Whatsoever He Saith unto You, Do it
by Elder L. Whitney Clayton
This talk was one of my top five favorites from conference (April 2017.) It helped me see just how amazingly faithful and humble Mary, the mother of Jesus, was. I also loved this quote about trusting in the Lord, and becoming better than we ever thought possible.
I honestly didn't think I could love this talk anymore than I already did. I also didn't think there was much more to learn from it. I had thought, quite foolishly, that I had absorb it well enough the first time around. As you all probably know, the more you study something, the more you learn. In church, we learn the same thing over and over. We read and reread the Book of Mormon because we know that every time we do we learn something new. Something we hadn't noticed before ends up jumping of the page and smacking me right in the face. Something that I needed to hear at that particular time in my life. This talk, the second time around, did exactly that. Words, sentences, even paragraphs started jumping off the page. I had more thoughts about what I was reading, and how I could apply them into my life. I was feeling the Holy Ghost whispering to me to remember that, or focus on that, or that is important better write it down. I even stumbled across a YouTube video that the Mormon Channel posted that was inspired from this very talk (video below.) I am so grateful that I was able to gain new insights from this beautiful talk.
Here are four things I learnt when reading this talk:
#1. Mary is everything I hope to become - Elder Clayton said, "Mary had unshakable confidence in Him and in His divine power." She knew the Savoir. She knew he had the power to do anything. She didn't need to ask how things were going to work out because she had such unbreakable faith in Him. While reading this talk I kept thinking, I can also come to know the Savior like Mary did. Maybe not as intimately as a mother knows her son, but I can feel and know his love for me is real. As we study the scriptures, partake of the sacrament, and exercise our faith in Him, our testimonies of Him grows. Then we can willingly do "whatsoever He saith unto" us.
#2. We shouldn't take those Sunday School answers lightly - You all know exactly what I am talking about. When the teacher asks questions and the answers are always pray and read your scriptures. If you listen carefully, the answers become quite robotic. Everyone (including myself) gets that same monotone voice. Elder Clayton states over and over in this talk about the importance of intentionally doing these seemingly casual Sunday School answers. He said, "Those who are deliberate about doing the "small and simple things" are blessed with faith and strength." I don't want my daily habits of faith to be an afterthought or something I do just to tick a box. I want to be deliberate in my choices to follow the Lord; knowing that by doing this I will be more prepared to face the trials of life.
#3. God will always bless us our righteousness - but there is a catch. He will do it on his timetable, not ours. This has always been a hard one for me because I lack patience (although with three kids I am learning more and more about it.) I want the answers and or the blessings now. Elder Clayton said, "God ask us to bear with Him- to trust Him and to follow Him. He pleds with us to "dispute not because we see not." I look back at the blessings that have come my way, and I glad those blessings came when they did.
#4. With God, we can become more - my favorite quote from this talk is in the picture above where Elder Clayton said, "When we trust and follow Him, our lives are transformed. We become something more and better than we ever otherwise could be." It is impossible to comprehend exactly who we can become, but I know that with God I can reach my divine potential and eternal destiny.
If you didn't know, I love this talk!
I encourage all of you to read and reread it. I know the word that Elder Clayton shared with us are true. I am grateful for everything I have learned and been inspired to do or change.
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