, that it is an Then comes baptism for the remission of sins. Yes, act of repentance claiming the cleansing power of baptism is also for membership in the Church, but that Christ, that through His majesty and Atonement it isn’t what the Prophet Joseph Smith chose to stress in brings a remission of sins as well as, with confirmation, that article of faith. He stressed that it was baptism for membership in His Church. Missionaries, don’t get so the remission of sins—focusing you and consumed with the desire to record a me, the missionary and the investigator baptism that you yourselves forget what again on the Atonement, on salvation, on this baptism represents and what it must the gift Christ gives us. This points that mean in the life of this new member. new convert toward the blessings of the Throughout the teaching experi- “good news.” ence, missionaries must bear testimony of the Savior and His gift of salvation MAKING THE ATONEMENT CENTRAL to us. Obviously you should bear testi- mony regularly of all the principles TO MISSIONARY WORK you are teaching, but it is especially In an effort to keep our work closely important that you bear testimony of linked to the Savior’s ministry, let me this central doctrine in the plan of our suggest some things all of us might do Heavenly Father. to keep Christ and His Atonement in There are several reasons for bearing the forefront of members’ and investi- aptism is a sacred act testimony. One is that when you declare gators’ consciousness. of faith centered on the the truth, it will bring an echo, a mem- Encourage in every way possible BLord Jesus Christ. ory, even if it is an unconscious memory more spiritual Church meetings, espe- to the investigator, that they have heard cially sacrament meetings. One of the great fears mis- this truth before—and of course they have. A mission- sionaries have at least in some locations is taking their ary’s testimony invokes a great legacy of testimony investigators to church. And indeed the investigators dating back to the councils in heaven before this world deserve to feel essentially the same spirit in sacra- was. There, in an earlier place, these same people ment meeting that they feel when being taught by heard this same plan outlined and heard there the role the missionaries. that Jesus Christ would play in their salvation. It will also help orient investigators if missionaries “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now will take some time to explain the ordinance of the is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of sacrament that investigators will be witnessing, what our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of it means for the renewing of baptismal covenants, our brethren is cast down, which accused them be- that the emblems represent the Savior’s body and fore our God day and night. blood, and so forth. Missionaries could read to these “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and investigators the sacramental prayers as found in the by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their scriptures, they could share some of the words of fa- lives unto the death.”7 vorite sacrament hymns, or they could do any num- So the fact of the matter is investigators are not ber of other things that would help these new visitors only hearing our testimony of Christ, but they are and prospective members have a powerful learning hearing echoes of other, earlier testimonies, including experience when they visit a sacrament meeting. their own testimony of Him, for they were on the side In like manner, do all that you can to make your of the faithful who kept their first estate and earned baptismal services a spiritual, Christ-centered experi- the privilege of a second estate. We must always re- ence. A new convert deserves to have this be a sacred, member that these investigators, every man, woman, carefully planned, and spiritually uplifting moment. and child, were among the valiant who once over- The prayers, the hymns, surely the talks that are came Satan by the power of their testimony of Christ! given—all ought to be focused on the significance of So when they hear others bear that witness of Christ’s

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 11 saving mission, it has a familiar feeling; it brings an “And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the echo of truth they themselves already know. Holy Ghost will bear record unto him [the investigator] Furthermore, when you bear witness of “Jesus of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Christ, and him crucified,”8 to use Paul’s phrase, you in- Holy Ghost are one. . . . voke the power of God the Father and the Holy Ghost. “. . . This is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon The Savior Himself taught about bearing witness before this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall any other doctrine when He visited the Nephites: not prevail against them.”9 “After this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for So why should we bear frequent and powerful tes- behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the timony of Christ as Savior, as Redeemer, as Atoning Son, and the Holy Ghost are one. . . . Lamb of God? Because doing so invites and becomes “And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine part of the divine power of testimony borne by God which the Father hath given unto me. . . . the Father and by the Holy Ghost, a testimony borne “. . . Whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father on wings of fire to the very hearts of investigators. also; and unto him [the investigator] will the Father bear Such a divine testimony of Christ is the rock upon record of me, for he will visit him [the investigator] with which every new convert must build. Only this testi- fire and with the Holy Ghost. mony of the atoning Anointed, Victorious One will

ing Benjamin taught: “The Lord Omnipotent . . . shall come down from heavenK among the children of men. . . . And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death” (Mosiah 3:5, 7). APP L. K Y R A G Y B CHES TO THE NEPHITES, MIN PREA A KING BENJ AIL FROM DET

12 prevail against the gates of hell. So saith the Son of come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with God Himself. unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the mer- Study the scriptures conscientiously and become its of him who is mighty to save. familiar with those passages that teach and testify of “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a stead- Christ’s redeeming mission. Nothing will so touch fastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of your heart and stir your soul like the truths of which hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, I have been speaking. if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of I would particularly ask full-time and member Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the missionaries to study from and teach the Atonement Father: Ye shall have eternal life. of Christ out of the Book of Mormon. I say that in a “And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is very biased way, because it was on my own mission the way; . . . this is the doctrine of Christ, and the that I came to love the Book of Mormon and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, majesty of the Son of God which is revealed there. In and of the Holy Ghost.”12 its unparalleled focus on the messianic message of the Or this from Nephi’s remarkable brother Jacob, who Savior of the world, the Book of Mormon is literally a gave a two-day sermon on the Fall and the Atonement! new testament or (to avoid confusion) “I know . . . that in the body he shall “another testament” of Jesus Christ. As show himself unto those at Jerusalem, . . . such the book centers upon that which for it behooveth the great Creator that he scriptural testaments have always cen- suffereth himself to become subject unto tered upon since the days of Adam and man in the flesh, and die for all men, that Eve: the declaration to all that through all men might become subject unto him. the Atonement of the Son of God, “For as death hath passed upon all “as thou hast fallen thou mayest be men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the redeemed, and all mankind, even as great Creator, there must needs be a many as will.”10 power of resurrection, and the resur- rection must needs come unto man by TESTIMONIES OF reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because BOOK OF MORMON PROPHETS man became fallen they were cut off There is not enough space here to he Book of Mormon was from the presence of the Lord. convey the wonder and breadth of these the first—and is still the “Wherefore, it must needs be an Book of Mormon sermons, but consider Tgreatest—missionary tract infinite atonement. . . . this from Nephi early in his ministry: of this dispensation. “O how great the goodness of our “And the world, because of their in- God, who prepareth a way for our es- iquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; cape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they body, and also the death of the spirit. . . . spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his “And he cometh into the world that he may save all loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he children of men. suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every “And the God of our fathers, . . . yea, the God of living creature, both men, women, and children, who Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth belong to the family of Adam. himself . . . as a man, into the hands of wicked men, “And he suffereth this that the resurrection might to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, pass upon all men. . . . and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, “And he commandeth all men that they must re- and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the pent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect words of Zenos. . . . faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be “And all these things must surely come, saith the saved in the kingdom of God.”13 prophet Zenos. And the rocks of the earth must rend; Consider this from King Benjamin: and because of the groanings of the earth, many of “For behold, the time cometh, and is not far dis- the kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon tant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent . . . shall by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God of nature come down from heaven among the children of men, suffers.”11 and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go Or this from Nephi at the end of his life: forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such “And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have got- as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame ten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 13 “And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits “Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inas- which dwell in the hearts of the children of men. much as he shall make intercession for all the children “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.”15 body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than Obviously, you recognize that these samples are man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, testimonies from just the first pages of the Book of blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his Mormon. Perhaps this is enough to give you a feel for anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of the urgent, impressive theme that runs all through his people. . . . that sacred record. With its declared title-page pur- “. . . And even after all this they shall consider him pose of testifying that Jesus is the Christ, little wonder a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge that the Book of Mormon was the first—and is still him, and shall crucify him. the greatest—missionary tract of this dispensation. “And he shall rise the third day from the dead. . . . As Lehi says to me and to you, “How great the im- “. . . His blood atoneth for the sins of those who portance to make these things [of the Atonement] have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have known unto the inhabitants of the earth.” died not knowing the will of God concerning them, I testify to you that we will change lives, including or who have ignorantly sinned.”14 our own, if we will teach the Atonement through the Or, as a last example, this from the great patriarch Book of Mormon as well as, of course, from all of the Lehi: other scriptures. “Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah. . . . THE ATONEMENT AND THE MISSIONARY “Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a Almost everything I have said here has been broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else an aid directed toward the missionary process, ulti- can the ends of the law be answered. mately toward the investigator. May I close with “Wherefore, how great the importance to make these an extended testimony about how focusing on the things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they Atonement helps full-time and member missionaries may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the and mission leaders. presence of God, save it be through the merits, and Anyone who does any kind of missionary work mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success be more by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the rapid? Why aren’t there more people joining the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust

nyone who does any kind of missionary work will have occasion toA ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid?

14 in miracles. Why don’t people just flock to the font? the chief cornerstone of His Church in this last and Why isn’t the only risk in missionary work that of greatest of all dispensations. I testify that He lives, pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all that the whole triumph of the gospel is that He lives, night in the baptismal font? and because He does, so will we. You will have occasion to ask those questions. I On that first Resurrection Sunday, Mary have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my Magdalene first thought she saw a gardener. personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work Well, she did—the Gardener who cultivated Eden is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. and who endured Gethsemane. The Gardener who Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus gave us the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley, the Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal cedars of Lebanon, the tree of life. Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us I declare Him to be the Savior of the world, the when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me Bishop and Shepherd of our souls, the Bright and that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend Morning Star. I know that our garments can be at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries washed white only in the blood of that Lamb, slain and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two from the foundation of the world. I know that we are toward the summit of Calvary. lifted up unto life because He was lifted Now, please don’t misunderstand. up unto death, that He bore our griefs I’m not talking about anything any- and carried our sorrows, and with His where near what Christ experienced. stripes we are healed. I bear witness That would be presumptuous and sacri- that He was wounded for our trans- legious. But I believe that missionaries gressions and bruised for our iniquities, and investigators, to come to the truth, to that He was a man of sorrows ac- come to salvation, to know something of quainted with grief because upon Him this price that has been paid, will have were laid the transgressions of us all.18 to pay a token of that same price. I bear witness that He came from For that reason I don’t believe mis- God as a God to bind up the broken- sionary work has ever been easy, nor that hearted, to dry the tears from every conversion is, nor that retention is, nor eye, to proclaim liberty to the captive that continued faithfulness is. I believe it and open the prison doors to them is supposed to require some effort, some- e will change lives, that are bound.19 I promise that be- thing from the depths of our soul. including our own, cause of your faithful response to the If He could come forward in the Wif we will teach the Atone- call to spread the gospel, He will bind night, kneel down, fall on His face, bleed ment through the Book up your broken hearts, dry your tears, from every pore, and cry, “Abba, Father of Mormon. and set you and your families free. That (Papa), if this cup can pass, let it pass,”16 is my missionary promise to you and then little wonder that salvation is not a whimsical your missionary message to the world. អ or easy thing for us. If you wonder if there isn’t an eas- From a talk given at the Provo (Utah) Missionary Training Center ier way, you should remember you are not the first one on 20 June 2000. to ask that. Someone a lot greater and a lot grander Gospel topics: missionary work, Atonement, Jesus Christ, Book of asked a long time ago if there wasn’t an easier way. Mormon, faith, repentance, baptism The Atonement will carry the missionaries per- NOTES haps even more importantly than it will carry the 1. See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding investigators. When you struggle, when you are re- Smith (1976), 121. jected, when you are spit upon and cast out and 2. Mosiah 3:17; compare Acts 4:12. made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with 3. John 14:6. 4. 1 Cor. 1:18, 22–23; emphasis added. the best life this world has ever known, the only pure 5. Luke 2:9–11; emphasis added. and perfect life ever lived. You have reason to stand 6. A of F 1:4; emphasis added. tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living 7. Rev. 12:10–11; emphasis added. 8. 1 Cor. 2:2. God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions. 9. 3 Ne. 11:27, 32, 35–36, 39; emphasis added. The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane 10. Moses 5:9. and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity is 11. 1 Ne. 19:9–10, 12. 12. 2 Ne. 31:19–21. through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 13. 2 Ne. 9:5–7, 10, 21–23. I testify that the living God is our Eternal Father 14. Mosiah 3:5–7, 9–11. and that Jesus Christ is His living and Only Begotten 15. 2 Ne. 2:6–9; emphasis added. Son in the flesh. I testify that this Jesus, who was slain 16. See Mark 14:36. 17 17. See Acts 5:30. and hanged on a tree, was the chief Apostle then 18. See Isa. 53; Mosiah 14. and is the chief Apostle now, the Great High Priest, 19. See Isa. 61:1–3.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 15 The Principle of PRESIDENCY

When presidencies in the Church function effectively, we see the fruition of the Lord’s counsel to “organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing” (D&C 88:119).

BY ELDER JOE J.CHRISTENSEN Emeritus Member of the First Quorum of the Seventy

n the scriptures we read the counsel to “organize yourselves; prepare every Ineedful thing; and establish . . . a house of order, a house of Also, when flooding occurred a few years ago in God” (D&C 88:119). the environs of Atlanta, Georgia, the Area President One thing is sure: this is a Church organ- called a stake president and asked if he could please ized with every needful thing. In fact, I arrange to have 100 men available for one of the know of no more effective organization. cleanup projects. The stake president responded, Under the direction of the First Presidency “No, I don’t think we could arrange for 100, but we and all other presidencies, we really are can arrange to have 200 there!”—and 200 did respond. organized, and a house of order has It is a blessing to belong to a church that provides been established. As members, we know us as lay members the opportunity of where we fit into the organization, and service, and generally our members are as a result of our testimonies and com- hen leaders responsive. Recently, there was a need for mitment to the gospel, we are respon- Wfeel they canvassing a neighborhood in connection sive when calls come to serve in a should make deci- with a political issue with moral overtones multitude of ways. sions unilaterally in which several churches and civic organi- I smiled when I heard that without discussing zations were cooperating. A leader of one some grateful woman who was matters with their of the groups said, “I wish there were some involved with the cleanup ef- counselors, they way we could get our members to respond forts after a devastating tornado are like a one- like your church is able to do.” in Oklahoma had said, “We ap- legged stool. They We are blessed with a remarkable preciate the help we received organization within the Church. The miss the strength

from so many, especially from concept of lay leadership, which involves STEVE BUNDERSON two churches: The Church of and stability of all of us as active members, provides us Y Jesus Christ of Latter-day the principle of with many opportunities to serve and Saints and the Mormon presidency. develop. Generally we serve in or

Church.” under the direction of a presidency PHOTOGRAPHY B

16 ewer mistakes are made when aF leader counsels effectively with his or her counselors.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 17 of a quorum or auxiliary organization. in the principle of presidency. Not long ago, in a chapel filled with adult mem- If we are not careful, we can fall into the diffi- bers of the Church, I asked, “How many of you are culty described in this scripture: “We have learned now serving, or ever have served, in the leadership of by sad experience that it is the nature and disposi- an organization where there was an executive along tion of almost all men [and I would add, at least a few with counselors—in other words, in a presidency?” women], as soon as they get a little authority, as they Almost every hand in the audience went up. Serving suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise un- in a leadership position in a presidency at one time or righteous [or unwise or heavy-handed] dominion” another is an experience that many share as active (D&C 121:39). members of the Church. One counselor who was serving with a president There must be a special significance about the who operated in a unilateral and domineering way concept of presidency, the idea of an administrator said: “If this were not the Church, I would resign. with two counselors and the number three. In the We do not function as a presidency. The president Godhead there are three personages. There are three makes all of the decisions. We don’t meet and counsel in the First Presidency, the Area Presidency, the stake together regularly. As counselors, we are more like er- presidency, the bishopric, the leadership of the priest- rand boys and are just expected to do as we are told. It hood quorums, and the presidencies of the auxil- is sort of like he feels his directions come from on high. iaries. There is something consistent and compelling He makes all the decisions that are of any consequence about the idea that an executive in whatever organi- and sometimes rolls over the people in the organiza- zation in the Church has two tion. He doesn’t delegate well and really doesn’t counselors. There seems to be need us as counselors. As I said, if an underlying principle of this were not the Church, presidency. I would have resigned When we are called to a long time ago.” serve in the presidency of any In a training ses- organization as the president or sion, to demonstrate as a counselor, we all would like the instability of to be successful. In reality, some such a presidency, I presidencies are much more ef- have invited someone to fective than others. What does come to the stand and construct a one-legged it take to ensure that things stool. I have a little round wooden top with a go well in a presidency? hole partially bored in the center into which a Here are a few practical little leg can be inserted. The individual easily suggestions that can help inserts the leg into the central hole, and in achieve success: seconds a one-legged stool is ready to demon- Take advantage ith just strate. As I balance it on the side of the pulpit of the principle of one or where it can be seen, I ask the audience to presidency by coun- W comment about the nature of the design. seling with your two legs there Immediately they mention that the structure counselors. When is great insta- is unstable. The slightest touch makes it unbal- presidents or adminis- bility, while anced, and it falls over. trators feel they are with three Then I ask the individual to remove the the ones to make legs there is one leg and with the two others make a three- the decisions uni- steadiness. legged stool by inserting the legs in three holes laterally without located around the outside edge of the top. discussing mat- Quickly a three-legged stool is ready for ters with their demonstration. Its structure is solid. It can bear counselors, weight and does not readily topple to one side. they are on With three legs there is steadiness, while with just shaky ground one there is great instability. and also miss We should remember that there is safety and the strength stability in capitalizing on the positive principles of and stability presidency. Fewer mistakes are made when a leader inherent counsels effectively with his or her counselors. Most

18 problems can be solved through thoughtful counsel one with the other” (D&C 107:27). in a presidency. We could paraphrase this counsel by saying that Some time ago a stake president called the mem- decisions made by a presidency should ideally be by ber of the Seventy in Church headquarters who was the unanimous voice of the same; that is, every mem- serving as the Area President and asked him for help ber of the presidency should agree to its decisions, in in solving an unusual problem. order to make their decisions of the same power or va- After hearing the question, the Area President lidity one with the other. Unanimous decisions made asked: “President, that is a difficult question. Have in counsel as a presidency have much more strength you discussed it with your counselors?” than those made by the president acting alone. “No, not yet. The problem just came up, and Never should the president and one of the coun- I thought I would call you and get some counsel,” selors become the “presidency” to the exclusion of the stake president the other counselor. explained. In one Relief Society The Area President presidency, the presi- responded: “President, dent recommended I have a suggestion. that one of her closest Talk this over with friends serve as her your counselors, and first counselor. They if you don’t come to had associated to- a solution you can all gether for years, and feel good about, give when they began to me a call and we will serve in the presi- try to be as helpful as dency it soon became we can.” apparent to the second The stake president counselor that the didn’t call back, be- president and her cause as a presidency friend had discussed in counsel they had most of the issues and undoubtedly found agreed on the decision a solution they could before they met as a feel good about. There presidency. She said, are few problems that “I felt like an outsider, cannot be solved by void “interminable” meetings through better time manage- the odd one out,” three faithful individu- ment: set a reasonable time limit, focus on important issues, when it came to that als in open and beA decisive, and record the solutions. assignment. thoughtful counsel. In this case, the When members utilize the principle of presidency, president and the first counselor missed the input the counsel together, and seek the Spirit, few mistakes second counselor could have added, which would are made. The same Spirit that guides to all truth have contributed much strength to the decisions (see John 16:13) will confirm the correctness of deci- made. It is important to remember that only two do sions made in the safety of counsel, whether at the not constitute the intention of a functioning and suc- local or general levels of the Church. Remember, cessful presidency. Imagine a two-legged stool. the scriptures indicate that in counsel there is safety A presidency should be decisive. Some presiden- (see Prov. 11:14). cies make the mistake of procrastinating decision The decisions made in a presidency should be making. With such situations, matters are put off made in counsel and, with very few exceptions, have rather than “wrestling them to the ground” and get- the blessing of being unanimous. We would do well ting decisions made. Presidencies can be greatly to follow the principle taught in scripture regarding helped by having an effective secretary who, in coun- the importance of unanimity as it relates to some of sel with the presidency, forms an agenda with the the presiding quorums of the Church: items listed concisely. Then in the meeting the secre- “Every decision made . . . must be by the unani- tary records the decisions made, the assignments mous voice of the same; that is, every member . . . given, and who is assigned to provide effective must [agree] to its decisions, in order to make follow-up. This approach can make for a smooth their decisions of the same power or validity and efficient operation.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 19 Avoid “interminable” meetings through better contribute much to building a unity and team spirit. time management. Everyone’s time is valuable. In one The antithesis of this is when the president chooses to stake, complaints arose that presidency meetings were associate socially with one of the counselors and ex- held too often and too long, so the newly called stake cludes the other. Remember, the Lord said, “Be one; presidency decided they would do all they could to and if ye are not one ye are not mine” (D&C 38:27). use their meeting time more efficiently. First, they de- It could be a potluck dinner at one of the homes or termined they should set a definite and reasonable a temple session followed by a visit to an ice cream outside time limit on their weekly presidency meet- parlor or whatever. Such gatherings as a group can be ings. They decided meetings should not be longer than especially helpful in letting the spouses become per- one and a half or, at most, two hours. They determined sonally acquainted with those with whom one serves each meeting would have an agenda that would con- and meets so regularly. Many find that some of their tain only the items that all of the presidency needed to lifelong friends are among those with whom they discuss. Whenever possible, issues raised by a member have served in a presidency. of the presidency would be accompanied by a recom- Divide the work into shared areas of responsi- mended solution for consideration and thus help focus bility. As you delegate, remember one caution: the discussion more efficiently. Although “first contact” assignments can logically They eliminated the practice of taking time to read be made within a presidency, division or delegation the minutes of the previous meeting. The president of responsibilities should not be independently han- said, “Minutes are not minutes; they are hours!” The dled by each individual so the rest of the presidency executive secretary saw to it that a copy of the min- does not feel informed about what is going on. Each utes of the previous meeting were distrib- member of the presidency needs to uted in advance. As a result, in sense a responsibility for meetings, the presidency the whole. dealt only with the most Don’t be sad when pressing matters and with the time comes for your follow-up on assignments release from the presi- previously made. Any dency. We should all re- items not considered in the member the sound counsel set time frame were postponed I heard years ago from until the next meeting. Longer President Ezra Taft Benson. meetings became rare excep- He mentioned that when tions and were much more ap- it comes to callings in this preciated by all. Also, no one Church, we should be complained when a meeting aware of three things: ended earlier than the estab- First, we do not seek for lished time limit. a position. Second, we Such an approach helped do not ask for a release. ensure that more of the nanimous And, third, we are not valuable resource of time decisions sad when we are was available for family madeU in counsel released. and other work or Church as a presidency Although most responsibilities. have much adjust well to being Develop a feeling of more strength. released, some find fellowship within the the adjustment diffi- presidency. Presidencies cult. It is well to re- work better if they can member from the develop some friendship beginning of our and sociality among service that with themselves. Occasional each calling there informal gatherings is a built-in release that include all mem- date at some time bers of the presidency in the future. along with their One who has spouses can served as a

20 president or counselor may be called to serve in I will long remember entering the office. I went to a nonexecutive position in the same organization sit where I had always sat across the desk from Brother or just continue as a regular supportive member. Berrett. This great leader would have nothing to do Unfortunately, some do not make the adjustment with that arrangement. He rose from his seat and mo- when they are released, and whenever this happens tioned for me to sit in his chair. I resisted. I wanted and it becomes a challenge to the individual as well as to intended to sit where I had always sat when meeting the organization as a whole. with him. After much insistence, I moved around the One of the impressive examples to me of how a desk and sat uncomfortably in his chair. He sat across real leader can be a good follower was shown to me the desk where I had usually sat. His long-remembered by Brother William E. Berrett almost 30 years ago. words were: “Joe, long before I was asked to be a President Harold B. Lee of the First Presidency had leader, I learned to follow. Now what can I do to be called and asked that I of help to you in any return from a mission way?” president assignment I decided then that in Mexico City to serve whenever I was to be as associate commis- released from any call- sioner of education ing, I would want to to Brother Neal A. be as gracious and Maxwell, who had supportive of my suc- been recently called cessor as he was to me as the commissioner on that occasion. of the Church Educa- Obviously, more tional System. Included could be written. in my specific assign- However, in summary, ments was that of serv- if we really want to ing as the administrator succeed while serving of the Church’s semi- in a presidency, we naries and institutes of should remember at religion. I felt humbled least these suggestions: and overwhelmed with • Take advantage of the assignment. Brother the principle of presi- Berrett had served with dency by counseling distinction as the ad- evelop a feeling of fellowship. Never should the president with your counselors. ministrator of seminar- Dand one of the counselors become the “presidency” to the • Never should ies and institutes for exclusion of the other counselor. the president and one many years. He was of the counselors be- then at retirement age. come the “presidency” to the exclusion of the other I had been in the office of this venerable and counselor. highly respected leader many times to receive coun- • A presidency should be decisive. sel and assignments when I served as the director of • Avoid “interminable” meetings through better various institutes. time management. Whenever I had need to meet with Brother Berrett, • Develop a feeling of fellowship within the he would always graciously welcome me into his of- presidency. fice. I would sit in a chair across from his large desk, • Divide the work into shared areas of responsibility, and he would sit in his high-backed leather chair. remembering the caution that each member of the pres- The announcement of my appointment to succeed idency needs to sense a responsibility for the whole. him as the administrator of the seminaries and insti- • Don’t be sad when the time comes for release tutes had been made public. I drove to Provo, and as I from the presidency. had done so many times before, I climbed the steps to When presidencies in the Church function effec- the third floor of the Smoot Administration Building tively, we see the fruition of the Lord’s counsel to on the BYU campus, where the administrative offices “organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; of the Church Educational System were located. The and establish . . . a house of order, a house of God” secretary arranged for me to meet with Brother Berrett. (D&C 88:119). អ But this time, the situation was very different. Gospel topics: presidency, leadership, unity

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 21 Don’t Let Negativism Ruin Your Marriage B Y T ERRY B AKER When you see only the negative things about your spouse, the marriage is on a downward spiral. Yet you can change that direction by changing your perspective.

n temple sealing rooms, mirrors on oppo- site walls allow couples to gaze at their Irepeated image, which seems to go on endlessly. The reflection moves farther and far- ther away until it is almost as though they are being projected into another time and place. The symbolism is unmistakable—their union is supposed to last for eternity. Few newlyweds understand how fragile those seemingly endless images can be. Of course, all marriages have challenges because of normal differences between men and women and because of the couple’s differing backgrounds and in- terests. Marriages can also be fragile because of en- tropy, meaning that anything left unattended tends to fall into a state of disorder. Lawns, gardens, cars, and children are examples; just leave them entirely to themselves and they quickly become problems. It takes effort and work to keep the weeds out. Marriage is no different. While there are many challenges to marriages, this article focuses on only one— the negativity cycle.

CAUGHT IN THE CYCLE Once in a counseling setting, I lis- tened as a young woman—we’ll call her April—complained about her husband. She had arrived at a point where she could not remember anything that was ever good about the relationship or about him. I was as- tonished at how she could continue nearly non- stop for more than an hour describing flaw after flaw,

22 disappointment after disappointment, hardly stopping allows entropy into the home, and a lack of mutual to catch her breath. respect, which breeds unwillingness to overlook each It was obvious she had become obsessed with the other’s weaknesses and faults. beams she perceived in her husband’s eye (see Matt. Let’s examine, step by step, how April and her 7:3). Every waking moment of the day and even during husband, “To m , ” arrived at this awful state and then her dreams at night, she was filled with disapproving see how they saved their marriage. thoughts about her husband’s conduct. She had devel- oped completely negative expectations of him, and she THE POSITIVE-NEGATIVE BALANCE interpreted everything he did as fulfilling them. The marriage was in serious trouble. The first discernible change in April and Tom’s How can a marriage that begins with much hope marriage was a drop in positive communication. and love fall so low after just a few years? It Researchers have noted that healthy relationships doesn’t happen overnight. need a five-to-one ratio of positive-to-negative com- It is often the result of munication to survive.1 This positive communication neglect, which can be anything from a wink or a hug to a rose or a “You look great.” Nearly all marriages start with a positive ratio. In the early stages of courtship, where love is often blind, the ratio can be 1,200 positives to 0 negatives. Some call this the “illusion stage.” Sooner or later, married cou- ples start to see things they hadn’t noticed before. They wake up and realize, “My spouse is not acting at all as I expected!” They have entered the “disillusionment stage,” where reality confronts blind love head on. This disillusionment stage crept up on April over a period of years until her private negative thoughts about Tom canceled out all his good qualities. It was as though she were wearing blinders that blocked out most of the good things Tom did and allowed her to see only what she didn’t like. April continued along the negativity cycle by com- plaining about what she didn’t like. Complaints are not necessarily bad; for many couples, expressing con- cerns can help clear the air if communicated kindly. But Tom made a serious mistake at this point that en- sured the downward spiral would continue. Rather than listen nondefensively to his wife’s concerns about their differences, he chose to downplay their importance and did little to change or compromise. He let entropy set in by neglecting his responsibility. King Benjamin warned about this kind of reaction to sincere expressions of concern: “My brethren, . . . I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand” (Mosiah 2:9). Just as King Benjamin felt he deserved the undivided

ll marriages have challenges because Aof normal differences between men and women and their individual backgrounds and HENRIE Y R A

interests. There is also the entropy factor: anything C Y left unattended tends to fall into a state of disorder. TED B USTRA ILL

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 23 attention of his people, husbands and wives deserve to voiced a variety of criticisms: “Tom, you obviously be taken seriously when they have a complaint or a con- just don’t care!” “You should get up for family prayer cern to express. No one deserves to be trifled with when and be more energetic.” “You should start putting the speaking from the heart to a loved one. family first.” “You should. . . .” Tom again made a serious mistake. Rather than ESCALATION OF THE PROBLEM consider what might be the reasons for April’s com- ments, he still did nothing to change his behavior. As can be the case, when April’s complaints were Doing nothing is easy, involves no sacrifice—and trifled with, she chose to exaggerate them, trying to feeds entropy in the marriage. get Tom to react and deal with the problem. This This continued trifling with his wife’s expressions brought into the marriage what researcher John of frustration led to April’s next mistake. She invited Gottman refers to as the Four Horsemen of the the second horseman, contempt, into their home. April Apocalypse.2 Chapter 6 of Revelation speaks of four was soon saying things like, “Tom, you’re a failure as horsemen tied to judgments that will come upon the a husband and father!” or “I had to call the plumber world, and thus these horsemen have again today because you are so lazy!” The result was become associated with destruc- darkness. “And that which doth not edify is not of tion. The four mentioned here God, and is darkness” (D&C 50:23). will certainly bring destruc- At this point Tom had two choices. The first tion to a marriage if they go was to try finally to understand his wife’s unchecked. The first horseman is criticism. When we criticize others, we attack their per- sonality or character, usu- ally with blame, rather than a specific behavior. April

erbalize compliments often to keep the constructive communicationV ratio high.

24 THERE IS BUT ONE WAY frustrations and respond nondefen- The final stage before breakup sively as Lehi did when Sariah is for the couple to start rewriting “complained against” him (1 Ne. “There is but their history: they forget all the 5:2). Lehi respected his wife’s ex- one way that good times and rewrite the past pression of frustration with their we can be in light of their present feelings. precarious situation in the wilder- This is where we began with ness and comforted her. In order to united, and April and Tom. Here is how they follow Lehi’s example, Tom would that way is overcame their problem. have needed to pause and consider to seek the Lord and his April’s accusations. He might have BREAKING THE NEGATIVITY CYCLE said to himself, “I must have watched righteousness. . . . Unity comes way too much basketball (golf, soc- by following the light from Often it is a couple’s inability to cer, etc.) on TV Saturday to upset above. It does not come out of allow the Atonement to operate in her this much” or “She’s right; I their relationship that causes the have been neglecting her. I don’t the confusions below.” negativity cycle to continue until it blame her for feeling like this.” President Marion G. Romney (1897–1988), devours the marriage. They refuse When we choose, as Lehi did, to First Counselor in the First Presidency, to allow the Atonement to take ef- “Unity,” Ensign, May 1983, 17. control “natural man” thoughts and fect in their own lives and in the respond kindly, we invite the Holy life of the one they loved. Ghost into the home. Respect, empathy, and patience Ideally, when we do something that irritates or give the Spirit a chance to soften our hearts and lead hurts our spouse, the “at-one-ment” makes it possible us both to repent. This can set off the chain reaction for us to regain lost trust and unity in two ways. First, described in Doctrine and Covenants 50:24: “That the Atonement allows us to gain forgiveness from which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, God, thereby restoring our own feelings of self-worth. and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that Second, the Atonement encourages our spouse to light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect forgive us and cast aside negative thoughts. In fact, day.” the scriptures tell us we are required to forgive one To m ’s other choice for responding to his wife’s con- another (see D&C 64:9–11). cerns was straight from the natural man handbook, the When a spouse goes through the repentance sort of action that can put us carelessly in opposition process provided through the Atonement, we are to God’s will (see Mosiah 3:19). He ignored his wife’s to follow the example of the Lord in His attitude to- frustration yet again. Choosing this option allowed ward that person: “Behold, he who has repented To m ’s pride to make him dwell on negative thoughts of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, about his accuser: “What’s her problem? Why can’t she remember them no more” (D&C 58:42). Sometimes just leave me alone?” our inability to forgive and forget perpetuates These types of reactions lead to the third horse- the negativity cycle. Refusing to forgive others man—defensiveness. At this stage, we refuse to acknowl- separates us spiritually from the Savior and edge our part in the problem. We deny responsibility destroys relationships. and make excuses and counteraccusations instead of listening to our spouse’s concerns. We stubbornly pass THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-DISCIPLINE all responsibility for fixing the problem back to our spouse. To apply the Atonement in marriage, we need Defensiveness often escalates to the point where to discipline our thoughts and control any natural the fourth horseman—stonewalling—-enters the pic- tendency to be sharp-tongued or judgmental (see ture. To stonewall is to simply walk away from the Ps. 39:1, Prov. 21:23, James 3:1–5). A good way to problem and cut off all interaction that leads to a do this is to make a list of positive traits about your solution. A problem in a marriage may never be spouse and then commit it to memory. When you find resolvable when one spouse refuses to discuss it. yourself thinking negatively about your spouse, disci- The consequences of allowing the four horsemen pline yourself to remember the good times and the into a marriage can be devastating. The negativity cy- many wonderful traits that attracted you to him or her cle has a predictable train of events. When problems in the first place. Verbalize these compliments to your are not worked through, couples often become so up- spouse often to keep the constructive communication set that constructive discussion is not possible. They ratio high. Consider keeping a journal of positive feel that talking the problems out is useless. Often family experiences and feelings to draw upon when they start to lead parallel lives in which they seldom you’re tempted to rewrite your marital history in a spend any time with each other. All of this brings feel- negative light. If possible, keep a photo album of ings of loneliness and rejection. special occasions.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 25 When you allow pride to lead you into the nega- dark shade upon his path, when, by pursuing a tivity cycle, it is like trying to swim while wearing a proper course of love, obedience, and encourage- diver’s weight belt: it takes all your energy just to ment, he might attain to that perfection she had keep your head above water. Let go of the pride, re- anticipated in him.”4 pent, and unstrap the weight belt of negative feelings The type of pure love and sacrifice suggested by and replace them with positive thoughts. Invite the President Young comes when both husband and wife Holy Spirit to heal and protect your union. Positive are firmly committed to eternal covenants. This presup- thoughts, aided by the Spirit, act like a life vest to poses that there is no abuse in the marriage. As April help keep you afloat so you can use your energy to and Tom returned to the temple seeking help with their stay on course. marriage, they again realized how important their April and Tom used these techniques to redirect covenants with God and each other were. They vowed the course of their marriage. not to allow negativity and darkness into their home and to actively seek that light which could help them COMMITMENT TO OVERCOME grow “brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” They found that breaking the negativity cycle Through commitment to covenants, we can over- freed them to build on the best they could be to- come the marriage-destroying consequences of the gether rather than tearing each other down indi- negativity cycle. President Gordon B. Hinckley has vidually. They renewed the hope found in those counseled: “Every marriage is subject to occasional seemingly endless images they had seen in the stormy weather. But with patience, mutual respect, mirrors of the temple on their wedding day. អ and a spirit of forbearance, we can weather these Terry Baker is a member of the Wasatch Fifth Ward, Salt Lake storms. Where mistakes have been made, there can be Wasatch Stake. apology, repentance, and forgiveness. But there must Gospel topics: marriage, charity, forgiveness, love, compassion 3 be willingness to do so on the part of both parties.” NOTES Nearly a century and a half ago, President 1. See John Gottman, Why Marriages Succeed or Fail (1994), 55–66. Brigham Young explained how true charity can help 2. See Why Marriages Succeed or Fail, 69–102. couples weather marital storms when clouds of nega- 3. “I Believe,” Ensign, Aug. 1992, 5. 4. Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe (1941), 202. tivity threaten. His counsel was addressed to women of the Church, but the principles he taught apply equally to husbands and wives: “Were I a woman possessed of great powers of mind, filled with wisdom, and, upon the whole, a magnanimous woman, and had been privi- leged with my choice, and had married a man, . . . he not answering my expecta- tions, and I being sorry that I had made such a choice, let me show my wisdom by not complaining about it. . . . By seeking to cast off her husband—by withdrawing her confidence and good will from him, she casts a

s one couple returned to the temple seeking helpA with their marriage, they vowed not to allow negativity and darkness into their home and to actively seek that light which could help them grow “brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”

26 Things Learned as a

Mothers share insights gained from experiences with their children.

s parents “ tried to make the flower come out of the “rear their rosebud,” my daughter said, frustrated. children in I loveA and righteous- ness” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102), they not only teach but also learn. In the following article, mothers relate some lessons on patience, love, and perspective they received while fulfilling parental responsibilities.

“LET PATIENCE HAVE HER PERFECT WORK” (JAMES 1:4) One day my four-year-old daughter came crumbled. I couldn’t sleep at night from into the kitchen with a handful of rose petals and worry. What’s wrong? I wondered. Why laid them on the table. I could see she was frus- does she act this way? How will she turn out? MODELS

trated and confused. “What’s wrong?” I asked. Fortunately, I did some study of child development Y “I tried to make the flower come out of the rose- and discovered that my daughter was a normal 11- bud, and it all fell apart!” she said. year-old. This time the lesson on patience was for me: I took her into my arms and explained about pa- love, be firm, but trust and let go. It wasn’t easy, but tience and allowing things to grow in their own way our relationship improved. Before long I saw her be- and time. “Those flowers will bloom when they are coming a confident young woman, and I felt joy. LANA LEISHMAN; POSED B ready,” I said. “Each day stop and just look at them. Patience is one of the most difficult requirements Y Slowly the roses will unfold and be beautiful.” of parenting, yet it is critical to our effectiveness. At a Years later, when she was 11, I found myself impa- fundamental level, patience is trusting God and ac- tiently trying to change her behavior. Our relationship cepting His guidelines for handling the frustrations PHOTOGRAPHY B

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 27 and challenges of life. It may not be easy to patiently 4:19). Feeling His perfect love, we accept Him and allow children the time they need to grow beyond invite Him into our lives, and through Him we re- their weaknesses and immaturity, but if we seek ceive motivation, direction, and strength. So it is with the Lord’s guidance, there is much we can do our children. As we truly accept them, they are more through Christlike love to encourage and nurture likely to accept our role as parents to support, teach, that growth. set wise limits, and provide opportunities that can Accept. Acceptance is taking our children for what give them experience and growth. they are right now, without comparing them to others Allow. We need to allow children to meet the indi- or wishing they didn’t have their particular flaws. vidual challenges and storms of their lives. Making Acceptance is letting go of unrealistic or unfair expec- some mistakes and experiencing consequences is part tations. It is understanding the seasons of our chil- of learning and growing. dren’s lives. In our deep concern we may not want to give our The Savior is our example of patient, accepting children opportunities to pursue endeavors in which love. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 Jn. they might fail. Yet having the freedom to make choices and to use their own talents and insights is the only way they can truly succeed. itting down with my children and really Appreciate. Someone once quipped, “Nothing looking at them, I saw sparkling, happy improves my hearing like praise!” Like spring Sspirits who needed someone to listen. showers on a newly planted garden, noticing our children’s efforts and expressing appreciation nurtures growth. Express gratitude for a job well done, and next time it may be done even better. Express admiration for a talent and watch it flourish. Patiently help a child discover and value the gifts God gave him or her to contribute to this earth, and in time those gifts may blos- som.—Christy Williams, Somerset Ward, Renton Washington North Stake

“LOOK AT YOUR CHILDREN” It seemed there just wasn’t a spare second in my day. Besides attending to my responsibilities as a wife and mother and fulfilling Church callings, I was involved in rehearsals for a major dra- matic production. Nevertheless, I managed to get things done, and my children, familiar with this pat- tern, seemed content. As I quickened my pace one day in order to com- plete remaining household tasks before heading for another rehearsal, the thought crossed my mind, Look at your children. I dismissed it because I had just talked with them and they were fine. The prompting came again. Now, wondering if this was more than my own thought, I did look in on my children. They were still all playing happily on the floor together. I continued my work, and in a few minutes it came again. Really look . . . see. I went into the family room and sat on the couch, and the children scampered over to sit beside me and on my lap. I talked with them, and this time I looked into the eyes of each child. Now I saw more than little mortal bodies that needed clean clothes and a hot supper before their mother left. I saw sparkling, happy

28 spirits who needed to be listened to. Those few pre- cious minutes to stop, to look, and to see made a big difference in my outlook. As my youngest threw his arms around me and said, “I love you too, Mommy,” I saw very clearly that my dramatic role was insignifi- cant compared to my divine role as a mother. After that, whenever I found myself slipping into a rush mode, the memory of this experience would flash into my mind and help me focus on the deeper, eternal images and potential of my children. I am grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who taught me that looking is not necessarily see- ing and that we need to rely on more than just our eyes to per- ceive the worth of each soul.—Kaye Powell, Manhat- tan First Ward, Salina Kansas Stake network of ice doilies adorned the “I WANT window pane in my son’s room. “Look!” DADDY!” heA said to me. “There’s ice on the inside of the When my daughter, Jennifer, window. How did it get there?” was two years old, after I had disciplined her or hurt her feelings in one way or another she would often cry, “I want Daddy!” One day as she cried “I want Daddy!” over and I repeated an octave higher, “Adrian, what’s the over again, I explained to her that Daddy was at matter?” work. As she cried harder and harder for him, I be- Adrian turned his shining brown eyes toward me. came more frustrated and angry. Then, without “Look! There’s ice on the inside of the window. How prompting, she suddenly began to cry instead, “I did it get there?” want Mommy!” My first reaction was irritation. He had scared me. I realized then that she had only wanted to be But before a reprimand could escape my lips, I too loved. I thought about how many times her cries for noticed the intricate swirls of frost decorating the her daddy had really been cries for a more loving glass. Shown in relief by the pale dawn, a network of mommy. I took her into my arms and loved her, ice doilies adorned the entire pane. thankful for the lesson she had taught me that day. This winter was the coldest of my young son’s life. —Trudy Roberts, Woodruff Third Ward, Idaho Falls Below-zero temperatures had created a wonder he Idaho Ammon West Stake had never seen. Fear-induced anxiety evaporated as I cuddled my ICE DOILIES warm child. The precious time we shared studying lacy ice patterns was more satisfying than a few min- “Mom! I need you! Hurry!” utes of extra rest. I would have the chance to sleep Adrian’s frantic cry jolted me from my slumber. again, but I could never recapture this glowing mo- Heart pounding, I tumbled out of bed and dashed ment of wide-eyed wonder that my curious three- into his room. year-old invited me to share with him.—Sara Kuester, “What’s the matter?” I croaked in my just- Brigham City 18th Ward, Brigham City Utah West awakened voice, not sure what I might find. Stake អ My three-year-old son stood on top of his toy Gospel topics: motherhood, children, parenting, patience, love, box, looking out the window. perspective

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 29 Capsized!Capsized

As I looked out over the expanse of white-capped waves, I knew our lives were out of our hands. Only the Master of the seas could save us now.

B Y M ICHAEL R. JOHNSON

hen Frank, an elderly friend in our ward, in- vited me and my two youngW sons on a day-long fishing trip on his 19-foot boat, I jumped at the chance. I’d been itching to take seven-year-old Trevor and nine-year-old Darion on a fishing adventure for halibut and salmon, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. We left the boat dock in Kenai, Alaska, at 4:30 A.M. for a 100-mile trip across the pristine, frigid wa- ters of Cook Inlet. The previous two days had been warm and beautiful, but the water of Cook Inlet remained just above freezing. Around 8:45 A.M. the waters started to get a little rough, with four- to five-foot swells. We had covered about half the trip when the waves became even larger, so Frank and I decided to head west for shelter toward Chizick Island. We had gone west only 15 min- utes when the engine suddenly sputtered and died. Seeing the oil

30 light on, Frank filled the oil reservoir. The engine coordination when it took me four attempts to get started but died again after 20 seconds. By now we my foot on the railing to pull myself up. The boys lay were aware of the excessive water gathering on the down on their stomachs and I lay on top of them, try- deck of the boat. Frank tried the motor again, but ing to keep them warm. Every third or fourth wave now there was no response. would splash over us, nearly knocking us off. I knew then that we were in serious trouble. I gave This was the first chance we’d had to speak and Darion a bucket and told him to start bailing water. rest. We prayed and asked Father in Heaven for help. The boys were already wearing life preservers; I put As I looked out over the ocean and saw the endless ex- mine on and threw another to Frank. Both boys started panse of white-capped waves and gray skies, I knew to cry for their mother. Frank called a mayday on the our lives were out of our hands. Only the Master of radio several times before he got a response. He said the seas could save us now; we could only wait. our location was five miles south of Chizick Island. Soon we heard the sound of an airplane coming “Five miles to the east of the island!” I yelled, but it from the west. Filled with hope, I rose to wave. But was too late. I saw Frank grab Trevor’s hand as the the searchers did not see us and passed by. I felt some boat flipped over. In an instant, everything was cold comfort knowing they were looking for us, but the res- and dark. cuers would be looking in the wrong place since we I looked up through turquoise water and saw the had given the wrong location during our mayday call. silhouette of the boat as heavy gear entangled in my I continued to pray in my heart, but the hull life jacket pulled me downward. As I continued to was slowly getting lower in the water. My sons sink, the pressure in my ears was painful and I be- had stopped crying and shivering now and were came desperate for air. Somehow I managed to pull lying limply against the boat. I lifted Trevor’s face. myself free and swim to the surface. His lips were blue, his eyes glassy, and his skin color- I was only 20 feet from the boat, but it took me less. He said he wanted to go to sleep. He seemed two minutes to swim back against the current. I to be dying. Darion was in only slightly better condi- found Darion clinging to a trailing rope from the tion. I saw that Frank’s lips were also turning blue. boat, screaming for me and Trevor as the waves I, too, had stopped shivering and felt completely pounded him. Frank had managed to climb the rail- numb. I hugged my boys close, savoring my last ing on the bow of the boat to the surface, but he had moments with them. I pictured my wife and tried been hit on the head when the boat flipped and had through my thoughts to send her a message that lost hold of Trevor. I felt a horrid sinking feeling when I loved her. he looked at me and said, “Trevor’s not up yet.” The next little while was all a blur, but somehow Desperate to find my son, I swam over to the hull I slowly became conscious of a small black speck on and yelled for him, hoping he had come up on the the horizon. The speck continued to grow larger, and other side. There was no answer. within minutes I saw a ship near our boat launch a I was reaching beneath the surface for the boat’s small inflatable raft. Soon there were two men next to railing, trying to pull myself under the boat to look the hull helping us into the raft. Once again I felt an for Trevor, when I felt a small hand against mine. I overwhelming feeling of thankfulness; the Lord had pulled my son’s small body deeper to clear the rail- saved our lives. ing, then pulled him up to the surface. I expected to The ship’s crew pulled us on board and placed us see him lifeless, but to my amazement his eyes looked in warm beds while they treated us for hypothermia. into mine and he didn’t even gasp for air. I felt an Within two hours we were all nearly recovered. overwhelming feeling of thankfulness; I knew Trevor Later, I spoke with the captain of the vessel in the had been protected. He’d been sucked into the cabin pilot room. He informed me that quite a number of as the boat capsized, then pulled the doors open and boats had responded to the mayday call, but every- swam out. Unable to pull himself deep enough to one had gone south of the island to look for us. He clear the railing, he’d been trapped against the deck said he was also heading south when he felt some- until I freed him. thing tell him to head east. He even felt impressed I told Trevor to hold onto my life preserver and to go to certain coordinates. not let go. I tried to hang on to the hull, but larger I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who hears waves kept washing us away from the boat. Fearing our prayers. I am thankful for a God who inspires we’d be lost at sea, I desperately struggled to get back through a still, small voice and for a sea captain who

WLOR to the boat each time a wave swept us away. I knew I listened. And I am grateful for the lives of my chil- could not keep this up for long. dren and for every day I have to spend with them

SAM LA អ Y I felt myself beginning to suffer from hypother- and my wife.

TED B mia. The boys were shivering uncontrollably. Frank Michael R. Johnson is a member of the Kenai Ward, Soldotna Alaska Stake.

USTRA suggested we put them up on the hull. He helped

ILL me pull the boys up. I realized I was losing muscle Gospel topics: prayer, faith, spiritual promptings, gratitude

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 31 n effective gospel teacher helps class Amembers participate meaningfully in the les- son. Such participation enables students to teach and edify each other.

32 TT REIER MA Y PHOTOGRAPHY B INCREASING PARTICIPATION IN LESSONS

B Y J ONN D. CLAYBAUGH AND A MBER B ARLOW D AHL

When class members get involved, effective teaching can happen.

stake leader had been assigned to teach the WHAT IS EFFECTIVE GOSPEL TEACHING? elders quorum lesson in ward conference. He The role of a gospel teacher is “to help individuals had obviously spent a good deal of time and take responsibility for learning the gospel—to awaken effortA in preparing, and he spoke with sincerity. But in them the desire to study, understand, and live some quorum members were inattentive, some fidget- the gospel and to show them how to do so. . . . The ing restlessly. Why? Was it because the teacher did all learning has to be done by the pupil. Therefore it the talking? After the closing prayer the teacher felt is the pupil who has to be put into action (Teaching, uncomfortable. As he thought about his lesson, he No Greater Call [1999], 61). realized that instead of teaching effectively, he had Successful teachers focus less on imparting what just given a very long talk. they know and focus more on helping class mem- Teaching that is nourishing to the soul uplifts others, bers gain and develop their own desires for seeking builds their faith, and gives them confidence to meet knowledge and inspiration. At home and in Church life’s challenges. It motivates them to forsake sin and classrooms we are often ineffective when we stand in to come unto Christ, call on His name, obey His com- front of students and try to “pour” knowledge and mandments, and abide in His love (see D&C 93:1; John growth into others. Speakers in sacrament meetings 15:10; Moro. 10:32). We all want to be a part of effective and conferences and other more formal settings ad- teaching, but how can we accomplish this? By doing dress the congregation and most often do not invite certain things and avoiding others, teachers in the participation. But in classrooms, it is better to follow home and the Church can produce greater interest, par- the model established by the Lord’s instructions for ticipation, actual learning, spiritual edification, and in- the School of the Prophets: “Appoint among your- creased understanding in the lives of those they teach. selves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his Twelve Apostles recently emphasized the importance of sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified effective teaching: “Now, at a time when our prophet of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege” is calling for more faith through hearing the word of (D&C 88:122; emphasis added). God, we must revitalize and reenthrone superior An effective gospel teacher helps “class members teaching in the Church” (“‘A Teacher Come from participate meaningfully in the lesson. Such partici- God,’” Ensign, May 1998, 25). pation enables students to teach and edify each other.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 33 It also can invite the Spirit into the class. It enhances of promoting participation. In many lessons, students learning by making class members active rather than can speak 40 to 60 percent of the time. This approach passive participants. It will also help them apply and helps teachers avoid becoming lecturers or the only dis- live gospel principles. pensers of information. Instead, teachers can be facilita- “Teachers should help class members feel comfort- tors—helping students learn from the scriptures, from able sharing their testimonies, insights, experiences, other students, and from the Spirit. Of course, teachers questions, and ideas” (“Gospel Teaching and Leader- may introduce the lesson and help lay some ground- ship,” in Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2: work and, at the end of the class, clarify and summarize Priesthood and Auxiliary Leader [1998], 303). the doctrine taught. However, they should also be care- One teacher was asked to teach a Sunday School ful not to take a great deal of time doing this. lesson on Doctrine and Covenants 135–37. He care- fully prepared questions and discussion ideas that re- lated to each of the three sections. However, in class he was only able to teach section 135 and did not use his other lesson material. The class became involved in wonderful discussions that revolved around prin- ciples in section 135. Numerous class members shared personal ideas and feelings, and the class time quickly ran out. The teacher was initially a little frustrated, but the many comments by class members afterward helped him realize that spending the class time on one section had been guided by the Spirit. The in- sights, experiences, and testimonies shared by so many were what had made the lesson so successful. Instead of “highlighting” three sections of scripture on that day, his class had gone deeply into one. Testimonies were strengthened, lives were touched, and all had been edified. “Teachers should be careful not to end a good discussion prematurely in an attempt to cover all the material they have prepared. What matters most is not the amount of material covered but that class members feel the influence of the Spirit, increase their understanding of the gospel, learn to apply gospel princi- ples in their lives, and strengthen their commitment to live the gospel” (“Gospel Teaching and Leadership,” Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2, 304). As we strive to increase student participation in our lessons, we may want to consider the follow- ing three suggestions: (1) talk less, (2) use teaching methods that promote student participa- tion, and (3) provide positive feedback.

TALK LESS Teachers who speak 90 percent of class time are probably talking too much. Of course, teachers need to give explanations, instructions, examples, stories, testimonies, and so forth, but their speaking should be a planned part

34 PARTICIPATION LEADS “Lessons should help class mem- TO GROWTH “Involve as many people as pos- bers see how gospel principles sible during the instruction period apply to daily living. Encourage “The more by inviting them to read aloud, discussions about how these princi- answer questions, or share experi- ples can influence our feelings class members ences” (Teachings of Presidents of the about our Father in Heaven, Jesus read their Church: Brigham Young [1997], vi). Christ, ourselves, our families, and scriptural our neighbors. Invite participants USE METHODS THAT PROMOTE to live according to the principles assignments, being taught. the more they bring their PARTICIPATION scriptures to class, and the Teachers or parents could begin a lesson by reading (or having a more they discuss what the class member read) a few of the gospel actually means in their scripture verses or quotes from the lives, the more will be their lesson material and then asking questions that elicit meaningful inspiration, growth, and joy as responses. Questions that only re- they try to solve their personal quire a “yes” or “no” answer, ques- tions that most class members know concerns and challenges.” the answer to, and questions that Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Teaching by require students to guess what the the Spirit,” Ensign, Jan. 1989, 15. teacher is thinking will usually not encourage participation and mean- ingful responses. Rather, ask questions such as: • What do these verses mean to you? • How can we apply this in our lives today? • What did the Lord teach in verses . . . about . . . ? • What gospel principles do you see in verses . . . ? • How does . . . help you understand . . . ? • What important things do you see in verses . . . ? • What is another way to say . . . ? • What would you underline or mark in these verses? Why? • How would you say this in your own words? • Can someone summarize what has been said? • What are some conclusions we can draw from this? • What comments or feelings do you have about this? • Would anyone like to tell about an experience that illustrates this principle? • Do any of you have a testimony or an experience of this that you would be willing to share? Here are some examples of some questions for teaching 1 Nephi 16: • How did each of the members of Lehi’s family feel when Nephi broke his bow? • In 1 Nephi 16, which verses indicate Nephi’s feelings? • Have any of you ever had an experience when something went wrong and you were not sure how to solve it? Would anyone like to tell us about it? • Can any of you tell an experience when a challenge or affliction helped you learn and grow spiritually? • Which verse in this chapter do you like the best? Why? Teachers need to give students time to think about and respond to their questions or invitations

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 35 to participate. A brief period of silence TEACH STUDENTS, • How did you come to feel that is appropriate and should be ex- NOT JUST LESSONS way? pected. A teacher could let class mem- If a class member states some- bers know that the moment of silence “A gospel thing that is inappropriate or incor- is welcome by saying something like, teacher does rect, you might want to say: “I know you need to think about it for not focus • Thank you. The principle I a few seconds, so when one of you is want you to think about is. . . . ready to respond, go ahead and raise on himself • I’ve heard that too, yet my your hand.” If the teacher is comfort- or herself. understanding is. . . . able with the silence, the class mem- One who understands that Teachers sometimes have one bers will be also. Teachers should not or two class members who seem pressure class members to tell about principle will not look upon always willing to answer questions personal experiences or feelings if his or her calling as ‘giving or or make comments. Be grateful for they do not freely volunteer. Some ex- presenting a lesson,’ because their willingness to participate. periences may be too sacred to share. President Howard W. Hunter, how- that definition views teaching ever, suggested: “Do not fall into PROVIDE POSITIVE FEEDBACK from the standpoint of the the trap that some of us fall into by calling on the ones who are always Teachers “can help those [they] teacher, not the student.” so bright and eager and ready with Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Gospel Teaching,” teach feel more confident about their Ensign, Nov. 1999, 79. the right answer. Look and probe ability to participate in a discussion if for those who are hanging back, [the teacher] responds positively to who are shy and retiring and per- each sincere comment” (Teaching, No Greater Call, 64). haps troubled in spirit” (Eternal Investments, address to Teachers should not ridicule or criticize any questions, Church Educational System instructors, 10 Feb. 1989, comments, expression of feelings, experiences, or testi- 4). Teachers should not, however, pressure or force monies. Teachers should show courtesy and love and participation from students who, for whatever reason, do their best to encourage helpful participation. prefer not to respond, and teachers should not embar- Teachers can help students feel that their contributions rass or make class members uncomfortable while at- are valued and that their participation is important, tempting to involve everyone. even if sometimes they must kindly clarify doctrinal misunderstandings. Teachers should keep in mind that THE JOY OF BEING PART OF GOSPEL TEACHING students are taking emotional and spiritual risks when sharing personal insights. They will hesitate to share Teachers can gain great satisfaction from observing again if they do not receive positive feedback. class members as they discover and express truths Teachers should not be overly concerned if a stu- and principles of the gospel for themselves. As truths dent’s comment seems to be taking the lesson in a di- of the gospel sink deeper into the hearts and minds rection that was not intended. Remember the teacher’s of class members, teachers are often surprised to find role is to help students learn. Teachers should have the that insights from class members may be more pro- Spirit with them and follow its promptings. If a com- found than their own. Effective gospel teachers are ment is not helpful to the proper progression of the humble, willing to give up the “spotlight” and let class lesson, the teacher may want to simply respond posi- members have an important role. Sister Virginia H. tively to what has been said, introduce a new topic, Pearce, who served as first counselor in the Young and then ask again for participation. Some examples Women general presidency, said: “The skilled teacher of ways to respond to class members’ comments are: does not want students who leave the class talking • Thank you for that comment. about how magnificent and unusual the teacher is. • I like the way you put that! This teacher wants students who leave talking about • I think you said it well. how magnificent the gospel is!” (“The Ordinary • Let’s write that on the board; it is so insightful. Classroom—a Powerful Place for Steady and • Did the rest of you hear that? Please say it again. Continued Growth,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 12). • Thank you for sharing your feelings. The gospel of Jesus Christ truly is magnificent, and • What a wonderful testimony you have shared! we can strive to match its magnificence with the kind Teachers may also want to respond to comments of teaching that uses the knowledge, feelings, ideas, in ways that encourage more participation by saying: experiences, and testimonies of all class members, • That is a good question. Who would like to re- “that all may be edified of all.” អ spond to it? Jonn D. Claybaugh is president of the Costa Rica San José Mission. Amber • That’s interesting. Please explain more of what Barlow Dahl is a member of the Centennial Ward, Eagle Idaho Stake. you mean. Gospel topics: teaching, student participation

36 hen I was called to teach the five-year-olds in Primary, I wondered, Why me? I was aW busy newlywed and a full-time student about to begin student teach- ing 170 eighth-graders. Nevertheless, the following Sunday I showed up “I Love You, with my manual and accomplished my first day. I shared the lesson material with 12 fidgety but atten- tive children. We talked about peo- Sister ple who loved them, and at the end of the lesson I felt I should say I loved them even though I hardly knew them. Yet as I spoke, I sensed Libby” that perhaps they didn’t believe B Y K ATIE A. LIBBY me yet. As the Sundays came and went, however, we learned more about each other. The children would wave at me dur- ing sacrament meeting and compete to sit by me during sharing time. It wasn’t long be- fore I looked forward to Primary. I came more prepared, and the rela- tionship I had with my class was refreshing. One Sunday after- noon I opened my door and found Rebecca, one of the children I taught in Primary, standing there with her brother. She gave me a hug and handed me an envelope. I pulled out a pink, slightly crinkled slip of paper and read the purple-crayoned words “I love you, Sister Libby.” I felt

MODELS tears begin to form, Y and I knew then

; POSED B that our lesson on love was finally អ TT REIER complete. MA Y Katie A. Libby is a member of the Oak Grove First

PHOTO B Ward, California Walnut Creek Stake. Gospel topics: love, Primary, teaching

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 37 Helping Others,

Throughout the history of the restored Church,Helping Latter-day Saints have sought to live the principles of welfare and humanitarian service.

atter-day Saint practices in helping others are grounded in the teachings and exam- pleL of the Lord Jesus Christ. “In- asmuch as you impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me,” He has said (D&C 42:31). In announcing the welfare program of 1936, the First Presidency said, “Our primary purpose was to set up, in so far as it might be possible, a system un- der which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and in- dependence, industry, thrift and self respect be once more estab- lished amongst our people. The aim of the Church is to help the people to help themselves” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1936, 3). When President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor in the First Presidency, was a young bishop in a Salt Lake City ward with an unusually high number of widows, he spoke with President J. Reuben Clark, who had been a principal architect of the welfare

CRAIG DIMOND program. Knowing that President Y Monson was a newly appointed bishop, President Clark empha- sized the need for the bishop to

PHOTOGRAPHY B know his people, to understand

38 The stove at the left of this picture was used by Clara Spencer of Kanab, Utah, a widowed mother of eight, to provide for the needs of her family. Latter-day Saints know there is dignity in work and view it as a blessing. Above inset: As this photograph from the 1890s shows, when deacons collected fast offerings, some used wagons as they gathered commodities for the needy.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 39 ADMINISTER TO THEIR RELIEF “Now for a man to consecrate his property . . . to the Lord, is nothing more nor less than to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the widow and fatherless, the sick and afflicted, and do all he can to administer to their relief in their afflictions, and for him and his house to serve the Lord.” Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith (1976), 127. EARL JONES Y AINTING B P

their circumstances, and to minister to their needs. Then President Clark recounted the story recorded in the Gospel of Luke wherein the Savior raised from the dead the son of the widow of Nain (see Luke 7:11–17). President Monson tenderly recounts Top: This sewing machine was used for 53 years by what happened next: “When President Rachel Ivins Grant, mother of President Heber J. Clark closed the Bible, I noticed that he was Grant, to support her family after her husband died. weeping. In a quiet voice, he said, ‘Tom, be President Grant remembers how he sat underneath kind to the widow and look after the poor” the sewing machine as a boy and ran the pedal for his mother when she was too tired to keep it going (“A Provident Plan—A Precious Promise,” herself. Upper right: This painting of Latter-day Ensign, May 1986, 62). Saints baking apple pies on a work project captures Shown are images from a Museum of the spirit of welfare work as all work together for Church History and Art exhibit that traced the common good. Above: Labels are glued onto cans as they roll through this machine and come out the the history of various Church programs de- other end ready for boxing. signed to provide for those in need and to teach us to become self-reliant. អ 40 Above: These products represent the large variety of food and household items the Church has provided to those in need over the years. The baseball caps belonged to Ralph Taylor of the Salt Lake Pioneer Stake, who wore them during the 50 years he volunteered at the dairy. Bottom: In the fall of 1939, Deseret Industries began using trucks like this to transport goods.

Above: One Sunday each month, while a World War II prisoner of war, Dutch Latter- day Saint Pieter Vlam and those who shared his beliefs went without two meals and shared some of their rations (above left) with other mem- bers of the camp.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 41 Left: Dutch farms were destroyed during World War II by German armies. After the war, when Dutch Latter-day Saints began to grow enough food for their own use, the Church requested that they send potatoes and herring to German members living in worse conditions. This required the Dutch to put aside their feelings of hurt and injury and to think about those with whom they had been at war. Below left: Not all help is institutional. Individuals such as Dr. Emanuel Kissi of Accra, Ghana, make a difference with projects they start. Below: Each year more than 60 million refugees flee from political violence or natural disasters. Emergency relief blankets made by the Church are sent worldwide. Because their wool fibers have been boiled and are tightly compacted together, the blankets provide great warmth.

42 JUDITH MEHR Y AINTING B P

The gardening clothes of Presi- dent Spencer W. Kimball’s wife, Camilla (top left), and the paint- ing of a family working in their garden (top right) remind us that gardening helps us become self- reliant. Above: Some of the clothes donated to Deseret Industries are bundled and sent to others in need worldwide. Right: This pump was developed by the Andean Children’s Foundation in conjunction with the Church’s Humanitarian Services. Inexpensive pumps like this are now in operation high in the Andes, providing precious water for many families. Far right: A few of the many Deseret brand products packaged over the years for use by those in need.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 43 LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES

followed a row of huge power Sand Trap lines. Leaving a cloud of dust be- By Gary M. Johnson hind us, the car whistled down the old road, and to my 13-year- ne Saturday morning old mind this was all great fun. many years ago, my Enjoying the ride, none of us brothers and sisters and children noticed the troubled look OI scurried around the house, do- that came to Dad’s face. But my ing our chores early. We were ex- mother knew something was cited because Dad had promised wrong. “What is it, Anthony?” to take the family for a ride in she asked. the five-year-old station wagon “Well,” he answered, “it’s prob- he had recently bought. We had ably nothing, but that sand out wanted him to get a newer vehi- there looks treacherous. We had cle, but he said a newer car would better head back.” With that, he be too expensive. Besides, he said, found a wide spot on top of a little the one we bought was heavier hill and turned the car around. and would be safer in an accident. We started back down the That was an important factor for small incline and headed up the Mom, who had recently been in a next little hill—and then it hap- terrible head-on collision and had pened. The car sank in soft sand. almost died. Several of us got out and pushed Once we had finished prepar- as hard as we could, but it would ing everything, we all piled into not move forward. We managed the car—Mom, Dad, and seven to back it up onto some solid children, including my baby ground so that Dad could get a brother. Since we were only go- run at the sandy area and try to ing out for a Saturday-afternoon drive through it. His repeated at- drive, we didn’t pack a lunch or tempts at this failed, however, es- take anything to drink. pecially since he had to be careful We made our way out to the not to back up too far into another highway and headed north. sandy place. Each attempt moved Being early fall in Needles, Cali- the car a little ahead, but then it fornia, it was hot, and this was would sink even deeper into the before cars had air-conditioning. soft, powdery sand. The vista around us was the bleak, The girls started to cry now. open desert, with scattered plants, “We’re thirsty, Mom.” As the hot an occasional outcropping of rock afternoon sun beat down, we or a telephone pole, and the low- could see heat waves coming up level mountain ranges on the hori- off the sand, distorting the view zon. Despite the heat and barren of the mountains on the horizon. scenery, we were content to be on Then off in the distance we a fun family outing. heard a faint sound coming The mood of contentment was toward us. The drone of a single- broken, however, by an apprehen- engine aircraft grew louder and sive whimper from my mother. louder as it approached our posi- The memory of her accident was tion. “Oh, we are saved!” I cried

ALL still fresh, and the sight of oncom- as I saw the airplane coming. ing cars frightened her terribly. “Let’s all wave him down!” BRIAN C

Y Dad decided that for her sake he Frantically we waved our arms.

TED B had to get off the highway. “Here This was the airplane that in- we are,” he said in a cheery voice spected the power lines, and the USTRA

ILL as he turned onto a dirt road that pilot flew so low that we could

44 see him leaning out the window. He was returning, with a vigorous wave of his own, what he must have thought was a greeting from us. As the plane flew off into the distance and the sound of its en- gine faded softly away, we knew we were on our own again. The situation was growing des- perate. We had no food or water, my mother was struggling with a now hysterical infant, the four girls were crying, and even my brother and I began to doubt our chances of getting home safely. Dad called us together and said, “We have only one thing left to do. Let’s ask Heavenly Father for help.” We all knelt down in the burning sand and bowed our heads as Dad poured out his heart in behalf of the entire family. He explained our situation in detail to the Lord, including all of the things we had done to free ourselves, and then he pleaded for help. After the prayer we stood, and Dad said, “Let’s try it one more time.” He had all of us stay out of the car while he backed it up to make one more run. The engine roared as Dad took off as fast as he could. The car hit the sand, but this time it kept going as if it were floating. Dad drove to the top of the next hill and stopped on solid, rocky ground. We all cheered and ran toward the car. When we reached it, Dad was still sitting at pparently the wheel, shaking and sobbing, thinking something I had never seen him A do before. When we asked him our frantic what the matter was, he looked up waves for help and said that it seemed to him as if were simply the car had been lifted and carried a greeting, the over the sand by an unseen power. pilot flew off. It was a quiet ride home as the bright orange colors of the setting sun shone in the western sky. No one spoke, as if not to disturb the reverent feeling that lingered among us in the car. While I rec- ognize that answers to prayers

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 45 come in various forms and are able to meet the expenses from our possessions. At the same time, not always dramatic, I am grate- savings, but then, two weeks later, Mexico underwent a serious cur- ful to Heavenly Father for the my husband lost his job. With no rency devaluation, which added blessings of that day. អ income, we had to move from our greatly to our financial distress. Gary M. Johnson is a member of the Needles house. Credit card bills, car pay- My husband was emotionally Ward, Lake Havasu City Arizona Stake. ments, and rent were strangling us. and physically exhausted, so I got Gospel topics: prayer, faith, trials, family, Eventually, my husband be- a job as a teacher in a bilingual el- fatherhood gan to work nights as a taxi driver. ementary school. The work was Frequently his expenses exceeded hard, the salary small, and I had his profits, but his work did bring to leave my little ones in the care a little food to the table. Then the of a Church member. To save In the Palm car broke down, and even that money, we moved to a cheaper little source of income ended. place in a poorer section of town. of His Hand We sold or pawned many of our As I struggled to go to work, By Emma Ernestina Sánchez planted corn near the Sánchez sidewalk, then received Ipermission to plant a garden he first few years of our mar- on property belonging to riage seemed nearly perfect. friends. After my husband and I Twere sealed in the Mexico City D. F. Mexico Temple, we both grad- uated from the university and our first daughter was born. My hus- band had a good job and was called as bishop in our ward. Then we were able to move to Jalisco, a part of Mexico where my grandparents had lived. We had always dreamed of rearing our children in a peaceful place, and Jalisco met the desires of our hearts. Our way of life, however, would soon change dramatically. In Jalisco, our second daughter was born. Unfor- tunately, I suffered severe complica- tions after her birth. We were

46 LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES

care for the family, keep up the produced an abundance of food, house, and participate at church, including squash and alfalfa. Their Service I became very depressed. One The hard work—and the food terrible night I was so distressed I was able to store—tamed my I had to be hospitalized. After giv- fear and filled me with hope. As Opened ing me a sedative, the doctor told my attitude changed, I was able me, “You’re drowning yourself to see the hand of the Lord in in your problems. That’s for cow- our lives. We were blessed with Our Hearts By Judith A. Wilkinson ards, and I don’t think that is good health; none of us even what you are. Think about it.” had a cold. Never, even in the Her words resounded in my most difficult times, did we stop hen we first really be- mind, and I closed my eyes, feeding the missionaries. The came acquainted with searching for something to give children always had food, and the Church, the winter me courage. I reviewed my life. we had plenty of invitations to hadW arrived early in New England Yes, all our material possessions are eat with friends. One day I was and covered everything with a gone, I told myself, but I am still finally able to buy a second cyl- sheet of ice and snow. We had alive, and I have a wonderful hus- inder of propane for our stove. been living in Watertown, a sub- band and two precious daughters. Immediately the contents of urb of Boston, Massachusetts, I remembered I had not been the previous cylinder ran out. for almost a year and a half. My born to accumulate goods or to Typically, a cylinder lasts a month husband, Richard, would soon be live in tranquillity. I had come to and a half, but this one had lasted finishing his postdoctoral work serve my family and others and for months. and had gone to Colorado for a to build the kingdom of God. Out of our trials we learned job interview. When I returned home, I some important lessons. We Our children, Mike, Mark, prayed as never before. I pleaded learned to value the counsel of Misty, and 11-month-old Michelle, with my Heavenly Father to our leaders. We learned to re- were helping me clean the play- strengthen me. I spoke with my ceive; it is good to serve, but it room when suddenly little bishop, and he told me, “The is also important to let others Michelle began to vomit violently. Lord will remove from your path serve you. Both my husband and I was afraid she might have eaten that which is hurting you.” The I were able to get additional job something toxic among the toys. following day I learned that I had training without paying for it. Moments earlier she had been been fired from my job without My beloved in-laws were always happily playing, but now she was any explanation. The same day, conscious of our needs, and I obviously very ill. Within minutes I learned I had been granted found in my mother-in-law a she had become listless. Her tem- a scholarship to further my great friend. perature was rising rapidly, soon education. And our marriage grew and reaching 105°F (40.6°C). While One morning, the telephone, was strengthened. One night my my sons sponged her with cool which had not worked for months, husband took me into his arms water, I called the doctor, who rang to bring the news that my hus- and said, “I don’t care if they put told me to take her to the hospital band had received a teaching job. us out on the street. If you are by emergency room immediately. The phone immediately stopped my side, I will have the courage The streets were icy and nar- working again, but it didn’t matter. to start all over again.” row, and I was not sure of the My husband had work! Perhaps most importantly, we way. When at last I saw the hospi- As never before, welfare and came to see things from an eter- tal, I felt a wave of relief. The doc- self-reliance principles took hold nal point of view. We came to tor’s diagnosis was the flu, and in our home. I learned to process understand that both in good he prescribed some medication wheat and soybeans for storage. times and bad, God shelters us to control the fever. I felt strongly I planted corn near the sidewalk, in the palm of His hand. អ that her illness was more serious, then received permission to plant Emma Ernestina Sánchez Sánchez is but the doctor seemed sure she a garden on property belonging a member of the Las Aguilas Ward, would be fine. I took Michelle to friends. God blessed our lit- Guadalajara Mexico Moctezuma Stake. home, but never before with my tle garden, which was barely Gospel topics: adversity, faith, home children’s illnesses had I felt so a square meter of ground. It production and storage uneasy. That night I moved

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 47 Michelle’s bed into my room. was supposed to be. I did not day, we got to hold Michelle in our Every two hours I checked her know what Michelle’s fate would arms. Even more than on the day temperature, which remained un- be, but I knew things would be as she was born, we knew the Lord der control, but I spent most of they should be, and I felt at peace. had entrusted us with her care. the night watching her breathe. That afternoon Richard arrived. This experience prompted In the morning when I looked at As the doctor confirmed Michelle’s us to begin investigating the my baby, she was gray, weak, and diagnosis of spinal meningitis, Church. It did not happen swiftly, listless. I felt afraid and desperate. Richard’s face showed all the fear but over the next several years, Though it had stormed all and desperation I had felt earlier. each time we moved we met new night and the roads were treach- The doctor told us Michelle’s and wonderful members of the erous, I tried to block out every- chance of surviving the next three Church, and our interest and in- thing other than getting Michelle days was remote. Then he ex- vestigation continued. The seed to the hospital. When we arrived, plained that if she were to survive, planted in our hearts by the Relief Michelle was rushed into an she would most likely be deaf, Society sisters in Watertown was examination room. Cloudy fluid blind, or brain damaged. I felt nourished by the examples of obtained from a spinal tap indi- strongly that if she didn’t know we many loving members. Today cated a strong possibility of were there, if we didn’t touch her, Michelle is a perfectly healthy spinal meningitis. From the she would drift away forever. and intelligent woman. She re- waiting room, I called Richard Child care for our other chil- cently gave birth to her second in Colorado, and he said he dren became a major problem. I child, and we are all members of would be on the first plane back belonged to a baby-sitting co-op, Christ’s true Church. អ to Boston. but no one would risk taking care Judith A. Wilkinson is a member of the Michelle was transferred to of our children. Michelle’s lab re- Ashington Branch, Sunderland England intensive care. By this time it sults showed the type of meningi- Stake. must have been near noon, but tis she had was not contagious, but Gospel topics: service, fellowshipping, example, prayer, conversion it was still dark, cold, and stormy it made no difference. At first even outside. I sat alone in a room, the school refused to allow our waiting until I could see Michelle. boys to attend. There were, how- I watched the snow hit the win- ever, two couples who came to our dow and felt cold, alone, and aid; one couple, the Romrells, were helpless. I tried to pray, but the members of The Church of Jesus memorized prayers I had been Christ of Latter-day Saints. taught felt so empty. They did The Romrells apparently told not express my feelings. I then their Relief Society of our problem. prayed as I had never prayed The Relief Society president and before. I prayed to my Heavenly others from the Watertown Ward Father as if I were kneeling before brought us food and provided Him. I prayed about my feelings child care so we could spend time and my hopes. I prayed for His with Michelle. These people we help. had never met helped us when At last I was allowed to see we so desperately needed it. Michelle. She seemed even grayer Michelle survived those criti- than she had earlier, and she lay cal three days and slowly grew so still. Monitoring equipment stronger. Richard’s mother was and IV tubes were attached all able to come from California to over her small body. To even find help look after our children. If dur- a place to touch her was difficult. ing those first three days we had The day remained dark, but as I not had the help from members of sat near her bed the clouds briefly the Church, I don’t know how we parted and a ray of light fell across would have managed. Michelle her bed and filled the room. I felt celebrated her first birthday in warm and comforted. I was filled the hospital, but Richard and I re- with a sense that all would be as it ceived the greatest gift. On that

48 LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES

y motorcycle was my idol untilM a friend introduced me and my family to the gospel.

my motorcycle was my idol. children. We hold family home Giving Up My That all changed when a evening, and we pray and serve former classmate, Jaime Rivera the Lord as a family. Gómez, introduced me to the Three months after becoming Graven Image Church. I will be eternally grate- members of the Church, we trav- By Manuel J. Rosario ful to Jaime and to the missionar- eled to the Washington D.C. Tem- ies for their teachings, patience, ple and were baptized for some of used to have a 1978 Harley- and genuine love. My wife and I our ancestors. Our second visit to Davidson motorcycle. I had in- were baptized on 31 March 1996. the temple was in July 1997. There vested a huge sum of money in Finding the gospel of Jesus we received our endowments, Iit and was indescribably proud of Christ changed our lives com- were sealed, and performed sacred it. It was everything to me. Every pletely. I immediately sold my mo- ordinances for our loved ones. Sunday I joined a group of friends torcycle for much less money than I know God loves me, and I in our native city of Patillas, Puerto I had invested in it. But the sacri- am striving each day to become Rico, and we rode our motorbikes fice was worth it. As I changed my more like Him. អ around the island. We forgot all life, Heavenly Father—the only Manuel J. Rosario is a member of the Arroyo our problems, our families, God— true God—poured out blessings Branch, Guayama Puerto Rico District. everything—for a brief period of on me. Now I am happy. My home Gospel topics: conversion, repentance, pleasure on those bikes. In essence, is happy. I love my wife and my Ten Commandments

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 49 CAREFULLY SCHOOLED IN THE FIRST PRINCIPLES ORDINANCES &R Young Joseph Smith gained understanding of the first principles and ordinances by revelation from God, and sometimes by painful experience.

B Y R ICHARD E. BENNETT

ho among us knew the first principles of “We believe that the first principles and ordinances “ the Gospel of Christ until we heard them of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; from the Elders of Israel? Who told us that second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for it wasW right to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for remission of sins? Who taught us it was right to re- the gift of the Holy Ghost” (A of F 1:4). ceive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands? . . . Early Church history shows that the Prophet It was communicated to Joseph Smith by the open- Joseph Smith came to know of these saving principles ing of the heavens, by the ministering of Holy Angels, in at least three ways: (1) from heavenly messengers, and by the voice of God. . . . Until these communica- (2) from the consequences of some unwise decisions, tions were made known [to Joseph], the inhabitants (3) from his translation of ancient scripture, and of the world were wrapped in ignorance; they knew (4) from frequent divine inspiration. It was a careful nothing about God nor the principles of eternity, nor schooling, prepared and profound. the way to save themselves nor anybody else.”1 So taught President John Taylor regarding the FROM HEAVENLY MESSENGERS importance of the first principles and ordinances of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and of the role Unschooled in the religions of man, the boy of the Prophet Joseph Smith in bringing them for- prophet Joseph lacked wisdom. After reading James ward. What other teachings are as important to the 1:5, he decided to pray and ask God which of all the Church’s core teachings as these saving doctrines? churches was right. Though young Joseph had been They were so carefully impressed upon the Prophet’s foreordained to his latter-day work,2 faith must pre- APP L. K Y R

mind in perfect, instructional sequence that by the cede the blessing. In the divine drama of the First A G time he wrote them as the fourth Article of Faith in Vision, wherein the purposes of God, and the power Y the famous Wentworth letter of 1842, they were far of Satan and the desires of a mortal being were all AINTING B more than words; they had become part of his being: manifest, the boy prophet learned much more than P 50 CTRI
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t the moment of great- est alarm, Joseph’s Aprayer became a desperate plea for deliverance “from the enemy that held [him] bound.” Only after he had exercised his un- bounded faith in God did the heavens open and the destroyer flee.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 51 JOSEPH BRICKEY Y B INSTRUCTED FROM ON HIGH,

oseph, the prophet-apprentice, learned much about Jthe first principles from his master teacher, Moroni.

which church to join. While in the act of praying Beginning in 1823, the prophet-apprentice learned vocally for the first time in his life and in a secluded much about the first principles from his master grove, he was suddenly “seized upon by some power teacher, Moroni. Joseph later wrote, “I . . . received which entirely overcame” him and which was intent instruction and intelligence from him at each of our upon his “sudden destruction” (JS—H 1:15). Thus his interviews, respecting what the Lord was going to do, quiet petition was abruptly transformed into a life and how and in what manner his kingdom was to be and death struggle. Gripped in terror and unable to conducted in the last days” (JS—H 1:54). When finally cry out for help, Joseph had nowhere to turn but his entrusted with the gold plates, the young prophet greatest resource. At that moment of greatest alarm, understood the blueprint of the restored gospel, its or- his prayer became a desperate plea for deliverance ganization and essential doctrines. President Joseph F. “from the enemy that held [him] bound.” Only after Smith said of this instruction: “He was taught by the he had exercised his unbounded faith in God did the angel Moroni. He received his education from above, heavens open and the destroyer flee. from God Almighty, and not from man-made institu- Of this truth President Gordon B. Hinckley has tions, . . . [and] he possessed a knowledge of God and said: “It was faith, the simple faith of a fourteen-year- of his law.”4 old boy, that took him into the woods that spring The young prophet also learned firsthand about morning. It was faith that took him to his knees in baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost from heavenly pleading for understanding. The marvelous fruit messengers. While translating the Book of Mormon of that faith was a vision glorious and beautiful, of with his scribe, Oliver Cowdery, they “on a certain which this great work is but the extended shadow.”3 day [in May 1829] went into the woods” in Har- Of all the many lessons that Joseph learned from mony Township, Pennsylvania, on the banks of the the First Vision, surely among the most important Susquehanna River “to pray and inquire of the Lord were that God does answer prayers and that by faith respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that He can save us in our darkest hour. His faith saved [they had] found mentioned in the translation of the him from his greatest trouble, and from it came the plates” (JS—H 1:68). A vision of yet another heavenly revelation of the Father and the Son and the intro- messenger, the resurrected John the Baptist, opened duction of the long-prophesied Restoration. to them. To his young inquirers, John said, “Upon you 52 my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the right with God and to repent of some un- DOCTRINE Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the minister- wise decisions that once more drove him
&
ing of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of bap- to his knees. Subsequently, on the evening COVENANTS tism by immersion for the remission of sins” (JS—H 1:69; of 21 September 1823, an angel from the CHURCH emphasis in original). Joseph then baptized Oliver, presence of God revealed many scriptural HISTORY and afterwards Oliver baptized Joseph. truths to the forgiven lad. Joseph was They then experienced a moment of intense joy given specific instructions pertaining to and personal revelation. Remembered Oliver, “This the work God had for him to do. Faith earth [has not] power to give the joy, to bestow the opened the heavens the first time, and peace, or comprehend the wisdom which was con- faith and repentance together did so the tained in each sentence as they were delivered by second time. the power of the Holy Spirit!”5 Joseph also wrote: “No After a season of difficult and intermittent transla- sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery, than the Holy tion of the Book of Mormon, the young prophet in Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and prophesied June 1828 reluctantly surrendered 116 pages of Book many things which should shortly come to pass. And of Mormon manuscript into the hands of his older again, so soon as I had been baptized by him [Oliver], benefactor and scribe, Martin Harris. When Martin I also had the spirit of prophecy, when, standing up, I returned empty-handed and confessed that he prophesied concerning the rise of this Church. . . . We had lost the manuscript, Joseph sprang from his were filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the breakfast table in anguish and exclaimed in utter God of our salvation” (JS—H 1:73). self-condemnation: “Oh, my God, my God. All is Although blessed abundantly, they learned from lost, is lost! What shall I do? I have sinned. It is I John the Baptist that the gift of the Holy Ghost would who tempted the wrath of God.”8 not be conferred upon them until later with the Utterly downcast and full of godly sorrow for restoration of the Melchizedek his disobedience, Joseph stood re- Priesthood by the Apostles Peter, buked and chastened by the Lord. James, and John.6 And though “How strict were your command- the Prophet Joseph Smith and ments,” the Lord instructed, “. . .

Oliver Cowdery baptized other and behold, how oft you have CLARK KELLEY PRICE believers for the remission of sins transgressed. . . . For thou hast Y

between May 1829 and April suffered the counsel of thy director INTING B A 1830, at the organizational meet- to be trampled upon from the be- P ing of the Church on 6 April 1830 ginning” (D&C 3:5–6, 15). It was in Fayette, Seneca County, New a heaven-sent excoriation that York, the Prophet noted the fol- Joseph’s penitent soul under- lowing: “We then laid our hands stood. Nevertheless, in what on each [previously baptized] in- must have been soaring relief to dividual member of the Church the young Prophet, the Lord said, present that they might receive hen Martin Harris returned empty- “Remember, God is merciful; . . . the gift of the Holy Ghost, and handed and confessed he had lost and thou art still chosen, and art be confirmed members of the theW manuscript, Joseph sprang from the again called to the work” (D&C Church of Christ. The Holy 3:10). This early experience im- Ghost was poured out upon us breakfast table in anguish, “All is lost, pressed upon Joseph Smith’s mind to a very great degree—some is lost! What shall I do? I have sinned.” that repentance and trust in God prophesied, whilst we all praised rather than man are indeed requi- the Lord, and rejoiced exceedingly.”7 The Prophet was site for doing the work of the Lord. “inspired of the Holy Ghost to lay the foundation” of Thus from the spring of 1820 to the spring of 1830, the Church “and to build it up unto the most holy on that 10-year road of instruction from Palmyra to faith” (D&C 21:2). Fayette, the Prophet came to personally know and live the first principles and ordinances of the gospel from FROM THE CONSEQUENCES what he experienced, suffered, overcame, and had re- vealed to him by heavenly messengers. Just as mem- OF SOME UNWISE DECISIONS bers of the original church of Christ had been taught Three and a half years after faith was the active by Peter on the day of Pentecost to “repent, and be bap- first principle in the Sacred Grove in 1820, Joseph tized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for knelt in prayer feeling “condemned for [his] weak- the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the nesses and imperfections,” yet he had “full confi- Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38), so also had the Prophet Joseph dence in obtaining a divine manifestation” (see been taught these principles in our day, culminating in JS—H 1:29). It was an earnest desire to set things the Holy Ghost being poured out to a great degree. THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 53 “And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, ROM RANSLATION OF NCIENT CRIPTURE F T A S and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and Although heavenly messengers were his most inti- lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy mate instructors, the young prophet also learned of Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect the importance of these principles from the writings love” (Moro. 8:25–26). he translated, particularly during the fulfillment of When the Prophet Joseph Smith was translating the his divinely appointed role as translator of the Book Book of Mormon, he found these first principles espe- of Mormon. The approximately 80 calendar days he cially well presented through a powerful sequence of spent translating the message of Cumorah into the the following four grand discourses in the book of English language with the aid of the Urim and Mosiah: the sermons of King Benjamin (Mosiah 2–5) Thummim and by the power of the Holy Ghost, and Abinadi (Mosiah 11–17) and the teachings of Alma constituted yet another divine schooling. (Mosiah 18, 25–26) and his son, Alma the Younger The inspired contents of the Book of Mormon (Mosiah 27–28). The common denominator in them deeply impressed the two men. “No men, in their all is the mission and redemption of Christ, the Lord sober senses,” Oliver Cowdery recalled, “could trans- Omnipotent. Furthermore, a central message of King late and write the directions given to the Nephites Benjamin’s sermon is faith in Jesus Christ. “Believe in from the mouth of the Savior, of the precise manner God,” he taught, “believe that he is, and that he created in which men should build up His Church, and espe- all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he cially when corruption had spread an uncertainty over has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in all forms and systems practiced among men, without earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the desiring a privilege of showing the willingness of the things which the Lord can comprehend. . . . And now, heart by being buried in the liquid if you believe all these things see that

OURN grave, to answer a ‘good conscience ye do them” (Mosiah 4:9–10). by the resurrection of Jesus Christ’” Repentance, the second principle, ALE KILB

D (JS—H 1:71, note on pages 58–59). is the primary focus of Abinadi’s mes- Y The first principles and ordinances sage to King Noah and his wicked

INTING B of the gospel run like a golden thread priests. Abinadi boldly preached what A P of truth throughout the entire Book the Lord had told him: “Except they of Mormon, from 1 Nephi through repent I will visit them in mine anger,” Moroni. The prophet Nephi, son of “except they repent . . . I will deliver Lehi, called these principles “the them into the hands of their enemies,” doctrine of Christ” (2 Ne. 31:2). “except this people repent . . . they shall “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I be brought into bondage,” and “except know that if ye shall follow the Son, they repent . . . I will not hear their with full purpose of heart, acting no prayers” (see Mosiah 11:20–21, 23, 25; hypocrisy and no deception before emphasis added). After rehearsing God, but with real intent, repenting of the vital messages of the Ten Com- your sins, witnessing unto the Father mandments and the Christ-centered that ye are willing to take upon you he young prophet also prophecies of Isaiah to his unbelieving the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, learned of the importance audience, Abinadi concluded: “And by following your Lord and your ofT the first principles and ordi- now, ought ye not to tremble and re- Savior down into the water, accord- pent of your sins, and remember that ing to his word, behold, then shall nances from the writings he only in and through Christ ye can be ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then translated, particularly the saved?” (Mosiah 16:13). cometh the baptism of fire and of the Book of Mormon. One of Abinadi’s converts, Alma, Holy Ghost” (2 Ne. 31:13). fled from King Noah into the wilder- Nephi’s younger brother Jacob warned that those ness and preached “repentance, and redemption, who reject the gospel “and deny the good word of and faith on the Lord” to his followers (Mosiah 18:7). Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Alma’s teachings also emphasized that the ordinance Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of baptism is a covenant and sequel to faith and re- of the great plan of redemption” will be brought “to pentance—a natural progression in the doctrine of stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of Christ. “Now I say unto you,” he said near the Waters God” (Jacob 6:8–9). of Mormon, “if this be the desire of your hearts, what The prophet Mormon declared in one of his final have you against being baptized in the name of the letters: “The first fruits of repentance is baptism; and Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the com- into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and mandments; and the fulfilling the commandments keep his commandments, that he may pour out his bringeth remission of sins; Spirit more abundantly upon you?” (Mosiah 18:10). 54 CTRI
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D COVENANTS Y

B CHURCH HISTORY TLE ONES, OUR LIT BEHOLD Y

“ o man, in their sober senses,” Oliver Cowdery recalled, “could translate and write the directions givenN to the Nephites from the mouth of the Savior” without knowing of the Lord’s teachings on faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Also, if Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had not New Testament, he paid careful attention to passages fully understood before translating this passage that which contained the teachings of these principles. For baptism was to be done by immersion for the remis- example, in one of the more confusing biblical passages, sion of sins, they certainly would have afterward. Hebrews 6:1, it reads, “Therefore leaving the principles The last great sermon in Mosiah directly addresses of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.” the need for a rebirth of the soul by the Holy Ghost. Joseph’s inspired translation inserts the word not before The account of Alma the Younger’s miraculous con- the phrase leaving the principles. Of this change he later version speaks less of baptism by water and more of commented: “If a man leaves the principles of the doc- baptism by fire, or being born of the Spirit: trine of Christ, how can he be saved in the principles? “Marvel not that all mankind . . . must be born This is a contradiction. I don’t believe it. I will render it again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal as it should be—‘Therefore not leaving the principles of and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being re- the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not deemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; laying again the foundation of repentance from dead “And thus they become new creatures; and unless works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of bap- they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom tisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of of God” (Mosiah 27:25–26). the dead, and of eternal judgment.’”9 The incomparable spiritual power and sacred in- The Prophet further learned through his efforts structions of these four sermons defy simple catego- of translating or revising the Old Testament that these rization and analysis. They are charged with long, doctrines were even taught in their fulness to Adam personal experience and are alive with the Spirit of and Eve and their descendants (see Moses 6:52–68). the Lord—stunning testimonies to the fact that no unschooled farm boy could have ever composed such FROM FREQUENT DIVINE INSPIRATION sublimely simple yet profound verse. Like a spinal cord, the first principles and ordinances of the gospel The first principles and ordinances of the gospel are provide a doctrinal backbone to the book of Mosiah. also found amidst the revelations and instructions given Little wonder, then, that two or three years later, in the Doctrine and Covenants during the early years of when the Prophet was under inspiration revising the the Church. These sacred instructions were received by THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 55 the Prophet Joseph in answer to prayer, in times of need. Since the Prophet Joseph Smith’s time, every From a revelatory instruction to the Prophet at President of the Church has taught the central place Manchester, New York, in March 1830 we read: “Of these principles and ordinances hold, including tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare re- President Hinckley: “To me the gospel is not a great pentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of mass of theological jargon. It is a simple and beautiful sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy and logical thing, with one quiet truth following an- Ghost” (D&C 19:31). other in orderly sequence. . . . God has revealed in From a revelation given at Fayette, New York, this dispensation a great and marvelous and beautiful seven months later we read: “Yea, repent and be bap- plan that motivates men and women to love their tized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; Creator and their Redeemer, to appreciate and serve yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the one another, to walk in faith on the road that leads to baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. immortality and eternal life.”12 “Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my They are simple and beautiful truths and, when gospel” (D&C 33:11–12). lived to their fulness, will ever distinguish the gospel The glorious vision of the degrees of glory revealed of Jesus Christ from any other religion or philosophy in February 1832 again contains refer- upon the earth and will identify the អ

ARSON ence to these fundamental doctrines: humble obedience of His followers. “And again we bear record—for we DEL P Richard E. Bennett is a member of the Sharon Y B saw and heard, and this is the testi- Third Ward, Orem Utah Sharon Stake. mony of the gospel of Christ concern- Gospel topics: restoration, Joseph Smith, faith, ing them who shall come forth in the repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost IMMERSION, Y resurrection of the just— NOTES “They are they who received the 1. Deseret News Weekly, 23 Nov. 1865, 50.

BAPTISM B 2. Said President Brigham Young of the fore- testimony of Jesus, and believed on ordination of the Prophet Joseph Smith: “It was his name and were baptized after the decreed in the counsels of eternity, long before manner of his burial, being buried the foundations of the earth were laid, that he should be the man, in the last dispensation of in the water in his name, and this ac- this world, to bring forth the word of God to the cording to the commandment which people, and receive the fulness of the keys and he has given— power of the Priesthood of the Son of God” (Deseret News Weekly, 20 July 1850, 44). “That by keeping the command- 3. Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley ments they might be washed and (1997), 188. cleansed from all their sins, and re- 4. Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939), 484. ceive the Holy Spirit by the laying on n a revelation given at Fayette, 5. Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1834, 16. New York, the Lord taught, 6. For further information on the timing of the hands of him who is ordained I of the receipt of the Melchizedek Priesthood and sealed unto this power; “Yea, repent and be baptized, from Peter, James, and John, see Larry C. Porter, “And who overcome by faith, and every one of you, for a remission “The Restoration of the Aaronic and Melchize- dek Priesthoods,” Ensign, Dec. 1996, 30–47. are sealed by the Holy Spirit of prom- of your sins” (D&C 33:11). 7. History of the Church, 1:78. ise, which the Father sheds forth upon 8. Lucy Mack Smith, The Revised and all those who are just and true” (D&C 76:50–53). Enhanced History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, ed. Scot Facer Proctor and Maurine Jensen Proctor (1996), 165. Little wonder that the Prophet Joseph Smith also 9. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding taught these principles to those about to depart into their Smith (1976), 328. mission fields: “Oh, ye elders of Israel, hearken to my 10. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 292. 11. Deseret News Weekly, 6 July 1895, 65. voice; and when you are sent into the world to preach, 12. Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 242. tell those things you are sent to tell; preach and cry aloud, ‘Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; repent and believe the Gospel.’ Declare the first princi- ples, and let mysteries alone, lest ye be overthrown.”10 LET’S TALK ABOUT IT Most Ensign articles can be used for family home INDEBTED TO THE PROPHET evening discussions. These questions are for that purpose or for personal reflection: President John Taylor summarized well the role 1. Who taught me or members of my family the first prin- of the Prophet Joseph Smith in the restoration of the ciples and ordinances of the gospel? Why are these principles doctrine on the first principles and ordinances when and ordinances essential? he said: “To what are we indebted for [this] knowl- 2. Who were some of the heavenly messengers who taught edge? To the administration of an angel, which made Joseph Smith about the first principles? Which books in the manifest the order of God to Joseph Smith, and he re- Book of Mormon are especially helpful in understanding vealed it unto others—to that we are indebted for the them? Which sections of the Doctrine and Covenants teach first principles of the Gospel.”11 about these principles? 56 MESSAGE VISITING TEACHING Alma, whenhe acteduponit, giveness came.. offor- upon it,themorning tured thethoughtandacted of athought.Whenhenur- Nov. 1995,19). [v. 15;emphasisadded]. come extinctbothsoulandbody that Icouldbebanishedandbe- [Alma 36:12;emphasisadded]. uptothegreatestharrowed degree torment, eternal ing ofForgiveness, forgiveness from thepromiseofcomplete gression, nooffenseexempted addiction, norebellion,trans- dition .,thereisnohabit, those fewwhodefecttoper- through repentance.Savefor ment andguiltcanbeearned teaches usthatrelieffromtor- S Apostles, assuresus: P Heal You “ time was young,hespentsucha “ Savior seek thehealinghelpof ever iscausingthepainand need topullawayfromwhat- something iswrong,thatwe row physical pain,this guilty andashamed.Like Heaven, leavingusfeeling us fromourlovingFather in When theprophetAlma IN That IMay “ “ “ President Packer explains: Unrepented sinseparates ” But hismindcaughthold He eventhought, The thoughtthatrescued S ‘ 2Cr 7:10)signalsthat Cor. (2 racked, EPARATES Quorum oftheTwelveQuorum Acting President ofthe resident BoydK.Packer, ’ s Atonement. ” ’ ( as hesaid, “ The BrilliantMorn- [his] soul. U ” FROM S “ ” godly sor-

Ensign, “ The gospel ‘ Oh, . ‘ with G OD ’ ’ “ Christ purposeoftheatonement very broke andyoucannotfixisthe cannot heal,fixingthatwhichyou restore, healingthewoundyou is this:Restoringwhatyoucannot her sinwasfollowedbyconfession young “ moist eyessherepliedsimply, secret ofherinnerpeacewas,with ing. Whenheasked herwhatthe saw inasisterhewasinterview- pressed bythe became worthytobesealedinthetemple. T Repentance. H E She explained shehadmarried A priesthoodleaderwasim- power oftheAtonement, ayoung family andthehealing repentance hrough A ” CCEPTED — ( Ensign, and pregnant. Sorrow for and pregnant.Sorrow ” “ O Nov. 1995,19 gospel glow UR R EPENTANCE ” – he 20). ” sealed as an eternal family.sealed asaneternal baby enteredthetempleandwere woman, herhusband,andtheir was tobefaithful. Father madeus,theeasierit us. AndthestrongerHeavenly stronger HeavenlyFather made tobefaithful,the struggled something bad.Themorewe make somethinggoodoutof Heavenly Father blessedusto anyone, wouldn commandments. ment tobeobedienttheLord thorities andanintensecommit- to theLordandpriesthoodau- “ It washard,andIcertainly ’ said. we areasafamily, me tothinkofhowhappy touch. and peaceintheHealer band foundforgiveness this sisterandherhus- andtearsofjoy,sorrow lives. Isn outofour thing wonderful . helpedusmake some- cepted ourrepentance,and given uponus.Butheac- there? is ead; “ Mar. 1993,60). Redeeming Love, “ (quoted inJosephWalker, you? verted, thatImayheal your sins,andbecon- unto me,andrepentof “ And thePhysicianpleads, ing giftoftheAtonement. there isbalm those whowillpartake, Atonement Gospel topics:repentance, ” t recommenditto Singing theSongof Is therenobalminGil- Will yenotnowreturn sheexplained. Experiencing tearsof Jeremiah oncelamented, Jeremiah T ” “ HE (3Ne.9:13). The Lordcouldhave ” “ there nophysician (Jer. 8:22).For Now itjustamazes E ’ t thatamazing? NSIGN ” Intime,this — /M the amaz- ARCH “ ” But ”

she Ensign, អ 2001 57 ’ ’ s ” s

ILLUSTRATED BY SHERI LYNN BOYER DOTY I H A V E A Q U E S T I O N Questions of general interest answered for guidance, not as official statements of Church policy

abilities to use electronic equip- ment. If one of your children al- How can our family take advantage of what is available ready knows how to get on the on the Internet while avoiding objectionable material and Internet and use it, have that child teach you. You can explore that ex- people of questionable character? citing new world together while you learn. If nobody in your fam- ily has computer skills, take a class Response by William C. screen, brilliant, colorful images at a nearby school or library. You Porter, an associate professor of of the world’s great art. You can need to learn enough to recognize communications at Brigham Young take classes. You can browse what your child is doing. You may University and high priests group catalogs, buy airline tickets, and need to work to feel confident leader in the Orem Utah Cherry Hill reserve hotel rooms. You can find on the Internet, but you probably Third Ward. people who share your interests, know people who can help you. A computer and a telephone and you can correspond easily Family rules about computer line provide the doorway to an with extended family and new- use are essential. It is important online world of libraries, muse- found friends. The Internet is an that you and your family mem- ums, businesses, schools, and, exciting place. bers agree on the who, how, most of all, people—people all However, parts of that online when, and what of computer over the world willing to talk to world are dangerous. Some use. Parents should help children you. Via the Internet, you and Internet neighborhoods attract learn to protect themselves when your children can find answers people and businesses you and dealing with other people online. to those homework questions your family need to avoid. Some One of the best sets of personal in an encyclopedia that you can’t people will want to steal your protection rules is found in the afford for your home. You can money and threaten your safety. Boy Scout Handbook on page 15. study, on your own computer Without parental guidance and These rules about safe online cor- supervision, children can put respondence are part of a larger Parents need to help children enjoy the many benefits of the Internet but avoid themselves in physical danger Youth Protection section in the the real dangers and spiritual perils as or encounter materials that are front of the book. The computer well. Self-discipline is always the most spiritual and intellectual poison. rules deal with things such as: effective protection. Three things can help protect • Telling parents about conver- your family against the dangerous sations with strangers or other areas of the online world: online experiences. • Parental awareness • Not revealing personal infor- • Family rules mation online. • Filtering • Never agreeing to meet an Parents need to make online online acquaintance in person or use a family, not a private, activity. by telephone without parental Put the computer in a room that permission. the whole family uses, not in a • Recognizing that people child’s bedroom. Be aware of when online may not be who they say and how your child uses the com- they are. puter. Take time to learn how to In addition to teaching your use the Internet yourself. This can children such rules for personal help make you aware of what your safety, you will need to stress the child is doing and will give you the importance of immediately turn-

AL STOCK vocabulary you need to talk to ing away from anything that your child about the Internet. makes them uncomfortable and Most parents are challenged anything sexual while exploring

PHOTO © DIGIT to keep up with their children’s Internet sites.

58 You can keep public libraries some objection- and the diversity able Internet of interests material off your among patrons WELDEN C. ANDERSEN

Y computer by fil- may make it dif- tering. Filtering ficult for librari-

PHOTO B blocks access to ans to restrict Internet sites access to infor- with content that mation, even for falls into certain children. You categories such will want to as sexually ex- check what is plicit material, available to your violence, hate child wherever speech, gam- he or she uses bling, and the Internet, in- drugs/alcohol/ cluding in the tobacco. You can homes of friends. do the filtering If help is needed yourself using in addition to personal filtering filtering, soft- software, or you ware is available can subscribe that tracks to an Internet Internet usage service provider that filters the It is best to put the computer in a room the and reports to you via a quick Internet before it gets to your whole family uses, not in a child’s bedroom. review of images recently down- home. loaded from the Internet. Personal filtering software is filter and have those sites consid- The Internet appears destined available in stores or can be pur- ered for blocking out. Usually, to become more and more a part chased on the Internet and down- reporting an objectionable site is of everyday life, in and out of loaded into your computer. After as simple as clicking on an elec- the Church. Parents need to help you load the program into your tronic button and filling in some children enjoy the many benefits computer, you can set it to block blanks. However, reporting a site but avoid the real dangers. Adults standard categories of content or does not guarantee that it actually need to be careful of the spiritual you can customize most programs will be filtered out. If you already perils as well. Self-discipline is to screen things that you person- subscribe to an Internet service, always the most effective protec- ally find objectionable. Most pro- you can ask whether content is fil- tion. When we ignore the urge to grams allow standard filters to be tered. If you are considering con- satisfy curiosity about things the fine-tuned to eliminate specific necting to the Internet, you may world may consider acceptable, sites that you want to keep out of want to look for a service provider we build strength to resist temp- your home. that filters. Promotional literature tation and show that we value Content can also be filtered by or a telephone call will tell you gospel standards. This example the company that provides your which companies do this. can help our children apply righ- connection to the Internet. It If your child uses the Internet teous standards for judging what works much the same way as per- at school, the content is usually is good and worthwhile as they sonal filtering, except on a larger filtered. However, at a public mature and move increasingly in scale. With an Internet service library the content may not be worldly environments outside provider that offers filtering, all filtered. Schools have an obliga- our homes. អ subscribers are usually able to tion to protect children, but the Gospel topics: child rearing, moral purity, report sites that slip through the community resource role of pornography

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 59 THE LATTER-DAY SAINT Humanitarian Center

The product of this high-volume enterprise is service—worldwide. ou may already know that the Church often sends clothing and other supplies to disaster victims and those in need. But Yhave you ever wondered where those shipments come from and how they’re put together? The answers are found at the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City. The shipments are made possible through donations of several kinds. • Deseret Industries is a thrift store and reha- bilitation center with 49 stores in the western United States. When Deseret Industries receives Above: Miriam Dekoundam, more clothing than needed for its sales floors, it from Chad, sorts some of the millions of pounds of cloth- ships the surplus to the humanitarian center, ing that come through the where it is sorted and baled for shipment. Humanitarian Center each DON L. SEARLE

Y • Companies and institutions also make year. Right: Stacked bales donations—medical equipment and supplies, of clothing await shipment. computer equipment, elementary school texts Left: Shrink-wrapped mod- ules of boxed medical sup-

TTOM: PHOTO B (from school districts and publishers), and used O plies are ready to be sent out , B materials that would otherwise be scrapped. For at a moment’s notice. Below example, fabric seat covers donated by a major left: Missionaries and work- airline are made into bags that are filled with ers at the Humanitarian basic school supplies for students who could not Center box up school kits, each filled with basic sup-

CEPT AS NOTED; RIGHT afford them—pencils, paper, and a writing slate. These school kits are shipped to schools around plies for one elementary stu- dent, that will be shipped to the world. schools throughout the world. • Many donations come from individuals. Most are handmade items—baby clothes for newborn kits, leper bandages, toys, quilts, WELDEN C. ANDERSEN, EX Y hospital gowns for children. Some donate wheelchairs, crutches, or walkers that are no longer needed. Medical supplies and computer

PHOTOGRAPHY B parts have been donated in large quantities;

60 On

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 61 often members who know of their availability have put donors in contact with the Church. • Humanitarian aid funds donated by mem- bers are used to buy some basic medical and hy- giene supplies that don’t come in as donations. Prepackaged shipments of basic medical and hygiene supplies and equipment are stored on pallets at the Humanitarian Center, ready to be loaded onto a truck and sent out at a moment’s notice, just like the bales of clothing or boxes of books. There is one other impressive aspect of the Above: Hygiene materials, items Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center: while it for newborns, and rolled leper is serving people in distant parts of the world, it bandages donated by members. also provides employment and job training for Below: Navy Tim Johnson 130–40 workers at any given time, many of them packs school supplies into refugees from other countries. អ school kit bags made from airline seat covers.

Top: Donated books await sort- ing and packaging for shipment. Above: Handmade quilts, afghans, and comforters donated by mem- bers go out in Humanitarian Center shipments and often be- come treasured necessities for dis- placed victims of disaster or war.

62 On

Above: Crutches and walkers, some awaiting refurbishing, go out quickly when there is need for an emergency medical shipment. Far right, bottom: Donated wheelchairs have proved to be blessings for the needy in many parts of the world. Far right, center: Leonor Abed inspects hygiene kits assembled by Church members and groups. Right: Donated medical equipment often includes sophisticated machinery like these incuba- tors for newborns.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 63 LATTER-DAY COUNSEL

minds of our young people a greater attitude of reverence. Let there be quieter talk in the houses Selections from Addresses of of the Lord. Let us be known as a reverent people” (solemn assem- President Gordon B. Hinckley bly, Salt Lake Temple, 19 Apr. 1998).

and wonderful thing and repre- WE LIVE IN A COMPLEX TIME sents for us the life and the gift “We live in a very complex time of the Son of God” (sacrament in the history of the world. We are meeting, Monument Park [Utah] subjected to all kinds of influences Ninth Ward, 20 Dec. 1998). that come into our living rooms and speak to us and beckon us to FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS do things that we shouldn’t do. It “Under the plan of heaven, takes self-discipline, faith, courage, the husband and the wife walk and vision to go forward. And side by side as companions, nei- you do that. We love you for the ther one ahead of the other, but strength and goodness of your a daughter of God and a son of lives” (fireside, Sydney, Australia, God walking side by side. Let 14 May 1997). your families be families of love and peace and happiness. Gather WE ARE A BIBLICAL CHURCH your children around you and “We are sometimes told that have your family home evenings, we are not a biblical church. We teach your children the ways of are a biblical church. This wonder- BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST the Lord, read to them from the ful testament of the Old World, “Believe in Jesus Christ, our scriptures, and let them come to this great and good Holy Bible is Savior and our Redeemer, the know the great truths of the eter- one of our standard works. We Son of God, who came to earth nal gospel as set forth in these teach from it. We bear testimony and walked the dusty roads of words of the Almighty” (fireside, of it. We read from it. It strength- Palestine—the Son of God—to Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12 Nov. ens our testimony. And we add teach us the way of truth and 1996). to that this great second witness, light and salvation, and who, the Book of Mormon, the testa- in one great and glorious act REVERENCE ment of the New World, for as offered an atonement for each “We need to cultivate a spirit the Bible says, ‘In the mouth of of us. He opened the way of sal- of reverence among our people, two or three witnesses shall [all vation and exaltation for each of particularly our younger people things] be established’” (2 Cor. us, under which we may go for- who have become very careless 13:1) (Atlanta, Georgia, regional ward in the Church and kingdom in their behavior, their demeanor. conference, 17 May 1998). of God. Be not faithless, but be- Let us work on this very, very im- lieve in the great and wonderful portant matter so that when we HUMILITY and marvelous blessings of the enter the chapel we enter with a “Be humble. There is no place Atonement” (meeting, Burlington, feeling that we are walking on for arrogance in our lives. There is Vermont, 14 Oct. 1998). sacred ground, that this is the no place for conceit in our lives. place where the sacrament is There is no place for egotism in our SACRAMENT administered. This is the place lives. We have work to do. We have “I hope that once in a while where the word of God is taught. things to accomplish. . . . ‘Be thou outside of the walls of the chapel This is the place where we ought humble; and the Lord thy God we think of the meaning of the to solemnly contemplate the shall lead thee by the hand, and sacrament and of the obligations things of heaven, as well as the give thee answer to thy prayers’ which are repayable in partaking things of earth. Let there be de- (D&C 112:10). People ask me what of it. It is a sacred and marvelous veloped in the hearts and the is my favorite scripture, and I say I

64 have many of them. But that is one Lord, even the Savior of the PUT RETURNED MISSIONARIES of them. ‘Be thou humble; and the world. Every man may serve in TO ORK Lord thy God shall lead thee by the the governance of the Church. W hand, and give thee answer to thy Every man may place his hands “I am satisfied that if every re- prayers’” (meeting with Spokane, upon the heads of his wife and turning missionary had a mean- Washington, youth and young children and bless them. What a ingful responsibility the day he or single adults, 22 Aug. 1999). marvelous thing it is. What a great she came home, we’d have fewer thing we have to offer the world” of them grow cold in their faith. VIRTUE AND CLEANLINESS (meeting, Singapore, 30 Jan. 2000). I wish that you would make an “Believe in virtue. Believe effort to see that every returned in cleanliness of thought, mind, BE GOOD NEIGHBORS missionary receives a meaning- word, and deed. Stay away from “[The Lord] expects we will be ful assignment. Activity is the the great and terrible flood of good neighbors, kind to others, to nurturing process of faithfulness” pornography that is sweeping those not of our faith, that we will (Smithfield-Logan, Utah, regional across the earth and makes a few treat them with generosity and conference, priesthood leadership men rich while it destroys many love and respect, that when they meeting, 20 Apr. 1996). others who become enslaved to have troubles, we will reach out it. Stay away from it” (meeting, to assist them and lift them and TESTIMONY OF THE RESTORATION Baltimore, Maryland, 15 Nov. help and bless them. “Remember that God is in His 1998). “Jesus was asked what is the heaven, that He is your Father and first and great law in the kingdom? my Father and that He is the Father TEMPLE WORK And He said, ‘Thou shalt love the of His Only Begotten Son in the “The vicarious service to the Lord thy God with all thy heart, flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ, who dead is the most unselfish service [might, mind, and soul]. This is lived and died for each of us. And of any that I know of in this life, the first and great commandment. after long generations of apostasy where no one comes with any ex- And the second is like unto it, since He was raised from the dead, pectation of thanks for the work Thou shalt love thy neighbour as they, the Father and the Son, have which he or she does. Every time thyself’ (Matt. 22:37–39). Now that appeared again and parted the cur- you come to the temple, you will isn’t easy to do; it is not easy to do, tain in this, the dispensation of the be a better man or woman when but we must work at it and work fulness of times, and brought back you leave than you were when at it constantly. We must reach out the ancient priesthood with all its you came. I believe that with all to assist others, and their respect powers and gifts and authority and my heart. Redouble your efforts and appreciation for this Church the true Church of the Lord which and your faithfulness in going to will grow as we do so. The God of carries His holy name, even the the temple . . . and the Lord will Heaven expects us to be helpful to name of Jesus Christ, and it is our bless you, and you will be hap- others, to be good neighbors, to be Father’s wish to bless us. He wants pier” (regional conference, Oahu, friends to all within our reach” us to be happy. He wants us to live Hawaii, 23 Jan. 2000). (meeting, Guam, 31 Jan. 2000). well. He desires to bless us. And we must put our trust in Him” LIVE THE GOSPEL CONVERT RETENTION (regional conference, Santiago, “Live the gospel. Live the “I think the Lord would be Chile, 26 Apr. 1999). gospel. That’s my counsel to the very pleased if we would get on [members of the] Church. Live our knees, each of us, and pray to THIS IS GOD’S HOLY WORK the gospel. Look to God and live. Him and ask Him to help us bring “This is God’s holy work, That’s the sum and substance. someone into this Church. And restored to earth in this, the dis- Look to God and live” (interview then when that occurs, you stay pensation of the fulness of times, with Deseret News, 25 Feb. 2000). so very close to that individual to bless us because He loves us, until he or she becomes well to bring gifts to us, because He PRIESTHOOD OF GOD grounded in the faith so that wishes to pour out that love upon “In this Church every worthy there will be no falling away after us. Be faithful. Be true. Be upright. man may hold the priesthood of they’ve come into the Church” How wonderful it is to be a mem- God. Every worthy man may (regional conference, Oahu, ber of this Church” (meeting, speak in the name of God, the Hawaii, 22 Jan. 2000). Cairns, Australia, 26 Jan. 2000). អ

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 65 PORTRAITS

AREA AUTHORITY SEVENTY IN PERU When the missionaries president. He was a re- came to visit he resisted gional representative “Everything I do their teachings at first, but when called as an Area or don’t do affects my they urged him to pray. Authority Seventy in 1998. family relationship “After they left I went to “When I was a boy,” enormously,” says my room and pleaded Elder Zuzunaga says, Elder Willy F. Zuzunaga with the Lord: ‘I just “the death of my parents Cavero, a member of the want to know if Joseph affected me deeply. I fourth Quorum of the Smith was a prophet.’” missed them and prayed Seventy from Lima, Peru. The Holy Ghost then to God for peace and “Living the gospel is the spoke powerfully to Elder consolation. Sometimes key to being happy. I Zuzunaga’s mind and I thought He had forgot- the Meulemans to inves- know this because I am heart, replacing all doubt ten me. I’m grateful to tigate the Church. They experiencing it.” with peace. “As I remem- the Lord for sending His declined for many years Elder Zuzunaga, ber this experience now, I missionaries. I know He until in 1994 Brother whose parents died feel as if it had happened has not forgotten me.” Meulemans traveled to when he was a boy, was yesterday.“ the United States for a introduced to the Church Soon after baptism M ISSIONARIES FROM I NDONESIA family reunion, where he at age 23, when a friend the bishop encouraged felt touched by the Spirit invited him to church. him to think of serving a As Edward Adolf and decided to learn “Never has a meeting im- full-time mission. Nearly Meulemans of Jakarta, more. When he returned pressed me as much as a year later Brother Indonesia, was con- to Indonesia, he went to that sacrament meeting. Zuzunaga invited his templating his life one the mission home and I was in church for five relatives to hear him evening two years ago, asked to be taught the hours and didn’t want speak in sacrament meet- he realized that he had gospel. He met with the it to end. I could feel ing prior to his departure received many blessings mission president for the warmth and love of to a mission. Thirty of from the Lord. He won- three hours every morn- the members, and I felt them came and were dered, “What can I give ing for six days. At first important. The Spirit all later baptized. back to Him for every- Sister Meulemans did not testified to me that the Since 1980 Elder thing He has given me?” join the meetings, but by Church was true, but I Zuzunaga has been a A prompting came to the time he was finished didn’t understand.” branch, stake, and mission serve a mission. He and with the discussions she his wife, Ritschy Adelina too was ready to study. Meulemans, discussed Brother and Sister and prayed about the Meulemans are members idea and received the of the South Jakarta answer to serve. Now Branch, Jakarta District, they are serving a two- where he has served in year proselyting mission the branch presidency among their own people and she has served in the in the Indonesia Jakarta Relief Society presidency. Mission. They are fluent in the Brother Meulemans Javanese language as was baptized in Decem- well as Indonesian, ber 1994, and Sister Dutch, English, and Meulemans followed German. They have one soon thereafter. The daughter and five grand- story of their conver- children. “Our Heavenly sion begins when his Father is never too late, parents and sister joined never too early, but was the Church about 30 on time in 1994,” says Elder Zuzunaga, his wife, Hilda, and their four children, years ago in Pasadena, Brother Meulemans. Willy David, Danella, Talia, and Angie. California, and invited Now it is time for serving

66 a mission.—Joan Dixon, Choi accepted the mis- Competition marked the entered the Tchaikovsky Jakarta English Branch, sionary discussions and beginning of my profes- Competition in Moscow. Jakarta Indonesia District a copy of the Book of sional career. . . . The “I don’t think I would Mormon. His commit- day of the competition I have entered the compe- K OREAN O PERA S INGER ment to the Church— was very nervous. I was tition without my wife’s and to Kyung Shin— afraid. I asked my bishop encouragement. . . . I was Korean-born baritone deepened, and he was for a blessing. He told me the first Korean ever to Hans Choi was only baptized and married to have faith in my ability sing in the competition. 12 years old when he in 1982. and to have faith in the I felt proud to be repre- decided he wanted to be Two years later the gift Heavenly Father had senting my country, and a professional singer. At Korean and Italian gov- given me. I have always I wanted to do well. I that time, Western music ernments awarded schol- tried to follow that coun- sang four songs in wasn’t readily available arships to Brother Choi, sel. I feel grateful to the Russian and then others in Korea, but after he and the Chois moved to Lord every time I sing.” in English, German, happened to listen to Milan, Italy, where he In 1988 Brother Choi French, Spanish, and a couple of old Enrico spent the next few years accepted an invitation to Korean. As I sang, a feel- Caruso records, he knew studying at the Osimo sing with the Philadel- ing of patriotism welled he wanted to sing opera. Academy, the Giuseppe phia Opera Company, within me and gave me Now, over 30 years later, Verdi Conservatory, and the Choi family greater confidence.” he has gained interna- and La Scala Theater moved to the United Brother Choi not only tional acclaim singing in Academy. Brother Choi States. Then in 1990 he won the competition, opera houses and recital then took first place in he became the first to halls in Europe, Asia, and the prestigious Verdi be awarded two gold the United States. Music Competition in medals. Brother Choi received Busseto, Italy. “For me, His career has in- his first vocal training winning the Verdi cluded recitals at the while a student at Yon Washington D.C. Tem- Sei University in Seoul. ple Visitors’ Center and In 1981, though not a the Assembly Hall on Church member, he was Temple Square in Salt invited to be soloist for a Lake City, Utah. He Christmas concert with has also been a guest the Korean Mormon soloist with the Mormon Choir. Although he sang Tabernacle Choir. “It was regularly for another a great honor to be in- church, “I was looking vited to sing with for a church and a doc- the Tabernacle Choir. trine I could relate to. It’s a memory I shall When I met the mem- always cherish.” bers of the Korean Intertwined Mormon Choir I with his professional felt welcome. Ev- career is Church eryone was very service. “My Church kind. Not only did membership has never I sing with the choir, been in conflict with I eventually became its my professional career. director,” he said. The People within the music

assistant director was TVILLE community know and AR a young lady named Y respect the fact that Kyung Shin, who had I am a Latter-day Saint.” joined the Church —Glen Nelson, Manhat- 10 years earlier. With her tan Second Ward, New encouragement, Brother PHOTO OF PIANO B York New York Stake អ

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 67 PERSPECTIVES From the Relief Society General Presidency From the Young Women General Presidency The Relief Society’s Role in Missionary Follow the Prophet and Strengthen Work, Retention, and Activation the Youth Relief Society presidency in an Asian country de- termined to visit every less-active sister in their ward.A It was a daunting task, but they were deter- mined. One visit was to a woman who had joined the Church more than 20 years earlier but had stopped at- tending shortly thereafter because she found it diffi- cult to make friends and did not feel comfortable. During these years she often found herself thinking about the Church. She believed it to be the Lord’s true JED CLARK Church and was delighted to welcome these sisters Y into her home. She accepted their invitation to come to Relief Society. PHOTO B President Gordon B. Hinckley has repeatedly n a remarkable and historic meeting held on 12 No- pleaded with Church members to become actively in- vember 2000 in the Conference Center in Salt Lake volved in missionary work, the retention of new con- City,I President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke in a fireside verts, and the activation of less-active members (see especially for the youth of the Church. As the meeting “Find the Lambs, Feed the Sheep,” Ensign, May 1999, began, those assembled in meetinghouses and homes 104–10). throughout the world united in singing “We thank thee, As an auxiliary devoted to helping bring sisters and O God, for a prophet to guide us in these latter days” their families to Christ, the Relief Society can help with (Hymns, no. 19). And guide, even pray for us, he did. In this effort in simple but profound ways. We invite Relief words clear and inspiring, our prophet instructed us re- Society leaders to consider the following possibilities: garding standards for Latter-day Saints. What a tremen- • Encourage sisters to cultivate friendships with dous blessing is ours to have a prophet who knows, women not of our faith and sisters new to Church understands, and cares about youth! activity. Young Women presidencies and advisers can now • Encourage sisters to invite new members and turn their attention to supporting President Hinckley’s less-active members into their homes. message. Consider the following ideas as you plan to • Invite sisters to church and make sure they never follow the prophet and strengthen the youth under sit alone. your leadership: • Introduce sisters to others. • Discuss President Hinckley’s teachings in your • Assign faithful visiting teachers to sisters investi- presidency meetings and ward or branch councils. gating the Church as well as to new members and Remember the prophet’s message concerning youth, less-active members. and consider how you can involve and support par- • Emphasize the valuable impact of visiting teaching. ents (see “‘Great Shall Be the Peace of Thy Children,’” • Visit every less-active sister in her home. Ensign, Nov. 2000, 50–53; “Your Greatest Challenge, As sisters, we have special gifts for nurturing others. Mother,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 97–100). Including parents Is there any service more important than helping an- in your efforts will be a great blessing. other person experience the light and love of the gospel? • Help the young women respect and honor the May we respond to President Hinckley’s plea by reach- prophet and his message through your daily example ing out to all who fall within our sphere of influence. អ and the many formal and informal teaching opportu- nities available to you. Help them have a desire to fol- low his six “B’s.” • Consider assigning youth to give talks during Mutual or Sunday opening exercises focusing on President Hinckley’s talk. In planning Mutual and other events, study his prophetic counsel and then help the youth understand how to apply it in their lives. STEVE BUNDERSON

Y As we help young women live the prophet’s teach- ings, Heavenly Father will know that we truly are thank- អ PHOTO B ful “for a prophet to guide us in these latter days.” From the Primary General Presidency From the Sunday School General Presidency Follow the Prophet Opening the Scriptures

rimary is an opportunity for loving art of the Savior’s greatness as a teacher teachers and leaders to teach and testify is captured in the question posed by the Pof Jesus Christ and to reinforce gospel Ptwo disciples He taught as they walked principles taught in the home. To help along the road to Emmaus: “Did not our provide a firm foundation of gospel heart burn within us, while he talked with teachings for children, the Church pro- us by the way, and while he opened to us vides a yearly theme for sharing time the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). and the children’s sacrament meeting A worthy goal for every teacher presentation. is to be able to open the scriptures to This year the theme is “Follow the members of a Sunday School class the Prophet.” As leaders and teachers so that they are edified by the Spirit teach this theme in Primary, children and motivated to apply scriptural teach- will develop a personal testimony of the ings in their lives. Equally worthwhile mission of the prophets, beginning with the is fostering a love for the word of God. A Prophet Joseph Smith. President Gordon B. teacher who values the scriptures and consis- Hinckley has said: “I love the Prophet Joseph Smith! tently teaches from them with enthusiasm and the I bear testimony of the divinity of his calling. . . . I Spirit can accomplish both aims. A young man who thank the Prophet for his testimony, for his work, for had such a Sunday School teacher said: “I could tell his life, for his sacrifice, for his witness of the living just by the way my teacher held his scriptures and reality of God our Eternal Father and the risen Lord made them come alive as he taught that they meant Jesus Christ” (quoted in “A Tour of the Joseph Smith a great deal to him. It wasn’t long before they became Memorial Building,” Ensign, Sept. 1993, 38). very important to me also.” Knowing that the gospel and the Church were As ward and branch Sunday School presidencies restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith under visit classes, counsel with each teacher quarterly, and divine authority will help children understand the participate in teacher improvement meetings, they importance of prophets and of following the living can help teachers learn to teach from the scriptures. prophets. As the children memorize the sixth article Presidencies might consider the following ideas: of faith, they will understand that Heavenly Father • Invite teachers to develop a personal gospel organized His Church in the latter days just as He did study plan centered on the scriptures as outlined in anciently. And as in ancient times, Heavenly Father part A, article 7 of Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource guides His Church today through living prophets. Guide for Gospel Teaching. This year, share your testimony of the • Review with teachers the principles con- Prophet Joseph Smith often and testify of the tained in part B, article 12, “Teaching from importance of sustaining the living prophets. the Scriptures,” in Teaching, No Greater Call. Help the children understand that we follow • Encourage students to bring their own the prophets today as we: scriptures to class and ensure that, when • Keep Heavenly Father’s commandments. needed and if possible, • Heed the prophets’ counsel and scriptures are available follow their examples. from the meetinghouse • Accept callings and serve library.

faithfully. As Sunday STEVE BUNDERSON Y • Are kind and reach out to others. School teachers

Help children learn that by earnestly seek to : PHOTO B following the living prophets, teach from the scriptures, they are also following Heavenly they and their students will Father and Jesus Christ. come to understand as Alma JED CLARK; LEFT did that it is “expedient that Y Note: Information about prophets, including they should try the virtue timelines of their lives, is available from Church

of the word of God” VE: PHOTO B materials such as the Gospel Art Picture Kit អ O (item no. 34730, U.S. $25.00). (Alma 31:5). AB

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 69 RANDOM SAMPLER

did call, I got a chilly reception. to be loved back into the fold. While I was struggling with As I visited with this sister, and Friendshipping Tips this assignment, I happened later with other less-active mem- isiting a less-active mem- across a scripture that changed bers, I discovered a number of ber can at times be intimi- my attitude: “Lovest thou me? . . . things that have improved our Vdating. When I received a Feed my sheep” (John 21:16). I friendships. new visiting teaching route that realized that as a disciple of Christ, • Be a true friend. At first less- included a less-active sister, I put I needed to reach out to His sheep active members may act cold to- the assignment on my refrigera- that have strayed. Instead of ward home or visiting teachers, tor door, where it stayed for a thinking of this woman as hostile, but don’t give up. As you con- month while I mustered up the I began to think of her as my sis- tinue to come by with a smile and courage to call her. When I finally ter—a child of God—who needed show interest in them as you try

DO NOT DISTURB JOE FLORES Y TED B USTRA ILL

70 Because of this successful ex- to share a message, they will periment, our family has contin- realize that you are sincere in ued this each year. In January we your offer of friendship. ask the music leader what songs • Keep them informed. Call less- are in the new Primary sacrament active members and keep them Family Home meeting presentation. Then we informed of upcoming ward add copies of these songs to the events. While some may not be front of our songbooks. Even chil- ready to attend church, they may Evening Songbooks dren too young to read can learn be willing to join other ward or the songs when they hear them branch activities. few years ago our ward often. • Offer rides. Invite them to Primary music leader Primary music leaders may ride with you to ward or stake A informed me that my be able to help in this process by meetings and events. Arrange for young son was reverent in regularly providing parents with Primary, Scout, or Mutual teach- Primary, but he wasn’t singing the names of songs the children ers and advisers to offer rides to the songs. I was surprised; I knew are working on. Since many par- family members who may not he liked to sing. When I asked ents do not have copies of the otherwise be able to attend auxil- him why he wasn’t participating, Children’s Songbook, where possi- iary functions. Once they attend, he said he didn’t know the ble music leaders may want they will likely make friends with words. So I decided he to provide copies of the other ward members. needed more rein- songs for the chil- • Bake a treat. Once, when a forcement at dren to take sister would not return my calls, I home. home. left cookies on her doorstep along I asked Keep with an inspirational message. She the music in mind called the next day to thank me. leader what that due to • When appropriate, share a songs the copyright gospel message. Some sisters really Primary restric- do long for a spiritual uplift de- children tions, spite their unenthusiastic re- were some of sponse. Share a short spiritual working the songs message or leave one in a note. on. Then in the Include your testimony of the I made Children’s love Heavenly Father has for her, copies of Songbook and include your own feelings of the songs may not love for her family. from the be photo- • Seek common interests. Invite Children’s copied; a sister to go with you to take a Songbook those songs class, shop, or attend a sporting (1989), en- have a notice or cultural event. closed them in at the bottom • Remember special days. A clear protective of the page. birthday card or telephone call sheets, and put Page 301 of the shows you care, and bringing them in binders for songbook has guide- special treats on holidays can each family member. lines and restrictions for brighten any family’s day. During the family home copying music. • Pray for them. As you remem- evenings that followed, the fam- Parents may also help chil- ber your less-active sisters in your ily member with the assignment dren learn the songs by using daily prayers, you’ll find you have to pick the songs would choose the Children’s Songbook recordings AKER increased awareness of their needs from our songbook. available through Church distri- and new ideas of things you might It worked! This process bution centers or by making BETH M. WHITT do that may further soften their helped our son learn the Primary their own customized tapes of Y

hearts.—Kersten Campbell, songs, and it gave the rest of the the song.—Nancy Clemence, TED B College Station Second Ward, family an opportunity to learn Ledgewood First Ward, USTRA

College Station Texas Stake them as well. Morristown New Jersey Stake ILL

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 71 RANDOM SAMPLER

strenuous physical activities. a break. You will find yourself re- The following ideas may help freshed and more alert afterward. Walking Your Way you integrate walking into your • If your health permits, climb everyday life: stairs instead of using an elevator. • Walk to church if distances Do not overdo it; climb an appro- to Good Health allow. Plan to leave home a little priate number of stairs for your everal years ago I realized earlier each Sunday if necessary. age and condition. that amidst a busy schedule • If possible, walk to work or your • Turn off the television and take of family, church, and work source of transportation. In addition a walk for recreation. The world Sactivities I was not getting the to starting your workday on the around you is glorious and full of physical exercise I needed to stay right “foot,” you will save money amazing details only evident when healthy. I sought a beneficial ac- on travel and parking costs. you pass by at a walking pace. tivity I could easily work into • If you ride to work, park your • Find a walking partner. Go for my daily routine and found it in car or get off the bus a few blocks early. walks with people you want to something I had been doing all This will give you a few valuable spend time with. my life: walking. minutes of exercise even if your • If you are planning a move, Walking improves strength and trip is too far to walk all the way. consider a location within walking endurance, helps build healthy • Walk children to a nearby school distance of your most frequent desti- bones and muscles, helps control instead of driving them. This can nations (for example, church, weight, reduces anxiety and stress, teach them good habits about school, workplace, grocery store). increases self-confidence, and may active living and will help reduce Walking affords time to think, improve blood pressure and cho- traffic congestion near the school. unwind, or spend time with oth- lesterol levels. Walking regularly Babies in strollers can go along too. ers while providing the moderate reduces the risk of diseases such • Walk to a local store instead of physical activity that increases as osteoporosis, coronary heart driving to a bigger one farther away. personal fitness.—Erik Backstrom, disease, hypertension, colon Reduced transportation costs in Connors Hill Ward, Edmonton cancer, and diabetes mellitus. some cases make up for higher Alberta Bonnie Doon Stake Walking is also often appropriate prices at a smaller store. for people whose condition does • Take a walk at lunchtime or on not allow them to do more JOE FLORES Y TED B USTRA ILL 72 NEWS OF THE CHURCH

attracted 78,386 people to its open house, held 11 November through 2 December. Thousands of these visitors were members of other faiths and less-active members. “We believe that the Church here is going to be- come stronger, given the number of nonmember families who asked to learn more about the Church and the number of less-active members who expressed their desire MPOS A to return to activity after the open house,” said

CLEMISON C Cleto Oliveira, a local pub- Y lic affairs representative. PHOTO B ORTO LEGRE RAZIL The new Recife temple, located in northern Brazil, attracted more than 78,000 to its open house. The P A B temple became the first to be dedicated in Brazil since the São Paulo temple was completed in 1978. TEMPLE

The Porto Alegre temple Two Brazilian Temples Dedicated was dedicated on 17 De- cember, the 102nd operat- resident Gordon B. RECIFE BRAZIL TEMPLE More than 7,000 mem- ing temple of the Church Hinckley, assisted by bers attended the dedica- and the last to be dedi- PPresident James E. Faust, President Hinckley and tion of the Recife Brazil cated in 2000. “Bless in Second Counselor in the President Faust each con- Temple, the first to be com- ever-increasing numbers First Presidency, recently ducted two sessions of the pleted in Brazil dedicated the Recife Brazil Recife temple dedication since the São Temple and the Porto on 15 December. In the Paulo temple Alegre Brazil Temple. The dedicatory prayer they pe- was dedicated temples were the last to be titioned, “Smile with favor 22 years ago. dedicated in 2000, a year upon this great nation of The Recife tem- of remarkable temple Brazil, where Thy work has ple will serve building. grown in a remarkable and 137,500 mem- The two temple dedica- wonderful way. Prosper its bers in 39 stakes tions were especially mean- economy. May peace pre- and five districts ingful for President Faust, vail throughout the land. in northern who served as a young May Thy messengers, the Brazil. Many of missionary in Brazil from missionaries, be welcomed these members 1939 to 1942. At that time here; and may their labors have not been there were about 800 mem- be exceedingly fruitful.” able to make the bers in this South American The two First Presi- cost-prohibitive, nation. Today, Brazilian dency members were 72-hour trip to Church membership has accompanied by Elder São Paulo. swelled to some 800,000. Claudio R. M. Costa, Elder The exquisite TESY OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT During the same trip, Robert S. Wood, and Elder new temple,

President Hinckley and Darwin B. Christenson of with its sur- PHOTO COUR President Faust also spoke the Seventy, members of rounding gar- Church leaders and members participate to congregations in Puerto the Brazil North Area dens, fruit trees, in the cornerstone ceremony for the Rico and in Panama. Presidency. and palm trees, Porto Alegre temple.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 73 Faust. Also speaking were for missionary service. “It Elder Richard D. Allred was the faith [my mother] and Elder Gordon T. Watts instilled in young hearts of the Seventy, President that caused all five Faust and First Counselor of the sons to serve missions and North America Southeast be married in the temple,” Area Presidency, and he said. Dean M. Davies, presi- dent of the Puerto Rico PANAMA MEMBER MEETING San Juan Mission. TESY OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT President Hinckley bore Some 4,500 members testimony of Jesus Christ, gathered at a convention

PHOTO COUR the Prophet Joseph Smith, center in Panama City to President Hinckley and President Faust meet members in Puerto Rico. and the Restoration. “I see and hear Church lead- hope and pray that you ers speak on 18 December. the Saints of this temple As she and her husband will remember this meet- President Hinckley and district that they may qual- attended the Porto Alegre ing when you heard me President Faust were ify and keep themselves temple dedication exactly stand before you and de- joined by Elder Lynn G. worthy to serve in Thy 62 years to the day after clare my testimony of the Robbins of the Seventy, house. . . . We invoke Thy her baptism, Sister Biehl truth of this great cause President of the Central blessings on this great expressed joy and wonder and kingdom. God our America Area, and by nation of Brazil,” said that a temple had been Eternal Father lives. Jesus Duane B. Williams, presi- President Hinckley in built in her city. is the Christ, the Son of the dent of the Panama the dedicatory prayer. living God.” Panama City Mission. President Hinckley and PUERTO RICO MEMBER He also urged mem- During his address, President Faust were joined MEETING bers to live worthy to President Hinckley spoke at the dedicatory services attend the temple. “I on the importance of by Elder J. Kent Jolley, President Hinckley’s say to every man and tithing, saying that if the Elder Athos M. Amorim, stop in San Juan on 13 De- woman here tonight, members would pay their and Elder Adhemar cember en route to Brazil live for the day when tithing and demonstrate Damiani of the Seventy, marked the first time he you can go to the house their faith, “we will find members of the Brazil had visited Puerto Rico. of the Lord. You must do a way to build a temple South Area Presidency. About 3,300 members, it; the gospel is not com- here.” More than 7,500 Latter- some who had traveled plete without the ordi- President Faust spoke day Saints attended the from as far as the U.S. nances of the temple.” about being born again dedication of the temple, Virgin Islands, assembled President Faust peti- and making the covenants which is located in an at- in a coliseum to hear the tioned for more full-time of baptism. He concluded tractive neighborhood on words of President missionaries, asking moth- with his testimony of the a sloping hill overlooking Hinckley and President ers to prepare their sons Savior. អ the city. The temple will serve 58,000 members in 27 stakes and four districts in southern Brazil. The tem- ple’s 2–9 December open house drew more than 25,000 visitors. During the dedicatory services, President Faust said that when he arrived in Porto Alegre as a mis- sionary, there were only six Church members in TESY OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT the entire city. Among those members was the

young Olga Bing Biehl, PHOTO COUR who had been baptized Some 4,500 Church members respond with joy to President Hinckley’s wave of good-bye after a recent on 17 December 1938. address in Panama City. “We will find a way to build a temple here,” he told them.

74 TESY AP/WORLD WIDE PHOTOS PHOTO COUR TABERNACLE CHOIR SINGS IN U.S. INAUGURAL PARADE—”God bless you,” U.S. President George W. Bush called out to members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as they performed in the presidential inauguration parade on 20 January. The more than 300-voice choir rode on a 125-foot long float. This is the sixth time the choir has sung at U.S. inaugurations; earlier performances include those for Lyndon Johnson in 1965, Richard Nixon in 1969 and 1973, Ronald Reagan in 1981, and George Bush in 1989. The choir also provided free concerts on 19 and 21 January and broadcast its weekly Music and the Spoken Word program on 21 January at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts Concert Hall.

Family History Library Catalog. The new manual President New CES Manuals on has user-friendly instruc- tions for using other basics Hinckley Pearl of Great Price, Family History of the FamilySearch™ pro- gram. It does not deal with Among Most he Church recently Manual, Religion 261 (item Internet use. Treleased new Church no. 36405; $1.50) has been To order the new mate- Admired Men Educational System manu- revised for use with rials, contact your local dis- als on the Pearl of Great Windows applications in tribution center or visit the n a Gallup Poll released Price and family history Personal Ancestral File, official Church Web site at 29 December, President research. TempleReady, and the www.lds.org. អ IGordon B. Hinckley was The Pearl of Great Price named by Americans as Student Manual, Religion 327 one of the most admired (item no. 35852, U.S. $2.00) men in the world. provides commentary, In an annual national insights, charts, and survey, the Gallup additional resources on Organization asked the books of Moses and U.S. adults to name the Abraham and the writings single man, currently of the Prophet Joseph living anywhere in Smith. It is the first the world, that they Church-published manual admire most. President on the Pearl of Great Price Hinckley was one of in more than 30 years. 16 men named as most The Introduction to Recently released CES manuals on the Pearl of Great Price admired. អ Family History Student and on FamilySearch.

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 75 he is serving a mission. “I’ll never take this book of such great worth for granted again.” Mari Timakov of the Tartu Branch, Tallinn Estonia District, a convert of seven years, explained her feelings about reading the book for the first time in her native language, “I have been waiting for the day I could read the Book of Mormon in Estonian. Holding it in your hand, its pages covered with di- vine counsel, all in your LKER A mother tongue—that is

REX W something else!” Y From Estonia to

PHOTO B Ethiopia, the joy of receiv- Just hours after receiving the first Amharic copy of the Book of Mormon in Ethiopia, President Gemechu ing the Book of Mormon Wariyo Goja of the Addis Ababa Branch shares the book with his family. “It is wonderful,” he said. in one’s own language is the same. “Today I became Another Milestone of 100 Reached in 2000 the first Ethiopian member to receive the Book of By Barbara Jean Jones The translation of the faithful members here Mormon in Amharic, and I Assistant Editor Book of Mormon into 100 upon receiving this am very, very happy,” said ention reaching a languages, like the avail- wonderful book in their Gemechu Wariyo Goja, milestone of 100 in ability of 100 temples, is mother tongue,” said Elder Addis Ababa Branch presi- Mthe year 2000, and most blessing the lives of people Josh White, speaking of dent, speaking in January Latter-day Saints think of throughout the world. the arrival early in 2000 2001. “When I distributed temples. The dedication of “I’ll never forget the of the translated Book of the first copies to members the Church’s 100th operat- tears of joy shed by the Mormon in Estonia, where who I worked with in ing temple last October translating the book, was heralded with much everyone cheered and rejoicing and publicity. jumped up and down. What may be a surprise I just brought my own for many is that another copy home, and my family historic landmark of 100 is anxiously gathered was also reached in 2000, an around the book, reading event that occurred quietly. it to each other in Amharic. On 29 December 2000, It is wonderful.” translations of the Book Dominique of Mormon in Eastern Andriamanantoa, presi- Armenian, Amharic (spo- dent of the newly created ken in Ethiopia and Eritrea), Antananarivo Madagascar Latvian, Lithuanian, and Stake—the first stake to be Xhosa (spoken in South created in the island na- Africa), rolled off the press, tion of Madagascar—says bringing to 100 the number he has already seen a dif- of language translations ference in the local mem- GLENN B. GOODRICH

ever completed. Sixty-one Y bership since the release of these are full translations of the Malagasy Book of

of the Book of Mormon; 39 PHOTO B Mormon in February 2000. are translations of selected “I can’t believe I can read the Book of Mormon now!” said Tanzanian “We had retention prob- chapters. investigator Hilda Charles after receiving the book in Swahili. lems before, but now more

76 people are better con- presented the new coach at Dunn’s outstanding sea- verted because their a recent press conference. son earned him Offensive testimonies can be LDS Scene Brother Crowton comes Player of the Year honors grounded in the Book of to BYU from his posi- from the National Junior Mormon,” says President tion as offensive coor- College Athletics Associa- Andriamanantoa. He also dinator for the U.S. tion. In 2000 he broke eight says that local leadership National Football school records, passed for has become stronger and League’s Chicago an average of 395.5 yards more members are partici- Bears. He was born in per game, completed more pating in Church meetings Provo, Utah, and grew than 60 percent of his because people are reading up in nearby Orem. passes, and threw for and understanding the He served a mission to 42 touchdowns. PER doctrine of the Book of A South Korea from 1979 Because of changes Mormon. to 1981. brought about by Ricks Sister Timakov says it’s College’s transition to BEEHIVE NEWSP the same in Estonia: “Now, , BYU-TV NOW CARRIED four-year status (as BYU—

YLOR ON we can just open the book A DIRECTV Idaho), this was the school’s and read or use verses in final year of participation in

our talks. We can enjoy the RUSSELL T Brigham Young intercollegiate football. sound of the teachings Y University Television AUSTRALIAN MEMBERS AID when it is read out loud PHOTO B is now being carried AST IMORESE in Sunday School. We can Judge Lloyd D. George stands on DIRECTV, the E T hand it to people who in front of a new U.S. court- largest satellite television years ago would have just house recently named after him. broadcaster in the U.S., Members in Australia said, ‘Sorry, I don’t under- viewed in nine million provided a Christmas aid stand any language but U.S. COURTHOUSE NAMED homes. package to the people of Estonian.’ It is a blessing AFTER LDS JUDGE BYU Television is a non- East Timor. A 187,000- to cherish.” commercial channel that pound shipment of garden- And in Tanzania, where A new federal court- broadcasts BYU sports and ing tools, food, and clothing the full Book of Mormon house was recently named devotionals and concerts was sent from Sydney to translation in Swahili was after Judge Lloyd D. provided by the university East Timor in December. released last fall, President George, a member of the and the Church. The chan- Australian Church William Gideme of the Las Vegas Sixth Ward, Las nel also broadcasts lectures officials presented the aid Chang’ombe Branch says, Vegas Nevada Stake, who from Education Week, a to Xanana Gusmao, presi- “Finally I can read the served as the Chief Judge weeklong conference spon- dent of the East Timorese Book of Mormon to my of the U.S. District Court sored annually by the National Council, who whole family with com- for the District of Nevada Church Educational System oversaw delivery of the plete understanding. I am for five years. The Lloyd D. and BYU’s Department of goods to the East Timorese. so grateful.” George United States Continuing Education. Australian members do- The translation of the Courthouse was dedicated BYU Television, available nated 22,000 pounds of Book of Mormon into so in a ceremony that hon- on DIRECTV channel 374, children’s new and used many languages also ored Brother George for will be broadcast from clothing as part of the promises to increase mis- his years of service since DIRECTV’s satellite at the package, and gardening sionary success in areas he was appointed to a fed- 119-degree west longitude tools and food were pur- where the book was not eral judgeship in 1984. orbital location and requires chased with funds raised available to investigators an 18-by-24-inch multisatel- from a Church welfare before. “I can’t believe I can GARY CROWTON NAMED lite dish and receiver. farm in Griffith, New read the Book of Mormon BYU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH South Wales, Australia. now! I am very happy RICKS WINS BOWL GAME “This is a great about that,” says Hilda Gary Crowton has been Christmas present for my Charles, an investigator chosen as the new head The Ricks College people,” said Mr. Gusmao, who has been attending football coach at Brigham Vikings defeated the Snow who expressed particular the Chang’ombe Branch. Young University, replac- College Badgers of Ephraim, appreciation for the gar- One missionary serving ing retiring head coach Utah, 45–14 in the Real dening tools. “While it is in Ethiopia told President LaVell Edwards. Elder Dairy Bowl. The Vikings good to give hungry peo- Gemechu, “We are going Merrill J. Bateman of the ended their season 8–3. ple food, it is best to give to be much busier now.” អ Seventy, BYU president, Ricks quarterback Marc them tools so they can use

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 77 the renowned conservatory, After interviewing the which has only 113 piano Brown family and filming students and accepts just part of a Sunday Church one of nine applicants. meeting, the production Desirae and Deondra are se- crew of 60 Minutes, im- niors, Gregory and Melody pressed by what they’d

ACIFIC PUBLIC AFFAIRS ACIFIC are freshmen, and Ryan is in seen, spent two hours of the precollege division. their personal time asking On 14 February, Desirae the Brown parents, Keith and Deondra made their and Lisa, about the gospel. professional debut when Brother and Sister they performed the Poulenc Brown, who moved their Concerto for Two Pianos family from Alpine, Utah, PHOTO COURTESY AUSTRALIA / P AUSTRALIA PHOTO COURTESY Australian Church officials help local East Timorese unload boxes with the Philadelphia to New York after all their of humanitarian aid sent from Australian members. Orchestra. Impressed by children were accepted at the sisters’ first-place per- Juilliard, say the siblings’ them to grow their own Copenhagen, Denmark; formance at the orchestra’s common interest in music crops and become self- Göteborg, Sweden; Oslo, Albert M. Greenfield and their upbringing in the sufficient,” he said. Norway; Hamburg, Ger- Student Competition last Church have created a The Church provided many; Hull, Liverpool, and March, conductor Luis strong bond among them. other humanitarian assis- Portsmouth, England; the Biava invited them to play “They look out for each tance earlier this year to Canary Islands; and the as the orchestra’s guests. other,” says Brother Brown. East Timorese refugees, in- Bahamas before finish- In spite of the highly “Everywhere they go, cluding hygiene kits, food, ing in New York City on competitive environment whether it’s to concerts, and clothing. 4 October. in which the five siblings dances, or just out to pizza, Celebrations are planned exist, the Browns are noted they go together. They’re a WARD RECEIVES at some of the ports of call. for the harmony that en- great influence for good on VOLUNTEER AWARD Festivities will include ship dures among them even each other.” tours, fireworks, maritime when away from the key- “The Church really The Panorama Heights exhibits on LDS migration, board. Teachers and friends stresses spending time Ward of the Albuquerque computer ancestral research at Juilliard are struck by it, together as a family, and New Mexico West Stake demonstrations, history and national and interna- that’s made us close,” recently received an Out- workshops, and a concert. tional newspapers and tele- adds Gregory. “We speak standing Volunteer Group The musical score of the vision news programs have the same language; we award from the city of Rio concert, entitled “Saints on highlighted the family’s help each other stay on Rancho, New Mexico. The the Seas,” is being written unity in feature stories. track.” អ ward was recognized in by LDS composers. The 2000 for service, which in- final celebration will take cluded beautifying a local place at New York’s Madi- park, cleaning up an illegal son Square Garden. dumpsite, and assisting For more information, with the mayor’s charity ball. visit the Sea Trek Web site at www.seatrek2001.com. SEA TREK 2001 TO TRACE LDS EMIGRANTS’ VOYAGE FIVE LDS SIBLINGS STUDY AT JUILLIARD Plans are proceeding for a two-month, privately For the first time in his- sponsored commemoration tory, five siblings are study- of the voyage of thousands ing together at the Juilliard of 19th-century Latter-day School in New York City. Saint emigrants from Desirae (22), Deondra (20), Europe to the United Gregory (18), Melody (16), States. On 7 August, ten and Ryan Brown (15), mem- 1850s replica sailing ships bers of the Westchester First will set sail from Esbjerg, Ward, New York New York Denmark, making stops in Stake, are studying piano at

78 knocked on their door. The of the Cambridge Maryland Moudys’ Delaware roots go Branch. After the Garmans back to the late 1600s. responded to a Church tele- Brother and Sister vision advertisement for a Moudy enrich the Christi- free video, two missionaries ana Ward in Newark, Dela- ware, with their expertise WILMINGTON DELAWARE STAKE in telecommunications. Jim, recently retired after 34 Created ...... 1974 Number of members ...... 4,061 years in the telecommuni- T SUNDELIN Number of units ...... 9 wards, 2 branches KUR cations industry, has served Y as the stake audiovisual Number of missionaries currently serving from the stake ...... 44

PHOTO B specialist for 14 years, and Temple district Washington D.C. Temple The Wilmington Delaware Stake is headquartered in the city of Thelma also uses her expe- Wilmington, near which the Christina River meets the Delaware Bay. rience in the industry to ful- fill Church assignments. appeared at their door. For example, shortly af- “The missionaries walked The Wilmington Delaware Stake: ter Thelma was called as in the door and our lives ward Relief Society presi- changed,” Donna recounts. No Small Wonder dent in the winter of 1999, James Dayton, who was ue to its relatively a snowstorm left the roads branch president for 12 small size, the U.S. too icy for safe travel on a years and one of the first Dstate of Delaware is often WILMINGTON day scheduled for a presi- members of the Cambridge referred to by residents as M NEW JERSEY dency meeting. Feeling that Branch when it was formed AR the “Small Wonder,” but the meeting needed to take in 1971, soon started visit- YLAN DOVER n a the Wilmington Delaware e place, she set up a telecon- ing the family with the c

O Stake is anything but small. D ference among the homes missionaries. Developing c The stake’s boundaries in- i of the presidency members. a friendship with the t DELAWARE n clude all of Delaware, the a After the teleconference, Garmans, he invited t l eastern shore of Maryland, A Thelma concluded that Charles to help with a and a few eastern Penn- “the work of the Lord can display for the branch’s sylvania communities. go forward even under ad- community Pioneer Day Although driving be- visited the Wilmington verse circumstances.” Celebration in July 1997. tween some of the stake’s area in 1839, an event he Although corporate It wasn’t long before the 11 units can take more recorded in his journal. In downsizing over the last Garmans were attending than two hours, stake the early 1840s, most area decade has slowed the Sunday services and were president Joel R. Temple members moved to Nauvoo. flow of member move-ins, baptized. is one who doesn’t let the During the next 100 the stake’s active mission- “I felt like one of those miles he has to travel inter- years, there was little ary effort has brought a people who said they al- fere with the satisfaction Church activity in Dela- steady increase in mem- ways were Latter-day he gets from serving. ware, but in 1941 a branch bership, especially during Saint but didn’t know A convert of 30 years, was organized, and mis- the last five years. [about the Church],” Donna President Temple says the sionary work reopened in Typical of new said. “It was like coming work has moved forward 1945. In 1974, the Wilming- converts are home.” Like the Garmans, in the stake through the ef- ton stake was formed. Charles and many others in the area forts of “hosts of faithful The stake now has nine Donna have “come home” to the members who have given wards and two branches, Garman gospel, and members and freely of their time, their with a membership of some leaders in Delaware are talents, and their means.” 4,000. Many of the members confident the Church The first record of the are Eastern Shore will continue to flourish Church in the area goes natives like in the area.—Sharon back to the 1830s, soon after Thelma and Jim Lance Sundelin, the gospel was restored. Moudy, who Christiana Ward, During that decade, some joined the Wilmington missionary activity took Church in Delaware Stake អ place around Wilmington. 1973 after The Prophet Joseph Smith missionaries Thelma and Jim Moudy

THE ENSIGN/MARCH 2001 79 wife of a bishop, I spend much of statement, “I had succumbed to an build eternal relationships.” my time alone attending to the illusion: that the purpose of the The article helped me change Comment needs of our five children. It be- family was to support the house- my whole outlook on my role as comes difficult at times to remain work, rather than vice versa. We a mother, strive to make positive A New Perspective focused on what is important and need to remember that the purpose memories for my children, and lis- on Motherhood not to get totally smothered by of our children is not to help keep ten to them more and give fewer Thank you for the article “Time everyday mundane chores. our homes in order; rather, the instructions and commands. and the Single Parent” (July 2000). I Many truths hit home for me purpose of our homes is to help Loukia Lerios am not a single parent, but as the as I read the article, especially the us rear righteous children [and] Strubenvale, South Africa

Family Home Evening Most stories from Latter- Making the Most day Saint Voices can be used for family night. If you want to center a family of This Issue home evening on the im- portance and power of MARCH 2001 prayer, read and discuss “Sand Trap,” p. 44. emeritus member Perspectives for Leaders of the Seventy, and Teachers shares seven ideas • Read how vital it is for for unlocking teachers to help class mem- the power of bers develop a love for the presidencies, word of God, p. 69. p. 16. • Find the general Relief Society presidency’s ideas Home Teachers on missionary work, con- and Visiting Teachers vert retention, and activa- Find the monthly mes- tion on p. 68. sages on pp. 2 and 57. • Read tips for teaching Did You Know? Protect Your Marriage President Hinckley’s coun- Each Ensign feature article Learning a Prophet’s Lessons Negativism can be a mar- sel to youth, p. 68. has gospel topics listed at riage killer. Find out how to Can the Prophet Joseph • Help children gain a the end that can suggest avoid its bite. See p. 22. Smith’s early experiences testimony of prophets as subjects for personal study with the first principles and they learn about this year’s and reflection or provide Being a Friend ordinances of the gospel Primary theme, “Follow support material for lessons to the Less Active strengthen you? Find out the Prophet,” p. 69. in the home and Church What can we do to reach on p. 50. classrooms. out to less-active members? Sharing the Gospel with Others GOSPEL TOPICS One member shares ideas In Danger of Drowning! The Atonement is the that work. See p. 70. A simple fishing trip be- fundamental doctrine upon Adversity, 46 Marriage, 22 comes a life-and-death situa- which all missionary work Atonement, 8, 57 Missionary work, Baptism, 8, 50 8 Walk Your Way tion. Turn to p. 30 to read the can be based, says Elder to Good Health Book of Mormon, 8 Moral purity, 58 dramatic answer to a father’s Jeffrey R. Holland of the Charity, 22 Motherhood, 27 No time for exercise? prayers for his two sons. Quorum of the Twelve. “I Child rearing, 58 Parenting, 27 Think again. One member testify to you that we will Children, 27 Patience, 27 shows how you can inte- What Lessons Can Your Child change lives, in- Choices, 2 Perspective, 27 Teach You? Compassion, 22 Pornography, 58 grate walking into your cluding our own, Conversion, 47, 49 Prayer, 30, 44, 47 everyday life. See p. 72. Four if we will teach Example, 47 Presidency, 16 mothers the Atonement Faith, 8, 30, 44, 46, 50 Primary, 37 You’re a Teacher Too recall through the Family, 44 Repentance, 2, 8, 49, Fatherhood, 44 50, 57 Everyone is a teacher! insights Book of Fellowshipping, 47 Restoration, 50 Use the suggestions on pp. they Mormon as Forgiveness, 2, 22 Service, 2, 47 32–36 in the next lesson you gained well as . . . Gratitude, 30 Spiritual promptings, teach at home or in church. through from all of Holy Ghost, 50 30 their the other Home production Student participation, The Power of Presidencies and storage, 46 32 children, scriptures,” he says. Identity, 2 Teaching, 32, 37 Elder Joe J. Christensen, p. 27. See p. 8. Jesus Christ, 8 Ten Commandments, Joseph Smith, 50 49 Leadership, 16 Trials, 44 Love, 22, 27, 37 Unity, 16 80 Land Bountiful,by Garth Oborn

The Bountiful Utah Temple, in its foothill setting north of Salt Lake City, is spotlighted by a setting sun painting the Wasatch Mountain peaks above it in hues of pink and gold on an early autumn evening. believe in the family where there is a husband who there believe in the family where asset and his greatest his companion as regards I “ treats her accordingly; where there is a wife who looks upon there where her accordingly; treats her husband as her anchor and strength. . . . The cultivation her husband as her anchor and strength. and forgiveness effort and energy, of such a home requires patience, love and endurance and sacrifice; but it is worth all of B. Hinckley Gordon these and more.”—President

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