THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS • JANUARY 2006 COVER STORY: What We Owe to Adam and Eve, p. 52 Using Agency Wisely, p. 8 Making Decisions That Shape Your Future, p. 12 How Teachers Touched Lives, p. 58 COURTESY OF SOTHEBY’S, MAY NOT BE COPIED NOT MAY COURTESY OF SOTHEBY’S, Tower of Babel, by Tobias Verhaecht “And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth” (Genesis 11:3–4, 9). JANUARY 2006 • VOLUME 36, NUMBER 1 2 FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE The Master’s Blueprint President Thomas S. Monson 8 Using Agency Wisely Elder Donald L. Hallstrom 12 Making Major Life Decisions Kathleen Lubeck Peterson 17 He Offended Me! Name Withheld 20 Wilford Woodruff: Contending for the Faith Aaron L. West 26 God Moves in a Mysterious Way Using Agency William Cowper and 8 Wisely William B. Bradbury 27 For Newlyweds and Their Parents Richard B. Miller 32 The Restoration and Faith Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin 39 Thanks for Finding Me Nancy M. Hopkins 40 In the Beginning . 44 Blessed by My Callings Sheila Kindred 46 LESSONS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT Called of God Bishop Richard C. Edgley 50 THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL The Nature of the Godhead 52 GOSPEL CLASSICS Adam’s Role in Bringing Us Mortality President Joseph Fielding Smith 54 The Joyful Surprise of Motherhood Jean Knight Pace 58 A Lesson That Changed My Life 62 A Happy Gathering of Sisters Lilian DeLong For Newlyweds Called 27 65 VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE 46 and Their Parents The Purpose of Relief Society of God 66 LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES 70 RANDOM SAMPLER 72 NEWS OF THE CHURCH ON THE COVER: Front: Painting by Jay Bryant Ward. Back: Photography by Steve Bunderson, posed by models. AN OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CHURCH PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANT: Sally J. Odekirk $10 U.S. check or money order to Distribution Services, OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368. MARKETING MANAGER: Larry Hiller THE FIRST PRESIDENCY: Gordon B. Hinckley, TO CHANGE ADDRESS: Send both old and new address Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust MANAGING ART DIRECTOR: M. M. Kawasaki information to Distribution Services at the above address. Please allow 60 days for changes to take effect. QUORUM OF THE TWELVE: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, ART DIRECTOR: J. Scott Knudsen Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, DESIGN AND PRODUCTION STAFF: Calli R. Arroyo, SUBMIT MANUSCRIPTS OR ART TO: [email protected] Joseph B. Wirthlin, Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Collette Nebeker Aune, C. Kimball Bott, Thomas S. (e-mail) or Ensign Editorial, 50 E. North Temple St., Rm. 2420, Jeffrey R. Holland, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. 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By mail, send CANADA POST INFORMATION: Publication Agreement #40017431 FIRST PRESIDENCY MESSAGE The Master’s Blueprint BY PRESIDENT THOMAS S. MONSON First Counselor in the First Presidency hen Jesus ministered among men we are to build successfully. The words of at a time long ago and a place far instruction provided by the Apostle Paul give W away, He often spoke in parables, the assurance we need: “Know ye not that ye in language the people best understood. are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of MAGES Oftentimes He referred to home building God dwelleth in you?”5 in relationship to the lives of those who lis- When we remember that each of us is tened. Wasn’t He frequently known as “the literally a spirit son or daughter of God, carpenter’s son”?1 He declared, “Every . we will not find it difficult to approach our house divided against itself shall not stand.”2 Heavenly Father in prayer. He appreciates Later He cautioned, “Behold, mine house is the value of this raw material which we call a house of order, saith the Lord God, and life. “Remember the worth of souls is great In a very real sense, not a house of confusion.”3 in the sight of God.”6 His pronouncement we are builders of In a revelation given through the Prophet inspires purpose in our lives. eternal houses. We Joseph Smith at Kirtland, Ohio, December 27, There is a teacher who will guide our are apprentices to 1832, the Master counseled, “Organize your- efforts if we will but place our faith in Him— the trade—not selves; prepare every needful thing; and even the Lord Jesus Christ. He invites us: skilled craftsmen. establish a house, even a house of prayer, a “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are We need divine help house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of heavy laden, and I will give you rest. if we are to build learning, a house of glory, a house of order, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; successfully. a house of God.”4 for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall Where could any of us locate a more find rest unto your souls. suitable blueprint whereby he or she could “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is wisely and properly build a house to person- light.”7 ally occupy throughout eternity? It was said of Jesus that He “increased in In a very real sense, we are builders of eter- wisdom and stature, and in favour with God nal houses. We are apprentices to the trade— and man.”8 Do we have the determination to LEFT: PHOTOGRAPH BY STEVE BUNDERSON, POSED BY MODELS, MAY NOT BE COPIED; RIGHT: PHOTOGRAPHY BY BUSATH PHOTOGRAPHY AND © GETTY I PHOTOGRAPHY BUSATH BY PHOTOGRAPHY BE COPIED; RIGHT: NOT MAY MODELS, POSED BY STEVE BUNDERSON, BY PHOTOGRAPH LEFT: not skilled craftsmen. We need divine help if do likewise? One line of holy writ contains a ENSIGN JANUARY 2006 3 tribute to our Lord and Savior, of whom it was said, “[He] reasons why so few people are to be found who seem sen- went about doing good.”9 sible and pleasant in conversation is that almost everybody is thinking about what he wants to say himself rather than Examples of the Believers about answering clearly what is said to him.”16 Paul, in his epistle to his beloved Timothy, outlined a Third, be an example in charity. From Corinthians way whereby we could become our better selves and, at comes the beautiful truth, “Charity never faileth.”17 the same time, provide assistance to others who ponder Satisfying to the soul is the ready response the Church or ask the question, “How can I [find my way], except has made to disasters of nature in so many locations. some man should guide me?”10 Frequently we have arrived first on the scene following such The answer, given by Paul to Timothy, provides an disasters and with the most help. There are other organiza- inspired charge to each of us. Let us take heed of his wise tions which likewise respond in a generous fashion. counsel: “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in What is charity? Moroni, in writing a few of the words of conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”11 his father, Mormon, recorded, “Charity is the pure love of Let us examine this solemn instruction which, in a very Christ, and it endureth forever.”18 real sense, is given to us. One who exemplified charity in his life was President First, be an example in word.