What's Your Sign?

I've been thinking about this past General Conference and specifically about what our Prophet asked us to do.  During the General Women's Session, President Nelson invited all of the women of the Church, eight years old and older, to do 4 specific things.

From the words of the Prophet:

"May I offer four invitations:

"First, I invite you to participate in a 10-day fast from social media and from any other media that bring negative and impure thoughts to your mind. Pray to know which influences to remove during your fast. The effect of your 10-day fast may surprise you. What do you notice after taking a break from perspectives of the world that have been wounding your spirit? Is there a change in where you now want to spend your time and energy? Have any of your priorities shifted—even just a little? I urge you to record and follow through with each impression.

"Second, I invite you to read the Book of Mormon between now and the end of the year. As impossible as that may seem with all you are trying to manage in your life, if you will accept this invitation with full purpose of heart, the Lord will help you find a way to achieve it. And, as you prayerfully study, I promise that the heavens will open for you. The Lord will bless you with increased inspiration and revelation. 

"As you read, I would encourage you to mark each verse that speaks of or refers to the Savior. Then, be intentional about talking of Christ, rejoicing in Christ, and preaching of Christ with your families and friends. You and they will be drawn closer to the Savior through this process. And changes, even miracles, will begin to happen. 

"This morning the announcement was made regarding the new Sunday schedule and home-centered, Church-supported curriculum. You, my dear sisters, are a key to the success of this new, balanced, and coordinated gospel-teaching effort. Please teach those whom you love what you are learning from the scriptures. Teach them how to turn to the Savior for His healing and cleansing power when they sin. And teach them how to draw upon His strengthening power every day of their lives. 

"Third, establish a pattern of regular temple attendance. This may require a little more sacrifice in your life. More regular time in the temple will allow the Lord to teach you how to draw upon His priesthood power with which you have been endowed in His temple. For those of you who don’t live near a temple, I invite you to study prayerfully about temples in the scriptures and in the words of living prophets. Seek to know more, to understand more, to feel more about temples than you ever have before. 

"In our worldwide youth devotional last June, I spoke about a young man whose life changed when his parents exchanged his smartphone for a flip phone. This young man’s mother is a fearless woman of faith. She saw her son drifting toward choices that could prevent him from serving a mission. She took her pleadings to the temple to know how best to help her son. Then she followed through with every impression. 

"She said: “I felt the Spirit guiding me to check my son’s phone at specific times to catch specific things. I don’t know how to navigate these smartphones, but the Spirit guided me through all the social media that I don’t even use! I know the Spirit helps parents who are seeking guidance to protect their children. [At first] my son was furious with me. … But after only three days, he thanked me! He could feel the difference.” 

"Her son’s behavior and attitudes changed dramatically. He became more helpful at home, smiled more, and was more attentive at church. He loved serving for a time in a temple baptistry and preparing for his mission. 

"My fourth invitation, for you who are of age, is to participate fully in Relief Society. I urge you to study the current Relief Society purpose statement. It is inspiring. It may guide you in developing your own purpose statement for your own life. I also entreat you to savor the truths in the Relief Society declaration published almost 20 years ago. A framed copy of this declaration hangs on the wall in the office of the First Presidency. I am thrilled every time I read it. It describes who you are and who the Lord needs you to be at this precise time as you do your part to help gather scattered Israel. 

"My dear sisters, we need you! We “need your strength, your conversion, your conviction, your ability to lead, your wisdom, and your voices.” We simply cannot gather Israel without you. 

"I love you and thank you and now bless you with the ability to leave the world behind as you assist in this crucial and urgent work. Together we can do all that our Heavenly Father needs us to do to prepare the world for the Second Coming of His Beloved Son." -- President Russell M. Nelson, "Sisters' Participation in the Gathering of Israel", October 2018 General Conference

The last three invitations actually require effort.  But the first, requires no effort.  You just have to not do something.  Sounds pretty easy.  But how many people didn't even do that?  A 10 day social media fast.  Not a big deal.

If you can't even not do something, how much harder is it to actually do something?

I've been thinking about this and it reminded me of a talk given in General Conference a few years ago.  Coincidentally, or perhaps not, given by Elder Russell M. Nelson. It was titled, "The Sabbath Is a Delight" given in April 2015.  In that talk, then Elder Nelson mentioned something that stuck with me.  He said he doesn't need a list of do's and don'ts to know what's appropriate for the Sabbath, he just asks himself, "What sign do I want to give the Lord?".

Here's the direct quote from the talk:

"How do we hallow the Sabbath day? In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, “What sign do I want to give to God?” That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear."

So, when the Prophet invites us to do something, what sign do we want to give God?  Do we follow the Prophet's counsel and do what he asks us to do?  Or not?  What sign are we giving God?  Do we make excuses as to why we can't follow the Prophet?  Or do we put forth the effort to follow the counsel of the living Prophet despite the sacrifices necessary?

A lot of people seem to discount living prophets but revere dead ones.  In actuality, the words of living prophets are more important and relevant to us than are the words of dead prophets.

"Beware of those who would pit the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence."  -- Ezra Taft Benson, BYU Devotional, February 26, 1980

  Granted, we should always follow the counsel of all prophets, whether living or dead.  But the living prophet is the one who is receiving revelation for us today.  What he has to say is what the Lord, Jesus Christ, himself wants us to hear.  If the living prophet counsels us to do something or to not do something, it is the same as the Lord speaking.

"What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."  -- Doctrine and Covenants 1:38

Sometimes obeying the commandments or following the counsel of living prophets is more about showing your willingness to follow the Lord and His servants than anything.

What sign are you giving to God?

That's my two cents.