Get Up and Win the Race

Get Up and Win the Race

Ellsworth Ward, January 30, 2012

            It’s become rather popular to have stickers on the back of your car and in your back window.  Those window stickers tell a little bit about the person or the family that are inside.  Recently, I was behind a car that had stickers of a series of numbers inside circles.  The numbers were 13.1, 26.2 and 140.6.  I figured out that the 26.2 was the distance of a marathon, and 13.1 was a half marathon.  This person was a distance runner.  I couldn’t figure out what the 140.6 was so I googled it.  I learned that 140.6 miles is the distance of an Ironman Triathlon.

            Many of you probably already know this, but an Ironman is the ultimate endurance event where contestants begin by swimming 2.4 miles, usually in a lake or the Ocean.  I remember as a Boy Scout completing the Mile swim in a swimming pool.  A mile is a long way to swim.  I have no idea how anyone can swim 2.4 miles in a lake.  In the triathlon, after contestants complete the swim, they get on their bikes and cycle for 112 miles.  I’ve helped Scouts complete their Cycling merit badge by completing a series of rides, the longest of which is 50 miles.  I can tell you that 50 miles is a long way to go at one time.  I can’t imagine biking 112 miles.  After the cycle leg, the triathletes then run a 26.2 mile marathon.  Athletes that complete these three endurance events back to back are called “Ironmen”.

            I remember watching in 1982 as Julie Moss, a graduate student raced in the world triathlon championship in Hawaii.  Julie claimed that she didn’t do any special training for the event, but nevertheless found herself way ahead in the women’s competition.  But just a couple of miles before the finish line, she collapsed due to dehydration.  She got back up and began walking and then running and started to wobble again and then fell again.  She continued to rise and walk and wobble her way toward the finish line.  And after falling just yards before the line, she crawled and drug herself toward the line.  She was passed by another runner.  There were people around her that wanted to help her, but they could only encourage her to keep going.  With all her might she finally crawled across the line.  Her struggle inspired many others to train for triathlons.

            I would like to liken a triathlon to doing our duty to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Missionary work is like a triathlon.  Just like the triathlon consists of different activities, our efforts to share the gospel need to include different methods.  Just as a triathlon includes constant, enduring effort, so should our sharing the gospel be constantly on our minds and in our prayers.

            Recently, we were discussing in Gospel Principles class about sharing the gospel and a sister commented that she had tried, a lot, and struck out.  My thoughts were that this baseball metaphor does not pertain to missionary work.  There is no “three strikes and your out” rule.  It’s more like T-ball, when you’re coaching your own kids.  They get to swing until they hit the ball.  In our last Stake Conference that was broadcast from Salt Lake Elder Holland mentioned that we have to look to new ways to do missionary work.  The world is changing and so we need to change the way we reach out to others.  We no longer live in a world where it is easy for our missionaries to walk from house to house and be received.  Most people are very cautious about who they will open their doors to.  People will only receive the gospel when they are listening.  They will listen when they are in a safe and receiving environment.  YOU will not convert anyone.  God’s Children are converted when they receive answers to their prayers through the Holy Ghost.  Our responsibility is simply to be friends and invite all to come to Christ.

            This is a time of year that we like to set goals for ourselves.  I would like to suggest a couple of goals related to missionary work.  Most of you know that our Ward Mission Plan is that every family have and execute their own Family Mission Plan.  As a Ward Council we agreed that we would expand our Ward Mission Plan to ask each family to included these two goals in their Family Mission Plans:  1)  to invite a non-member friend or family to your home for a family home evening  or family activity and 2) to invite a non-member friend or family member to a Church meeting or activity.

            In the last General Conference, Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a talk about honeybees and the changes that we could make if we work together.  He said: “How do we make this change? How do we ingrain this love of Christ into our hearts? There is one simple daily practice that can make a difference for every member of the Church, including you boys and girls, you young men and you young women, you single adults, and you fathers and mothers.

            That simple practice is: In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children. Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help. Stay focused, just like the honeybees focus on the flowers from which to gather nectar and pollen. If you do this, your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible.”

            As we look for opportunities to help others we should consider their potential.  President Monson told a story about how we should look at others. “In one particular meeting, N. Eldon Tanner, who was then an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve, had just returned from his initial experience of presiding over the missions in Great Britain and western Europe. He told of a missionary who had been the most successful missionary whom he had met in all of the interviews he had conducted. He said that as he interviewed that missionary, he said to him, “I suppose that all of the people whom you baptized came into the Church by way of referrals.”

The young man answered, “No, we found them all by tracting.”

Brother Tanner asked him what was different about his approach—why he had such phenomenal success when others didn’t. The young man said that he attempted to baptize every person whom he met. He said that if he knocked on the door and saw a man smoking a cigar and dressed in old clothes and seemingly uninterested in anything—particularly religion—the missionary would picture in his own mind what that man would look like under a different set of circumstances. In his mind he would look at him as clean-shaven and wearing a white shirt and white trousers. And the missionary could see himself leading that man into the waters of baptism. He said, “When I look at someone that way, I have the capacity to bear my testimony to him in a way that can touch his heart.”

            We have the responsibility to look at our friends, our associates, our neighbors this way. Again, we have the responsibility to see individuals not as they are but rather as they can become. I would plead with you to think of them in this way.

            Elder Hales talked about how we can follow Christ’s council to “Feed his sheep”.  This is the call of Christ to every Christian today: “Feed my lambs. … Feed my sheep”—share my gospel with young and old, lifting, blessing, comforting, encouraging, and building them, especially those who think and believe differently than we do. We feed His lambs in our homes by how we live the gospel: keeping the commandments, praying, studying the scriptures, and emulating His love. We feed His sheep in the Church as we serve in priesthood quorums and auxiliary organizations. And we feed His sheep throughout the world by being good Christian neighbors, practicing the pure religion of visiting and serving the widows, the fatherless, the poor, and all who are in need.

I found the poem “The Race” by D.H. Groberg inspiring.

“Quit!” “Give up, you’re beaten!” they shout at me and plead,
“There’s just too much against you now, this time you can’t succeed.”
And as I started to hang my head in front of failure’s face,
My downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.
And hope refills my weakened will as I recall that scene.
For just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being.
A children’s race, young boys, young men; now I remember well.
Excitement, sure, but also fear; it wasn’t hard to tell.
They all lined up so full of hope. Each thought to win the race
Or tie for first, if not that, at least take second place.
And fathers watched from off the side, each cheering for his son,
And each boy hoped to show his dad that he would be the one.
The whistle blew and off they sped, as if they were on fire
To win, to be the hero there, was each boy’s desire.
And one boy in particular, his dad was in the crowd,
Was running near the lead and thought, “My dad will be so proud.”
But as he speeded down the field, across the shallow dip,
The little boy who thought to win lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself, his arm flew out to brace,
And ‘mid the laughter of the crowd, he fell flat on his face.
So, down he fell, and with him, hope. He couldn’t win it now.
Embarrassed, sad, he only wished he’d disappear somehow.
But, as he fell, his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,
Which to the boy so clearly said, “Get up and win the race!”
He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit, that’s all.
And ran with all his mind and might to make up for the fall.
So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win,
His mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again.
He wished he had quit before with only one disgrace.
“I’m hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn’t try to race.”
But, in the laughing crowd he searched and found his father’s face.
That steady look that said again, “Get up and win the race!”
So, he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last;
“If I’m to gain those yards,” he thought, “I’ve got to run real fast!”
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight or ten,
But trying so hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.
Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye.
“There’s no sense running more. Three strikes, I’m out…why try?”
The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had fled away.
So far behind, so error-prone, a loser all the way.
“I’ve lost, so what’s the use?” he thought, “I’ll live with my disgrace.”
But, then he thought about his dad, who soon he’d have to face.
“Get up,” an echo sounded low, “Get up and take your place.
You weren’t meant for failure here; get up and win the race.”
With borrowed will, “Get up,” it said, “You haven’t lost at all,
For winning is no more than this–to rise each time you fall.”
So up he rose to win once more. And with a new commit,
He resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit.
So far behind the others now, the most he’d ever been.
Still, he gave it all he had, and ran as though to win.
Three times he fallen, stumbling, three times he rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.
They cheered the winning runner, as he crossed the line, first place,
Head high and proud and happy; no falling, no disgrace.
But, when the fallen crossed the finish line, last place,
The crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last, with head bowed low, unproud,
You would have thought he won the race, to listen to the crowd.
And to his dad, he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.”
“To me you won,” his father said, “You rose each time you fell.”
And now when things seem dark and hard and difficult to face,
The memory of that little boy helps me in my race.
For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all.
And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
“Quit!” “Give up, you’re beaten!” They still shout in my face,
But another voice within me says, “Get up and win the race!”

May we all seek for inspiration to make and carry out goals to become better people this year.  My we include in those goals, goals to share the gospel with others.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true.  That is contains the power and authority and covenants and ordinances to execute God’s plan for His children.  That plan is that we will all have joy – in this life and for eternity.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Be Ourselves – in sharing the gospel

Be Ourselves – in sharing the gospel

August 12, 2012  - Ellsworth Ward

“Brothers and Sisters.”  I’m happy to have the opportunity to speak and I hope that we can all be edified by the Holy Ghost as we consider our responsibilities towards missionary work today.  We use the term “brothers and sisters” a lot in the Church.  Have you ever asked yourself “why?” Sometimes we use the term only for members of the Church…members of the ward family.  But in reality, aren’t we all members of our Heavenly Father’s family?  Isn’t everyone that lives on earth a child of God, and as such our Brother or our Sister?    Didn’t we all live “in the premortal realm as spirit sons and daughters where we knew and worshiped God as our Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life?  Of course you know that this is true.  If we considered everyone as our brother or sister would we treat them differently? 

Our ward mission plan is for every family in the ward to have a family mission plan.  What is a family mission plan?  It is not an elaborate list of things that we intend to do to share the gospel with others.  It is simple, and short and dynamic.  Bishop Watson has explained that it is simply our next step.

We have had opportunities to fast and to pray for missionary work.  Indeed, I think every one of us has prayed for missionary opportunities.  As you have done so, what name has come to your mind?  (pause) As you have prayed and pondered about missionary work, what name has come to your mind? Make a note of that name.  That person or that family is your brother or sister.  Think of the next step you might take to help that person know about the restored gospel.  It might be just to get to know them better…or to let them get to know you.  After all, you are brothers and sisters.  You could invite them over to your house.  Maybe the next step it is to just to be their friend.  As they get to know you, they will learn that you are a member of the Church and perhaps will want to know more. 

President Thomas S. Monson said: “Our missionary experiences have to be current. It is not enough to sit back and ponder former experiences. To be fulfilled, you have to continue to naturally and normally share the gospel.”

Elder David F. Evans, in our last general conference said:, “You have thought of someone to whom you should reach out and either invite to come back or share with him or her your feelings about the gospel of Jesus Christ. My invitation is to act, without delay, on that prompting. Talk to your friend or family member. Do it in a natural and normal way. Let them know of your love for them and for the Lord. Missionaries can help. My counsel is the same that President Monson has given so many times from this very pulpit: “Never delay a prompting.” ‍ As you act on the prompting and do it with love, watch as our Heavenly Father uses your willingness to act to bring about a miracle in your life and in the life of the person you care about.”

I like the emphasis that Elder Evans has placed on naturally and normally sharing the gospel.  This work is not about us, it is His work.  We don’t get extra points or smiley faces on our membership record in the Bishop’s office when we share the Gospel.  We don’t want to befriend someone, and then if they don’t accept our invitation, not be friends anymore.  Remember, we are all brothers and sisters.

President Gordon B. Hinckley emphasized this when he said:  “We are here to assist our Father in His work and glory, ‘to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man’.  Your obligation is as serious in your sphere of responsibility as is my obligation in my sphere.”

"Let there be cultivated an awareness‍ in every member’s heart of his own potential for bringing others to a knowledge of the truth. Let him work at it. Let him pray with great earnestness about it.”

Many times when I’ve asked people about the next step they think they should take in sharing the gospel, they mention that they want to invite their friend to the Temple Open house when the new temple is opened in Gilbert.  I think that the Temple Open house will be a great opportunity for us and many of our friends will be exited to see the temple.  The temple is expected to be completed sometime next year.  So we can look forward to that.  Interestingly enough though, in his conference address in the October Conference last year, Elder L. Tom Perry of the Council of the Twelve talked about sharing the gospel in the same spirit as the church uses when they do temple open houses.  He offered these suggestions:

“First, we must be bold in our declaration of Jesus Christ. We want others to know that we believe He is the central figure in all human history. His life and teachings are the heart of the Bible‍ and the other books we consider to be holy scripture.” 

I think it is good to always remember that this is the church of Jesus Christ.  We are not teaching any doctrine other that what He taught, in word and through His prophets.  In our discussions with others, we should always emphasize that we follow Jesus Christ.

Elder Perry continues: “Second, be righteous examples to others. After our declaration of our beliefs, we must follow the counsel given to us in 1 Timothy 4:12: “But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

The words we use, the manner that we talk to others, and the manner that we serve others will be observed by others.  If we want our friends to listen to us talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ, our actions need to be consistent with His teachings.

Elder Perry’s third suggestion is on how to speak to our friends, “Next, speak up about the Church. In the course of our everyday lives, we are blessed with many opportunities to share our beliefs with others. When our professional and personal associates inquire about our religious beliefs, they are inviting us to share who we are and what we believe. They may or may not be interested in the Church, but they are interested in getting to know us at a deeper level.

My recommendation to you is to accept their invitations. Your associates are not inviting you to teach, preach, expound, or exhort. Engage them in a two-way conversation—share something about your religious beliefs but also ask them about their beliefs. Gauge the level of interest by the questions they ask. If they are asking a lot of questions, focus the conversation on answering those questions. Always remember that it is better for them to ask than for you to tell.

We should appreciate and approach such conversations with Christlike love. Our tone, whether speaking or writing, should be respectful and civil, regardless of the response of others. We should be honest and open and try to be clear in what we say. We want to avoid arguing or becoming defensive in any way.”

I want to repeat that part… Your associates are not inviting you to teach, preach, expound, or exhort.  Again, these are our brothers and sisters.  Talk to them like we should speak to our brothers and sisters and with love.

In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord says, “And let your preaching‍ be the warning‍ voice, every man to his neighbor, in mildness and in meekness.”

I’m reminded of the desires of the Sons of Mosiah when they wanted to go on a mission to the Lamanites, who they considered their brethren.  In Mosiah 28:3 it says, “Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear‍ that any human soul‍ should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless‍ torment did cause them to quake and tremble.”

Elder Jim Wright, our Area Seventy, speaking in a recent training session with ward mission leaders and other leaders, stated, “When we increase our own level of conversion, our desire to share is increased.”

In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord revealed “Now behold, a marvelous‍ work is about to come forth among the children of men.

Therefore, O ye that embark in the service‍ of God, see that ye serve‍ him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless‍ before God at the last day.

Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called‍ to the work;

For behold the field‍ is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store‍ that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;”

Let me mention a little about the field being white already to harvest.

Our ward is growing.  In our ward we have just over 600 members.  Living within the ward boundries are about 5,000 – 6,000 of our heavenly father’s children…our brothers and sisters.  So we have a lot of work to do.   We’ve had two convert baptisms this year so far in 2012, and in the past 12 months we have had 4 convert baptisms.  These good people have made sacrifices to become members of the Church.  They have had to make changes in their lives and give up friends and family relationships.  It is not easy.  We are their family…at least their ward family.  Whenever anyone comes through the doors to be with us, we should treat them like family.  Do you know their names?  If you look around, is there someone here that you don’t know?  My guess is that there is.  We have had quite a few members move into our ward lately.  I would hope that every week, we will look for those that we don’t know…that are new or visiting.  Let’s let them know that we are their brothers and sisters.

President Ezra Taft Benson taught: “We are commanded by God to take this gospel to all the world.  That is the cause that must unite us today.  Only the gospel will save the world from the calamity of its own self-destruction.  Only the gospel will unite men of all races and nationalities in peace.  Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family.”

We will be blessed for our efforts in sharing the gospel.  In the Doctrine and Covenants we read, “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul‍ unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom‍ of my Father, how great will be your joy‍ if you should bring many souls‍ unto me!”

The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, “The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done”

May we work to naturally and normally share the gospel with our brothers and sisters.