My Brothers And Sisters True Greatness Has...

My brothers and sisters, true greatness has a habit of surviving the years. I am certain that every member of the Church has thrilled to the words of a stalwart young man of Aaronic Priesthood age who lived approximately twenty-six hundred years ago. When faced with a difficult situation, he said, "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commanded them." (1 Nephi 3:7.) This young man, destined to become a great prophet, had a most important quality. He had courage, courage to stand on his own two feet rather than follow the so-called easier way — the more popular way — the beckoning cf the crowd, in this case his own brothers. ¶

Let us quickly span twenty-six hundred years and review a story of Aaronic Priesthood courage in our day, 1963. My heart was touched just last month as I had the privilege of reading an excerpt from a serviceman's letter to his parents. Apparently, his training instructor had made it a habit of starting each day's discussion with a few off-color stories. ¶

One morning, quite by surprise, the instructor asked if anyone objected to a couple of "good" stories before starting the day's instruction. This young Mormon boy said that almost as though he had been ejected from his seat by an unseen power, he shot up and said, "Yes, sir, 1 object." ¶

After a long stony silence, the instructor said, "Are there any others?" ¶

You can imagine the feelings of this boy's heart as one by one another dozen or so young army recruits stood in defense of what they really believed. ¶

Those standing were invited to leave the class, and then halfway out, they were called back with a comment from the instructor, "I guess we can skip the stories this morning." ¶

Wouldn't you like the privilege of shaking hands with that kind of Aaronic Priesthood courage? Isn't it gratifying to know that you don't have to turn the pages of history back twenty-six hundred years to find the courage of a Nephi or a Daniel in the lions' den or a David meeting Goliath? And isn't it also gratifying to know that for every courageous heart with a fortitude to stand up and be counted, there will be a host of others willing to rally to the cause of truth and right? ¶

Perhaps there might be a high school student within sound of my voice who finds himself at the crossroads of decision today; whose circle of closest friends fail to live by the rules of conduct that he or she knows to be right. ¶

Might these so-called friends be urging you to take one more step away from all that you believe in, all that is sacred? Could these be the same first easy steps taken by a teenage boy recently who stated to a juvenile judge, "I just didn't realize it was happening — it was so gradual"; or the girl who pleaded, "I wanted so much to be popular with the others — and I was so wrong." ¶

How grateful we can be that these young people had the courage to recognize their misdirection — and then even more courage to do what needed to be done in realigning their lives to correct standards. ¶

Now, courage is an easy word to say. To be effective, there must be action — just like our serviceman a moment ago — positive action in the right direction which can only happen when that courage is inspired through positive, proper motivation. ¶

Now, join with me, young people, through a thought sequence which should prove helpful to serious-minded church members as a basis for motivation in the right direction: ¶

First, let us reconfirm in our minds that there is a Heavenly Father, that he is the Creator of heaven and earth and directs all that we survey. ¶

Second, let us be assured that his house is a house of order, even to the extent that you and I have come to mortality now, in this day, by specific assignment for a real purpose. ¶

Have you ever asked yourself the question, "Why wasn't I born two hundred years ago, or a thousand years ago?" ¶

There is only one reason, young people, because the Lord wanted you born now, in this important day. ¶

Step No. 3, can we know for assurance that a young boy knelt in a grove of trees in the year 1820 and there received a personal visitation from God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ? ¶

Have you read the Joseph Smith story lately, with a real desire to know its truthfulness? ¶

The fourth step: Why are you a member of this Church and kingdom? ¶

Could this be by chance? By your selection only? The Savior has this to say in the fifteenth chapter of John: ¶

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, . . ." ¶

(Verse 16.) As surely as we meet in this historic tabernacle, I know that foreordination is a real part of the plan — we have a responsibility — a divine commission, if you please, conferred prior to mortal existence that can neither be disregarded nor taken lightly without far-reaching consequences. ¶

The fifth and final point I suggest is that the Lord has given us a most precious gift that we call free agency. ¶

And after all is said and done, the final decision is ours with regard to our talents, our divine commission, our choice between left or right, right or wrong. ¶

Youth of Zion, do you have the courage to do right? I sometimes wonder how we could have the courage to do anything but right if we really believe in the foregoing steps of logic. Let us just enumerate them again briefly: ¶

1. God lives. ¶

2. His house is a house of order. ¶

3. The heavens have been opened and remain open today. ¶

4. We are here by appointment, by foreordination. ¶

5. And finally, the choice is ours as to what we do about it. ¶

Now not only do we need courage in choosing our way, but we also need help. The best source of help is from those who love us. I would like to reconfirm a truth that has been spoken from this pulpit many times, that no one loves us like our parents, like our bishop, like our Heavenly Father. May we always seek our counsel and guidance from these three sources. ¶

Youth is energetic; youth is aggressive. The mind of youth is inquisitive, sometimes beyond sound judgment which often leads us into dangerous territory. The Prophet Joseph Smith had this to say to Martin Harris in kindly reprimand: "When a man designedly provokes a serpent to bite him, the principle is the same as when a man drinks deadly poison, knowing it to be such. In that case, no man has any claim on the promises of God to be healed." (DHC 2, 95-96.) By the same token, can we expect the protection we need when we knowingly step beyond the limits of good judgment? ¶

Moroni's reiteration of Mormon's teachings gives us the key for keeping a solid footing. ¶

"For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. ¶

"But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him." ¶

(Moroni 7:16-17. Italics added.) Yes, youth of Zion, history is still being made, and whether you like it or not, you have a hand in it. You will need courage and lots of it. You will need the help of those who love you and the support of loyal friends, real friends, friends who would encourage you in "every thing which inviteth to do good," as stated by Moroni. ¶

Now in conclusion, may I suggest that this Church is not idly named. ¶

We are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These are the latter days; this is the final dispensation of time, and the programs of the Church are all moving toward a sort of finalization or culmination. There is an urgency as never before about what needs to be done; and be sure of this, what needs to be done will be done on schedule, we hope by those initially foreordained to the task. But just as surely as night follows the day, if we choose not to accept our station, or if we grow weary along the way, placing less important things first, there will be substitutes raised to take our place, that the Lord's time-plan and ultimate purposes will not be thwarted. ¶

Youth of Zion, stand up and be counted, have the courage of your convictions, and whatever you do, don't allow someone else to be a substitute for you in the kingdom of your Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶