Here am I, send me

It is tradition in the Young Men’s program in our ward to have a “combined quorum” meeting once a month. This is where the Deacons, Teachers, and Priests all meet together for a priesthood lesson. We hold it on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Traditionally the instructor is a member of the Bishopric or a member of the YM’s Presidency. For yesterday’s lesson I asked a member of our Stake Presidency to teach; President Craig Wilson, the 2nd Counselor.

President Wilson taught a lesson that was thoughtful and inspiring. This morning I haven’t been able to get it off my mind so I would like to write about it. I hope that you will be inspired as was I.

The actual lesson title was “Respect for Womanhood”. Interestingly if you Google this topic, only LDS references are available: Is this not taught anywhere else? President Wilson came to the topic a bit differently so I hope I can do it justice. He related the following story.

“A couple of weeks ago, while driving to an appointment, I was listening to NPR. It just happened to be the day of the memorial service for the men and women of the armed forces who lost their lives at Fort Hood earlier in the month. A general from the Special Forces spoke where he with great emotion, told of a saying they have in the Special Forces… A saying that comes from the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”

This verse has obvious application to the Special Forces. When a job or a mission is hard, or dangerous, or scary… who will go? The men and women of the armed forces stand and say ‘Here am I, send me’; meaning I am ready… and willing! We also know that these are the words of the pre-mortal Savior when asked by the Father “who will go and be the Savior of the world”. But what do these words have to do with holders of the Priesthood… young and old?

It is obvious that we live in the last days of this earth. Sin, greed, calamity, and destruction are very pervasive throughout the world. Who will carry the sword of truth and virtue in the world today? It must be the Priesthood of God. In order to do so we must be as the Special Forces; trained, prepared, brave, and willing. But how do we do this?

It is my experience that the greatest place to receive the strength we need to be the defenders of all that is “virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy” is in the Temple. For young and old, the Temple is the place to receive the special training the Lord offers to those who really want to follow him.

The reason the Temple is the training ground spoken of is for several reasons: First of all, we all know that only those worthy of a recommend are allowed into the Temple. Just as the Special Forces has a ‘weeding out’ process, so does the Temple. As people go to the Temple worthily, they are in essence going to the Lord’s ‘advanced training’. Only those in tune with the Spirit will receive the special instructions they need to advance.

Second, Temple attendance requires continued faithful service and obedience. Please know that as I share the following I do so to prove the point; not to draw attention to myself.

Those of you who know me well know that the only thing I listen to in my car is Conference and “Mo Tab”. I do this because I believe that I am a little denser than most people and it takes things longer to get into my thick skull that it does yours. My experience is that it takes till about the 5th time that I hear a conference talk to realize what is being said.

About 6 months ago, as I was listening to Elder Richard G. Scott’s talk... for about the 5th time, that I heard him say that he attended the temple every week… and had done so for 14 years… and never missed! As I thought about my own life, I realized this is something I needed to do. As a result, I have been to the Temple every week since that time. If I need to miss for any reason, I make it up by going twice the following week. This effort has changed my life!

The first benefit I get from attending the temple weekly is that it is a constant reminder to ‘choose the right’. When I am tempted to make a bad choice during the week, which is pretty much constantly, I think to myself “I am going to the temple in a couple of days… or I have just come out of the temple”, and the temptation wanes.

The second benefit is receiving special instruction form the Lord. This is a topic far too sacred do discuss in this setting, but I have learned by experience that revelation happens on the Temple like nowhere else. The Lord does indeed have mysteries he is willing to share with those who are willing to listen and to learn. As we attend the Temple, and diligently strive to keep the commandments, and to repent of all of our sins, we become prepared to say ‘Here am I, send me’.