True to the Faith

I remember through the years hearing my Mom talk about the Prophet whom she felt the closest to personally as being the one who was in his calling during her formative adult years.  For me, that was President Hinckley.  He became the President of the Church when I was 17 and he was in this role until his death in 2008, the year I turned 30.  I don't believe I can think of a person for whom I've had more respect and admiration than President Hinckley.  His demeanor, his sense of humor, his dedication to the work, and his love for the Gospel and all the Saints were incredible to behold.  I can't think of anyone who better exemplified the meaning of the phrase "True to the Faith" than President Hinckley.  

Jeri and I were asked to speak in church this past Sunday, and my assigned topic was none other than True to the Faith.  Here's what I came up with (I took out the introduction since it didn't fit here so well...).

This year, as in years past, NBC has come under some scrutiny for the tape-delayed coverage of the Olympics, as opposed to showing events live.  One of the reasons for this tape-delay, beyond the obvious financial implications of prime time advertising, is to give the NBC team the chance to string together their athlete vignettes and tell some of the stories behind the athletes.  As cheesy and over-the-top as some of these vignettes are, we always enjoy hearing the stories of sacrifice and self-denial of these unique and gifted athletes as they work toward their Olympic dreams.  While there were many great stories that came out of this year’s Olympics in London, including Michael Phelps adding 8 more Olympic swimming medals to bring his Olympic total to 22, I’d like to turn back the hands of time and share the story of Eric Liddell.  Some of you may have heard of Eric if you’ve seen the film Chariots of Fire.

Eric was a Scotsman who was born in China while his parents were serving as Christian missionaries.  He was sent home at age 6 to attend a boarding school for the children of missionaries, and he spent the early years of his life honing his athletic skills and sharing his Christian beliefs.  He became the captain of both the cricket and the rugby teams, but his athletic success never overtook him, as his school headmaster described him as “entirely without vanity.”  In spite of his rugby and cricket success though, it was the 100-meter sprint where he truly excelled.  Liddell enrolled at the University of Edinburgh and quickly became known as the fastest person in Scotland, with many believing him to be a possible winner at the upcoming 1924 Olympics in Paris.  He was able to qualify for the British Olympic team, but when it was announced that the preliminary heats for the 100 would be run on a Sunday, Liddell declined – in spite of pressure from the Prince of Wales and the British Olympic Committee – due to his deep Christian convictions.  He trained instead for the 400-meter race, and while he was not considered a favorite due to his training as a sprinter, he was still given a spot on the British team.  When the day of the race came, a member of the American team slipped him a note that quoted 1 Samuel 2:30: “For them that honor me, I will honor.”  Inspired by the Biblical verse and the music he heard as he walked in to the stadium that day, Liddell not only competed, but he won the 400 meter race and set both Olympic and world records. 

In the glow of his success and with a future sure to include fame and fortune, Liddell remained humble and true to his faith.  He ran in only a few more competitive races after the Olympics and at age 23, he returned to China to embark on his missionary service.  Liddell spent the next 18 years of his life building schools, teaching young people, and sharing his faith.  On one occasion he was asked if he ever regretted his decision to leave behind the fame and glory of athletics.  Liddell responded, "It's natural for a chap to think over all that sometimes, but I'm glad I'm at the work I'm engaged in now. A fellow's life counts for far more at this than the other."

After 16 years as a missionary, life in China became very dangerous due to the tensions between Japan and China, and Eric sent his wife and three children to Canada to stay with her family.  He, however, remained behind to support a rural mission station where his brother was a physician.  In 1943, after 2 years at the mission station, Liddell and his fellow missionaries were detained at a Japanese internment camp, and he spent the last two years of his life being a leader and an organizer in the camp, teaching Bible classes, arranging games, and supporting the youth.  In a book written about members of the camp by a fellow prisoner, the following was said about Liddell:

Often in an evening I would see him bent over a chessboard or a model boat, or directing some sort of square dance – absorbed, weary and interested, pouring all of himself into this effort to capture the imagination of these penned-up youth. He was overflowing with good humour and love for life, and with enthusiasm and charm. It is rare indeed that a person has the good fortune to meet a saint, but he came as close to it as anyone I have ever known.

Liddell passed away in February of 1945 due to an inoperable brain tumor, just 5 months prior to the liberation of the entire internment camp.  In 2008, the Chinese government revealed that Liddell had passed up an opportunity to be released from the camp and gave his place to a pregnant woman. (Material found on Wikipedia).

Liddell’s life can be summed up in the words of a familiar hymn:

True to the faith that our parents have cherished.

True to the truth for which martyrs have perished.

To God’s command, soul, heart, and hand,

Faithful and true we will ever stand.

What is the faith that our parents have cherished?  How can we be true to the truth for which martyrs have perished?  In an April 2006 General Conference address, President Thomas S. Monson expounded on the meaning of the phrase, “True to the Faith” by relating an experience he had while on an assignment in Tonga.  He said:

Many years ago, on an assignment to the beautiful islands of Tonga, I was privileged to visit our Church school, the Liahona High School, where our youth are taught by teachers with a common bond of faith—providing training for the mind and preparation for life. On that occasion, entering one classroom, I noticed the rapt attention the children gave their native instructor. His textbook and theirs lay closed upon the desks. In his hand he held a strange-appearing fishing lure fashioned from a round stone and large seashells. This, I learned, was a maka-feke, an octopus lure. In Tonga, octopus meat is a delicacy.

The teacher explained that Tongan fishermen glide over a reef, paddling their outrigger canoes with one hand and dangling the maka-feke over the side with the other. An octopus dashes out from its rocky lair and seizes the lure, mistaking it for a much-desired meal. So tenacious is the grasp of the octopus and so firm is its instinct not to relinquish the precious prize that fishermen can flip it right into the canoe.

It was an easy transition for the teacher to point out to the eager and wide-eyed youth that the evil one—even Satan—has fashioned so-called maka-fekes with which to ensnare unsuspecting persons and take possession of their destinies.

Today we are surrounded by the maka-fekes which the evil one dangles before us and with which he attempts to entice us and then to ensnare us. Once grasped, such maka-fekes are ever so difficult—and sometimes nearly impossible—to relinquish. To be safe, we must recognize them for what they are and then be unwavering in our determination to avoid them. (Monson, “True to the Faith,” April 2006 General Conference.)

Through the remainder of his talk, President Monson goes on to list a number of the maka-fekes we face in our time, including immorality, pornography, drugs, alchohol, and others.  Surely one aspect of being True to the Faith is avoiding the blatant sins of commission that can so easily lead to pain, regret, broken relationships, and addiction.  Our leaders have warned us throughout the latter days to avoid these sins as we would avoid the plague.  President Hinckley used another analogy to help us understand the dangerous and caustic effects these sins of commission can have on our lives:

Years ago I had responsibility for our work in Asia. I visited Okinawa many times when there were American servicemen stationed there in large numbers. Some of them had cars, and I noted that most of those cars were badly rusted. There were holes in the fenders. There were holes in the side panels. Whatever paint was left was dull. All of this was the result of corrosive ocean salt which was carried by the wind and which ate through the metal.

[Sin] is much like this corrosive salt. It will eat through your armor if you expose yourselves to it. (Hinckley, “True to the Faith,” Ensign, June 1996.)

I love that analogy. Corrosion, for those of us who aren’t so scientifically gifted, is a process by which a material, usually metal, is gradually destroyed through chemical interactions with the environment. Listen to the following explanation of corrosion:

Because corrosion is a diffusion-controlled process, it occurs on exposed surfaces. Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures including strength, appearance and permeability to liquids and gases.  Some metals are more intrinsically resistant to corrosion than others, and there are various ways of protecting metals from corrosion, including painting, hot dip galvanizing, and combinations of these. (Wikipedia, “Corrosion”)

Like corrosion, sins of commission often occur when we expose ourselves to dangerous elements.  Sin degrades our strength and appearance and makes our minds and souls less permeable to the influence of the Holy Ghost.  But, like protecting metal from corrosion, there are ways to protect ourselves and our families from the vices of sin.  One key form of protection from sins of commission is found in avoiding sins of omission and keeping ourselves anxiously engaged in good causes.  I’d like to spend the remaining few minutes I have discussing three of these good causes we should anxiously engage ourselves in – “The Three Ps” – and how each can keep us and our families true to our faith.  These Three Ps were originally directed toward Priesthood holders but they are applicable to us all throughout various stages of our lives.

1. Provide: Regardless of where we are in life, we should ask ourselves the question: “What type of home do I want to provide for my family?”  President Eyring asked himself this question at an early age.

When I was eleven, my parents dropped me off at the Salt Lake City home of my great uncle Gaskell Romney. He was a patriarch and, because he was my father’s uncle, he could give me, a boy from the mission field, a patriarchal blessing. I don’t think he even sat down to visit with me. He didn’t know me except as my father’s son. He just led me through the house to a room where a recording device was on a table. He sat me down facing a fireplace, put his hands on my head, and began to give first my lineage and then a blessing.

He began to tell me about the home in which I would someday be the father. That’s when I opened my eyes. I know the stones in the fireplace were there because I began to stare at them. I wondered, “How can this man know what is only in my heart?” He described in concrete detail what had been only a yearning; but I could recognize it. It was the desire of my heart, that future home and family that I thought was secret. But it was not secret, because God knew. (Eyring, “Come Unto Christ”, BYU Devotional, 1989.)

Does God know what type of home we want to provide for our families?  When we hear the term provide, our thoughts often turn to things financial and material.  Other necessities in a gospel-centered home could include teaching our children the importance of tithing, showing them the value of service, demonstrating patience, modeling a strong work ethic, and teaching how to keep and live within a budget.  Possibly most important among the items we might provide is our dedicated, undivided time.  President Uchtdorf noted the importance of focusing our time on the most important priorities in life:

My dear brothers and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most. Let us be mindful of the foundational precepts our Heavenly Father has given to His children that will establish the basis of a rich and fruitful mortal life with promises of eternal happiness. Since “no other success can compensate for failure” here, we must place high priority on our families. We build deep and loving family relationships by doing simple things together, like family dinner and family home evening and by just having fun together. In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time. Taking time for each other is the key for harmony at home. (Uchtdorf, “Of Things That Matter Most.,” October 2012 General Conference.)

Protect: The second of the Three Ps is Protect.  President Monson relates the following story:

Early in my service as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, I was attending a conference in the Monument Park West Stake in Salt Lake City. My companion for the conference was a member of the General Church Welfare Committee, Paul C. Child.

When it was his opportunity to participate, President Child took the Doctrine and Covenants and left the pulpit to stand among the priesthood to whom he was directing his message. He turned to section 18 and began to read: “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. … 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!”

President Child then raised his eyes from the scriptures and asked the question of the priesthood brethren: “What is the worth of a human soul?” He avoided calling on a bishop, stake president, or high councilor for a response. Instead, he selected the president of an Elders Quorum—a brother who had been a bit drowsy and had missed the significance of the question.

The startled man responded: “Brother Child, could you please repeat the question?” The question was repeated: “What is the worth of a human soul?” I knew President Child’s style. I prayed fervently for that quorum president. He remained silent for what seemed like an eternity and then declared, “Brother Child, the worth of a human soul is its capacity to become as God.” (Monson, “Tears, Trial, Trust, Testimony,” Ensign, September 1997.)

As parents, grandparents, or members of any family, ours is the responsibility to protect these precious souls and the sanctity and safety of our homes – and just as providing isn’t solely monetary, protecting isn’t strictly about ensuring physical safety from harm or accident.  Of far greater importance is protection from outside influences that seek to destroy the family and all that we hold dear.  During my mission, Elder Gene R. Cook, a member of the Western Europe Area Presidency at the time, shared his testimony of the importance of protecting our families from these influences and of just how hard Satan is working to spread his deadly influence.  Elder Cook was on a flight to Mexico and soon realized that he was seated next to Mick Jagger, the lead singer of the Rolling Stones.  In Elder Cook’s words:

After we visited back and forth a minute or two about what we were doing and all, I finally said something like, "You know, Mick, I have a question for you that I'd like you to answer for me."

He said, "Well, I'll be glad to try."

Then I said to him, "I have opportunity to be with young people in many different places around the world, and some of them have told me that the kind of music you and others like you sing has no effect on them, that it's okay, and that it doesn't affect them adversely in any way. Then other young people have told me very honestly that your kind of music has a real effect on them for evil and that it affects them in a very bad way. You've been in this business a long time, Mick. I'd like to know your opinion. What do you think is the impact of your music on the young people?"

[He turned to me and] said, "Our music is calculated to drive the kids to sex."

He quickly added, "Well, it's not my fault what they do. That's up to them. I'm just making a lot of money." Then he told me he'd been in Mexico making a video because he could make it for about one third of what it would cost in the United States. He told me this was a great day for them because now instead of just having audio where they could portray some of what they wanted to, they now had videos and could have the people both hear it and see it portrayed. He said this would have much more impact on the youth, that his music was selling much more, and thus he was making much more money.

He told me that it didn't matter what you did in life, that you could take whatever you wanted, and you could do whatever you wanted. He said there were no commandments, there was no God, and nothing really mattered. He indicated there was no judgment day and you could just do whatever you felt like doing. (Cook, “Morality,” Ricks College Devotional, 1989.)

Brothers and Sisters, the need to protect ourselves and our families is real and the dangers are imminent.  There has never been a time nor a day when the need to conduct regular Family Home Evenings, family prayer, and scripture study has been greater. 

Preside: Finally, the third of the Three Ps is Preside.  While fathers play a unique and important role in presiding as patriarchs over their families, each of us has a responsibility to preside over our own lives, to own and be responsible for our thoughts, our words, and our deeds.  Are we living up to this responsibility?  Do the mirrors of our lives reflect behavior worthy of our divine nature and privilege?  In his April 2011 General Conference address, President Uchtdorf illustrated this point beautifully:

There once was a man whose lifelong dream was to board a cruise ship and sail the Mediterranean Sea. He dreamed of walking the streets of Rome, Athens, and Istanbul. He saved every penny until he had enough for his passage. Since money was tight, he brought an extra suitcase filled with cans of beans, boxes of crackers, and bags of powdered lemonade, and that is what he lived on every day.

He would have loved to take part in the many activities offered on the ship—working out in the gym, playing miniature golf, and swimming in the pool. He envied those who went to movies, shows, and cultural presentations. And, oh, how he yearned for only a taste of the amazing food he saw on the ship—every meal appeared to be a feast! But the man wanted to spend so very little money that he didn’t participate in any of these. He was able to see the cities he had longed to visit, but for the most part of the journey, he stayed in his cabin and ate only his humble food.

On the last day of the cruise, a crew member asked him which of the farewell parties he would be attending. It was then that the man learned that not only the farewell party but almost everything on board the cruise ship—the food, the entertainment, all the activities—had been included in the price of his ticket. Too late the man realized that he had been living far beneath his privileges. (Uchtdorf, “Your Potential, Your Privilege,” April 2011 General Conference.”)

When we proactively preside over our own lives and the lives of those we love, we will likely face challenges and trials that seem insurmountable.  Often it may feel like we are carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders.  Perhaps it is in carrying this weight, however, that we are crafted and sculpted into the divine beings our Savior has created us to become.  An old story is told of a Hindu convert to Christianity, Sadhu Sundar Singh, who became a missionary to his people in India.

Late one afternoon Sadhu was traveling on foot through the Himalayas with a Buddhist monk. It was bitterly cold and the wind felt like sharp blades slicing into their skins. Night was fast approaching when the monk warned Sadhu that they were in danger of freezing to death if they did not reach the monastery before darkness fell.

Suddenly, on a narrow path above a steep precipice, they heard a cry for help. At the foot of the cliff lay a man, fallen and badly hurt. The monk looked at Sadhu and said, "Do not stop. God has brought this man to his fate. He must work it out for himself. Let us hurry on before we, too, perish."

But Sadhu replied, "God has sent me here to help my brother. I cannot abandon him."

The monk continued trudging off through the whirling snow, while the missionary clambered down the steep embankment. The injured man's leg was broken and he could not walk, so Sadhu made a sling of his blanket and tied the man on his back. With great difficulty he climbed back up the cliff, drenched by now in perspiration.

Doggedly, Sadhu made his way through the deepening snow and darkness. It was all he could do to follow the path. But he persevered, though faint with fatigue and overheated from exertion. Finally, he saw ahead the lights of the monastery.

Then, for the first time, Sadhu stumbled and nearly fell. But not from weakness. He had stumbled over an object lying in the snow-covered road. Slowly he bent down on one knee and brushed the snow off the object. It was the body of the monk, frozen to death.

Years later a disciple of Sadhu's asked him, "What is life's most difficult task?"

Without hesitation Sadhu replied: "To have no burden to carry." (http://www.sermonillustrator.org/illustrator/sermon2a/having_no_burden_to_carry.htm)

Brothers and Sisters, we do have burdens to carry, and thanks be to God for it.  Ours are the burdens to provide for ourselves and our families, to protect them from the adversary, and to preside in righteousness over our lives.  How grateful we should be for these burdens and the opportunities they give us to show the Lord where we stand.  In closing, I share a final story that was told by Elder Spencer J. Condie of the Quorum of the Seventy.  Brother Taniela Wakolo was a Stake President at the time and Elder Condie was assigned to fly to Fiji and call Brother Wakolo as a new Area Authority.  Here's the rest of the story, which was published in the Ensign magazine: 

After discussing with him the nature and duties of his new calling, I observed the tattoo on Brother Wakolo’s large right hand.  Now, tattoos are very common throughout the South Pacific, and long before he joined the Church, Taniela Wakolo had the back of his hand tattooed with a large, garish design.  I said: "Brother Wakolo, in your new calling as an Area Seventy, you are going to be speaking to the youth on many occasions.  I would suggest before such meetings that you put a large Band-Aid on the back of your hand to cover your tattoo.  It’s hard to discourage our youth from getting tattoos when the speaker has one himself."  He smiled a broad smile, and with a radiant expression he said, "I’ll take care of it. I want to be a good example."  A few weeks passed, and the next time we met, his hand was heavily bandaged as if he were preparing for a boxing match.  I asked, "What in the world happened to you?"  He smiled with glistening eyes and said, "I followed your counsel and had the tattoo removed."  "Was it laser surgery?" I asked.  "No," he replied with a big smile, "they don’t remove tattoos with lasers in Fiji. I had it surgically cut out."  A month later Elder Wakolo and I were assigned together to reorganize a stake presidency in American Samoa.  As we met at the airport, I immediately noticed an unsightly scar on the back of his hand where the surgeon had removed several square inches of skin and then very crudely sutured the gaping wound closed.  This had not been performed by a plastic surgeon.  I apologized for having been the cause of the large scar on the back of his hand.  He responded with a radiant Christlike countenance: "Not to worry, President Condie; this is my CTR ring. Now the Lord knows where I stand! I’ll do anything the Lord asks of me."

True to the faith that our parents have cherished.  True to the truth for which martyrs have perished.  To God’s command, soul, heart, and hand, faithful and true we will ever stand.  May we remain true to the faith and show the Lord where we stand in all we do.