Tammy’s Sacrament Meeting Talk
March
17, 2013
Good morning brothers and sisters. When Bishop called and
asked me to speak to you today, he assigned me the October 2012 general
conference address given by Shayne M. Bowen, of the Seventy, entitled “Because
I Live, Ye Shall Live Also” as the basis for my remarks.
Elder Bowen’s talk touched on a couple of different gospel
principles, so I will try and do the same.
Death of a loved one is something we have all experienced,
and it can have a profound effect on our lives. Whether it is someone very
close to us or even a beloved pet.
The loss of someone close to us is always painful. But
because we have the fullness of the gospel, we understand God’s plan. Having
this knowledge doesn’t take away the pain and grief, which we all must go
through when we lose someone. But it
helps us understand and perhaps better cope with the loss and have an eternal
perspective.
Elder Bowen mentioned in his talk that, in 1990, he lost his
baby son, Tyson, who aspirated a piece of chalk and died. Elder Bowen questioned
the Lord’s fairness and asked, why me? He explains,
“As
I felt the guilt, anger, and self-pity trying to consume me, I prayed that my
heart could change. Through very personal sacred experiences, the Lord gave me
a new heart, and even though it was still lonely and painful, my whole outlook
changed. I was given to know that I had not been robbed but rather that there
was a great blessing awaiting me if I would prove faithful.” 1
My first experience with death was when I was six years old.
My cousin, Lance, who was three years old at the time, drowned in a swimming
pool. Like Elder Bowen, my uncle and aunt were devastated at the loss of their
son. I’m sure they felt the same emotions as Elder Bowen described he felt.
Although, at the time, the feelings of grief can be
unbearable. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can receive a fullness of
joy. Elder Bowen said, “I testify that because of
Him, even our Savior, Jesus Christ, those feelings of sorrow, loneliness, and
despair will one day be swallowed up in a fulness of joy.”1
I was taught the plan of salvation, as far back as I can
remember, and have always known that we will be reunited again with our lost
loved ones. Knowing the plan of salvation is a great comfort.
Some faiths erroneously teach that little children need
baptism. They teach that little children who die without receiving baptism, are
lost forever. Because we have received
the fullness of the gospel, we know that’s not true. The prophet Mormon,
teaches his son, Moroni, the following:
“5… there have been disputations among you
concerning the baptism of your little children.
8 Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God.
Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to
repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for
they are not capable of committing sin…
10
Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach—repentance and baptism
unto those who are accountable and capable of committing
sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble
themselves as their little children, and they shall all be
saved with their little children.
11 And their little children need no repentance,
neither baptism….
12 But little children are alive in Christ,
even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and
also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many
little children have died without baptism!” 2
We know from modern-day revelation found in the Doctrine and
Covenants that the age of accountability is 8 years old. 3
Because Lance and Tyson, died before they were eight, they
did not reach the age of accountability, and were not capable of sin, and
therefore did not need to be baptized. They were given a one-way ticket to the
celestial kingdom to dwell for eternity with our Heavenly Father and our
Savior, Jesus Christ. As do all children
who die before eight years old. We read in the Doctrine and Covenants, “And I also beheld that all children who die before they
arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of
heaven.” 4
Think of all of the parents who have lost children who live
miserable, tormented lives because they don’t have that knowledge.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught:
“why it is that infants, innocent children, are taken away from us, especially
those that seem to be the most intelligent and interesting. The strongest
reasons that present themselves to my mind are these: This world is a very
wicked world; and it … grows more wicked and corrupt. … The Lord takes many
away, even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows
and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on
earth; therefore, if rightly considered, instead of mourning we have reason to
rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them again. …” 5
Reading that quote reminds me of another cousin, Justin, who
also died young. He was only 19 when he died. Justin had cystic fibrosis.
Unlike my cousin Lance, whose death was unexpected. Justin’s disease was a
constant reminder that his time in mortality would be short.
Even though Justin was sick his entire life, he was always
joking around, making life happier for others. I believe that he was one of
those people that Joseph Smith mentioned that were too pure to live on earth. I
know that Justin is in the spirit world doing the Lord’s work.
Elder Bowen said, “I testify
that this life is not the end. The spirit world is real. The teachings of the
prophets regarding life after death are true. This life is but a transitory
step forward on our journey back to our Heavenly Father.” 1
Shortly after Justin’s death, my uncle started Justin’s
truck and the song that was playing was “The Test” by Janice Kapp Perry. This
song was also sung at his funeral. Some of the lyrics include:
“Tell me friend if you understand.
Why doesn't He with power to raise the dead just make you whole again?
(Chorus)
It would be so easy for Him.
I watch you and in sorrow question why.
Then you my friend in perfect faith reply.
Didn't He say he sent us to be tested?
Didn't He say the way would not be sure?
But didn't He say we could live with Him
Forevermore, well and whole,
If we but patiently endure?
After the trial we will be blessed
But this life is the test.”
The Relief Society sisters know that I like to teach using
analogies. Something we are all familiar with is taking tests in school. I want
to compare our mortal life here on earth to taking a test in school.
Think of the most difficult test you’ve ever taken. For me,
it was the MCAT, the medical college admissions test. It lasted all day and it
was very grueling. I remember thinking after I was done, that I would never
take it again. It was so taxing that I would rather change careers than retake
it.
Mortality is like the MCAT. It is a very difficult test.
Like any test, some questions are very easy and some are very difficult. There may
be a question that you feel is so easy, you wonder why it’s even on the exam.
But, maybe the guy in the desk next to you finds the same question to be very
difficult. Let’s compare the easy question, for example, to the law of tithing.
Maybe, for you, paying tithing is very easy. But for someone else, it is
something they struggle with and find very difficult.
Then moving on to the next question on the test, perhaps you
find it to be very difficult but your neighbor finds it to be quite simple.
Let’s use, for example, keeping the Sabbath day holy. Maybe that is something
you struggle with, but your neighbor finds it an easy commandment to keep. Each
new question on the test represents a commandment or trial we must face.
We all have different trials and temptations and we each
deal with them differently. How well have we prepared for the test? Just like we must study hard, to be ready to
take an exam in school. We must study the Gospel and try to live worthily, to be
prepared to face the trials of mortality.
Keeping with the theme of the talk, maybe one of the
questions on your test represents the death of a child or close relative. How
we choose to answer the question, or in other words, how we face that trial
determines how well we do on our test.
Speaking of our time in mortality here on earth, we read in
the book of Abraham, “And we will prove them
herewith, to see if they will do all
things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;” 6
So, our time on earth is an opportunity for us to show our
Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ that we will obey their
commandments even in the face of adversity and trial.
Like the MCAT, our mortal journey is a test. And like the
MCAT, mortality can be very grueling and taxing and sometimes we wish we
weren’t taking the test.
Just like I spent years of schooling to prepare for the MCAT,
and chose to take it. We all spent time in our pre-earth life preparing for,
and chose to take, the test of mortality. And again, like the MCAT, this test
may feel too long – especially when we face some of the more difficult
questions or trials.
Even though the test of mortality seems long, in actuality, it
is very short.
Just like doing well on the MCAT helped me reach a goal I
had my entire life of going to medical school. Doing well on our mortal test
will help us reach our goal of exaltation/eternal life. So that we may live
forever in the celestial kingdom with our Heavenly Father and Savior.
Having the knowledge that we will be reunited again with our
loved ones who have preceded us in graduating this life is very comforting and
reassuring.
Elder Bowen said, “What a
glorious blessing this is in our lives. …How grateful I am to my Father in
Heaven that He allows us to love deeply and love eternally. How grateful I am
for eternal families. How grateful I am that He has revealed once again through
His living prophets the glorious plan of redemption.” 1
As I mentioned briefly, all of us will face trials and
temptations in our mortal journey. As in any journey, there are ups and downs,
times of relative ease and times of severe hardship.
On September 21, 2002, I experienced one of those low times
of severe hardship. That is the day I lost my fiancé, and subsequently, what
was to be my upcoming eternal marriage and opportunity to have children. I also
lost, on that day, my independence – I suffered a severe spinal cord injury
which left me quadriplegic. Not to mention the loss of my career as a
podiatrist – which I had spent years working towards and was so close to
completing. That’s a lot to lose in one day.
Elder Bowen said, “I have
learned that the bitter, almost unbearable pain can become sweet as you turn to
your Father in Heaven and plead for His comfort that comes through His plan;
His Son, Jesus Christ; and His Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost.” 1
When you face a trial there are two paths you can take. The
first is, to do as Elder Bowen suggested and, turn to your Heavenly Father and
trust in Him. In doing so, you will be comforted and strengthened. Or, you can
turn away from, and blame God and become bitter and unhappy. In my humble
opinion, the first option is much better.
Pres. Lorenzo Snow said the following, “It is impossible for us to work out our salvation and
accomplish the purposes of God without trials or without sacrifices.” 7
For those of you out there thinking that you didn’t sign-up
for this, well, you did.
President Lorenzo Snow said, “Trials
and tribulations have been the experience of the Latter-day Saints. God so
designed that it should be. I daresay that in the [premortal] spirit world,
when it was proposed to us to come into this probation, and pass through the
experience that we are now receiving, it was not altogether pleasant and
agreeable; the prospects were not so delightful in all respects as might have
been desired. Yet there is no doubt that we saw and understood clearly there
that, in order to accomplish our exaltation and glory, this was a necessary
experience; and however disagreeable it might have appeared to us, we were
willing to conform to the will of God, and consequently we are here.” 7
Pres. Snow also said, “There is no other way
in which the Saints can make spiritual improvement and be prepared for an
inheritance in the celestial kingdom than through tribulation. It is the
process by which knowledge is increased and peace will ultimately be
established universally.” 7
Let us remember that whenever we face trial or temptation
that we must rely on our Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement and trust in
our Heavenly Father. If we do so, the Holy Ghost will comfort and strengthen
us.
Elder Bowen testified, “I
testify that, as stated in Preach My Gospel, ‘as we rely on the
Atonement of Jesus Christ, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and
pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is unfair
about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.’” 1
Pres. Lorenzo Snow wants us to remember, “Every man and woman who serves the Lord, no matter how
faithful they may be, have their dark hours; but if they have lived faithfully,
light will burst upon them and relief will be furnished.” 7
I add my testimony that as part of our mortal journey we all
face dark hours. But if we turn to the Lord and are faithful, we will see the
glorious light we have been promised. The Lord reminds us in the Doctrine and Covenants
that “our adversity and afflictions will be but a
small moment and if we endure it well, God will exalt us on high” 8
Our Heavenly Father has a plan for us. Part of that plan
included sending his son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, to Atone for us. We are
blessed with the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, which teaches us the plan of
salvation. By understanding, and being faithful to, the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
we can overcome any trial or temptation we face. And be reunited again with our
loved ones in the celestial kingdom. Of this, I humbly testify. In the name of
Jesus Christ, amen.
References:
2. Moroni 8: 5-12
3. Doctrine and Covenants 68:27
4. Doctrine and Covenants 137:10
5. Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith,
2007; 171-181
6. Abraham 3:25
7. Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow,
2011; chapter 7
8. Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-8
