Stake Conference Talk

Recently I had the opportunity to speak in the priesthood leadership session of stake conference. Preparing my remarks has taken up so much of my spare time, that I haven't posted anything new on this blog in a little while. Well, now that stake conference is over I plan to get back into the habit of posting every few days here.  I thought I would start by sharing my conference talk with all of you. I was assigned the topic of reactivating elders and working with prospective elders. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed preparing it.

In October of 1856 the Martin handcart company was struggling across the high plains of Wyoming. An early snow had blown in and temperatures plummeted under the fierce barrage of a cold north wind. The handcart pioneers continued to press forward in these terrible conditions for nearly a week, but the combination of bitterly cold temperatures and low rations soon took their toll, and the beleaguered group decided to pitch camp and wait for the weather to break. 

Little did these poor souls realize at the time, that help was already on the way. Several weeks earlier during general conference, president Brigham Young received a message detailing the distress of these saints and immediately called upon the assembled brethren to go to their rescue. His instructions included this powerful proclamation, 

I will tell you all that your faith, religion, and profession of religion, will never save one soul of you in the Celestial Kingdom of our God, unless you carry out just such principles as I am now teaching you. Go and bring in those people now on the plains.The brethren heeded the call, and help soon arrived.

The image of these pioneers moving across the stormy plains brings to mind another group of travelers. Those weary wanderers that Lehi saw in vision, who were attempting to traverse a “lone and dreary waste.” Like the pioneers of the Martin Handcart company, we find that these travelers are in serious trouble. A mist of darkness has set in, and many have lost their way and are wandering forbidden paths. Among those in distress are found many of our elders and prospective elders, and just as president Young issued a call to action so many years ago, living prophets and apostles today have issued similar calls with phrases like, “man down” and “to the rescue.”

The scriptures make it clear that it is not enough for us to merely attend to our own spiritual welfare. In the book of Ezekiel we read that the Lord is not pleased with his shepherds that feed only themselves while neglecting the flock. The record states: 

Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost.. (Ezekiel 34:2, 4)

Each of us by virtue of the priesthood we hold are shepherds in Israel. We were foreordained to hold the priesthood because of our desire to aid the Savior in saving souls. Alma taught of our foreordination recording that,

This is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works, …to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest (Alma 13: 3,6)

Likewise, Elder John A Widstoe spoke of our foreordination at the Grand Council in heaven teaching that, 

Since the plan is intended for all men, we became parties to the salvation of every person under that plan. We agreed, right then and there, to be not only saviors for ourselves but measurably, saviors for the whole human family. The least of us, the humblest, is in partnership with the Almighty in achieving the purpose of the eternal plan of salvation.

Elder Holland echoed this thought in the February worldwide leadership broadcast when he said, “Salvation of family, salvation of individuals, salvation of every man, woman and child in the human family ­ -- that's our task. That's the scope of the Atonement.”

When viewed in the context of less active and prospective elders, these last two statements take on deeper meaning, for all elders are called to help others enter in to the rest of the Lord. Elder Bruce R McConkie taught that, 

Our great need, the charge that is laid upon us, is to perfect the elders so they can feed the flock, lest the sheep perish for want of the word of God. The number one need within the Church today is to reclaim the elders so they, in turn, can “feed the flock of God.

For the flock to be fed as the Lord intends, all elders and prospective elders must be reclaimed. None can be spared.

Our duty to reclaim these dear brethren is clear, but oftentimes the approach we are to use when undertaking this critical labor is not so clear. This is a spiritual work and as such, there is no special formula that will work in all cases. Prophets, however, have given us some guiding principles to follow. A rough outline if you will. President Gordon B Hinckley, for instance, taught us that everyone needs a friend, a responsibility and to be nourished by the good word of God. Let’s explore this timeless counsel in a little more depth.

A Friend

The Savior said, “I know my sheep, and am known of mine.” Can we say the same? Do we show genuine interest in and love for those we serve? Perhaps no better example exists of this principle than in the story of Ammon and Lamoni. Ammon’s steadfast friendship and service not only softened Lamoni’s heart, but also his father ‘s , who the Book of Mormon tells us was, “astonished exceedingly” by the love shown to his son by Ammon. This love had such an effect on the king that he granted Ammon and his brethren freedom to preach in all the lands of his kingdom and asked to be ministered to in his own house. How many thousands were brought to the knowledge of the truth because of the love and friendship extended by just one man? 

Recently in our ward, one of our brethren was involved in a terrible accident. This brother is a prospective elder and his wife was not a member of the church at the time, but due in large part to the kindnesses they were shown and the selfless service they received from the ward, she received a testimony of this work and was baptized. Now this wonderful family is actively participating in the church and preparing for the day they can enter the temple, there to be sealed for time and all eternity.

A Responsibility

In the handbook we read that,

In some wards, leaders rely repeatedly on a small group of people to give service in priesthood and auxiliary organizations. This can overburden the faithful few, and it can also deprive others of experiences that could help them learn and grow. Effective leaders give all members opportunities to serve.

Our returning elders and prospective elders need the learning and growth that priesthood service provides. They need meaningful assignments that allow them to serve others in a personal and tangible way. 

Last month on scout Sunday, the young men in our ward came to church wearing their scout uniforms. This allowed brethren of the Melchizedek priesthood the opportunity to bless and pass the sacrament. I felt prompted to invite a certain Elder to pass the sacrament. This good brother has struggled in his church activity and rarely attends our quorum meetings, yet after sacrament meeting he approached me and excitedly explained that he thought we should discuss the sacrament in quorum meeting, so that we would be better prepared next time we were called on to participate in that sacred ordinance. To my surprise and great joy he attended quorum meeting that day, and has continued to attend faithfully ever since. This wonderful brother felt the spirit as he exercised his priesthood in the Lord’s service and a change was wrought in his heart.

As leaders we must consider carefully what assignments must be fulfilled by us, and which assignments we can delegate to others. To you good Bishops, please start delegating more work to the elders quorum. Not only will your load be lightened, but many brethren will have the fire of testimony rekindled inside them as they serve under assignment from one holding priesthood keys. As Elder Christofferson said in the most recent worldwide leadership broadcast, “We’ve gone about as far as we can go on the backs of stake presidents and Bishops, we need the Melchizedek priesthood to be there in full force, to move to a new plateau and accomplish the things we must in the time we have.”

 I personally feel that the elders quorum is the most underutilized organization in the church. We are called to do more than simply help people move. This can only happen as our brethren learn how to use their priesthood. They can’t learn how to use it if they are never called upon to exercise it. Bishops….lean on your elders quorum presidents and elders quorum presidents…….exercise the keys you hold in delegating priesthood assignments to the brethren over whom you preside. Then ensure you receive an accounting for each assignment given.

Nourished 

The most effective way to nourish inactive or prospective elders is through the inspired program of Home Teaching. Elder Bruce R McConkie said that, 

we [must] use home teachers to do the things that by revelation they are commanded to do. Home teaching is one of the best resources in the Church. Home teachers visit in the homes of the members, watch over and strengthen the Saints, see that there is no iniquity in their lives, and see that all do their duties.

We must assign home teachers to these brethren that have the courage to do what is commanded in D&C section 20. We must also ensure that they are given opportunity to account for their stewardship regularly in priesthood interviews. As we have followed this process in our quorum, our home teaching success has increased dramatically and lives have been blessed.

Great is the task before us brethren and our call is no less urgent than the call to aid the Martin handcart company was. Comparing the handcart rescue to our day, Elder Holland said that,

As surely as the rescue of those in need was the general conference theme of October 1856, so too is it the theme of this conference and last conference and the one to come next spring.” And might I add, this stake conference. Elder Holland continues, “It may not be blizzards and frozen-earth burials that we face this conference, but the needy are still out there—the poor and the weary, the discouraged and downhearted, those “[falling] away into [the] forbidden paths” we mentioned earlier… They are all out there with feeble knees, hands that hang down, and bad weather setting in. They can be rescued only by those who have more and know more and can help more. And don’t worry about asking, “Where are they?” They are everywhere…Take your team and wagon; load it with your love, your testimony, and a spiritual sack of flour; then drive in any direction. The Lord will lead you to those in need if you will but embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ …. Open your heart and your hand to those trapped in the twenty-first century’s equivalent of Martin’s Cove and Devil’s Gate. In doing so we honor the Master’s repeated plea on behalf of lost sheep and lost coins and lost souls.

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