Our Perfect Example

Last week I had the opportunity of attending the Timpanogos Temple with Ann, a couple of friends, and Denver Snuffer. It was a really wonderful morning and I have never quite felt the spirit that way in the temple before. We attended a session and then had some time to just sit and talk in the Celestial room. What I liked about that morning was being in a place where the spirit of the Lord was abundantly present, with like minded people that I know are really trying to follow the Savior and His teachings.

Simply by coincidence, that day was the one year anniversary of my beginning the book by Denver Snuffer called “The Second Comforter: Conversing with the Lord through the Veil.” My reading of this book changed the course of my life forever, and was instrumental in making 2009 one of the greatest years of spiritual growth in my life.

I learned many important lessons last year, but the two greatest I would have to say are that the Book of Mormon truly contains the fullness of the gospel: I have come to believe that the Bible was written and preserved in order to prepare people for the Book of Mormon. And that regular temple attendance is a method for learning about the Savior and the great plan of our Heavenly Father that can’t be matched.

Above all, last year taught me that I need to be a better person. I learned that I need to be less selfish. I learned that I need to be kinder. I learned that I need to be more faithful in keeping the commandments. I learned that I need to follow the Savior more fully.

While contemplating the things I need to do to be a better person, I listened once again to President Henry B. Eyring’s talk from last general conference. He titled his talk “Our Perfect Example.” His talk of course was about following the Savior. I would like to share some of my thoughts about this talk.

Elder Eyring starts out his talk by reminding us that we all will one day meet the Savior. Whether in this life, or in the world to come I don’t know but I look forward to this day with great hope and anticipation. He then quotes from Moroni in the Book of Mormon.
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.”
Elder Eyring then goes on and tells us that a Primary Song teaches us what we must do to prepare ourselves for this great occasion:

I’m trying to be like Jesus; I’m following in his ways.
I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,
“Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught.”

It seems simple, doesn’t it?… love one another as Jesus did. Show kindness in all we do. Heed the still small voice as it guides us. This is how we prepare to see the Savior.

President Eyring goes on to write: “Love is the motivating principle by which the Lord leads us along the way towards becoming like Him, our perfect example. Our way of life, hour by hour, must be filled with the love of God and love for others. There is no surprise in that, since the Lord proclaimed those as the first and great commandments. It is love of God that will lead us to keep His commandments. And love of others is at the heart of our capacity to obey Him.
Just as Jesus used a child in His mortal ministry as an example for the people of the pure love they must and could have to be like Him, He has offered us the family as an example of an ideal setting in which we can learn how to love as He loves.
That is because the greatest joys and the greatest sorrows we experience are in family relationships. The joys come from putting the welfare of others above our own. That is what love is. And the sorrow comes primarily from selfishness, which is the absence of love. The ideal God holds for us is to form families in the way most likely to lead to happiness and away from sorrow. A man and a woman are to make sacred covenants that they will put the welfare and happiness of the other at the center of their lives. Children are to be born into a family where the parents hold the needs of children equal to their own in importance. And children are to love parents and each other.”

It is interesting to note that he says that our greatest joys and our greatest sorrows come in our family relationships; Joy from selflessness… and sorrow from selfishness.

I for one have learned that I have been far too selfish in my family relationships. I have been far too selfish in my relationship with my wife Ann. I have seen the joy that comes from forgetting about my own needs and putting Ann’s first. I certainly haven’t perfected it yet, but I am working on it.

He goes on to counsel husbands and wives “Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for the love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make your companion’s joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of your companion.” Imagine the good that can come from following this counsel!

He then goes on to counsel the parents of wandering children (aren’t we all wandering children in one way or another?) “The story of the prodigal son gives us all hope. The prodigal remembered home, as will your children. They will feel your love drawing them back to you. Elder Orson F. Whitney, in a general conference of 1929, gave a remarkable promise, which I know is true, to the faithful parents who honor the temple sealing to their children: “Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold.”

Then he goes on to say: “Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.” You can pray for your children, love them, and reach out to them with confidence that Jesus reaches for them with you. When you keep trying, you are doing what Jesus does.”

Sometimes it seems overwhelming that we need to try harder to be more like the Savior. Perhaps we don’t see the progress that we are making. Elder Eyring points out a couple of ways: “It will help to remember how you have felt, at times, like a little child, even in the midst of cares and trials. You have felt the peace of a pure little child at times when you have tried to be like Jesus. You have felt it in your family when you asked the pardon of your spouse or forgave a child for some mistake or disobedience. These moments will come more often as you try to do the things you know Jesus would do. Because of His Atonement for you, your childlike obedience will bring a feeling of love of the Savior for you and your love for Him. That is one of the gifts that is promised to His faithful disciples. And this gift can come not only to you alone but also to the loving members of your family. The promise was given in 3 Nephi: “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.”

I know that as we strive to keep the commandments and to follow the Savior, our perfect example, that our efforts will be blessed by the power of the Atonement and that we will make progress in our quest to return to Him.