Boyd K. Packer -"The Standard of Truth Has Been Erected"
- You have agency--"moral agency." You are free to choose your standards.
- Before we came into mortal life, we lived as spirit children of our Father in Heaven. "All human beings--male and female--are created in the image of God. Each [of you] is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, [you have] a divine nature and destiny. Gender [male and female] is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
- Nothing is more important to the Church and to civilization itself than the family!
- "God ... will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
- I do not wish to offend the delicate feelings of you wonderful young people, but in your world awash with iniquity, you must be on guard.
- There is great power in prayer. As a son or a daughter of God, you can, as Joseph did, pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ for strength.
- Satan, with his angels, will try to capture your thoughts and control what you do. If he can, he will corrupt anything that is good. To him the Internet is just that--a net to ensnare you into wicked addiction.
- In the Church, one is not condemned for tendencies or temptations. One is held accountable for transgression. If you do not act on unworthy persuasions, you will neither be condemned nor be subject to Church discipline.
- We do not set the standards, but we are commanded to teach them and maintain them. The standard remains abstinence before marriage and total fidelity in marriage. However out of step we may seem, however much the standards are belittled, however much others yield, we will not yield, we cannot yield. Obedience to the moral standard and observance of the Word of Wisdom will remain as requirements for ordination to the priesthood, for a mission, and for a temple recommend.
- Satan cannot forever imprison you. You always hold the key of repentance to unlock the prison door.
- If you, our youth, feel alone, remember there are millions of you in the Church now. Tens of thousands of you at this moment serve missions. You are a visible example, a testimony of the Restoration, even to those who will not listen to your message. Wherever you are--in school, at work or play, in the military--you are never alone.
- Now words can be used as weapons against you. If they throw the word diversity at you, grab hold of it and say, "I am already diverse, and I intend to stay diverse." If the word is tolerance, grab that one, too, saying, "I expect you to be tolerant of my lifestyle--obedience, integrity, abstinence, repentance." If the word is choice, tell them you choose good, old-fashioned morality. You choose to be a worthy husband or wife, a worthy parent.
- The whole Church may stand alone in defense of these standards. But we are not the first. Moroni, the last of his people, said: "I even remain alone. ... I fulfil the commandment of my father." Do not be afraid.
- So it is for us. Some newly baptized members become discouraged about their wisdom and stature in the gospel--about what they do not know. They forget the obedient effort, gospel tutoring, and spiritual maturation that were part of Joseph's early experiences. Those who are longtime members should also remember that regular spiritual instruction and learning are required if we are to wax strong in the Spirit.
- Every major even of the Restoration--the First Vision, the appearance of Moroni and the coning forth of the Book of Mormon, the restoration of the priesthood and the appearance of Jesus Christ following the dedication of His holy temple--was preceded by prayer.
- People everywhere may feel the influence of the Holy Ghost from time to time in their lives. But only those who have been baptized and confirmed can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by one in authority, which makes His constant companionship possible.
- Retaining that companionship requires an earnest effort on the part of Church members. If we are not obedient to the laws, principles, and ordinances of the gospel, the Holy Ghost will withdraw. He cannot be with us if we are angry in our hearts, contentious with our companions, or critical of the Lord's anointed. He departs whenever we are rebellious, are immoral, dress or act immodestly, are unclean or profane in mind or body, are slothful in priesthood callings and duties, or commit other sins, for "the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples."
- Therefore we must continually repent, partake of the sacrament, be worthy of a temple recommend, and serve the Lord with all our "heart, might, mind and strength."
- The clarion call of the prophets is as clear today as it ever was in the past, and the testimony of the prophets will continue to the very moment that the Lord Jesus Christ returns to reign in glory.
- "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his might storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
- Hands are one of the symbolically expressive parts of the body. In Hebrew, yad, the most common word for "hand," is also used metaphorically to mean power, strength, might. Thus, hands signify power and strength.
- To be in the hands of God would suggest that we are not only under His watchful care but also that we are guarded and protected by His wondrous power.
- Every one of us needs to know that we can go on in the strength of the Lord. We can put our hand in His, and we will feel His sustaining presence lift us to heights unattainable alone.
- We must trust in the Lord. If we give ourselves freely to Him, our burdens will be lifted and our hearts will be consoled.
- "Trust in God .. no matter how challenging the circumstance. ... Your peace of mind, your assurance of answers to vexing problems, your ultimate joy depend upon your trust in Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ."
- Here are four keys:
- Learn
- Listen
- Seek the Spirit
- Pray always
- Just as little children trust each, each of us must have that same childlike, unreserved trust. We must all remember that we are sons and daughters of God and that He loves us very much. If we truly understand who we are, we will have an unfailing source of hope and comfort.
- We can never complete "the race that is set before us" without placing our hand in the Lord's.
- "To those [of us] who [occasionally] stagger or stumble, He is there to steady and strengthen." As we advance toward the finish line, He will be there to save us; and for all this He gave his life.
- The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change. "Repent" is its most frequent message, and repenting means giving up all of our practices--personal, family, ethnic, and national--that are contrary to the commandments of God. The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change.
- A less serious worldly tradition that conflicts with gospel culture is the idea of upward or downward movement in positions. In the world, we refer to the up or down of promotions or reductions. But there is no up or down in Church positions. We just move around. A bishop released by proper authority and called to teach in Primary does not move down. He moves forward as he accepts his release with gratitude and fulfills the duties of a new calling--even one far less visible.
- No group has a monopoly on virtue or an immunity from the commandment to change.
- We say to all, give up your traditions and cultural practices that are contrary to the commandments of God and the culture of His gospel, and join with His people in building the kingdom of God. If we cease to walk in darkness, the Apostle John taught, "we walk in the light, ... we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
- "Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
- Truly, as obedience and morality decline in the world, the Lord is sending more exceptional spirits to earth. As a body they excel the average capacity of their forebears. Their potential for personal growth and positive contribution is enormous.
- With all my capacity I encourage you to discover who you really are. I invite you to look beyond the daily routine of life. I urge you to discern through the Spirit your divinely given capacities. I exhort you to prayerfully make worthy choices that will lead you to realize your full potential.
- To share truth in difficult circumstances is to treasure it more. When you push against the boundaries of experience into the twilight of the unknown, the Lord will strengthen you. The beauty of your eternal soul will begin to unfold.
- You are of a singular generation with exceptional potential. No wonder Satan wants to cripple that potential by tempting you to violate the laws of God. He knows that he has no power over a righteous individual. Yet he is a master at making sin appealing to the undecided.
- Don't just listen to pass a test. Incorporate what you study into your life.
- Remain worthy, When you really understand who you are, it is not difficult to resist Satan's temptations. Then he can't thwart the development of your true potential.
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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