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Following Christ to Victory - Ensign May 1979

Following Christ to Victory

Elder Hartman Rector, Jr.
Of the First Quorum of the Seventy

It is an honor and priv ilege to greet y ou this day in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. His work of creation affects ev ery one of us, and his work of redemption reaches ev ery one who has ev er liv ed or will liv e on this earth. He is the only man whose life on this earth was totally successful. Though he was tempted in all things like unto us, y et he liv ed without sin (see Heb. 4:1 5), and thus he made possible our v ictory ov er sin and death as well. Since we, each of us, are inv ited to follow the Christ to v ictory , it seems we should become v itally aware of how he fulfilled his mission, and seek to emulate his ex ample. Surely we will nev er be able to do precisely what he did, partly because his mission and purpose is different than ours. He is the Sav ior; we are the sav ed. He is the Mediator between God and man; we are those for whom he mediates. He is the Redeemer; we are the redeemed. The list of differences is long, and possibly endless. The Masters statement to Moses is a summation of his mission on earth: My work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1 :39 ). The immortality portion of this mission he has already accomplishedthe resurrection is a reality and all will partake. Howev er, we are permitted, encouraged, ev en commanded to assist in bringing to pass the eternal life of man, which is, of course, the continuing part of his great mission. His promise to us of things which I do, y e can do, and greater things than I do, y e can do (see John 1 4:1 2) rings loudly in the ears, stimulating the amazement of ev ery one who reads the holy scriptures. As the scriptures are searched, the life of Christ seems to resolv e into a great success formula. Im sure that I hav e not caught the significance of all that he did and taught, but may I share fiv e basic principles which hav e become discernible in my study ? Believ e y ou can do it. This is the first important principle. All things are possible to them that believ e (see Mark 9:23). Surely we must believ e in a thing before we can desire it. And God does grant unto men according to their desire (see Alma 29:4). If the desire is strong enough, performance is assured. This principle also includes believ ing in y ourself. Self-esteem is v itally important to successful performance.
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Following Christ to Victory - Ensign May 1979

Self-esteem is different than conceitconceit is the weirdest disease in the world. It makes ev ery one sick ex cept the one who has it. It is immensely important that y ou feel good about y ourself. I am sure that y ou can only feel good about y ourself if y ou are on the way to reaching y our potential. I am positiv e also that no one can be emotionally or phy sically healthy unless he is keeping the commandments and rendering unto God the things that are Gods. I did not say that this obe dience would also make y ou satisfied with y our ev ery performanceI seldom am; Im sure I can improv e my performance in the job. But when Im on the Lords side, keeping the basic commandments, I feel good about me, I esteem my self as a worthy child of God, and I find I am v ery positiv e. How to perform positiv ely ? Easy : eliminate all negativ e words and phrases from y our v ocabulary . Refuse to think negativ ely , for as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he (Prov . 23:7 ). Refuse also to speak negativ ely . Now y ou hav e become an optimist rather than a pessimist. There is a big difference between an optimist and a pessimistone is positiv e, a believ er; the other is negativ e, a doubter. The optimist, as y ou probably know, is a person who, when he wears out his shoes, just figures hes back on his feet. The pessimist say s, Ill believ e it when I see it. The optimist say s, Ill see it when I believ e it. In a crisis the optimist takes action; the pessimist takes a seat. The Lord has giv en sufficient ev idence to conv ince me that if y ou dont do it, y ou really didnt want it. Pray alway s, and be believ ing, saith the Lord (D&C 90:24). Faith, the first principle of the gospel, begins with belief. What man can conceiv e, he can achiev e. Believ e y ou can do it. Look to the Lord for y our blessings. There is a law, irrev ocably decreed in heav en before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated (D&C 1 31 :2021 ). We quote that scripture, but all too often we dont seem to believ e it. We seem to look to ev ery other source first to the national gov ernment, to the state, to our families, to our friends. In missionary work we look to the members to prov ide the necessary contacts to teach. I hav e had missionaries complain to me, They didnt giv e me any contacts, so I had no one to teach. My response was, Oh, is that so? Dont tell me y ou are going to let the Lords work fail because they failed. Forget and forgiv e when they fail, but dont you fail. Work, tract, put in the hours. The Lord is the pay master. We should look to the Lord for our blessings because, among other reasons, he owns ev ery thingthe world and ev ery thing and ev ery body in it (see Ps. 24:1 ). If y ou hav e no contacts to teach, go tracting or contacting in the shopping mall or on the street or wherev er. Be where y ou should be when y ou should be there. When y ou are w here y ou should be w hen y ou should be there, such conduct begets confidencethe members would like to hav e such competent missionaries teach their friends. I hav e had missionaries report, President, we put in the contacting hours. We didnt get the contacts from tracting, but they came to us from completely unex pected sources. Its almost as though they fell out of the trees or the sky . Surely they came from the Lord. Look to the Lord for y our blessings. He alone is the giv er of ev ery good and perfect gift (see James 1 :1 7 ).
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Following Christ to Victory - Ensign May 1979

Make the sacrifice. There is no such thing as something for nothing with the Lord. Blessings come because of obedience to the law upon which they are predicated (see D&C 1 30:21 ). The Lord requires sacrifice, meaning something abov e and bey ond the minimum. The Master spoke of the second mile and told us to go there (see Matt. 5:41 ). Why ? Because he wants to bless us. So he put all the blessings in the second mile, but we must go where they are before we get them. The first mile, we owe; thats what we are getting paid for. Recently I mentioned that to an elder who was hardly meeting the minimums. He responded, Paid? Im not getting paid. I said, Oh? Y ou can breathe cant y ou? Y es. Y ou think y ou hav e that coming to y ou or something? King Benjamin say s the Lord is preserv ing y ou from day to day by granting y ou breathev en supporting y ou from moment to moment (see Mosiah 2:21 ). Do we ev er thank the Lord for the fact we can breathe? No, not usually , until we get to where we cant breathe. Then we call upon him in a panic. Another definition of sacrifice is that instead of endlessly doing what we want to do, we must do what the Lord wants us to do. Knowing that it is sacrifice [that] brings forth the blessings of heav en (Hymns, no. 1 47 ), then we should cheerfully do all things that lie in our power to bring to pass the Lords work, ev en to wast[ing] and wear[ing] out our liv es if that be necessary (D&C 1 23:1 3). Then we may stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salv ation of God, and for his arm to be rev ealed (D&C 1 23:1 7 ). Surely , in the work of the Lord, it is what we do after we think we hav e done enough that really counts with him, for thats when the blessings flow. Lest y ou think this is my idea, may I quote to y ou what I consider the most important scripture in all of holy writ concerning serv ice in the kingdom? The Master said, Giv e, and it shall be giv en unto y ou; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running ov er, shall men giv e into y our bosom. For with the same measure that y e mete withal it shall be measured to y ou again. (Luke 6:38.) When the Master said, Giv e, and it shall be giv en unto y ou, this means if y ou want to receiv e, y ou must first giv e. Thats different from pay ing tithing where y ou receiv e and then giv e back ten percent. Here, the Master tells us to giv e first; then we shall receiv e. Well, how much am I going to get? (Thats alway s the question, isnt it?) The Lord tells us how much. His words: good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running ov er. Sounds pretty good, doesnt it? He continues, shall men giv e into y our bosom. Men? I thought y ou said it was the Lord. Y es, it is the Lord, but he alway s uses men. If y ou pray for a rev elation from the Lord, he will probably send y ou y our bishop with the answer. Y ou really dont need a v isit from an angel so long as y ou hav e a bishop. The Lord continues, For with the same measure that y e mete withal it shall be measured to y ou again. If y ou would hav e a blessing from the Lord, put something upon the altar. Make the sacrifice. Ex pect a miracle. All too often we really dont ex pect a miracle. We are not looking for it, and so dont recognize
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it when it comes. The Lord has commanded that we take the gospel to ev ery nation, kindred, tongue, and people (D&C 7 7 :8). So we pray for the Lord to cause a miracle which will break down those barriers that prohibit us from entering the nations where we are presently ex cluded. But are we, in fact, accelerating the preparation of our y oung men who should be ready to enter when the barriers fall? At the same time we must not ov erlook our need for helpthe help we must hav e from the Lordto hurdle the hedge to our nex t-door neighbor. The Lord has promised thousands of conv ersions. I fear we hav e no concept of what that means. At the v ery minimum it means that some stakes would need to baptize fifty or one hundred per week. It can be doneI know from ex periencebut it can nev er be done limiting the use of baptismal fonts to one night per week. It can nev er be done if the membership wait for the missionaries to find, teach, and fellowship all the new conv erts. Ev ery member must be inv olv ed. Hear the word of the Lord through his prophet: Father[s], y ou are to take the lead. With y our family , pray erfully select one or two families to friendship. Decide whom of y our relativ es [and] friends y ou will introduce to the Church. Perhaps y ou could plan a family home ev ening with them, on a night other than Monday , or participate together in any number of way s. Then, when these families show interest, arrange through y our ward or branch mission leader to inv ite them and the missionaries into y our home to share the message of the Restoration. (Spencer W. Kimball, I Need A Friend: A Friendshipping Guide for Members of the Church [pamphlet, 1 97 7 ], p. 1 .) Do it! And I promise the miracle of conv ersion will take place in y our home. In the words of President Kimball, thousands of conv ersions can nev er become a reality so long as we wait for the natural slow growth which comes with natural and easy prosely ting. Natural and easy meaning we wait for someone to come and ask us about the Church. Further, he has said, Brethren, the spirit of our work must be urgency! (Quoted in Grant V on Harrison, Missionary Guide, 1 97 7 , p. 59). And we must imbue our missionaries and Saints with the spirit of now ! When the Lord said, Lengthen y our stride, quicken y our pace, heighten y our reach, widen y our v ision, and stretch y our capacity , he was in reality say ing ex pect a miracle, for these are the stuff from which miracles are made. The prophet say s, DO IT, and he indicates the time is NOW. And ex pect the miracle. Receiv e the miracle with great humility . Know that y ou didnt do it. It was done by the Lord. And the glory be thine forev er (Moses 4:2). Oh, humility is so v ery , v ery important. Only if we hav e it can the Lord lead us. Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and giv e thee answer to thy pray ers (D&C 1 1 2:1 0). Success this month is not a justification to stop and glory in our record, but should merely serv e as an impetus to greater and more noble accomplishments nex t month in the Lords name. For in the words of Nephi, We know that it is by grace that we are sav ed, after all we can do (2 Ne. 25:23). Then, in my estimation, the Masters great success formula for bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life
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Following Christ to Victory - Ensign May 1979

of man is First, believe y ou can do it. The Master said, For this cause came I into the world: to giv e his life [as] a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). Second, look to the Lord for your blessings. Again, the Master said, And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was (John 1 7 :5). Third, make the sacrifice. The Lords words: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giv eth his life for the sheep (John 1 0:1 1 ). Fourth, expect a miracle. The Lord said, V erily , v erily , I say unto y ou, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the v oice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall liv e (John 5:25). And fifth, receive the miracle w ith great humility. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, V erily , v erily , I say unto y ou, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do (John 5:1 9). And Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me (John 7 :1 6). I bear witness that this formula is effectiv e in the Lords work, and I am persuaded it works ev ery where else too. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Officia l W eb sit e of T h e Ch u r ch of Jesu s Ch r ist of La t t er -da y Sa in t s 2 0 1 2 In t ellect u a l Reser v e, In c. A ll Rig h t s Reser v ed

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