Something to Share

So I gave a talk in Sacrament a couple months ago, and it was an awesome experience.  I really wished that I could have had y'all with me, because the Spirit felt was so good.  That started me thinking about how much I would love to be with you anytime y'all are speaking as well, but I know that can't always happen.  So I decided that I am sharing my talk here, and I would love it if you would take a few minutes to read it, and perhaps this could be something that starts some conversations.  If nothing else I would love for anyone, when giving a talk, to post it here as well for the rest of us that aren't able to be with you in person.  So without further adieu:

The Power of the Word of God

Most of us in here know each other.  My family has been in the Ward for a little over 4 years now, but with all the changes, and new faces, I feel I should introduce myself.  Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya…   (Pause for roaring laughter)…. I’m Dave Holliday.  I have the most amazing wife in the world.  Adrienne makes me smile every day.  I can call her, and I still get butterflies when I hear her voicemail, “I’m sorry, the person you have dialed is no longer accepting calls from this number.”  (More roaring laughter)  We have 5 awesome children, but only three are with me today.  You may have seen Adrienne run out the door with our youngest during the sacrament, and our oldest in Utah with family.

The topic the Bishopric assigned me is “The Power of the Word of God,” so I’m going to spend some time talking about the importance of devouring daily the deluge of deliberately dictated, delectable doctrines donning the pages of the scriptures. 

I had to do that for my wife, even though she didn’t get to enjoy it. 

What is the Word of God?  And just how powerful is it?

The scriptures contain the Word of God. 

The words of prophets, both ancient as well as modern day, and even those guiding Christ’s church today, are the Word of God.

The testimony of the righteous is the Word of God.

The Savior is the Word of God.

Jacob Chapter 4 Verse 6 sheds some light on what the Power of the Word can do or become within us.  

6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

The Word of God is a conduit.  It is the tool by which the heavens are opened, and the Lord communicates with men.  There is nothing greater.  How often are prayers answered, not while kneeling in supplication, but while sitting with the scriptures open?

In October 2011 Richard G Scott shared, and I quote,

“Pondering a passage of scripture can be a key to unlock revelation and the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Scriptures can calm an agitated soul, giving peace, hope, and a restoration of confidence in one’s ability to overcome the challenges of life. They have potent power to heal emotional challenges when there is faith in the Savior. They can accelerate physical healing.”

This power Elder Scott spoke of is real.  Are we using that conduit adequately?  Do we realize this availability on a daily basis?  If that answer is no, then why not?

Now I want to focus on a different way the Power of the Word can help.

Throughout history wars have been fought over behavior, and attitudes held by some people, and disapproved of by others.  Those wars have always failed to change those attitudes and behaviors. 

We’ve all heard stories about people coming into vast amounts of money, through different means, but the one thing they have in common is that they almost inevitably maintain the same patterns of thought, attitudes, and behaviors with their newfound wealth, and as a result, often, it doesn’t last them very long.

Fear has been a failed motivator.  Money hasn’t been powerful enough.  Even the love of a spouse, children, and other cherished people has come up short time and time again. 

The way we perceive life, our circumstances, and the way we react to them, our thoughts, attitudes, behaviors, and our very selfish nature are some of the most difficult things to change, mold, or develop, but they are the most important. 

In Mosiah 3:19 King Benjamin taught it very eloquently:

19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

It is imperative we escape the natural tendencies of our mortal form, but therein lies the most difficult part of this human experience. 

Is there anything powerful enough to truly change our natural attitudes, and behavior?

President David O. McKay taught  “The purpose of the gospel is . . . to make bad men good and good men better, and to change human nature”  (from the film Every Member a Missionary, as acknowledged by Franklin D. Richards, CR, October 1965, 136–37)

In a talk given in 2001 Elder David A Bednar referred to President McKay, and said “thus the journey of a lifetime is to progress from bad to good to better and to experience the mighty change of heart—and to have our fallen natures changed.”

Elder Bednar continued by saying he believed President McKay was suggesting that the journey from bad to good is the process of putting off the natural man or the natural woman in each of us.

President Boyd K. Packer stated: Quote:

“True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior.

The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. . . . That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel”. [“Little Children,” Ensign, November 1986, 17]

End Quote.

We see evidence of this in Alma Chapter 31 Verse 5,   

5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them.

The power of the word of God is evident all around.  While teaching Seminary Brother Todd B Parker wanted to show the youth the power of the Word. 

He taught that the first principle in putting off the natural man is to draw upon the Power of the Word daily. 

The first day of school he asked each of his students to write on a piece of paper.  He said, “Be honest in your writing here. I’m not going to look at this. This is for you only. Write down your honest feelings about religion—about God, Christ, Joseph Smith…, the Church, or anything you want. Fold it .., staple it, and put your name and date on the outside.”

Over the course of the year they studied the scriptures together every day, marking, and making notes as they went along.  But that wasn’t all, and I quote “The students were challenged to pray every day, morning and night, on their knees, out loud, and read a chapter of scripture each day on their own for nine months.”

On the last day of class he asked the students to write again, not reminding them of the first day, he said, “Now don’t try to impress anybody here. Just be honest. Write your feelings about God, the Church, Christ, the gospel, or anything you’d like.”

When they finished, he returned to each student his or her paper from earlier in the year so they could compare them.  He didn’t plan to read any of them, but 2 students came to him. 

Julie with tears in her eyes, and these are the words she had written:

“I guess I sometimes wonder if Christ really does live. I don’t know for sure, and I have always wondered since I was old enough to even think about it. . . . I also wonder if this is the true church or not. Everything we are told to do seems right, but I still have doubts.”

After nine months of studying the scriptures in seminary, she wrote, in part:

“I know God lives and His Son, Jesus Christ, is my Brother and He knows me and He cares about me. Through prayer I know He will guide us and show us the right way through His prophets, who I know are called of God. I know He loves each of us in a very special way.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church, and I know it without a doubt. It was restored by Joseph Smith, who I know was a true prophet.”

Brother Parker pointed out Julie used the words “I know.” 9 times.

That was the power of the word in this young woman’s life.

Larry also shared his words:

“I don’t really know there’s a God. I only go to church to make my mom and dad happy. I wish I had a testimony, but I don’t. Sometimes I feel like I have an important job on earth, but I don’t know what it is. I’m always wanting to do something wrong.”

Nine months later this young man wrote:

“I know the Church is true. I have a testimony of it. I love my Big Brother and my Heavenly Father, and I know They live. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and I have a testimony of it.

I love this church with all my life. Some say they do not know if they would give their life for it, but I know—if need be, and my Father willed it—I would.”

That was the power of the word in this young man’s life.

In October of 2004 Elder David A Bednar remembered listening to the testimony of President Harold B. Lee, and said, “I hope I shall never forget what I felt and heard and learned that day. His teachings have positively influenced me for the last 28 years.”

The word of God has positively influenced his life for the past 28 years, and I would bet is still influencing him today, more than ten years later.

That was the power of the word in Elder Bednar’s life.

In the temple yesterday while waiting for my wife to finish changing, I felt impressed to read in 2 Nephi chapter 32.  I didn’t get very far, because what the Lord had for me was in the first few verses:

1 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way. But, behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts?

 2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?

 3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

My oldest son, Dalton has been away in Utah for most of the summer.  While at a church camp for 16-18 year old boys, called Sons of Helaman, he had a great experience in the testimony meeting the last night of the camp.  He said to me, “the testimony meeting lasted over 5 hours,… and I didn’t even fall asleep.”  He told me he cried through most of it, but his favorite testimony came from a young man with severe autism.  This young man stood with the microphone, and mumbled for quite a while, but at one point used the words Jesus Christ, and the Spirit in the room was indescribable.  250 young men witnessed a miracle, the Power of the Word of God in this young man’s life helped him utter the first 2 words anyone had ever been able to understand from him.  His dad wept at this, and shared his own testimony and expressed his extreme gratitude for the chance to understand, for the first time, 2 simple words from his child’s mouth. 

Brothers and sisters, preparing for this talk was an awesome experience for me.  There is Power immeasurable in the Word of God.  It is my deepest desire, and most sincere hope that you have felt even just a portion of the Spirit that helped my poor mind compile these thoughts, and that it will lead you to seek the Power of the Word of God in your own lives, even just a little bit more.  I know that as I commit myself to spending more time feasting upon the words of Christ, the power of the Word of God will enlighten me, edify me, strengthen me, lift me up, bring me peace, and ultimately change my heart, and change my attitudes, and behavior.  It will do the same for you I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.