Category: The Buzzz

In just a few short days, the lives of three men will be changed forever as they fill the seats left vacant from the recent passing of LDS apostles Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, and Richard G. Scott. Accepting the call of Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ will be, to say the least, a daunting experience. Those who accept are expected to take on the same role as Peter, James, or John. They are asked to take the place of powerful teachers who dedicated their lives to the sharing of the gospel. What’s more, they’ll likely be taking on the responsibilities of those who, to them, would have been dear colleagues and friends. It may be a little more than overwhelming.

At a time with so much change in church leadership, one might wonder what it takes to be an apostle. How do these great men do it and why? Our departed brethren, President Packer, Elder Perry, and Elder Scott gave us excellent examples of some specific qualities of the holy calling.

 FELLOWSHIP  

Perhaps no one described the the Twelve like President Boyd K. Packer. He compared the Twelve of today to the original Twelve:

“The present Twelve are very ordinary people. They are not, as the original Twelve were not, spectacular individually, but collectively the Twelve are a power.

“They all are students and teachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What unites us is our love of the Savior and His Father’s children and our witness that He stands at the head of the Church.

“Almost to a man, the Twelve come from humble beginnings, as it was when He was here. The living Twelve are welded together in the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When the call came, each has put down his nets, so to speak, and followed the Lord.”

According to President Packer, the power of the office of Apostle doesn’t come individually to each member, but the power comes from the Twelve as a unit. Unity is perhaps the greatest strength of the apostles. A man who is about to be called to the holy apostleship can rest assured that the Lord won’t expect him to become an extraordinary seer and revelator overnight. The Lord does, however, expect him to be willing to dive into the work with all he has. A council of twelve is the Lord’s way of offering such a man support and needed delegation while doing the work of His kingdom.

RESOLVE

When Richard G. Scott was first called as an apostle in 1988, he had the opportunity to address the church. During their inaugurating speeches, almost all newly-called apostles express how humbled they are to receive this new assignment. Elder Scott, however, didn’t talk about the humbling experience of the call. Instead, he explained the emotional aspect of it. He talked about the struggle he had as he tried to grasp the significance of his new, sacred calling. What was even more impressive is the resolve that he covenanted with the Lord to keep. He then expressed that resolve to the members of the church:

Throughout his apostleship, we saw Elder Scott live up to this resolve that he made in the beginning. His life is a great example of worthy living, and his acceptance of the Lord’s will was unparalleled.

DEVOTION

Tom Perry, upon being called as an apostle, also expressed how emotional of an experience it was. He spoke very personally about his childhood, how he looked up to the apostles and memorized each one by name. He went on to explain how his father took it upon himself to teach him a little bit about the life of each apostle. Elder Perry would say that if you asked him today, he could still name each apostle and something about them. As he contemplated how a different father might tell his son about Elder Perry, then the newest member of the twelve, he was shocked. “What could he ever tell about me?” Elder Perry thought.

Elder Perry lived an ordinary life that was made extraordinary through the Gospel. While he was overwhelmed by his new assignment he realized that the only way he could magnify this calling is to handing over his whole heart to the Lord. This declaration he gave in his very first General Conference Address as an Apostle showcases his determination;  

“I am devoted to service in our Father in heaven’s kingdom. Use me in any way that I am capable.”

His humble willingness to work in the Lord’s kingdom qualified him for his assignment, which he served in with optimism and determination.  

Three men will each take on these same roles with Elder Perry, President Packer, and Elder Scott as excellent examples. Those three individuals will each have to take that emotional walk up to the stand, called to be prophets, seers. and revelators. They will each have the privilege of watching their own sustaining vote as concourses of people gratefully raise their hands in favor of their calling. They will be set apart to a life of service and will become special witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. The devotion that they exhibit to their calling will help them face every day and every challenge with hope and enthusiasm. Their resolve to perform to their duties to the best of their abilities will instill a deep love and respect in everyone within their stewardship. And the fellowship to which they join is one of power and authority and as they join their testimonies to the quorum, it will be made complete.  

Notes:
Packer, Boyd K. “The Twelve,” Ensign, May 2008, 85–86.

Perry, L. Tom. “Build Your Shield of Faith” April 1974, General Conference Address

Scott, Richard G. “True Friends That Lift” October 1988, General Conference Address

We all remember the events of September 11, 2001, but many of us, myself included, were too young at the time to remember much of the aftermath. In pondering these tragic events I realized that I had never read anything about how the Church responded. The Church’s semiannual General Conference was held less than a month after the attacks, at a time when the hurt and confusion was still fresh in the nation’s mind. As I read a talk given by President Gordon B. Hinkley, I was reminded in a wonderful way just how much our Church’s leadership exemplifies the love of Christ. At a time when as a nation many felt angry and vengeful, these were the words of counsel given by our then-current prophet,

“Those of us who are American citizens stand solidly with the president of our nation. The terrible forces of evil must be confronted and held accountable for their actions. This is not a matter of Christian against Muslim. I am pleased that food is being dropped to the hungry people of a targeted nation. We value our Muslim neighbors across the world and hope that those who live by the tenets of their faith will not suffer. I ask particularly that our own people do not become a party in any way to the persecution of the innocent. Rather, let us be friendly and helpful, protective and supportive. It is the terrorist organizations that must be ferreted out and brought down.”

After 9/11 we saw a surge in Islamophobia that is still prevalent today. What a beautiful reminder that these were the actions of a group of extremists, and not the work of an entire faith. He continued,

“We of this Church know something of such groups. The Book of Mormon speaks of the Gadianton robbers, a vicious, oath-bound, and secret organization bent on evil and destruction. In their day they did all in their power, by whatever means available, to bring down the Church, to woo the people with sophistry, and to take control of the society. We see the same thing in the present situation.”

“We are people of peace. We are followers of the Christ who was and is the Prince of Peace. But there are times when we must stand up for right and decency, for freedom and civilization, just as Moroni rallied his people in his day to the defense of their wives, their children, and the cause of liberty (see Alma 48:10).”

He reminded us next to be realistic, and to face the future with optimism:

“Now, I do not wish to be an alarmist. I do not wish to be a prophet of doom. I am optimistic. I do not believe the time is here when an all-consuming calamity will overtake us. I earnestly pray that it may not. There is so much of the Lord’s work yet to be done. We, and our children after us, must do it.”

and then turned us towards God, and towards our fellow neighbor:

“Let us be prayerful. Let us pray for righteousness. Let us pray for the forces of good. Let us reach out to help men and women of goodwill, whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live. Let us stand firm against evil, both at home and abroad. Let us live worthy of the blessings of heaven, reforming our lives where necessary and looking to Him, the Father of us all. He has said, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).”

“Are these perilous times? They are. But there is no need to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes. We can be an influence for good in this world, every one of us.”

I was very young when our nation was attacked, and I was unable to fully appreciate the level of fear and doubt that must have prevailed in the hearts of many. What a blessing it was then, as it is now, to have living prophets to remind us what is really important, and how to face the future with faith.

The full talk can be read here: The Times in Which We Live