Intro: Scene from a Movie

In a show I watched recently, I was moved by a scene that I have pondered again and again. A young boy, overzealous but unprepared to become a pirate, was kidnapped by a bandit who rows him out to sea. The bandit taunts him saying, “No one cares about you”, and “no one will miss you when you're gone”. As the bandit attacks the boy, a sea serpent overturns the boat, sending the boy into the water where he begins to drown. At the last minute, a heroic pirate pulls the boy out. But the sea serpent emerges and strikes at the pair. Dodging the attack, the pirate uses some mysterious power to stare down the beast, tells him to “Get lost,” and the serpent withdraws into the sea. As the young boy embraces the pirate in gratitude, he notices that the attack was not evaded completely: one of the hero’s arms is missing. The boy cries, with great shame, saying, “It’s all my fault!” But the pirate embraces the boy and says, in a peculiar reaction that completely reframes the tragedy: “It’s only an arm. I’m just glad that you’re alright.”

This hero, despite his pain and suffering, taught an important lesson: His love for the boy was so great that knowing he was safe was more important than even an arm.

I want you to remember this story to help you think about three connected topics:

1. First, as parents and teachers of young people I don’t doubt our great love for our children and our willingness to sacrifice for them. However, I believe that individuals and families are not cognizant enough of the spiritual dangers that they face, much like lurking sea serpents under the surface of the water.
2. Second, when we make sacrifices to live the gospel, from the most minor of inconveniences to entire ways of life, we sometimes unwittingly or even intentionally signal that they are burdensome to us, instead of focusing on the purpose of our children's spiritual safety. We must be willing to sacrifice all things to help our children and youth endure to the end, including our attitudes about sacrifice.
3. And third, we cannot hope to protect our children if we ourselves are not continually becoming a peculiar and dedicated people willing to act in keeping the covenants we have made with God.

Spiritual Dangers

Right before my parents met and were married, they had a series of encounters with an evil presence manifested as a physical darkness, similar to what Joseph Smith experienced before his First Vision (JS-History 1:15). They sought priesthood blessings from their bishops and were blessed to never again have this type of encounter. I remember my mother stating that, though grateful for the fulfillment of this blessing, they have had to rely on the more difficult task of feeling when darkness is present since they could no longer see it.

Spiritual dangers are constantly all around us, but the influences of Satan and his followers often begin long before their dramatic appearance and lurk beneath the surface of our awareness. This makes it easy for us to drop our guard, or disarm us completely, as we are lulled into a security that "all is well" (2 Nephi 28). Satan is so adept at deception, that he can disrupt our connection to the Lord and His church by using our prideful assumptions that we know better than the servants He has chosen, even providing false revelations (see Jacob 7:4; Alma 46:8-10; Helaman 13:27; Guide to the Scriptures, "Deceit, Deceive, Deception"; Topical Guide, "False Prophets").

How can we make the necessary sacrifices to protect our youth and children from these dangers if we are asleep (2 Nephi 1:13)? Of course, we cannot. The spiritual endurance of our families depends on “the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost” that we must obtain by the diligent study of what President Nelson has called our “latter-day​ survival guide” (Russell M. Nelson, “Embrace the Future with Faith”, General Conference, October 2020). The Book of Mormon reveals all the tactics of Satan and the ways of the world which will tempt us and threaten our families (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon Is the Word of God,” Ensign, Jan. 1988). Our prophet has promised that “as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day” (Russell M. Nelson, “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?” General Conference, October 2017).

The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon protects us by exposing false teachings that can lead us astray and warning us about the spiritual dangers that lurk within our hearts and the hearts of others.

Sadly, we are “quick to be lifted up in ​​​pride​” and “slow … to remember the Lord.” We prefer to direct ourselves in the way that we should go rather than “desire that the Lord [our] God, … should ​​​rule​ and reign over [us]; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards [us], [we] do set at ​​​naught​ his counsels, and [we] will not that he should be [our] guide” (Helaman 6:31; 12:5-6). We reject the Lord's servants when they tell us to repent and accuse them of being “out of touch” or “being hurtful” but we support any influencer that says to “walk after the pride of your own hearts: and do whatsoever your heart desireth” (Helaman 13:26-27)

By imagining a God with reduced expectations or no requirements of us, we dream up a God that doesn’t want us to become anything. It’s easy to follow the religions that we invent for ourselves (Helaman 6:31) and far too many are imagining “foolish and vain” things in their hearts, believing and perpetuating the “rumors and contentions” that Satan spreads all across the face of the land “that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which [is] good” (Helaman 16:22-23).

Will we have Christ for our shepherd or Tiktok for our guide (Mormon 5:16-18)? Will we trample the Lord's word under our feet by not hearkening to His counsel given through His servants? (1 Nephi 19:7). Will we give power to Satan by following the carnal man, or will we receive power from God by following His Son? (see Choi, General Conference October 2023).

Enduring Watchfulness

As President Bret Weekes said to me once: “Testimony has a short shelf life.” The Book of Mormon teaches that we must “watch and pray always, lest [we] be tempted by the devil, and … be led away captive by him” (3 Nephi 18:15-16). We must “watch​ [ourselves], and [our] ​​​thoughts​, and [our] ​​​words​, and [our] deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and ​​​continue​ in the faith of what [we] have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of [our] lives” (Mosiah 4:29-30). And if we are continually seeking righteousness, we will love the truth and not fear it. We will be unshaken (2 Nephi 9:39-40).

We can even learn important lessons from part of the Book of Mormon that we don't have. When Joseph Smith lost the 116 pages, the Lord gave him a stern warning that past righteousness does not guarantee a secure spiritual foundation in the future:

For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him.

Behold, you have been entrusted with these things, but how strict were your commandments; and remember also the promises which were made to you, if you did not transgress them.

And behold, how oft you … have gone on in the persuasions of men.

For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words—

Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble. (D&C 3:4-8)

Reading the Book of Mormon Individually and as a Family

The Book of Mormon testifies powerfully of Christ, and it is the power of Christ that will protect you and your family from the temptations and tactics of Satan. If we consider the Book of Mormon to be “worth … the riches of the whole Earth” (heading to D&C 70), we will not even think of missing the opportunity to read and study it with our families.

And how can we be prepared to teach our youth and children from the scriptures unless we are learning ourselves? We parents must continually “take the Holy Spirit for [our] guide” (D&C 45:57) as we study the Book of Mormon so we can share those experiences with our families.

Parents, if you have stopped or are sporadic with your family study of the Book of Mormon, resume daily reading together with them. Youth and children, support your parents by being less resistant to their efforts. They are doing it to help you survive in a world that would like you to think that either no one will miss you or that you need no more direction than your own selfish desires. Increased individual daily study of the Book of Mormon will open your eyes to the spiritual dangers threatening our families and arm you with the testimony of Christ to defend against them.

Sacrifice

The second topic is about sacrifice. The Guide to the Scriptures says:

In ancient days, sacrifice meant to make something or someone holy. It has now come to mean to give up or suffer the loss of worldly things for the Lord and His kingdom. … Joseph Smith taught that ‘a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.’ In the eternal perspective, the blessings obtained by sacrifice are greater than anything that is given up. (Guide to the Scriptures, Sacrifice)

We are often called a high-demand religion. I prefer to call it an all-demand religion. Whichever you prefer, there is no question that we are asked to sacrifice a great deal of our time, talents, means, and effort for the Lord's work. But sometimes, because of our mortal short-sightedness, we forget the blessings that God offers to us as a result of the sacrifices we make in order to keep our covenants. This can negatively affect our feelings about the Lord and His work.

Attitudes about Our Sacrifices

Jesus taught that our thoughts or attitudes can be as important as the action, because His intent is to change our hearts. He taught that it’s not enough to not kill, we are not supposed to be angry with a person. It’s not enough to not commit adultery, we shouldn’t even have the desire. It’s not enough to avoid our enemies, we are to love them (Matthew 5:21-48).

“God hath said … if [a man] offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing. … If a man … giveth a gift … grudgingly; … it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift” (Moroni 7:6-9). “So let him give; not grudingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7).

“Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days” (D&C 64:34).

As an example, let's compare Laman and Lemuel's attitudes with Nephi's, since they made some of the same sacrifices, but expressed very different feelings about them. Laman and Lemuel said it was better for them to die than endure the tribulations they experienced, much like the children of Israel complained it would have been better to remain slaves in Egypt than suffer in the wilderness. They accused their father saying that he was judgmental against those in Jerusalem. These complaints are used not only to justify themselves but also manipulate and convince others to join in their anger (see 1 Nephi 17:20-22). The motes of being judgmental are often seen and called out by those who have beams of their own. They had episodes of humility but it was never enduring because they were not willing to hearken to the truth and seek to “walk uprightly before God” (1 Nephi 16:3-5). They accuse Nephi of lying about his experiences so he could exercise power over them and keep them under his rule, a motive that they unfairly ascribe to Nephi (1 Nephi 16:35-39). This narrative is carried forth for centuries throughout the conflicts in the Book of Mormon (Alma 54:17).

Contrast this with Nephi's attitude of being willing to go and do and trusting in God more than the arm of flesh. His desire to rule and reign was not over earthly kingdoms, but in seeking to fulfill God's promises to share the heavenly kingdom with the righteous. Note that Nephi wasn't just innately blessed with a better disposition than his brothers. Nephi had done important work to change his own heart by seeking the things his father had seen, searching the scriptures, asking the Lord, keeping the commandments, learning by faith to trust God. And he prayed to have his heart changed when it was beset with his own weaknesses (2 Nephi 4).

Through the sacrifices he made, he expressed gratitude to God for His "tender mercies," which is a phrase Nephi wrote before we read of his trials, but after he faced them (1 Nephi 1:20). He recognized the blessings and privileges that were worth more than the things he gave up.

Privileges

Consider for a moment the things that are true privileges, but we rarely think of them as such. It is a sacred privilege to wear the garment of the holy priesthood. It is a privilege to raise children. It is a sacred privilege to serve God in the name of His Son in callings and assignments. Why do we treat these privileges as inconveniences, with no to little expression of joy?

I fear that we, like Laman and Lemuel, sometimes communicate “I’m tired of this so-called blessing. The responsibility of this privilege makes my life harder. Why do I need it?” These are normal feelings, but left unchecked, they will grow into resentment and then opposition. When we take the manna for granted, we start to think that we were better off not having to work for our spiritual welfare. The Lord has something to teach you through doing His work. Becoming like Him will not be easy, but the privileges and blessings are worth it.

President David O. McKay told the story of an old man in a class who stopped criticism of leaders who allowed the Martin Handcart Company to cross the plains at the time they did, a decision that led to their intense suffering in the bitter cold of Wyoming. This man declared that they would hear no one in the same company complain because “everyone of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities.” He testified of angels helping them continue, just as they bore up the Savior in His suffering. And then he said: “The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.” (James E. Faust, “The Refiner's Fire,” General Conference, April 1979).

The sacrifices we must make to pay for the privilege of serving God are perhaps more subtle than those the pioneers had to face, but we can still learn much from their attitude.

Following Christ in Sacrifice

Our attitudes about the sacrifices we make tell our children exactly how we value the gospel of Jesus Christ. They need to know that we will be true to our covenant to consecrate ourselves, our time, our talents, our very lives, if necessary, to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to our Heavenly Father, which means that we give those very things in service to our children. True sacrifices for our children will never involve abandoning covenants. We cannot think to offer insincerely or invent our own lesser sacrifice as did Cain and then get angry when it is not accepted by our Father in Heaven.

Maybe our children need to see a little bit more blood, sweat, and tears from our sacrifices that we make for them. Not to hold it over their heads, but to give them an appreciation for how valuable we think they are. Maybe they need to participate in the sacrifices we make in appropriate ways. But most of all, they need to know that the sacrifice is “only an arm.” We willingly offer it and more if necessary, for the privilege of serving our God and them.

In the end, it is a small thing that we are asked to give of ourselves so completely in return. Our Father in Heaven will give all that He has. The sacrifice that he offered to us, so immense in comparison. He gave his Only Begotten Son to suffer the sins of all. How can our sacrifices possibly compare? They cannot. But they can have purpose, and they can have value especially to the rising generation who will need Christ’s gospel, Christ’s Church and all of the power that they can possibly obtain through making and keeping covenants.

We give our individual arms and legs, day after day, moment after moment, in service of our children and our youth. We must continue to do so, but also give of our souls, the energy of heart to lead, persuade, teach, and point the way to Christ, who is their only salvation. You must help them know where is your strength, who is the source of your power. Testify to them frequently of our Savior. Help them understand the purpose of His and of your sacrifices.

A Separate, Peculiar People

The third lesson from the story is one we learn from a pirate who behaves very differently than the pirate we might expect. The Lord similarly command us to “come ye out from [Babylon, meaning] the wicked, [that ye be not partakers of her ​​​sins​,] and be ye separate” (Alma 5:57; Revelation 18:4). “Touch not the unclean thing” and therfore obtain the promise from the Lord, saying, "I will receive you" (2 Cor 6:17; see also D&C 133:5).

The terms "special" or "peculiar" are other ways that this separateness is expressed:

For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth (Deuteronomy 7:6).

And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine (Leviticus 20:26).

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:11-14).

When [we] are called unto [Jesus Christ's] everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, [we] are accounted as the salt of the earth” (D&C 101:39), “a choice and a favored people” (2 Ne 1:19), “a light unto the Gentiles” (D&C 86:11), and “a pure people, that will serve [God] in righteousness” (D&C 100:16).

We shouldn’t consider our “separateness” with any kind of superiority, but rather with humility, having a desire for all to “be separate” with us. Just like the fruit of the tree of life, we do not focus on how great we are for having partaken of the fruit, but rather call out to those around us to taste of its deliciousness.

Sacrifice of Separateness

If we are to overcome the world, or be a distinct and separate people, we must “lay aside the things of this world for things of a better world” (D&C 25:10). This means that we have to operate in the world while becoming someone that is worthy of a better one. We go into all the world to gather the elect to a higher one. We keep our hearts and minds centered on higher laws, ways of being, and also higher Beings, namely our God, and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In seeking to live this way, we should learn from the scriptures about the accusations that will certainly come, because all the prophets and the Savior Himself have been similarly accused.

Ezra Taft Benson said: “Popularity is never a test of truth. … As we come closer to the Lord’s second coming you can expect that as the people of the world become more wicked, the prophet will be less popular with them” (“Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”, BYU Devotional, Feb. 26, 1980). This will be true of those that follow the prophet as well. If you are looking to be popular by following the prophet, you may find yourself with a conflict of interest.

It is easy to fall prey to the public shaming and the emotional blackmail of the world. Satan’s plan was a forced conformity rather than choosing to conform to the plan of happiness, and now the adversary desires all to conform to his miserable existence. He uses all tactics to do so, but is particularly fond of calling evil good and good evil (2 Ne. 15:20). By flipping the polarity of God’s commandments, when we listen to the world, we can too easily feel that rather than being distinguished by our zeal in keeping the commandments (Alma 27:27), we may not want to be distinguished at all.

But we cannot dismiss commandments as unimportant because of wordly perspectives that see no value in them. As an example, one that could easily be substituted with a number of topics, sometimes I hear that drinking coffee is “not that bad” and the health concerns are overstated. This point of debate has little to do with the fact that drinking coffee is bad for your covenants and therefore your relationship with God. He asked this sacrifice of you through His living prophets. The question is will you be faithful to this requirement and set yourself apart from the world or will you become like the world, losing the distinctiveness that Christ's people are meant to have?

We are asked to do “all things” that the Lord has commanded, not just some (2 Nephi 32:5; Moroni 10:23). We must clothe ourselves “with ​​​humility​: for God ​​​… giveth grace to the ​​​humble​, … that he may exalt you in due time: [Cast] all your care upon him [rather than the world]; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:2-7). We must be “firm, steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord” (3 Nephi 6:14).

To accomplish such a task is admittedly difficult, but with God, nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37). He has given us ALL we need in order to win the prize (Mosiah 4:27), a Savior who overcame the obstacles we could not, who saves us in ways that we could not, who not only paved the way, but showed us how to walk on it, who offers us the scriptures and the gift of the Holy Ghost, a heavenly guide who strives to keep us from the world and lead us in the ways of our Father. We have a Redeemer who gives us prophets and apostles and other leaders to help us see how the gospel applies to our specific circumstances, who provides priesthood keys, who provides temples so we can learn and bind our kindred dead to us and more!

These promises are incontestably worth the price of sacrificing all we have to be His people.

He that overcometh [the world] shall not be hurt of the second death (Revelation 2:10-11).

He that ​​​overcometh​, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give ​​​power​ over the nations (Revelation 2:25-28).

To him … will I give to eat of the ​​​tree of life​, which is in the midst of the ​​​paradise​ of God (Revelation 2:7).

Temple Dedication => Home => Self

This last general conference as I considered the intense focus on temples and covenants, and as I pondered on the meaning of D&C 109 for myself, I felt a particular impression that I wrote down: Temples are dedicated to doing the work of the Lord. If home is meant to be a heaven on earth, shouldn't our families be dedicated to the Lord as well? If our bodies are temples, shouldn’t we also dedicate ourselves to the same purpose? The pattern of building, dedicating, and asking the Lord to accept the temple so we can be closer to God should be replicated in the temple of our homes, and the temple of ourselves.

First, consider the building of these temples:

Verily I say unto you, it is my will that you should build a house. ​​​If​ you keep my commandments you shall have power to build it. If you ​​​keep​ not my commandments, the ​​​love​ of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall ​​​walk​ in darkness (D&C 95:11-12).

As we keep the commandments to obey the Lord's will in building our families and ourselves, we will not walk in darkness, but walk in the light of His love. We will be given power to achieve the objective.

Just as temples are dedicated, our homes should be dedicated to the Lord. And individually, we should dedicate ourselves to God as well.

Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a home, even a home of prayer, a home of fasting, a home of faith, a home of learning, a home of glory, a home of order, a home of God (D&C 88:119).

President Nelson specifically said that this list “is much more than a description of a temple. It is a promise about what will happen to those who serve and worship in the house of the Lord. They can expect to receive answers to prayer, personal revelation, greater faith, strength, comfort, increased knowledge, and increased power” (Russell M. Nelson, “Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys”, General Conference, April 2024)

So, organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish yourself, one who prays, one who fasts, one who has faith, one who learns, one who is deserving of glory, one who is in order, a man or woman of God.

This dedication of our homes and ourselves cannot be partial. We cannot keep one eye on the glory of God and another on the acceptance of society (1 Nephi 8:25; 3 Nephi 13:22). Instead we must declare His word with unwearyingness (Helaman 10:4), serve Him, and keep His commandments with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength (Mosiah 2:21; D&C 4:2; 11:3; 11:20). We must consecrate our homes and our families to the work of gathering Israel and sealing His children to Him.

Finally, in temple dedicatory prayers, including the Kirtland Temple, we plead with the Lord to accept our offering of building His holy house and ask Him to fill it with His presence (see D&C 109:4, 78). How will we know He accepts our families and ourselves?

Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are ​​​honest​, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are ​​​willing​ to observe their covenants by ​​​sacrifice​—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are ​​​accepted​ of me (D&C 97:8).

For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here [and shall be in your hearts]; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house (D&C 110:7).

All of us should build and dedicate our homes and ourselves for the purpose of Holiness to the Lord as well as distinguishing ourselves as a zealous “temple people”. Doing so will endow us with the power of Christ to fortify our youth and children.

Conclusion: Joy of Dedication

Brothers and sisters, it is a privilege to serve the Lord. Dedication to living the gospel brings untold blessings of power and strength. What are we losing by living it fully? Waking up early to bring the family for prayer and Book of Mormon study—we only lose sleep and maybe some sanity. Coming early to church and helping rambunctious children learn reverence for their Father in Heaven—it only requires patience and consistency. Visiting young people and children you teach on Sunday, at another time during the week—it’s only precious time and dedication.

On the one hand, it sounds diminishing of the great efforts these things take, but when weighed against the effects they can have in the spiritual endurance of the rising generation, they are “only arms”. When the Father gave His Only Begotten, it was to ensure our salvation and provide the way for receiving exaltation. Jesus Christ was able to endure the immense pain He bore in the garden of Gethsemane and on the cross because He was dedicated to the joy of our redemption and who we could become if He were to bear our suffering. The Savior only gave His life, His blood, His whole self, for us with the hope that we would be alright. We should turn to Him, embrace Him, and teach our young people to do the same by our example. Are your sacrifices insignificant? No, but they are worthy prices for the privilege of being called Christ's people, His children, His “servants [that] may go forth from [the temple] armed with [His] power, … that [His] name may be upon [you], and [His] glory be round about [you], and [His] angels have charge over [you]” (D&C 109:22)

Perhaps there will be a day when we say: “It was only my whole soul (Mosiah 2:21); it was just keeping the commandments (Mosiah 2:22); it only required all that I have and am (Mosiah 2:34). I’m just glad I get to become like my Father in Heaven, my Savior, and be with my loved ones and my fellow Saints forever.”

Testimony