…VAN EEN VERNUFTIGE
MAKELIJ…
(1 Nephi 18:1)
Belgium/Netherlands Mission
ATTRIBUTES OF CHRIST
Every missionary in the Belgium Netherlands Mission has been
set apart as a full time missionary. The
Elders have been ordained with the Priesthood of God. We have set out to do a difficult job that
for most is in a foreign language making it even more difficult. Equal to the difficulty, we are blessed
abundantly with a love for these two countries where we serve and deep
satisfaction of faithful fulfillment of our responsibilities.
The Lord has promised power with the ordination. President Kimball wrote (p. 4, PMG)
“The setting apart may be taken
literally…set apart from the world to a higher plane of thought and
activity. The blessing is conditional
upon faithful performance.”
As you faithfully exercise your authority, you will raise to
this higher plane of thought and activity.
Then you can expect to be blessed with greater spiritual power. How do you exercise your authority? You Keep Covenants. The first covenant you made was to take the
name of Christ on yourself, meaning you will strive to incorporate into your
life the attributes of Christ. You
repent and continually improve your purity.
You work, meaning you expend the long hours and effort to fill your
day. You seek the spirit and follow its
promptings so the Savior can guide you.
Finally, you develop and maintain love for the people and God.
The Zone Conferences last week focused on your commitment to
develop the attributes of Christ (Chapter 6, PMG). One reason you follow His example and become
like Him by incorporating His attributes into your life is best stated by Elder
Oaks regarding the final judgment:
“… scriptures …refer to our being
judged by the condition we have achieved.”
“… the Final Judgment is not just an
evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts – what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect
of our acts and thoughts – what we have become.
It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances and covenants of
the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly
account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a
plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to
become.” (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Oct 2000 Conference)
I showed you a painting of a mountain by my home in
Fillmore, Utah. I shared several sacred
mountain top experiences I have had on that mountain as I approached serious
turning points in my life. The mountain became
my friend representing the attributes of: steadfast, immovable, unwavering,
dependable, firm and it stood tall as a beacon in my times of need.
The group looked up numerous accounts of scriptural events
occurring on or having to do with mountains or rocks. The list is exhaustive where mountains are
used when special events took place or rocks are used as significant metaphors.
We then provided each of you with a rock, taken from a
mountain. It is granite, part of the
mountain and a symbol of the mountain and the mountain’s attributes of
steadfast, immovable, unwavering, dependable, firm and standing tall as a
beacon. These are the same
characteristics of my commitment and your commitment to incorporate Christ-like
attributes into our lives.
Christ-like attributes determine my relationship with God,
my relationship with me and my relationship with other people. For me, I have assigned Christ-like
attributes as follows:
Relationship with Heavenly Father:
Faith in
Jesus Christ
Knowledge
Love &
Charity
Humility
Obedience
Relationship with myself:
Hope
Diligence
Relationship with other people:
Virtue
Patience
Love &
Charity
My commitment to develop Christ-like attributes is steadfast,
immovable, unwavering, dependable, firm and it stands tall as a beacon. The rock reminds me of my commitment.
God can count on me.
Others can depend on me. I know where I stand.
President Robinson
