Aloha, brothers and sisters! Thank you, Sister Meek, for that warm introduction! I’m blessed to have married above myself. My wife has been my steady companion and a positive influence in my life, and I love her. I feel that part of her warm heart comes from the experiences she had living in American Samoa as a young girl.
As my wife stated, I’m from Idaho. If I say, “ Idaho” probably the first thing that comes to your mind is “ Potatoes!” I've been involved with potatoes for most of my career and will use potatoes as an object lesson today.
Have you all eaten potatoes? Here is a photograph of some ordinary Idaho potatoes. I’d like to tell you a little bit about growing potatoes. In the spring, we purchase certified potato seed that is grown under unique conditions that keep them pure and without disease. This potato seed is hauled to our farms and cut into sections – each seed piece having an "eye," which has the ability to grow a sprout. The sections of potato are buried in the rich Idaho soil, and over the summer, a plant grows above the ground, while underground many tubers develop as storage vesicles for nutrients. When the potatoes have reached maturity and optimal size, tractors plow the fields, unearthing a bounteous crop of fresh potatoes. So, one humble, little potato has the potential to produce many more pounds of potatoes, and contribute to one of the largest crop productions in the world.
Now, what does potato production have to do with you? Just like the potato that comes from certified seed to be part of a global harvest, you are an ordinary individual that comes to earth with divine potential that can change the world. You are “certified” seed, meaning “ ye are gods; … children of the most High” (Psalms 82:6; John 10:34), the “ offspring of God” (Acts 17:29), and “ heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7). Thus, we see that He has created you with divine attributes, has placed you on earth for a great purpose, and has provided a Savior for you, which enables you to have the power to become like Him.
In the New Testament, we learn of the power to become. John 1:12 says, “ As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believeth on his name.” This same scriptural truth is repeated in the D&C and teaches that all who believe in Christ, receive Him through the waters of baptism, and live His gospel will have the power to become like God. It is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we are empowered. This magnificent gift of our Savior provides both the cleansing power to be forgiven of our sins and the enabling power to overcome our weaknesses.
I pray that we will all have the Spirit with us today. I invite you to be sensitive to the impressions from the Holy Ghost, that you will be inspired to act in a way that will bless you personally. I know that Heavenly Father loves you and has sent you to earth at this time for a great purpose.
Elder Russell M. Nelson recently spoke at BYU–Idaho. I feel that what he said could be applied to you here at BYU-Hawaii. “You faithful students … can accomplish the impossible. You literally can help shape the destiny of the entire human family! You will be scattered like seeds in the wind to build up the Church in all parts of the world. As you know and apply the teachings of the Lord in your lives and in your work, you can change the world.” ("The Lord Uses the Unlikely to Accomplish the Impossible," BYU-Idaho Devotional, 26 Jan. 2015.)
Do you realize your worth and how the Lord is relying on you? It is important to understand who you are, so that you can apply the teachings of the Lord in your life and fulfill your purpose on earth.
I’d like to share an experience that reminded me that I was a son of God, that He loved me and has a work for me to do. I had been in South America sourcing new potato varieties and, at the conclusion of my trip, was scheduled to fly home from Lima, Peru at midnight on Saturday night. That weekend happened to be General Conference, so I went to a local Stake Center to view the proceedings on Saturday.
In the afternoon, I asked a native Peruvian how long it would take to get from the Stake Center to the airport so that I could arrive in time to catch my flight. He said I should leave halfway through the Priesthood session, but then he cautioned me not to take a taxi. He said there were many taxis that were dishonest and very dangerous, and as a foreigner, I could be taken advantage of – even robbed and beaten. I thanked him for the information but knew that since I didn’t have a vehicle, or know anyone with a vehicle, my only option, other than walking, was to take a taxi.
That evening as the brethren stood to sing the rest hymn, I said goodbye to the missionaries in the RS room where we had been watching the session. One of the Zone Leaders, who looked like a big defensive lineman, offered to walk out to the street with me, and said he would try to find a good taxi. We stood there for a few minutes, and many taxis drove past, but none of them looked trustworthy.
Suddenly a Peruvian man wearing a white shirt and tie appeared at my side. He stated, “You are going to the airport,” and as I nodded, he said, “Wait a few minutes and I’ll be back.” Relieved, I thought he was going to get his car. However, to my surprise, he returned on foot, and then after watching the traffic for a few minutes, he stopped a taxi for us to get in.
Full of questions, I asked, “Who are you, and how did you know that I needed to go to the airport?” He replied that he was President Fernando Soriano, first counselor in the Stake Presidency. He then asked if I remembered the counsel from President Monson at General Conference a few years ago, that we were to act when we receive impressions of the Spirit. Then, he said that tonight as he was singing the intermediate hymn, an unmistakable impression came into his mind: “Walk out to the street and you will find a man that you are to take to the airport.”
Following the promptings of the Spirit, President Soriano walked out to the street and found me looking for a taxi. He ran home to tell his wife that he would be going to the airport and would be home late. Because he didn’t own a car, he relied on taxis when he needed to get across the city and knew which ones were legal. Even so, our taxi did not have authority to enter the airport and stopped several blocks away, leaving us to walk the rest of the way. President Soriano helped me with my luggage and led me in the dark as we walked through an area where homeless men gathered around campfires.
Once we entered the airport, I thanked him for his assistance. Without his guidance, I knew that arriving at the airport safely without being robbed or beaten was questionable. However, President Soriano refused to say goodbye. He explained that in his impression, he had a very clear vision of escorting me through the security gate, and that until he had fulfilled his duty to God, he would not leave. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for this good brother who listened to the Spirit and came to my rescue at great personal sacrifice. I asked for a photo together, although I knew that I would never forget him.
As my plane flew through the night, I found I was sleepless. Tears flowed from my eyes as I reflected on the events of the evening. I have traveled throughout the world without any difficulty, yet, that night I was in danger. Even though I hadn’t been aware of my need, my Heavenly Father was. He knew of the potential perils that awaited and protected me by inspiring President Soriano to escort me to the airport. Although I have had spiritual experiences in helping others, I don’t know if I had ever been on the receiving end before as strongly as was manifested in this experience. I was humbled and overwhelmed with a feeling of exquisite love from above. I knew that God was aware of me individually as His son and that He loved me.
There is great power in recognizing that we are sons and daughters of God. Knowing that we have inherited divine attributes can bless us in our life’s sojourn on the earth. We can use the experience of the great prophet Moses in the Old Testament to see how the knowledge of our divine potential can change us and empower us. As we remember the story of Moses, shortly after he was born in Egypt, there was a decree for all Israelite boys under two years of age to be killed. However, God had a work for Moses and inspired his mother to create a little basket and hide him in the bulrushes by the river. The daughter of the Pharaoh found him and took him as her own and raised him with the other children of the King. It wasn't until later in his life that Moses learned who he was and God’s plan for him.
Going to the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, we can read the verses where Moses learned of his purpose on earth. In Moses 1:4, Heavenly Father teaches Moses that he is His son: “ And behold, thou are my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of my hands.” In verse 6, Heavenly Father tells Moses of his responsibilities: “ And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth.”
Not long afterwards this incredible spiritual experience, Satan appeared. Now in the scriptural account, Satan wasn’t as subtle and devious as he is today. He simply came and tempted Moses to worship him. However, because Moses understood who he was, that he was God’s son, he was able to withstand Satan’s temptations.
In verse 12-13, we read, “Behold, Satan came tempting him, saying: Moses, son of man, worship me. And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his only Begotten; and where is thy glory that I should worship thee?” And in verse 16, “Get thee hence, Satan; deceive me not: for God said unto me: Thou art after the similitude of mine Only Begotten.”
In the very moment when Satan was tempting Moses to succumb, knowing that he was a beloved son of God gave Moses the strength to resist temptation and the power to overcome evil. Calling upon the Savior Jesus Christ, Moses commanded Satan to depart. Likewise, when we are facing adversity, we too can draw upon the incredible power of Jesus Christ to sustain us and lift us from the influence of Satan.
Continuing the account of Moses in verses 24-26, it says, “And it came to pass that when Satan had departed from the presence of Moses, that Moses lifted up his eyes unto heaven, being filled with the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of the Father and the Son; And calling upon the name of God, he beheld his glory again, for it was upon him, and he heard a voice, saying; Blessed art thou, Moses, for I, the Almighty have chosen thee, and thou shalt be made stronger than many waters: for they shall obey thy command as if thou wert God. And lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.”
Isn’t that powerful? So, what can we learn from this scripture? First of all, through the Holy Ghost, we can know all things, especially the reality of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Secondly, God is with us, even to the end of our days and that He loves us. Moses learned through this experience that he was a son of God, and that knowledge strengthened him and empowered him to fulfill his role on earth. From my experience in Lima, Peru, I can also testify that God loves us and that He is with us.
Undoubtedly, each of us will face difficulties and challenges while we are on the earth. It is part of Heavenly Father’s great Plan. However, likening Moses’ experience to our own lives, if we remember that we are sons and daughters of God and turn to Christ, we can successfully overcome all trials and temptations – and ultimately become exalted sons and daughters of God.
I appreciate President Tad R. Callister, Sunday School general president, and want to quote from his talk at BYU Education Week in August 2012 on “Our Identify and Our Destiny.” He said, “I would like to discuss with you a vision of who we are and what we may become.
“At a recent training session for General Authorities, the question was asked: ‘How can we help those struggling with pornography?’
“Elder Russell M. Nelson stood and replied, ‘Teach them their identity and their purpose.’
Brother Callister continued, “That answer resonated with me, not only as a response to that specific question but as an appropriate response to most of the challenges we face in life.” (“Our Identity and Our Destiny,” BYU Education Week Devotional, 14 Aug. 2012.)
Does that impact you the same way it did me? Do you understand the significance of that counsel? According to Elder Nelson, if we understand our identity and purpose in life, we can successfully handle any challenge in life. How is that so? Let’s go back to Moses’ experience. What was the first thing God taught him? That he was a beloved son, in the similitude of His Only Begotten, the Savior. When Satan came to tempt Moses, how did he try to deceive him? By trying to confuse him and make him forget his divine heritage from God. I feel that Satan uses the same tactics today in even more subtle ways. He tries to confuse us, discourage us, and make us forget our worth. However, as members of the church, we know the truth; we know that we are sons and daughters of God, and that can set us free from Satan’s trap (John 8:32).
I recently became a Stake President and received some counsel from an Area Authority. He said that as leaders, we don’t need to tell the members of our stake what to do. I remember thinking, “Okay, if we aren’t telling them what to do, then what is our job?” He wisely shared that our responsibility is to teach the members of our stake who they are, and then, they will know what they need to do. As I have served, I have seen the wisdom of that counsel.
No matter what challenges individuals might be facing or what temptations they need to overcome, by knowing they are beloved children of a Heavenly Father who wants to help them succeed and return to Him, they can be successful. As part of His glorious plan, God provided a Savior, who, because of His great love, paid the price for us. Drawing upon the power of the Atonement, we have access to strength beyond our own. We can be empowered to resist temptations, improve ourselves, love our neighbors, forgive others who have wronged us, fulfill our callings, magnify our stewardship – whatever we need to do in this life! The key for us, as sons and daughters of God, is to utilize the Atonement every day and in every aspect of our lives.
One of the marvelous opportunities I have, as Stake President, is to work with young members of our stake, about your age, in setting apart and releasing missionaries. How many of you have served missions? You know first-hand what I will talk about next, and for the rest of you, I want to paint the picture.
At the conclusion of eighteen months or two glorious years serving as a representative of Jesus Christ, the time has come to return home. After a joyous and emotional reunion with family at the airport, missionaries come straight to my office. I have the privilege of being the first one at home to hear what it has meant to represent the Savior and be an instrument in His hands.
After thanking them for their honorable service, I ask the missionaries to remove their name tag. Do you returned missionaries remember that request? There is usually a moment’s pause before doing so, one that is filled with emotion as memories of wearing the name tag flood over the missionaries. I remind them of Elder Neil L. Anderson’s words, that although they are no longer wearing the black name tag, it is engraven on their heart by the Spirit of the Lord. He has encouraged all returned missionaries to put their name tag in a place where they can see it, for the Lord needs them now, more than ever before, to continue to hasten the work.
After meeting with these great missionaries, they are rejoined by their happy family. I then invite the missionary to share their testimony with their family members. Each missionary testifies of the divinity of the Savior, and I’d like to share the thoughts of one recently returned missionary. He said, “Before my mission I was just a kid, and did some silly things. But for the past two years, I have taught the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in so doing; I have come to know the Savior. I know of His infinite goodness and love for each of us. I know that through the Atonement, we can be cleansed and forgiven. Through the Atonement, we can become pure and whole. Through the Atonement, we can become like Him.”
I am sure that each of you returned missionaries have shared similar testimonies, and to echo Elder Anderson, I encourage you to continue to testify of the Savior and His gospel and strive to become more like Him every day. On your mission, you learned how relying on Jesus Christ can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy and peace as we apply gospel principals. You came to understand that it is only through the power of the Atonement that we can become the sons and daughters of God whom our Heavenly Father needs and desires us to be.
I want to share an experience where I personally grew in understanding of the scripture I shared at the beginning – John 1:12 – “ But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” In order to fulfill our purpose on earth and meet the challenges of life by rising to the highest in us, we will need to draw upon the powers of heaven to strengthen us, lift us, and sanctify us. In the experience I will share, I hope you can see how my dad utilized the Atonement to become more than his naturally wonderful self could be.
On November 19, 2010, my parents were traveling from Colorado to Idaho to spend Thanksgiving with my family. While driving, they were involved in a serious accident when a 17-year-old drove across the median causing a head-on collision with my parent’s car. My mother was killed and my father badly injured. The 17-year-old and my father were airlifted to the nearest hospital where we gathered as a family to support each other.
It was hard to believe that our wonderful mother of eleven children and beloved wife was gone. It was the first time we had ever faced the loss of a loved one, and in deep sorrow, we turned to the Savior for understanding. I testify that in times of need, we can be blessed with the peace that “ passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). Our mother had taught us the gospel and lived firmly in the faith that families could be together forever. We clung to that hope and her example.
As a family, we exercised faith in the power of priesthood blessings for our dad and witnessed many miracles. Each day after the accident, our father amazed the doctors by no longer having the life-threatening injuries that were apparent when he arrived at the hospital. On Sunday, a few of my brothers and sisters and I gathered in my dad’s hospital room, filled with thanks for the tender mercies we’d received in my dad’s recovery. When my father closed his eyes to rest, I left the room for a moment. As I walked down the hallway, I met a father and his teenage son dressed in white shirts and ties carrying some bread and water. Evidently, they were taking the sacrament to someone they knew in the hospital. I asked them if they would mind administering the sacrament to my father and family. They agreed, and we experienced what might be the most spiritual sacrament meeting I've ever attended.
After partaking of the sacrament, my father, in great pain because of broken ribs and other injuries, took the opportunity to bear testimony to us of the great Atonement. With tears of gratitude, he cried as he expressed his faith in the Savior and His atoning sacrifice in our behalf. Because of the Savior’s great gift, we would be able to return to our Father in Heaven’s presence and see our mother again. He encouraged us to live our lives with gratitude for the Savior and turn to Him so that we could be forgiven of our mistakes and overcome our weaknesses. At this poignant time of great sorrow and loss, my father recognized that the hope of being together again was only possible because of the Savior’s love. Experiencing the tender message of my father was a lesson I will never forget and one that I would witness my dad teach us again.
Later in the week, as my father was being released from the hospital, he made one final request. He asked if my brother and I would take him to the room of the 17-year-old boy that caused the accident. The young man was still in the intensive care unit with severe injuries. We wheeled my father into the room where the boy was lying with his parents at his bedside. My father greeted them and introduced himself. In my father’s next words, I witnessed the enabling power of the Atonement that elevates us to become true sons and daughters of God. With emotion, my father sincerely said, “I want you to know that I hold no hard feelings toward you. I don’t want you to blame yourself for what has happened. I hope that you can go on and live a good life.” My dad then testified of his faith in Christ and that because of the Savior, our spirits continue to live after death. My dad expressed his hope that one day he would see his wife again and shared his belief that our family would be together forever.
I was overcome with what I was hearing and, more importantly, what I was feeling. The feelings in the room were incredible. There was no hurt or bitterness. We all felt the redeeming love of the Savior as my father used the power of the Atonement to overcome the effects of a tragic accident. The unconditional love and forgiveness expressed by my father was only possible because he believed in the Savior. He had faith in glorious gift of the resurrection and knew that through the sealing power in temples, he would be reunited with his beloved wife and that we would be together again. Although this was an extremely difficult time, through the grace of God, my father was given power that enabled him to act as the Savior would, to be an example of the believers (1 Timothy 4:12) and testify as a son of God.
What I experienced that day was the culmination of my dad’s sermon on the Atonement that he began on Sunday after partaking of the sacrament. I heard it with my ears, saw it with my eyes, and, most importantly, felt it burn deep within my heart. On that day, I had witnessed my earthly father use the power of the Atonement to become what his Heavenly Father knew that he could be. That experience changed me, and I know that by relying on Christ, we can all become more than we currently are.
“And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if you have experienced a mighty change of heart, and if you have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:26). The questions posed by Alma in chapter 5 compose our Stake theme this year, and I encourage each of us to inquire of ourselves: Have we experienced that mighty change of heart? Have we been spiritually born of God? Have we felt that overwhelming love that our Heavenly Father has for us as His beloved sons and daughters? And my question is if so, what are we doing now?
Are we like the people of King Benjamin who said, “ Because of the spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually… And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God, to do his will” (Mosiah 5:2-5). I feel that we can learn from these followers of Christ. It is not enough to hear and feel the word of God, but then, we must act to achieve our Heavenly Father’s plan for us on the earth.
I testify that we are literally the sons and daughters of God. Through my experience in Lima, Peru, I know that God loves us and will never leave us just as He promised Moses. And like Moses, I came to know that I was a son of God, and I have seen that He has a work for me to do. You, too, have a divine purpose – a work to do. Knowing that you are a beloved son or daughter of your Heavenly Father will help you persevere and overcome the trials of life. Because of my dad’s example after the accident, I have seen how we can apply the teachings of Jesus Christ in our everyday lives, no matter what we face, to become more than we naturally are – more forgiving, more capable, more Christ-like.
As believers in Christ, we have the promised “ power to become” the sons and daughters of God (John 1:12). I know that through applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives, we can become who our Heavenly Father knows we can be. I pray that we will each act on the promptings of the Spirit to do so.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.