Oaks - Gospel Teaching

http://www.lds.org/pa/library/0,17905,5125-1,00.html

A national author wrote a book about his greatest teacher. At the heart of this college teacher's powerful impact on his student was the student's conviction that this teacher really cared for him and wanted him to learn and do what would help him find happiness. The author concluded his tribute with this question: "Have you ever really had a teacher? One who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a proud shine? If you are lucky enough to find your way to such teachers, you will always find your way back." 1

I.

Every member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is, or will be, a teacher. Each of us has a vital interest in the content and effectiveness of gospel teaching. We want everyone to have great gospel teachers, and we want those teachers to help all of us find our way back, not just to them but to our Heavenly Father.

Our concern with gospel teaching is not limited to those who are called to teach in the priesthood quorums, in the Primary, Relief Society, Sunday School, Young Women, and in other assignments. In the Lord's great plan of salvation there are no more important teachers than parents, who teach their children constantly by example and by precept. Each of us teaches those around us by example. Even children teach one another. Every missionary is a teacher. And every leader is a teacher. As President Hinckley taught many years ago, "Effective teaching is the very essence of leadership in the Church." 2

Gospel teaching is universal and important. Truly, "no greater responsibility can rest upon any [one of us] than to be a teacher of God's children." 3 Our Savior's occupation was that of a teacher. He was the Master Teacher, and He invites each of us to follow Him in that great service. 4

Several years ago the First Presidency challenged the Quorum of the Twelve to revitalize teaching in the Church. The Twelve, assisted by the Seventy, accepted that challenge. Now, after years of preparation, engaging the efforts of superb gospel teachers, scholars, writers, and others, the First Presidency has just sent a letter launching a Churchwide effort "to revitalize and improve teaching in the Church." 5 This letter states, "This renewed emphasis is intended to improve gospel teaching in homes and in Church meetings and help nourish members with the good word of God."

We have just published a 10-page booklet, Improving Gospel Teaching: A Leader's Guide.Copies are being distributed to all unit leaders and to every quorum and auxiliary officer in the Church. As it explains, our concern with "gospel teaching in the Church" includes parents' everyday teachings in the home as well as the work of teachers in the quorums and auxiliaries.

This important effort to "revitalize and improve teaching in the Church" includes three elements. At the outset, it emphasizes leaders' vital responsibilities to work to improve gospel teaching in their organizations. We want all leaders to encourage and help the teachers and learners over whom they preside.

Next, the effort initiates quarterly teacher improvement meetings for teachers of three different groups—children, youth, and adults—to "instruct and edify each other" (D&C 43:8) on principles, methods, and skills that will improve gospel teaching and learning.

Finally, a 12-lesson course on "Teaching the Gospel" will be taught at least once each year, generally during Sunday School. Its course material will be drawn from a new abbreviated and improved edition of Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource Guide for Gospel Teaching. This book is being distributed to all wards and branches in the Church.

We have also reissued the Teaching Guidebook for use in the home and for smaller and developing units that cannot staff the entire Church program.

II.

Some may wonder why we are making such an extensive effort to improve gospel teaching. Those who wonder must be blessed with superior teachers, and we have many of those in the Church. Others will understand why such an effort is needed and will pray for its success.

For many years I have sought to learn more about the nature and quality of teaching in the various quorums and auxiliaries of the Church. I have done this by dropping in unannounced on classes in various wards in different parts of the Church. By now I have visited hundreds of classes. I apologize if any of my visits has terrorized a teacher. My impression is that almost all of the teachers I have observed in these surprise visits have appreciated having a visitor who was there to learn and there to show appreciation for their efforts and concern for their students.

For the most part, what I have seen in these visits has been gratifying and reassuring. I have seen inspired teachers whose love for the gospel and their students was so evident that the effect of their teaching was positively electric. I have also seen thoughtful and respectful students, receptive to the message and hungry to learn.

Notwithstanding the great examples I have observed, I am convinced that in the Church as a whole—as with each of us individually—we can always do better. The challenge of progress is inherent in our Father in Heaven's plan for His children. And in our sacred callings of gospel teaching, no effort is too good for the work of the Lord and the growth of His children.

III.

There are many different ways to teach, but all good teaching is based on certain fundamental principles. Without pretending to be exhaustive, I wish to identify and comment on six fundamental principles of gospel teaching.

The first is love. It has two manifestations. When we are called to teach, we should accept our calling and teach because of our love for God the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. In addition, a gospel teacher should always teach with love for the students. We are taught that we should pray "with all the energy of heart, ... [to] be filled with this love" (Moro. 7:48). Love of God and love of His children is the highest reason for service. Those who teach out of love will be magnified as instruments in the hands of Him whom they serve.

Second, a gospel teacher, like the Master we serve, will concentrate entirely on those being taught. His or her total concentration will be on the needs of the sheep—the good of the students. A gospel teacher does not focus on himself or herself. One who understands that principle will not look upon his or her calling as "giving or presenting a lesson," because that definition views teaching from the standpoint of the teacher, not the student.

Focusing on the needs of the students, a gospel teacher will never obscure their view of the Master by standing in the way or by shadowing the lesson with self-promotion or self-interest. This means that a gospel teacher must never indulge in priestcrafts, which are "that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world" (2 Ne. 26:29). A gospel teacher does not preach "to become popular" (Alma 1:3) or "for the sake of riches and honor" (Alma 1:16). He or she follows the marvelous Book of Mormon example in which "the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner" (Alma 1:26). Both will always look to the Master.

Third, a superior teacher of the gospel will teach from the prescribed course material, with greatest emphasis on teaching the doctrine and principles and covenants of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is commanded in modern revelation, where the Lord said:

"Teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.

"And they shall observe the covenants and church articles to do them, and these shall be their teachings, as they shall be directed by the Spirit" (D&C 42:1213).

Teachers who are commanded to teach "the principles of [the] gospel" and "the doctrine of the kingdom" (D&C 88:77) should generally forgo teaching specific rules or applications. For example, they would not teach any rules for determining what is a full tithing, and they would not provide a list of dos and don'ts for keeping the Sabbath day holy. Once a teacher has taught the doctrine and the associated principles from the scriptures and the living prophets, such specific applications or rules are generally the responsibility of individuals and families.

Well-taught doctrines and principles have a more powerful influence on behavior than rules. When we teach gospel doctrine and principles, we can qualify for the witness and guidance of the Spirit to reinforce our teaching, and we enlist the faith of our students in seeking the guidance of that same Spirit in applying those teachings in their personal lives.

The subject being taught in the Melchizedek Priesthood quorums and Relief Societies of the Church during the second and third Sundays of each month is the Teachings of Presidents of the Church. During the last two years we have studied the teachings of President Brigham Young. For the next two years we will be studying the teachings of President Joseph F. Smith. The books containing these teachings, which are being given to every adult member of the Church as a permanent personal library resource, contain doctrine and principles. They are rich and relevant to the needs of our day, and they are superb for teaching and discussion.

As I have visited in quorums and Relief Societies, I have generally been pleased and impressed at how these Teachings of Presidents of the Church are being presented and received. However, I have sometimes observed teachers who gave the designated chapter no more than a casual mention and then presented a lesson and invited discussion on other materials of the teacher's choice. That is not acceptable. A gospel teacher is not called to choose the subject of the lesson but to teach and discuss what has been specified. Gospel teachers should also be scrupulous to avoid hobby topics, personal speculations, and controversial subjects. The Lord's revelations and the directions of His servants are clear on this point. We should all be mindful of President Spencer W. Kimball's great instruction that a gospel teacher is a "guest":

"He has been given an authoritative position and a stamp of approval is placed upon him, and those whom he teaches are justified in assuming that, having been chosen and sustained in the proper order, he represents the Church and the things which he teaches are approved by the Church. No matter how brilliant he may be and how many new truths he may think he has found, he has no right to go beyond the program of the Church." 6

Fourth, a gospel teacher will prepare diligently and strive to use the most effective means of presenting the prescribed lessons. The new Teaching the Gospel course and the new teacher improvement meetings are obviously intended to assist teachers in this effort.

The fifth fundamental principle of gospel teaching I wish to stress is the Lord's command, quoted earlier, that gospel teachers should "teach the principles of my gospel ... as they shall be directed by the Spirit. ... And if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach" (D&C 42:1214). It is a gospel teacher's privilege and duty to seek that level of discipleship where his or her teachings will be directed and endorsed by the Spirit rather than being rigidly selected and prearranged for personal convenience or qualifications. The marvelous principles of "Gospel Teaching and Leadership" in the new Church Handbook of Instructions include the following:

"Teachers and class members should seek the Spirit during the lesson. A person may teach profound truths, and class members may engage in stimulating discussions, but unless the Spirit is present, these things will not be powerfully impressed upon the soul. ...

"When the Spirit is present in gospel teaching, 'the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth [the message] unto the hearts of the children of men' (2 Ne. 33:1)." 7

President Hinckley stated an important corollary to the command to teach by the Spirit when he issued this challenge:

"We must ... get our teachers to speak out of their hearts rather than out of their books, to communicate their love for the Lord and this precious work, and somehow it will catch fire in the hearts of those they teach." 8

That is our objective—to have love of God and commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ "catch fire" in the hearts of those we teach.

That leads to the sixth and final principle I will discuss. A gospel teacher is concerned with the results of his or her teaching, and such a teacher will measure the success of teaching and testifying by its impact on the lives of the learners. 9 A gospel teacher will never be satisfied with just delivering a message or preaching a sermon. A superior gospel teacher wants to assist in the Lord's work to bring eternal life to His children.

President Harold B. Lee said: "The calling of the gospel teacher is one of the noblest in the world. The good teacher can make all the difference in inspiring boys and girls and men and women to change their lives and fulfill their highest destiny. The importance of the teacher has been beautifully described by Daniel Webster when he said, 'If we work upon marble, it will perish; if we work upon brass, time will efface it; but if we work upon immortal minds, if we imbue them with principles and the just fear of God and love of our fellowman, we engrave upon those tablets something that will brighten through all eternity.' " 10

I testify that this is God's work, and that we are His servants with the sacred responsibility of teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, the greatest message of all time. We need more teachers to match that message. I pray that we will all become superior gospel teachers, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Gospel topics: Holy Ghost, curriculum, faith, false doctrines, family, home, leadership, love,parenthood, success

Notes

  1. Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie (1997), 192.

  2. "How to Be a Teacher When Your Role as a Leader Requires You to Teach," General Authority Priesthood Board Meeting, 5 Feb. 1969; see also Jeffrey R. Holland, "A Teacher Come from God," Ensign, May 1998, 26.

  3. David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals (1953), 175.

  4. See, generally, Boyd K. Packer, Teach Ye Diligently (1975).

  5. First Presidency letter, 15 Sept. 1999.

  6. The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball (1982), 533.

  7. Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2: Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders (1998), 300.

  8. Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997), 61920.

  9. See Henry B. Eyring, "The Power of Teaching Doctrine," Ensign, May 1999, 73.

10. The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, ed. Clyde J. Williams, (1996), 461.

Scott - Making the Right Choices

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Present tonight are many young men who hold the priesthood of God. 1 Some of you look forward to being a missionary when you are older. Others are planning to go soon; still others have completed missions and are seeking an eternal companion. I am sobered by the realization that some of you will not reach these worthy goals because of other choices you are making now.

I am grateful this is a private priesthood meeting, for I have felt impressed to treat sensitive yet important matters. While they apply to all present, I particularly want to talk with you young men. I will speak as though you and I were alone in a private interview and no one else can hear us. My purpose is to help you learn how to make the right choices. That will help you develop strong feelings of self-worth. You will have confidence to do right and overcome strong negative peer pressure and bad influences.

As a young boy, I felt that some things that I heard discussed by others at school about private parts of the body were wrong. Yet I wasn’t really sure how wrong or why they were wrong. You may have similar feelings. Since in tonight’s setting you cannot ask me anything, I will use some of the confidential questions most frequently asked by youth I have met across the world. I will answer them by what I have learned from the scriptures and the prophets. You then will have clear standards from which to make choices. I pray that as we talk the Holy Ghost will let you feel the truth of what is said. I know that as you listen and think of how our interview applies to you, there will come impressions regarding what to do about it in your own life.

Question: Could you give us some help about resisting peer pressure? Why do some people do things that are wrong, then brag about how much fun they are having? When I don’t participate, they make me feel stupid because I won’t do it.

Answer: You can’t please God without upsetting Satan, so you will get pressure from those he tempts to do wrong. Individuals who do wrong want you to join them because they feel more comfortable in what they are doing when others do it also. They may also want to take advantage of you. It is natural to want to be accepted by peers, to be part of a group—some even join gangs because of that desire to belong, but they lose their freedom, and some lose their lives. One of the hardest things for you to recognize is how truly strong you already are and how others silently respect you. We have great confidence in you. You don’t need to compromise your standards to be accepted by good friends. The more obedient you are, the more you stand for true principles, the more the Lord can help you overcome temptation. 2 You can also help others because they will feel your strength. Let them know about your standards by consistently living them. Answer questions about your principles when you are asked, but avoid being preachy. I know from personal experience that works.

No one intends to make serious mistakes. They come when you compromise your standards to be more accepted by others. You be the strong one. You be the leader. Choose good friends and resist peer pressure together.

Question: How do we keep bad thoughts from entering our minds, and what do we do when they come?

Answer: Some bad thoughts come by themselves. Others come because we invite them by what we look at and listen to. 3 Talking about or looking at immodest pictures of a woman’s body can stimulate powerful emotions. It will tempt you to watch improper videocassettes or movies. These things surround you, but you must not participate in them. Work at keeping your thoughts clean by thinking of something good. 4 The mind can think of only one thing at a time. Use that fact to crowd out ugly thoughts. 5 Above all, don’t feed thoughts by reading or watching things that are wrong. If you don’t control your thoughts, Satan will keep tempting you until you eventually act them out. 6

Question: Why is the law of chastity so important? Why is sex before marriage wrong?

Answer: Fundamental to the great plan of happiness and central to the teachings of the Savior is the family. A new family begins when a man and woman make sacred marriage vows and are legally bound together to become husband and wife, father and mother. The perfect beginning is through sealing in the temple. With marriage they commit the best of themselves to be absolutely loyal to each other and to invite children to be nurtured and taught. The father assumes his role as provider and protector, the mother her role as the heart of the home, with her tender, loving, nurturing influence. Together they strive to instill in themselves and their children principles such as prayer, obedience, love, giving of oneself, and the quest for knowledge.

Within the enduring covenant of marriage, the Lord permits husband and wife the expression of the sacred procreative powers in all their loveliness and beauty within the bounds He has set. 7 One purpose of this private, sacred, intimate experience is to provide the physical bodies for the spirits Father in Heaven wants to experience mortality. Another reason for these powerful and beautiful feelings of love is to bind husband and wife together in loyalty, fidelity, consideration of each other, and common purpose.

However, those intimate acts are forbidden by the Lord outside the enduring commitment of marriage because they undermine His purposes. 8 Within the sacred covenant of marriage, such relationships are according to His plan. When experienced any other way, they are against His will. They cause serious emotional and spiritual harm. Even though participants do not realize that is happening now, they will later. Sexual immorality creates a barrier to the influence of the Holy Spirit with all its uplifting, enlightening, and empowering capabilities. It causes powerful physical and emotional stimulation. In time that creates an unquenchable appetite that drives the offender to ever more serious sin. It engenders selfishness and can produce aggressive acts such as brutality, abortion, sexual abuse, and violent crime. Such stimulation can lead to acts of homosexuality, and they are evil and absolutely wrong. 9

Sexual transgression would defile the priesthood you now hold, sap your spiritual strength, undermine your faith in Jesus Christ, and frustrate your ability to serve Him. Consistent, willing obedience increases your confidence and ability. It produces character that allows you to face difficult challenges and overcome them. It qualifies you to receive inspiration and power from the Lord. 10

Question: They always tell us we shouldn’t become sexually involved, but they never tell us the limits. What are they?

Answer: Any sexual intimacy outside of the bonds of marriage—I mean any intentional contact with the sacred, private parts of another’s body, with or without clothing—is a sin and is forbidden by God. It is also a transgression to intentionally stimulate these emotions within your own body. 11 Satan tempts one to believe that there are allowable levels of physical contact between consenting individuals who seek the powerful stimulation of emotions they produce, and if kept within bounds, no harm will result. As a witness of Jesus Christ, I testify that is absolutely false. Satan particularly seeks to tempt one who has lived a pure, clean life to experiment through magazines, videocassettes, or movies with powerful images of a woman’s body. He wants to stimulate appetite to cause experimentation that quickly results in intimacies and defilement. Powerful habits are formed which are difficult to break. Mental and emotional scars result.

When you are mature enough to plan seriously for marriage, keep your expressions of feelings to those that are comfortable in the presence of your parents. 12 To help you keep these sacred commandments, make a covenant with the Lord that you will obey them. Decide what you will do and will not do. When temptation comes, do not change your standards. Do not abandon them when circumstances seem to justify an exception. That is Satan’s way to hurt you by making it seem that sometimes God’s law does not apply. There are no exceptions.

Question: Before you are married, how far is too far to go if it is with your girlfriend?

Answer: Before marriage there can be no sexual contact with a girlfriend, fiancée, or anyone else, period. 13 While a commandment, that standard is for your happiness. That’s why the Church counsels you to go in groups and not to date while you are young. Later, as you prepare for marriage, remember that true love elevates, protects, respects, and enriches another. It motivates you to make sacrifices for the girl you love. Satan would promote counterfeit love, which is really lust. That is driven by hunger to satisfy personal appetite. Protect the one you love by controlling your emotions to the limits set by the Lord. You know how to be clean. We trust you to do it.

Question: How do you go about repenting after a sexual sin is committed? What sins should you tell the bishop?

Answer: All of the sexual transgressions we have discussed require sincere repentance with the participation of the bishop. Should you have done any of this, repent now. It is wrong to violate these commandments of the Lord. It is worse to do nothing about it. Sin is like cancer in the body. It will never heal itself. It will become worse unless cured through repentance. Your parents can help strengthen you. Then you can become clean and pure by repentance under the guidance of the bishop. He may seem to be busy or unavailable. Tell him you are in trouble and need help. He will listen.

A youth in serious trouble said: “I have done things that I knew were bad. I have been taught they were ever since I can remember. I know repentance is a great gift; without it I would be lost. But I’m not ready to repent of my sins, yet I know when I am ready I can.” How tragic. The thought of intentionally committing serious sin now and repenting later is perilously wrong. Never do that. 14 Many start that journey of intentional transgression and never make it back. Premeditated sin has greater penalties and is harder to overcome. If there is sin, repent now—while you can.

I pray that as we have talked you have had feelings to do better. 15 You hold the priesthood of God. That is a sacred responsibility, 16 and also a singular privilege. 17 You will be fortified in your determination to live righteously as you study the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. Listen to your parents, leaders, and the prophet we have sustained today. Have faith in the Savior. He will help you. 18 Remember He said, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” 19

Please stay morally clean. The Lord will make that possible as you do your part with all your strength. 20 Jesus Christ lives, and He loves you. He will help you as you do your part. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. See Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, sel. G. Homer Durham (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1946), p. 64; see also Millennial Star, 51 (1889):657.

2. See 1 Cor. 10:13.

3. See H. Burke Peterson, Ensign, Nov. 1993, pp. 42–44.

4. See The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988), pp. 278, 445–46.

5. See Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Jan. 1974, pp. 27–28.

6. See Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, Nov. 1990, p. 47; see also Robert L. Simpson, Ensign, Jan. 1973, p. 112.

7. See Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, May 1974, p. 7.

8. See Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, July 1972, pp. 111–13.

9. See Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Nov. 1980, pp. 97–98.

10. See D&C 43:9, 15–16.

11. See Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 8; Nov. 1977, p. 6; Nov. 1980, p. 97.

12. See The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp. 283–84.

13. See The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982), pp. 65, 176–77.

14. Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp. 70–72.

15. See D&C 64:33–34.

16. See D&C 84:35–39. See also Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969), pp. 124–25.

17. See The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 494.

18. See Moro. 10:32.

19. D&C 82:10.

20. See 3 Ne. 18:20.

Jensen - Living After the Manner of Happiness

Good morning, my beloved young brothers and sisters. Thank you for inviting me to be here with you today.

Nothing reminds me so forcefully of my advancing years as facing an audience of vibrant and wholesome young people like you. For years I gave little credence to the so-called generation gap, but now I'm willing to at least allow that such a social phenomenon exists. Periodic personal encounters with those of your age group reinforce my suspicions that I probably have less and less to say that you may find relevant or interesting. For instance, not many years ago, when our oldest son was a senior in high school, I noticed him one morning in the vicinity of my clothes closet. At breakfast I noted that I had seen him examining my wardrobe and gently inquired whether I really owned something that he would consider worthy of wearing. To my chagrin, but not necessarily to my surprise, he said, "Relax, Dad, we're having nerd day at school tomorrow!"

I sincerely hope my prayers will be answered today so there will be no gaps between what I feel and say and what you feel and understand. There is an old Jewish saying that words spoken from the heart are carried into the heart. What I wish to say today truly comes from my heart, and I hope it will have meaning and application for you during the wonderful years of your lives that lie ahead.

There are principles and truths that are unchanging, eternal, and timeless. Such are those that bring happiness to our lives. This has been a subject of interest to me for many years because although I am richly blessed and have every reason to be happy, I sometimes struggle with myself and do not always have the natural inclination toward happiness and a cheerful disposition that some people seem to enjoy.

For that reason, several years ago a Book of Mormon passage caught my attention. It's in the first part of the Book of Mormon--the part our family specializes in--and concerns the period of time just after Nephi separated from Laman and Lemuel and departed into the wilderness. There Nephi established a society founded on gospel truths; of that society in 2 Nephi 5:27 he says: "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." To paraphrase the Prophet Joseph, "Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine" (JS--H 1:12). I pondered what it could mean to live "after the manner of happiness." I knew it had to be related to the gospel and God's plan for our lives. In fact, sometimes his prophets call that plan the "plan of happiness." I remembered, too, that Joseph Smith said that "happiness is the object and design of our existence" (Teachings, p. 255). I wondered, though, what the individual elements of a truly happy society and life might be, and I began to search Nephi's writings for clues. I wish to share with you today my tentative findings, primarily from 2 Nephi, chapter 5, and invite you to conduct your own personal search. It could be a lifelong and worthwhile pursuit.

Family

I begin with 2 Nephi 5:6 with Nephi's observation that as he journeyed into the wilderness, "I . . . did take my family . . . and Sam, mine elder brother and his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters." Here indeed is a significant key to happiness--one's family.

There was good reason that Nephi took his more righteous siblings with him into the wilderness. He belonged to them and they belonged to him. There is no other organization that can so completely satisfy our need for belonging and provide the resulting happiness that a family can.

Those of you who are away from home for the first time this fall probably left thinking, "Free at last!" Now that you've been without parental supervision for a few weeks and are getting used to the idea that you can sleep anytime and eat anything you want, I suspect in some of your quiet moments you have a little queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach commonly know as homesickness. I'll bet you've even peeked far enough ahead in your day planners to see how many more days there are until Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks! Why is there this yearning for home and loved ones? I believe it is a universal, God-given instinct that all people in all cultures are blessed with. I also believe that a loving Heavenly Father gives it to us, because within the family we experience most of life's greatest joys. The sights, sounds, and associations of family and home are among our most treasured memories and provide our fondest anticipations.

Sometimes after an enjoyable family home evening, or during a fervent family prayer, or when our entire family is at the dinner table on Sunday evening eating waffles and engaging in a session of lively, good-natured conversation, I quietly say to myself: "If heaven is nothing more than this, it will be good enough for me!"

Keeping the Commandments

For the next ingredient of a happy life, I go to 2 Nephi 5:10. Nephi writes: "And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things."

Here is a simple but powerful truth: living righteously, keeping God's commandments, makes us happy. The very quotable Alma gave us the all-time best one-liner on this topic when he said: "Wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 41:10). That's a sound bite worthy of the six o'clock news! As best as I can tell, based on my own experience and my observations of others, Alma's is as categorical a statement as can be made on the subject, and our chances of proving Alma wrong are about zero.

In May of 1957, at the invitation of President David O. McKay, Cecil B. DeMille, renowned producer of motion pictures, gave the commencement address here at BYU. His latest production, The Ten Commandments, which has become a classic, had been filmed with some technical advice from President McKay; and in the course of its production a close friendship had formed. Following a tender introduction by President McKay in which he praised the nobility and character of his friend, Cecil B. DeMille stunned the BYU graduates with a masterful and wonderfully brief address on the purpose of God's laws. Drawing on the lesson of the orgy of the golden calf from chapter 32 of the book of Exodus, Mr. DeMille noted that the children of Israel had been freed from the bitter bondage of Egypt and had seen the wonders of God in the desert and in the divided sea. They were free, they thought. Then Moses left them to go up the mountain to receive the law. As Mr. DeMille observed:

No sooner was he gone the short space of forty days and nights, when, in spite of all his teaching, in spite of all the marvels they had seen God work, the children of Israel became slaves again--not this time of a tyrant like Pharaoh, but slaves of their own passions and their own fears. [BYU Speeches of the Year, 31 May 1957, p. 6]

Then, in perhaps the emotional high point of his address, Cecil B. DeMille imparted this powerful insight concerning the keeping of God's laws:

Some, who do not know either the Bible or human nature, may see in the orgy of the Golden Calf only a riot of Hollywood's imaginations--but those who have eyes to see will see in it the awful lesson of how quickly a nation or a man can fall, without God's Law.

If man will not be ruled by God, he will certainly be ruled by tyrants--and there is no tyranny more imperious or more devastating than man's own selfishness, without the law.

We cannot break the Ten Commandments. We can only break ourselves against them. [p. 6]

From the depths of my soul today I testify to you, my young friends, that we cannot break God's laws; we can only break ourselves against them. Satan wants us to believe we are an exception to God's rules, that somehow our transgressions are more noble, more justifiable, than anyone's have ever been, but that is a lie. And not only do we offend God by breaking his laws, we also offend ourselves and others and thereby experience heartache, suffering, and misery--the exact opposites of happiness.

There is no more poignant description of the contrast between the pain of rebellion and the joy of obedience to divine law than the one given by Alma to his son Helaman:

Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. [Alma 36:21]

One of the keys to a truly happy life is to learn this lesson as early as possible--preferably vicariously--and to never forget it.

Planting and Harvesting

Next, in 2 Nephi 5:11, Nephi observes that "we did prosper exceedingly; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance." Now, before you go accusing me of really living in a little house on the prairie, let me read to you from a general conference address of President Spencer W. Kimball given in April of 1978:

With the arrival of spring we hope all of you will put in your gardens and prepare to enjoy their produce this summer. We hope you are making this a family affair, with everyone, even the little ones, assigned to something. There is so much to learn and harvest from your garden, far more than just a crop itself. ["Becoming the Pure in Heart," Ensign, May 1978, p. 79]

I cannot tell you logically why something as simple as planting a garden, however modest, and harvesting and enjoying the fruits of one's labors is the source of great happiness, but I know it is. In the case of our own family, we've been blessed not only with our own little garden plot, but we've also had grandmothers on both sides who understand these principles and have showered us annually with a stream of fruits and vegetables. There is "far more than just a crop itself" to be gained, and it can come from a flowerpot, a window box, or a single tomato plant, as well as from an entire garden or field.

Animals

Also in 2 Nephi 5:11, Nephi records that "we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind." I think you will be able to readily relate to this element of a happy life.

Why is it that animals--be they horses, dogs, cats, hamsters, turtles, or an occasional boa constrictor--touch us so deeply and provide such a rich source of happiness? I can only share with you my own feelings and thoughts, based on a lifelong association with a variety of cats, dogs, horses, and cows.

As a young boy I experienced the value of pouring out my wounded heart to a loving and understanding collie named Ranger, and of feeling the love and acceptance of a blue-ribbon 4-H calf named Daisy. Neither they, nor a host of their successors, have ever questioned my goodness or scolded me in my weaknesses. Given affection and care, they have returned affection and care generously and consistently. They have taught me much about love, forgiveness, loyalty, and trust. Like little children, they hold no grudges. They are totally honest and forthcoming in all their relationships.

I don't know how many millions of dollars must be spent every year on psychotherapists to provide humankind with the self-respect and self-esteem that relationships with animals are now increasingly seen as producing. There is a growing body of evidence that pets make a difference in our lives at every age and that they have a measurable effect upon our health and well-being (see Science & Society, U.S. News and World Report, 24 February 1992, pp. 64 65). I've sensed this for years in my own life and just last week continued my personal mental health program by acquiring an English shepherd pup to replace our beloved collie, Wanda, who died more than a year ago of cancer. I'm noticeably happier again and know that, for me at least, heaven will not be heaven unless the animal kingdom is part of God's kingdom.

Scriptures

Next, in 2 Nephi 5:12, Nephi mentions that he "had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass." Nephi brought the then-existing scriptures along as he and his family founded their society.

Why would having access to the scriptures be a consideration in a happy lifestyle? Anyone who reads scripture regularly develops a clearer perspective, purer thoughts, and has more sincere and thoughtful prayers. Our lives are bound to be happier when we use the scriptures to answer our very personal questions and needs.

There are other uplifting influences the scriptures can have in our lives. They can cleanse us from evil thoughts and fortify our resolve to resist temptation. They can give comfort in times of need, such as when a loved one dies or during other personal tragedies. Reading them can put us in tune with the Spirit of the Lord so that our depression and self-doubts will flee and our confidence will "wax strong in the presence of God" (D&C 121:45).

A powerful expression of the happiness that can come from immersing ourselves in the scriptures comes from Parley P. Pratt's autobiography, in which he describes his first encounter with the Book of Mormon, which he called "that book of books":

I read all day; eating was a burden, I had no desire for food; sleep was a burden when the night came, for I preferred reading to sleep.

As I read, the spirit of the Lord was upon me, and I knew and comprehended that the book was true, as plainly and manifestly as a man comprehends and knows that he exists. My joy was now full, as it were, and I rejoiced sufficiently to more than pay me for all the sorrows, sacrifices and toils of my life. [PPP, 1994, p. 20]

I understand that in some Jewish families when a son starts Torah studies, a drop of honey is placed on the page to indicate this duty is also a great joy. I find that symbolism very appealing and testify that there is great constancy and happiness to be had from a daily study of the Bible and the Restoration scriptures.

Preparedness

The next element of a happy life mentioned by Nephi is in verse 14 of 2 Nephi 5. It is the quality of preparedness. Nephi illustrates it by saying that he "did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us." Nephi was preparing for battle, and in a figurative sense that is what we must do if we are to be ready and qualified for life so that we can be happy with life. My own experience is that if we are prepared, we not only do not fear (see D&C 38:30), but we actually enjoy and derive considerable happiness from the events of our daily lives.

Those of you who have tests scheduled for this afternoon will relate to this principle on a very practical level. If you have prepared well you will probably do well and will have a feeling of well-being and satisfaction that will be denied those who are at this very moment reviewing their class notes instead of absorbing my very fascinating talk!

My children and I have been blessed and made very happy by my wife's preparations for marriage and motherhood. She came with the fundamentals of cooking, sewing, gardening, reading, music, game playing, and a college degree all in place. I would probably have loved her just as much without all these credentials, but I doubt that our children and I would have been as happy! Those who have had some savings and a little food storage during a period of unemployment or who had been consistently "treasuring up the words of life" (see D&C 84:85) and were called on to speak extemporaneously in stake conference will know the happiness (and relief) that comes from being prepared. The Boy Scouts and their motto--"Be prepared"--have it right. Someone once asked Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts, "Be prepared for what?"

"Why," said Baden-Powell, "for any old thing." That's just the idea, and Nephi knew it, too.

Work

Nephi's next comment on his happy society has to do with the principle of work. In verse 15 of 2 Nephi 5 he says:

And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance.

In verse 17 he adds: "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands."

Six thousand years ago Father Adam received the commandment "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread" (Genesis 3:19). Today it is more socially acceptable to "perspire" than to "sweat," and we have lost more than just moisture in that transition.

I realize that work can be mental, spiritual, or physical effort, but Nephi's emphasis is on laboring with our hands or manual labor. No matter what our life's work turns out to be, I know we'll be happier if we regularly labor with our hands. This can take many forms: yard work, sewing, quilting, cooking, baking, auto repair, home repair--the list is endless and so is the happiness and sense of accomplishment such activities produce.

I think it is a regrettable sign of our times that most family activities today take place in a recreational, rather than a work setting. I'm grateful I was able to work alongside both my grandfather and father and in turn am able to work with our sons and daughters. There is something inspiring to me about Elder Bruce R. McConkie's declaration on this vital element of a happy life: "We are here on earth to work--to work long, hard, arduous hours, to work until our backs ache and our tired muscles knot, to work all our days" ("Stand Independent Above All Other Creatures," Ensign, May 1979, p. 93).

The Temple

Nephi's next observation about his society is most interesting. In verse 16 of 2 Nephi 5 he says, "And I, Nephi, did build a temple." Nephi's temple may have differed in some ways from our latter-day temples, but its central purpose was likely the same: to continually teach and orient God's children concerning his plan for their happiness and to provide the ordinances and covenants essential to the attainment of that happiness.

After living on this good earth for fifty-three years, I can honestly say that the most spiritually mature and happy people I know are ardent temple-goers. There is good reason for that. It is in the temple that the full sweep of God's program for us is told and retold, each telling bringing greater understanding and commitment to living life His way.

What images does the word temple call to our minds? Listen to Elder Boyd K. Packer's expression of feelings about this:

When we say temple I would list what in essence are Latter-day Saint synonyms for the word: Marriage, family, children, happiness, joy, eternal life, resurrection, redemption, exaltation, inspiration, revelation. [The Holy Temple (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1980), p. 260]

A good test of how well we are doing in our quest to come unto Christ may be how we personally feel about the temple and our experiences there. Temple can be synonymous with happiness and joy. It was for Nephi and his people.

Church Service

The final element of Nephi's society, recorded in 2 Nephi 5, concerns the role our Church callings and service play in a happy life. Nephi notes in verse 26 that he "did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people." Of course, true Christian service can't be provided exclusively through institutional means. Random acts of personal service motivated by our feelings of charity are necessary for our salvation. But the organized Church as established by God, in which we look after and serve others and are looked after and served by others, provides a wonderful source of happiness for all of us. Nephi himself epitomizes this ethic of caring and service. He wrote: "For I pray continually for [my people] by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them" (2 Nephi 33:3).

In my own case, I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for the countless opportunities for growth, service, and happiness that activity in the Church has provided. It is not by accident that in God's plan for us we have been given a church that "hath need of every member" (D&C 84:110). Because we are needed and encouraged and enabled to serve, we are much happier.

Other Elements

If we go beyond 2 Nephi 5 in Nephi's writings, we discover even more about the patterns of life that enabled Nephi and his people to live so happily. For instance, we learn he was a faithful keeper of a journal--we've been reading this morning from a portion of it! We learn that he was an avid student and teacher of the doctrines of the gospel and a sensitive follower of the Spirit of the Lord.

We also learn that he looked "forward with steadfastness unto Christ" (2 Nephi 25:24). The Savior and his teachings were the focus of Nephi's energies:

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. [2 Nephi 25:26]

Nephi knew and taught, as have all the prophets, that true peace and happiness can only ultimately come through a remission of our sins. The Savior's teachings--in large doses--are the only sure antidote for unhappiness!

Conclusion

Since first making my personal discovery about "living after the manner of happiness," I have thought deeply about the principles involved and about how timeless and universal they are. The same patterns and elements of daily life that enabled Nephi and his people to be happy 560 years before Christ work equally well today. And they fit comfortably at every stage during our lives (including our years at a university) and in every culture. In a time when "diversity" is so frequently touted as something desirable, it's interesting to note the uniformity and unchanging nature of these principles. Perhaps every purveyor of "new lamps for old" ought not to be heeded.

Of interest to struggling university students should be the fact that these principles of happiness can be lived virtually without cost. It's almost as if Nephi's little brother Jacob was speaking to this issue as he extended the invitation: "Come, my brethren, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price" (2 Nephi 9:50). This should tell us something about the very minimal role material things play in a happy life. The cost is almost always too high.

It has been interesting, too, to discover that the principles of happiness Nephi shares are found in all of the scriptures, old and modern. I often wonder why we wrestle over the meaning of obscure passages of scripture when what is really important for our happiness and salvation is stated by the Lord over and over again in very plain terms.

It is noteworthy, too, that the prophets of the past fifty years or so have had as the hallmarks of their teachings and service some of the exact principles we've touched on today. Presidents McKay and Lee made powerful statements about the sanctity and importance of the family. President Joseph Fielding Smith and President Ezra Taft Benson pleaded with us to make the scriptures a more significant part of our lives. President Kimball spoke movingly and from his own experience on the value of physical work, journals, gardens, and of being kind to animals. More recently, President Hunter lovingly invited us to make the temple the symbol of our Church membership. All of the prophets have continually reminded us of the blessings of obedience to God's laws and of the need to give ever-greater attention to Christ and his teachings. These chosen men understand better than all the world the sources of true happiness.

Now, as I conclude, I want to make a few final observations. First, I doubt that Nephi intended his list of ingredients in a happy society to be exhaustive. In fact, he probably didn't intend to give us a list at all. I want to make it clear that I'm not a believer in "checklist happiness" either. There is no foolproof formula for guaranteeing a consistently happy life. There is also evidence that God did not intend for every day to be entirely happy. There is eternal design and purpose to be seen in some suffering, sadness, and adversity.

Second, there will be a tendency, in the complexity of these times, to forget that Nephi gloried "in plainness" and that the principles of happiness he modeled are both plain and simple (2 Nephi 33:6). If we overlook that fact, we may be like the children of Israel at the time of Moses who, when bitten by poisonous serpents, failed to look at the brass serpent Moses held up and thus live. Of these, Nephi says: "And the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished" (1 Nephi 17:41). The way to happiness can be just as simple and just as easily missed.

Finally, I invite you to look around you and observe people you feel are genuinely happy. I think you will invariably see the principles we have discussed today at work in their lives. I have done this and want to share my findings concerning two wonderfully modest souls who would shrink from being identified before an audience of this size. They are deeply happy and satisfied with their rather simple life together. They are also very kind and caring people. More than once I have sincerely said to them: "If you go before I do, and you aren't in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, please drop me a note and I'll quit trying!"

What does a brief inspection of their lives reveal? They love God and each other. Their marriage and family are their priorities. They've had a few heartbreaks with their children, but they keep on laboring and loving. They have a simple but adequate and warm home. I don't think they've ever had a new car. She bakes great bread and cinnamon rolls, and she cans and stores fruits and vegetables every fall that have been grown in their carefully tended garden. Their family scripture reading program was one of the few I know of that actually got Lehi out of the desert! They are always in the kitchen at ward dinners, and the welfare farm would probably go into bankruptcy without his annual contribution of labor and wisdom. Several times each month they arise early and attend a nearby temple. They seem to love being there, and even though there is admittedly much they do not understand, they are growing in their knowledge. He makes his living with his hands as a skilled craftsman of furniture and cabinets. She has learned to sew almost everything from dresses to curtains. They love and have trained horses, have kept a milk cow for many years, and now have a small fish hatchery and trout farm. They have diligently kept the commandments of God, and any little deviation has been followed by honest and immediate repentance. They are prepared for life--now and hereafter.

If for whatever reasons a life like the one I have just described cannot be duplicated in your circumstances, I know you can have something "like unto it" if you want it. Please think deeply about this subject. Of what use is the gospel, the Church, and its organizations and programs, or the way of life it espouses, if we aren't happy? Moroni stresses the importance of being happy during this phase of our eternal existence by describing the judgment. He says:

And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still. [Mormon 9:14]

Nephi's society wasn't the only happy one of which the Book of Mormon speaks. There was another time and another people of whom it was written:

And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.[4 Nephi 1:15 16]

That we may all find this same happiness is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.