Thoughts from my Brother Ben:
I hope that my brother doesn't mind that I'm sharing his thoughts from a week or so ago. I just couldn't help but take these things in and really gain some insight for myself on not just the act of making a covenant but actually living the covenants I make. Sometimes it's hard to put these things into words. But for me, it's not enough to know the facts about the Savior and his gospel, I feel that I should be incorporating the gospel into my daily living. Ben shared some of these ideas in great ways. . .
"Our relationship with others is directly related to the covenants we make with God.
What do I mean by this?
Aside from promising to love our neighbors as ourselves, lift one another’s burdens, worship together, and to share the Gospel, there are other aspects to being part of a covenant people that makes living the Gospel unique.
First is being a covenant person.
When we personally keep our covenants – we dedicate ourselves to this pursuit, repenting often and pushing forward – we change. We start asking interesting questions like, “How do I develop more charity for others?” “I really want to do XYZ, but what would the Lord have me do?” “Is there someone I know who needs help today?” “That kid really is noisy. Wait, I have my own noisy kids too. Perhaps what those parents really need is an understanding smile?”
This is because of the following phenomenon. When we keep our covenants, we gain the companionship of the Spirit, which in turn changes us into peculiar people:
Gal. 5: 22
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Eph. 5: 9
9 (For [also,] the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
As the spirit works in us, we find that covenant keeping is not a solitary act. It extends to others around us. For example, and I know I’ve told the story before. When I was 13 my mother was extremely ill with cancer. Our house was painted, sprinklers installed, a broken sewer line dug up and replaced by ordinary people who honored they’re covenants and sought to serve someone in need.
Second is being a covenant family.
I learned about the importance of covenants and how they work from my family. My father taught the covenant lessons for FHE, and we talked about each new covenant we would make when growing up in the Church – baptism, Priesthood, marriage. But it was in living those that the beauty of covenant keeping came through in my family.
I come from a family of 10 kids. Now by no means are we a perfect family. But we are very close and we understand our roles with each other. It is one of the many things I look forward to each day to check my email or a family member’s blog to see what is going on in Kentucky, Boston, New York City, Virginia, Maryland, Alaska, Utah, or here in CA. We offer support, friendship, laughs, and advice to each other daily. We understand that not all of us would approach a situation the same and we accept that. We understand that our advice is just that and may be left unheeded. But in the end, when it comes down to the nitty gritty of life, we are family – we’re there to fast and pray for each other when a child is born with a heart defect, praise each others’ kids’ creativity and successes, and generally be a safe haven from the wiles of the world. I hope to carry this on with my children because it has been invaluable to me in my life.
Third is we are a covenant people.
If I were to take the microcosm of my family and extend it out into this Church, I see the same support offered here (minus the emails.) We strive for happiness. We strive for humility, charity, and love. In short we try to emulate the people of Alma who were baptized at the waters of Mormon. We are…
Mosiah 18:8-10
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye [we] may be in, even until death, that ye [we] may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye [we] may have eternal life—
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
In discussing this talk with my wife, we both came to realize how good this ward has been to us and to each other. We feel recharged after each Sunday and we know it comes from the dedication and preparation of each member to contribute to each other’s spiritual well being. As a ward and even as a Stake we do some of the most selfless acts to help lift one another. We take time to visit each other once a month. Some give up a day of work to chaperone youth at a youth conference. Others faithfully fulfill temple assignments to allow those who otherwise would not be able to take on the covenants of the Gospel to do so. When we are sick, the ward unites to support the afflicted with temporal and spiritual service. This list goes on and on."
Aren't these great ideas and examples? Well, I think so. What good is it to be book smart if we don't apply that great knowledge to our life's decisions? So what good is it to know the facts and even go through the motions of covenant making if we have no intention of implementing change in our own lives.
Let's see. The covenants we make talk about us being willing to be like the Savior. Is that so bad? Too boring? Right. They also talk about us being willing to serve others/be kind and helpful. That can't be too much, right? They talk about us being willing to share our thoughts about the Savior, Jesus Christ with other, if they want. I don't know. Hmmm. I can talk about tv shows, books, clothes, hair styles, etc. I guess talking about the creator of this world and the one being who is responsible for my existence day to day also can't be too much to ask.
Anyway, there are so many things that living the gospel covers. So I'll just have to plug away at it and keep my attitude in check. I'll be happier. I know I'm so much happier now than I ever would have been because I was willing to stick to my covenants.
Thanks, Ben, for the wonderful thoughts! And congrats on your new "little" baby boy!!!
I hope that my brother doesn't mind that I'm sharing his thoughts from a week or so ago. I just couldn't help but take these things in and really gain some insight for myself on not just the act of making a covenant but actually living the covenants I make. Sometimes it's hard to put these things into words. But for me, it's not enough to know the facts about the Savior and his gospel, I feel that I should be incorporating the gospel into my daily living. Ben shared some of these ideas in great ways. . .
"Our relationship with others is directly related to the covenants we make with God.
What do I mean by this?
Aside from promising to love our neighbors as ourselves, lift one another’s burdens, worship together, and to share the Gospel, there are other aspects to being part of a covenant people that makes living the Gospel unique.
First is being a covenant person.
When we personally keep our covenants – we dedicate ourselves to this pursuit, repenting often and pushing forward – we change. We start asking interesting questions like, “How do I develop more charity for others?” “I really want to do XYZ, but what would the Lord have me do?” “Is there someone I know who needs help today?” “That kid really is noisy. Wait, I have my own noisy kids too. Perhaps what those parents really need is an understanding smile?”
This is because of the following phenomenon. When we keep our covenants, we gain the companionship of the Spirit, which in turn changes us into peculiar people:
Gal. 5: 22
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Eph. 5: 9
9 (For [also,] the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
As the spirit works in us, we find that covenant keeping is not a solitary act. It extends to others around us. For example, and I know I’ve told the story before. When I was 13 my mother was extremely ill with cancer. Our house was painted, sprinklers installed, a broken sewer line dug up and replaced by ordinary people who honored they’re covenants and sought to serve someone in need.
Second is being a covenant family.
I learned about the importance of covenants and how they work from my family. My father taught the covenant lessons for FHE, and we talked about each new covenant we would make when growing up in the Church – baptism, Priesthood, marriage. But it was in living those that the beauty of covenant keeping came through in my family.
I come from a family of 10 kids. Now by no means are we a perfect family. But we are very close and we understand our roles with each other. It is one of the many things I look forward to each day to check my email or a family member’s blog to see what is going on in Kentucky, Boston, New York City, Virginia, Maryland, Alaska, Utah, or here in CA. We offer support, friendship, laughs, and advice to each other daily. We understand that not all of us would approach a situation the same and we accept that. We understand that our advice is just that and may be left unheeded. But in the end, when it comes down to the nitty gritty of life, we are family – we’re there to fast and pray for each other when a child is born with a heart defect, praise each others’ kids’ creativity and successes, and generally be a safe haven from the wiles of the world. I hope to carry this on with my children because it has been invaluable to me in my life.
Third is we are a covenant people.
If I were to take the microcosm of my family and extend it out into this Church, I see the same support offered here (minus the emails.) We strive for happiness. We strive for humility, charity, and love. In short we try to emulate the people of Alma who were baptized at the waters of Mormon. We are…
Mosiah 18:8-10
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye [we] may be in, even until death, that ye [we] may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye [we] may have eternal life—
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
In discussing this talk with my wife, we both came to realize how good this ward has been to us and to each other. We feel recharged after each Sunday and we know it comes from the dedication and preparation of each member to contribute to each other’s spiritual well being. As a ward and even as a Stake we do some of the most selfless acts to help lift one another. We take time to visit each other once a month. Some give up a day of work to chaperone youth at a youth conference. Others faithfully fulfill temple assignments to allow those who otherwise would not be able to take on the covenants of the Gospel to do so. When we are sick, the ward unites to support the afflicted with temporal and spiritual service. This list goes on and on."
Aren't these great ideas and examples? Well, I think so. What good is it to be book smart if we don't apply that great knowledge to our life's decisions? So what good is it to know the facts and even go through the motions of covenant making if we have no intention of implementing change in our own lives.
Let's see. The covenants we make talk about us being willing to be like the Savior. Is that so bad? Too boring? Right. They also talk about us being willing to serve others/be kind and helpful. That can't be too much, right? They talk about us being willing to share our thoughts about the Savior, Jesus Christ with other, if they want. I don't know. Hmmm. I can talk about tv shows, books, clothes, hair styles, etc. I guess talking about the creator of this world and the one being who is responsible for my existence day to day also can't be too much to ask.
Anyway, there are so many things that living the gospel covers. So I'll just have to plug away at it and keep my attitude in check. I'll be happier. I know I'm so much happier now than I ever would have been because I was willing to stick to my covenants.
Thanks, Ben, for the wonderful thoughts! And congrats on your new "little" baby boy!!!
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