Mid-Life Philosophy--15

What do you think I'm going to say?

This is something I say to myself. It is helpful in making decisions. It is helpful in discerning what should be a priority. I love this saying.

This is not my story. This story belongs to an elder I taught at the MTC. It's not the best teaching tool to share a secondhand story. These are my life philosophies, and this is a statement that has helped to shape my life. I will summarize the elder's story. He had trouble deciding whether to serve a mission. He had an amazing opportunity to meet the prophet, President Hinckley. The elder said something like, "I'm trying to decide whether to serve a mission." President Hinckley responded, "And what do you think I'm going to say?" He then promised the elder, "Go on a mission. You'll never regret it and the Lord will bless you."

To me, President Hinckley's initial response reflects the essence of obedience. We can come up with legitimate reasons, not just flimsy excuses, as to why the rules or commandments don't apply in our personal situations. The elder in this story certainly had a legitimate reason. But I imagine myself meeting the prophet or the Lord and asking whether He thinks a particular rule or commandment applies to me. In my imagination, the response is, "What do you think I'm going to say?"

The fact is that I believe that there is a prophet on the earth today. I believe the Lord reveals His will to me through the living prophets and apostles. If I truly believe that (and I do), then the commandments and rules apply to me. When I serve in the Church, I try to follow the guidelines in the Handbook as closely as I can. I've served in youth and primary programs of varying sizes. Whether big or small, it is easy to question whether the Church's guidelines apply in our particular circumstance. Then the words come to my mind, "What do you think I'm going to say?"

We are fairly strict at home about our family scripture study and family home evening and family prayer. We can easily come up with reasons, including our sometimes very busy life, as to why those "guidelines" don't apply to us. But then I think, "What do you think I'm going to say?" And I realize that those guidelines, counsel, and commandments apply to me.

Some of the things asked of me, including visiting teaching and attending weekly activities, are more difficult to do here in New York than they were in Utah. That is only because of travel time. I guess I could use travel time as an excuse to not do what I'm supposed to do. However, I'm pretty sure the same expectations apply to me here as applied to me in Utah.

President Packer teaches us to look to the rule before we look to the exception. It has consistently blessed my life when I have found a way to obey the rule instead of looking for excuses. When the Lord gives commandments, He prepares a way for us to obey.

I am grateful that I married someone who understands the beauty of obedience to the Lord's commandments. It makes our married life so easy. My dad once told me that I was blessed with an obedient nature. I know this is not everyone's blessing. It is more difficult for some than others. However, it is possible. Obedience is a choice based on faith. I show my faith through my obedience.