Bothers and Sisters: Aloha.It is great to be here with you. I am especially excited to be here with my wife. I love her dearly, and I appreciate all she does for our family, the Church, and this community.
I want to talk with you today about a few topics I have struggled with over the course of my life, namely doubts, fears, and wavering confidence. I want to share with you a few principles that have helped me during times of uncertainty in hopes that if any of you (regardless of where you are in your life) are experiencing such feelings, that they might be as helpful to you as they have been to me, and I hope that the Spirit will touch you as it has touched me, that our Heavenly Father truly does love us and he has the ability and the desire to help us overcome doubts and fears in our lives.
The source of doubts, fears, or lack of confidence can stem from anxiety associated with uncertainty of the future: Will I be able to succeed as a student and graduate?Will I be able to get a good job when I graduate? Will I be able to succeed professionally and meet the requirements to advance?Will my work be meaningful to my field of study? Will I make a difference in the lives of my students and colleagues? How will I pay the bills this month, or my tuition next semester?Will I ever have the family I am dreaming of? Can I become the spouse, parent, or grandparent my family needs me to be? Can I become what my Heavenly Father hopes I will become? Do I have the strength to nobly endure life's trials?
At some point in time, maybe currently, we have all experienced doubts, fears, and uncertainty in relation to ourselves, our futures, or our circumstances. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read of some of the most passionate and loving expressions of comfort offered by the Savior of the world, even Jesus Christ. "Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward. Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven." (D & C 6: 33-34, 36-37)
This counsel and encouragement can bring peace, consolation, comfort, and the desire to press on whenever we are experiencing doubts and fears in our lives. Couched in these words of our Savior are several principles that can help guide us along a stable, safe, and happy course in life. I will address just a few of these today.
First: Fear not to do good, we reap what we sow.The counsel to "do good," and not just something or anything, ever directs us on a course that will help the positive aspects of this injunction come to fruition. For example, you students are here doing a "good" thing in getting an education. This is what President Hinckley said about education, "It is so important that you young men and you young women get all of the education that you can. Education is the key which will unlock the door of opportunity for you. It is worth sacrificing for. It is worth working at, and if you educate your mind and your hands, you will be able to make a great contribution to the society of which you are a part, and you will be able to reflect honorably on the Church of which you are a member. My dear young brothers and sisters, take advantage of every educational opportunity that you can possibly afford." (Gordon B. Hinckley, "Inspirational Thoughts," Ensign June 1999, pp. 4-5.)
Thus, the sowing and reaping principle is that education will open doors of opportunities in the future. However, one can not simply get accepted to school—sow—and come, and sit back, and wait to reap the key that will open such doors. Proper planning, attending to, and an enormous amount of work lead from the stage of sowing to reaping.Success depends upon doing good from start to finish, and all of those moment in between.
In all aspects of our lives, be it spiritual, academic, professional, or social, we are to be "anxiously," not casually engaged in good causes, and this will put us in a position for good things to happen to us. However, in our efforts to go about doing good we will inevitably have to make decisions that will at times conflict with popular consensus or cause doubts to arise, resulting in a moral dilemma between the "natural" man within us, and our spirits as children of God. When faced with such dilemmas, which may include peer pressure, academic honesty, or ethical behavior toward others or ourselves. President Monson counseled:
"Of course we will face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but as the determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well." ("Courage Counts," New Era, Sept. 2006, pp. 2)
Whether it is meeting a deadline, overcoming a character flaw, meeting family or financial obligations, we can all have courage and integrity as we face adversity.
The commission to do good is also a formula for expelling doubts.President Hinckley has shared the story of his father's reply to him when he was discouraged as a missionary.The response was simply this, "I have only one suggestion: forget yourself and go to work." President Hinckley recalled that experience, stating, "Earlier that morning in our scripture class my companion and I had read these words of the Lord: Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it (Mark 8:35). Those words of the Master, followed by my father's letter with his counsel to forget myself and go to work, went into my very being." ("Words of the Prophet: Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel," New Era, Jul 2000, 4)
In my life when I have lacked confidence or been discouraged, as a result of academics, economics, or social conditions, it was when I was doing good for others that my own doubts and fears seemed to disappear as I gained confidence in doing good, and I was thus blessed through service, and those for whom I had provided service were likewise blessed in the process. The issues I would be dealing with would not be gone, but I would have more confidence to deal with them in a wise manner.
On a more personal level the reaping and sowing principle mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants can also alleviate feelings lacking self-confidence when we know we stand right before the Lord. Section 121: 45 teaches, "Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God." The power that is generated by the mind and that leads to action is truly awesome, and accords well with the sowing and reaping process.
Elder Bernard P. Brockbank counseled college students, but it can be applied to all of us:
"If you sow seeds of righteousness, you will harvest righteousness. If you sow seeds of purity, you will harvest purity." If you sow seeds of pure love, you will receive pure love. If you would obtain celestial glory, you must plant into your heart and character God's heavenly ways.Jesus admonished in these words: For if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, ye must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you. (D&C 78:7) If you want a celestial life, you will have to plant celestial seeds. Remember, as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. If you think as a celestial being, you will be a celestial being. If you think as a child of God should think, you will be a member of his celestial family." ("Be Worthy of Celestial Exaltation," in Speeches of the Year, 1974, pp.386-87.)
This principle of thoughts leading to actions can be applied to other areas of our lives.Believing in ourselves is not limited to achievement in spiritual realms, and positive thoughts and hard work can achieve great, sincere desires in other areas in our lives. For example, our high-school basketball coach required us to read a book on the power of positive thinking.He took time out of practice and we would read and imagine ourselves at the free-throw line, the mechanics and routine of shooting, and envision the ball going through the net.He would then have us go back to the gym and shoot 100 free throws every day.
Thus, thinking positively and working to make it happen resulted in us leading the league in free-throw percentage that year. This same process can lead us to succeed as students, professionals, spouses, and parents.Whatever we do, we must do it to succeed. We should never start anything without envisioning its achievement.President Kimball taught, "Inescapably we reap what we sow. The principle is equally binding in the mental and spiritual spheres. Man is the master of thought, the molder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment and destiny. How could a person possibly become what he is not thinking? Nor is any thought, when persistently entertained, too small to have its effect. The 'divinity that shapes our ends' is indeed in ourselves." (Miracle of Forgiveness)
Do good, and envision success, for we will at some point sow what we reap.Good deeds and thoughts may not always guarantee good times in our lives, but they will bring confidence as we face the Lord with a clean conscience and work toward success. The way will sometimes be hard with challenges, difficulties, and sorrows, but the way is also filled with joy, successes, and ultimate triumphs.
Second: "Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. "The promise that we will eventually overcome certainly brings peace when we are experiencing challenges or doubts in our lives. When we are struggling financially, academically, emotionally, or professionally, it is easy to doubt in our ability to succeed, or to remember the Lord's willingness to help. When those doubts creep into our minds we must replace them with faith.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: "Where doubt and uncertainty are there faith is not, nor can it be. For doubt and faith do not exist in the same person at the same time; so that persons whose minds are under doubts and fears cannot have unshaken confidence; and where unshaken confidence is not there faith is weak; and where faith is weak the persons will not be able to contend against all the opposition, tribulations, and afflictions which they will have to encounter in order to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus; and they will grow weary in their minds, and the adversary will have power over them and destroy them." (Lectures on Faith 6:5-12.)
Sometimes when we lack confidence, or have fears, we are tempted to "be still and know that I am God," versus Nephi's "I will go, I will do." Our inaction in these situations can set us in a despair chair, or a misery chair, wallowing in our perceived misfortunes, while we watch the world pass us by. While we think we are successfully passing through by the ease of the way, or attempt to justify that things are too hard to keep trying, we soon realize that we are being left behind and have a lot of catching up to do. The attitude of "thy will be done" and I will wait here while you do it, does not accord well with "faith without works is dead. "A Chinese proverb purports to say that a man who sits with legs crossed, arms folded, with mouth wide open waiting for a duck to fly in, has a long hunger.
Sitting and thinking has never solved any dilemma when it was not followed by standing and doing. Subsequently, the scriptures stating, "be still and know that I am God" occur within the context of being involved, and not passive in situations from which there is absolutely no deliverance save with the help of divine intervention. So it is with us, when we have done all we can the Lord will intervene according to His timing and will, and a way will be provided. But this always requires a willingness to go and do. Elder Perry taught us, "it is seldom the Lord will do something for us that we can do for ourselves. The Lord only helps those who are willing to help themselves. He expects His children to be self-reliant to the degree they can be." ("Becoming Self-Reliant," Ensign, Nov. 1991, p. 64.) And Brigham Young taught, "Instead of searching after what the Lord is going to do for us, let us inquire what we can do for ourselves." (Journal of Discourses 9:172) Thus, when we have the confidence that the Lord will help us in times of doubt and uncertainty as we do all we can do, he will help us as we help ourselves.
In the course of life we will assuredly face setbacks, interruptions, obstacles, and adversity, but we must not become discouraged.Sometimes we contribute to adding undue pessimism, and apply worst-case scenarios to situations that are relatively harmless, making the spark of anxiety and uncertainty of the future appear as a raging fire that cannot be put out. We quickly forget the Lord's words to "let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they can not prevail. "In these situations, if we are not careful, pessimism will consume us and destroy any virtues in its path. We need to avoid pessimism and look for the best in ourselves, others, and the situation in general.
President Hinckley has taught: "I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we accentuate the positive. I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort. I am not asking that all criticism be silenced. Growth comes of correction. Strength comes of repentance. Wise is the man who can acknowledge mistakes pointed out by others and change his course. What I am suggesting is that each of us turn from the negativism that so permeates our society and look for the remarkable good among those with whom we associate, that we speak of one another's virtues more than we speak of one another's faults, that optimism replace pessimism, that our faith exceed our fears. When I was a young man and was prone to speak critically, my father would say: Cynics do not contribute, skeptics do not create, doubters do not achieve." ("Words of the Prophet: The Spirit of Optimism," New Era, Jul 2001, pp. 4)
When I look at my own life I have recognized that as I have been pessimistic the road has been difficult, and doubts were exacerbated, not mitigated.We can make life easier on ourselves by being optimistic in the face of adversity. Elder Holland taught the following principle: "In all of this, I suppose it goes without saying that negative speaking so often flows from negative thinking, including negative thinking about ourselves. We see our own faults, we speak—or at least think—critically of ourselves, and before long that is how we see everyone and everything.No sunshine, no roses, no promise of hope or happiness. Before long we, and everybody around us are miserable."
I love what Elder Orson F. Whitney once said: "The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience." We should honor the Savior's declaration to "be of good cheer." Indeed, it seems to me we may be more guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other! Speak hopefully. Speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan incessantly. As someone once said, "Even in the golden age of civilization someone undoubtedly grumbled that everything looked too yellow."
Yes, life has its problems, and yes, there are negative things to face, but please accept one of Elder Holland's maxims for living, "no misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse." ("The Tongue of Angels," Ensign, May 2007, pp. 16-18) Rather than getting down on ourselves or our circumstances, we should get up and rise to the challenges of life. It has been stated, "More subtle than lack of discipline is lack of courage—not courage to face danger but courage to meet challenges. Great people became that way because they accepted challenges and worked to overcome them." (Chris Crowe, "The Rusty Shot," New Era, Sep 1984, 12).
We should welcome the challenges of difficult courses, assignments, callings, or family matters. We don't need to fear; we just need to sincerely seek the will of the Lord, trust in His ability to help us, and then be willing to act on His counsel to us. The more consistently this process is applied to any situation, the easier it will be to recognize the Lord's will for us, and the solutions, opportunities, and successes He is trying to present to us. We must remember that our Heavenly Father is always within hearing and is willing to comfort, console, and instill us with confidence. He is always, whether we have doubts about school, money, or our futures, He is always concerned with our well being.
"At times we may be tempted to think the Savior is oblivious to our trials. In fact, the reverse is true; it is we who need to be awakened in our hearts to His teachings. Use your ingenuity, your strength, and your might to resolve your challenges. Do all you can do and then leave the rest to the Lord.President Howard W. Hunter said: If our lives and our faith are centered on Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong. On the other hand, if our lives are not centered on the Savior and his teachings, no other success can ever be permanently right." (Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Finding a Safe Harbor," Ensign, May 2000, pp.59)
Sometimes we may feel that earth and hell have combined against us, and sometimes they may. Remember the response of Moses when confronted by the Adversary: "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..." (Moses 1:13), and remember what the Lord spoke to the Prophet Joseph Smith about during some of his darkest hours, "And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever. (D&C 122:7-9).
Often times, when put into perspective, our doubts and fears were really not all that scary, but resulted in a lack of faith and a sense of unnecessary panic.Knowing who we are as sons and daughters of God should instill within each of us feelings of self-worth and confidence to endure any situation until it is resolved, be it social, physical, emotional, or occupational.
President Hinckley taught, "In the account of the creation of the earth, God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness (Genesis 1:26).Could any language be more explicit? Does it demean God, as some would have us believe, that man was created in His express image?Rather, it should stir within the heart of every man and woman a greater appreciation for himself or herself as a son or daughter of God." (Gordon B. Hinckley, in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, p. 65. See also Bruce R. McConkie, New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p. 63.)
No matter how old we are, if we do not understand and feel what it means to be a child of God, we will not have the courage to endure life's trials. I had such an experience relatively recently. When faced with uncertainty related to a particular situation, and not knowing how to resolve it, I decided to kneel and pray. I simply asked, "Father, Am I your son? and Father, do you love me?" The answer came with such power that I knew that He was listening, and sending the comfort I desperately needed. I did not receive the knowledge as to how to fix the problem at that moment, but I had the courage not to give up, and to keep moving forward.
Third: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." So many times in life we look away from what can save us. In the Old Testament all the people had to do to be saved from the scourging plague of snakes was look upon the brazen serpent. Yet, many did not. In the NT Peter took his eye off the Savior while trying to walk on water. Too often we look to ourselves without looking to God to resolve life's conflicts and then find ourselves sinking. We must do all that we can do to pull through while remembering that alone we will never make it.
When the Savior lovingly pleads with us to take his yoke upon us he is inviting us to work with him in making our burdens light. We do all we can, and he will do all He can. Together any obstacle can be conquered in its proper time and place. An example of this is during the Exodus. When Israel was cornered by the Egyptians on one side, and the sea on the other, and after they had walked as far as they were able to walk, the Lord opened up a way. Notice that he did not remove their burden or conveniently place them on the other side of the sea. They were still required to walk through the obstacle, but he had opened up the way.
President Hinckley proclaimed, "What marvelous things happen when men and women walk with faith in obedience to that which is required of them! I believe that if we will walk in obedience to the commandments of God, if we will follow the counsel of the priesthood, he will open a way even where there appears to be no way." ("If Ye Be Willing and Obedient," Ensign July 1995, p. 2) This can pertain to succeeding in school, finding or excelling in adequate employment, obtaining a happy family life, or the strength of character we all hope to achieve, but have not quite yet obtained it.
Along the way we cannot doubt ourselves or the Lord and we must be able to see as we are seen and know as we are known, and this requires trust. Trusting in the Lord means continuing on the way, even when we don't always know where our exact destination is, or when we will arrive there. Trusting in the Lord is knowing we are on the right path, and that despite all its uncertainty, the Lord is leading us; and that though we may not know, He truly does know the way. To Moses the Lord said that "all things are present with me," and to Abraham, "I know the end from the beginning". We must trust in the Lord understanding that he can help us through anything. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught us, "Without the knowledge of all things, God would not be able to save any portion of his creatures; for it is by reason of the knowledge which he has of all things, from the beginning to the end, that enables him to give that understanding to his creatures by which they are made partakers of eternal life; and if it were not for the idea existing in the minds of men that God has all knowledge it would be impossible for them to exercise faith in him." (Lectures on Faith, 4:43. See also Bruce R. McConkie, New Witness for the Articles of Faith, pp. 52-53; Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:10.)
We must know our Father in Heaven loves us, that He knows the way for us, and that He desperately wants us to succeed and be happy. Our Father can help us to succeed academically, professionally, socially, emotionally, and spiritually by opening doors of opportunity, but we must also remember to help ourselves with an attitude of work and reliance upon Him.
One of the best ways to come to trust in the Lord is by diligent prayer and seeking the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Elder Bednar counseled, "As we speak of prayer, I emphasize the word meaningful. Simply saying prayers is quite a different thing from engaging in meaningful prayer. I expect that all of us already know that prayer is essential for our spiritual development and protection. But what we know is not always reflected in what we do. And even though we recognize the importance of prayer, all of us can improve the consistency and efficacy of our personal and family prayers.
Prayer is a privilege and the soul's sincere desire. We can move beyond routine and checklist prayers and engage in meaningful prayer as we appropriately ask in faith and act, as we patiently persevere through the trial of our faith, and as we humbly acknowledge and accept not my will, but Thine, be done. ("Ask in Faith" April 2008 General Conference)
As our faith increases, and we come to know and trust our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ more perfectly, we will also increase our capacity to recognize the workings of the Spirit in our lives.Having this third member of the Godhead as our constant companion is truly a sacred gift.
President Faust declared, "I believe the Spirit of the Holy Ghost is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world. This Comforter can be with us as we seek to improve. It can function as a source of revelation to warn us of impending danger and also help keep us from making mistakes. It can enhance our natural senses so that we can see more clearly, hear more keenly, and remember what we should remember. It is a way of maximizing our happiness." ("The Gift of the Holy Ghost: A Sure Compass," Ensign Apr. 1996, p. 5) Through prayer and the outpouring of the Spirit we truly can overcome any uncertainty in our lives.
Finally: "Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. "We must come to know our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.President Monson taught: "We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face. With all my heart and the fervency of my soul, I lift my voice today in testimony today as a special witness and declare that God does live. Jesus is His Son, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is our Redeemer; He is our Mediator with the Father. He loves us with a love we cannot fully comprehend, and because He loves us, He gave His life for us."("Looking Back and Moving Forward" April 2008 General Conference)
We must come to know our loving Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ if we ever hope to obtain the confidence and faith that dispel doubts and fears. We must know them personally, intimately, and feel how much they care for us. In conclusion, I want to address an email I received this weekend from one of our students from China. He wrote to me about the destruction as a result of the earthquake in China. I want to testify to each and every one of you, God truly loves those dear people in China, and He does not find any pleasure in their suffering. He truly has the capacity to send peace. We should do all in our power to help relieve that suffering physically, but may we also pray for those dear people, that their lives may be filled with the peace that comes through knowing what it means to be a son or daughter of God.
Listen to the following testimony by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, that really reflects this type of confidence:
"He is our Lord, our God and our King, this I know of myself, independent of any other person. I am one of his witnesses, and in the coming days I shall feel the nail marks in His hands, and in His feet, and shall wet His feet with my tears. But I shall not know any better then, than I know now, that He is God's almighty son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through His atoning blood, and no other way. God grant that all of us may walk in the light, as God our Father is in the light, so that according to the promises, the blood of Jesus Christ, His son, will cleanse us from all sin. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." (April 1985 General Conference)
Brothers and sisters, this is the type of testimony we need if we are to ever overcome our doubts and fears in our lives. We need not fear. The Lord is in control. As we are optimistic, seek counsel, trust in Him, and are willing to act in faith, feelings of uncertainty will be replaced with optimism, feelings of doubt with certainty, and fear will be replaced by courage.No one is here to fail and the Lord is anxious to help you succeed. We may not know the specific details of our future, but He does, and He will help our righteous desires be fulfilled, as He sees fit, and reward good and faithful works with happiness and inner peace here, as well as in the eternities.I testify that He lives. I love Him.He has never left me alone and He will not leave you alone. And he will not leave you alone.Seek and you shall find.Knock and it shall be opened to you.Know that our Heavenly Father is mindful of you, that He loves you, and that He has the capacity and the desire to help you overcome any doubts and fears you have in your lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.