In the parable of the sower, Christ teaches that some seeds of faith fell on stony ground. They grew quickly, but, with little earth to dig their roots into, they quickly withered away. He later says that these are those who receive the word of God, and then as soon as things get tough, they fall away.
Farmers who have farmed the same field for generations are still pulling rocks out of those fields. No matter how rock-free their field is one year, they still need to go out and pick rocks again the next year. They certainly get better year after year, but no field ever becomes rock free. The process of plowing and tilling the land keeps moving rocks to the surface, where they need to be picked, or the seed cannot grow in that spot.
Likewise, the process of keeping our ground from not being stony is a constant process. Being a long-time member of the church does not prevent us from needing so survey our spiritual soil and keep an eye out for rocky patches. There are places we all need to spend some time removing the rocks. This is why, no matter how long since you've been baptized, and no matter how many times you have heard that Sunday School lesson, we need to keep attending, reading, and praying.
For when temptations and persecutions come, and they will, we need to have our faith firmly planted. A period of time in our life that lacks extreme trials or tribulation is the time we need to spend pushing our roots deeper, and ridding ourselves of the stony grounds. There is no time for a latter-day saint to sit back and relax in the gospel.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
"The Tongue of Angels"
The reason I pulled out that talk from two years ago was because I had a similar speaking assignment for this Sunday. I debated about just doing the same talk again, but decided against it.
Here is the talk I did give today:
As a small child, my parents moved into a ward where some Deaf people resided. We picked up some sign language during that time. I was nearly as proficient in sign language as I was in English, which, at the age of two, wasn’t too much in either. Twenty years later, as a college student, when it came time to choose a language to study, I choose American Sign Language. I took to it quickly, even remembering the things I had learned as a toddler. Although I have no memory of those visits, the words I had learned stayed with me.
What is it about words that stay with us so much? Our brains are wired to learn and retain language. We spend the first years of our life focused on mastering the language around us. Why did God program us to seek that first, before all else?
Joseph Smith said, “It is by words … [that] every being works when he works by faith. God said, ‘Let there be light: and there was light.’ Joshua spake, and the great lights which God had created stood still. Elijah commanded, and the heavens were stayed for the space of three years and six months, so that it did not rain. … All this was done by faith. … Faith, then, works by words; and with [words] its mightiest works have been, and will be, performed.”
The words we speak have the power to build, destroy, uplift, and degrade. The works we perform in this life stem from the words we speak.
Jeffrey R. Holland said, in his talk “The Tongue of Angels:” “Our words, like our deeds, should be filled with faith and hope and charity, the three great Christian imperatives so desperately needed in the world today. With such words, spoken under the influence of the Spirit, tears can be dried, hearts can be healed, lives can be elevated, hope can return, confidence can prevail.”
President Hinckley gave us a great example of speaking with faith, hope, and charity. His words were always full of optimism for the future, and faith in those living today.
On September 11, 2001, while Pres. Hinckley was the prophet, America was attacked. This was the first time that those in my generation were faced with such a tragedy. I spent a majority of the day huddled in the office of the institute building with the other LDS students. A few of us had ventured out onto campus, but found the assemblies and chaos more than we wanted to handle. Like most of the nation, we spent the day glued to the TV. I remember hoping that somehow, they would announce something new that would change this. There would be something said or done that would make this nightmare just disappear. The sister missionaries came running in, asking why everyone kept telling them that America was at war. We updated them, and they started back out the door. Some of the students questioned whether they should go back to campus. One of the sisters responded, “If there was any day that people needed to hear the words of Christ, it is today.” They knew that words of faith, hope, and charity, could heal hurting souls that day. At some point that day, it was announced that President Hinckley would be addressing all those who would listen. We gathered together to listen to the address. President Hinckley shared the following: “But dark as this hour, there is shining through the heavy overcast of fear and anger the solemn and wonderful image of the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the Prince of Peace, the Exemplar of universal love, and it is to Him that we look in these circumstances. It was He who gave His life that all might enjoy eternal life.”
Those shining words of faith, hope and charity, made an impact on people. Years later, on Sept 11, I was discussing with a nonmember friend the events of the day. She shared with me that her boss at the time was LDS, and a Bishop. He came into the office, and invited everyone to come to the Stake Center and listen to the Prophet speak. She did, and she was greatly impacted by the words shared that day. She said that it was the first time she felt a beacon of hope that day.
We can, even in our darkest hours, share words of hope and faith. The things the Savior taught, and the atonement, cannot be undone or reversed. No matter how hard things get, for us as individuals, for our families, or as a nation, hope exists through the Savior. Fear and faith cannot co-exist. Hate cannot reside where Charity is, and hope will always drive away despair. If our words are full of faith, hope, and charity, there will be no room for fear, hate, and despair.
John 16:33 is one of my favorite scriptures. It reads: 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have apeace. In the bworld ye shall have ctribulation: but be of good dcheer; I have eovercome the world.
Faith in Christ allows us to put aside the fears of this world, and fill our lives with hope and charity.
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.”
Do we allow our testimony of Christ to raise us above the trials and tribulations of the world?
Elder Holland said, “We should honor the Savior’s declaration to “be of good cheer.”7 (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.”
I want to focus on just a few words he says there, but they are important ones. He says to speak encouragingly, including about you. Perhaps, of all the areas our words turn negatively are the ones we speak to and about ourselves.
1 Corinthians 3: 16 Know ye not that ye are the atemple of God, and that the bSpirit of God dwelleth cin you?
17 If any man adefile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is bholy, which temple ye are.
We often use this scripture to talk about not defiling our body through immorality. But, let’s think for a minute about not defiling it through our words. How should we speak of the temple?
We speak of it in reverence, with love and respect. We don’t mock or degrade the walls themselves, or the sacred things that happen within those walls. Why do we do that to ourselves? Why do we speak negatively of our talents, abilities, or physical appearance? If we are a temple of God, we owe ourselves the same respect and reverence we give the temple. We are quick to defend our religion and the sacred parts of the temple when we hear others degrade it. We should, as quickly, stop ourselves from degrading remarks about ourselves.
Elder Uctdorf said, “Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.”
What beauty has God given you? What function does your life have in His great plan? What is your capacity for good in this life? If you don’t know the answer to those questions, I would recommend a heart-felt conversation with God in order to answer them. Each of us came to earth with unique talents and abilities. I don't imagine that Heavenly Father created us in an assembly line. He created you, individually, think of that- You are a hand-made product of our Heavenly Father. He wanted you to be just how you are, but then asked you to make improvements on you. What a great plan! I get to be just how God wants me to be, and just how I want me to be. He started the process of creation, and with careful consultation with Him, I can finish making myself into who God wants me to be.
Sheri Dew said, “"The more we sense...our ultimate potential, the more determined we become to achieve it. It's the difference between your mother hounding you to practice the piano and reaching the point where you want to do it yourself.”
When we speak negatively of ourselves, either internally or to others, we are diminishing what our potential is. Not just that, but we diminish those around us. Elder Holland said: “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.”
How we speak of ourselves leads to how we speak of others. If we speak positively of ourselves, that spreads. Think of those people who you feel uplifted by being around. How do they speak of themselves? How do they speak of others? Do those who uplift you speak negatively of their own potential? No.
Fault-finding is not speaking with faith, hope, or charity. There was a young man who gave a talk as a youth speaker. I have never met this young man face-to-face. I only had the privilege to hear him speak in a sacrament meeting on my mission. He said something so impactful to me, that it is jotted down in my list of favorite quotes in the front of my scriptures. He said, “Faults are easy to find in someone, if that is what you are looking for.” Simple, but very true. If we look at someone, including ourselves, with the intent to find fault, we will find it. After all, we all have weaknesses. They do exist, and they are there. However, I believe the reverse of that statement is true, too- Greatness is easy to find in someone, if that is what you are looking for.
I want to point out something else about this story. That young man, whom I never met, said words that are etched into my memory, and my scriptures. He does not know the impact he made on me that day.
I wonder what he may have said if the person asking him to speak said, “We will be recording your words and reading them to other congregations across the United States.” But, that is what happened.
Nephi, Jacob, and other writers of the Book of Mormon etched their words into metal. They were so important, and so vital, they took the time and energy to do that. What of our words? What if we started imagining that every word we spoke was being etched into a permanent record to be reread somewhere?
They are being recorded, though, and replayed, too. We know from the hymn “Do what is right” that angels are taking silent notes. However, they aren’t the only ones. Our children have the words we speak etched in their minds. At the ages when they are learning language, the words we speak are forming those first understandings of who they are, and what language is. I learned sign language as a two-year old, and, as an adult, I could recall those words I learned. How much of what is said to a child is retained, permanently, in their minds?
Elder Holland said, “We must be so careful in speaking to a child. What we say or don’t say, how we say it and when is so very, very important in shaping a child’s view of himself or herself. But it is even more important in shaping that child’s faith in us and their faith in God. Be constructive in your comments to a child—always. Never tell them, even in whimsy, that they are fat or dumb or lazy or homely. You would never do that maliciously, but they remember and may struggle for years trying to forget—and to forgive. And try not to compare your children, even if you think you are skillful at it. You may say most positively that “Susan is pretty and Sandra is bright,” but all Susan will remember is that she isn’t bright and Sandra that she isn’t pretty. Praise each child individually for what that child is, and help him or her escape our culture’s obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are “enough.”
I wonder how the words we speak to and around children would change if we understood that every word was being etched into their minds forever. As adults, what will their memories be?
I wish to share what a friend of mine said about being a victim of verbal abuse. Her memory, as an adult, of what happened as a child, struck me.
I don't know what it is like to be a human punching bag, and I am really very grateful for that. I do know how it feels to be verbally abused by a parent. I imagine the memory process is very similar. I can remember exactly what I was doing, exactly what was said, and exactly how it hurt. I can remember who was there, who wasn't, in some cases, what I was wearing. I can remember who showed up and stopped it, or let it continue. When I think of it, the pain, if I allow it to be, is just as real and as evident at the day it was when the abuse happened. In a way, I am lucky because some of my verbal abuse, and actually very silent. No one thinks of it being that way, but I was called horrible names and told that I was worthless in one way or another - basically ripped to shreds, and the only thing said to me over the course of several months to follow, was either related to that experience OR related to passing food condiments - the silence became as painful as the words.
As Elder Holland said, and my friend experienced, it is both what is said, and what isn’t said, that makes a great impact.
One of my favorite professors in college was my sign language professor. He was completely Deaf from birth. He was the only member of his family that was Deaf, but his family all learned sign language in order to communicate with him. When he was just 15 years old, his father was in a car accident. In a head-on collision, the windshield shattered, spraying glass everywhere, including into his father’s eyes. His father was completely and permanently blinded by the accident. He was never again able to have a conversation with his father without the help of someone or something else. From 15 years old and on, many words were left unsaid. Many conversations that should happen between a father and son, didn’t. This tragedy was inflicted on them by an accident. Unfortunately, all too many family members leave conversations that should happen undone, and words are unspoken that should be spoken. For most, there is no reason for this. On my last day of class, he told us that no matter where life brought us, and no matter if we went on to learn more sign language or not, his hope was that we always made the effort to communicate with those we loved, for all too suddenly, that ability can be lost.
I have been blessed with the ability to use my sign language at times. It isn’t those words that I first learned at the age of two that I use, though. I can’t imagine those few signs would do me much good in most conversations. It took years of study and practice to be able to speak the language. I had the foundation, but I had to put the effort in. The only way to learn a language is through practice.
2 Nephi 23:2-3 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had areceived the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the btongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?
Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, bfeast upon the cwords of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will dtell you all things what ye should do.
How can we learn to speak in the tongue of angels? The same way we learn another language. We have a teacher, the Holy Ghost, a textbook, the scriptures, and now all we need to do is study and practice. That study and practice comes through daily study of the scriptures, looking to the Savior’s words as an example of how we should speak to each other. The practice comes in daily conversations we have with our fellow man.
Why should we learn this language? Because, as Elder Holland said, “When Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ speak to you—and They will—it will not be in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but it will be with a voice still and small, a voice tender and kind. It will be with the tongue of angels.”
How else will we understand their words, if we have not learned to speak Their language?
I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that He desires us to draw close to Him. I know that as we speak with faith, hope, and charity, to ourselves and to those around us, we will draw closer to Him, and we will hear His words and feel His spirit. I am grateful for the atonement, for without it, there would be no faith, hope, or charity to speak of. With it, we have all the faith hope and charity we need to draw us from day to day.
Here is the talk I did give today:
As a small child, my parents moved into a ward where some Deaf people resided. We picked up some sign language during that time. I was nearly as proficient in sign language as I was in English, which, at the age of two, wasn’t too much in either. Twenty years later, as a college student, when it came time to choose a language to study, I choose American Sign Language. I took to it quickly, even remembering the things I had learned as a toddler. Although I have no memory of those visits, the words I had learned stayed with me.
What is it about words that stay with us so much? Our brains are wired to learn and retain language. We spend the first years of our life focused on mastering the language around us. Why did God program us to seek that first, before all else?
Joseph Smith said, “It is by words … [that] every being works when he works by faith. God said, ‘Let there be light: and there was light.’ Joshua spake, and the great lights which God had created stood still. Elijah commanded, and the heavens were stayed for the space of three years and six months, so that it did not rain. … All this was done by faith. … Faith, then, works by words; and with [words] its mightiest works have been, and will be, performed.”
The words we speak have the power to build, destroy, uplift, and degrade. The works we perform in this life stem from the words we speak.
Jeffrey R. Holland said, in his talk “The Tongue of Angels:” “Our words, like our deeds, should be filled with faith and hope and charity, the three great Christian imperatives so desperately needed in the world today. With such words, spoken under the influence of the Spirit, tears can be dried, hearts can be healed, lives can be elevated, hope can return, confidence can prevail.”
President Hinckley gave us a great example of speaking with faith, hope, and charity. His words were always full of optimism for the future, and faith in those living today.
On September 11, 2001, while Pres. Hinckley was the prophet, America was attacked. This was the first time that those in my generation were faced with such a tragedy. I spent a majority of the day huddled in the office of the institute building with the other LDS students. A few of us had ventured out onto campus, but found the assemblies and chaos more than we wanted to handle. Like most of the nation, we spent the day glued to the TV. I remember hoping that somehow, they would announce something new that would change this. There would be something said or done that would make this nightmare just disappear. The sister missionaries came running in, asking why everyone kept telling them that America was at war. We updated them, and they started back out the door. Some of the students questioned whether they should go back to campus. One of the sisters responded, “If there was any day that people needed to hear the words of Christ, it is today.” They knew that words of faith, hope, and charity, could heal hurting souls that day. At some point that day, it was announced that President Hinckley would be addressing all those who would listen. We gathered together to listen to the address. President Hinckley shared the following: “But dark as this hour, there is shining through the heavy overcast of fear and anger the solemn and wonderful image of the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the Prince of Peace, the Exemplar of universal love, and it is to Him that we look in these circumstances. It was He who gave His life that all might enjoy eternal life.”
Those shining words of faith, hope and charity, made an impact on people. Years later, on Sept 11, I was discussing with a nonmember friend the events of the day. She shared with me that her boss at the time was LDS, and a Bishop. He came into the office, and invited everyone to come to the Stake Center and listen to the Prophet speak. She did, and she was greatly impacted by the words shared that day. She said that it was the first time she felt a beacon of hope that day.
We can, even in our darkest hours, share words of hope and faith. The things the Savior taught, and the atonement, cannot be undone or reversed. No matter how hard things get, for us as individuals, for our families, or as a nation, hope exists through the Savior. Fear and faith cannot co-exist. Hate cannot reside where Charity is, and hope will always drive away despair. If our words are full of faith, hope, and charity, there will be no room for fear, hate, and despair.
John 16:33 is one of my favorite scriptures. It reads: 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have apeace. In the bworld ye shall have ctribulation: but be of good dcheer; I have eovercome the world.
Faith in Christ allows us to put aside the fears of this world, and fill our lives with hope and charity.
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.”
Do we allow our testimony of Christ to raise us above the trials and tribulations of the world?
Elder Holland said, “We should honor the Savior’s declaration to “be of good cheer.”7 (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.”
I want to focus on just a few words he says there, but they are important ones. He says to speak encouragingly, including about you. Perhaps, of all the areas our words turn negatively are the ones we speak to and about ourselves.
1 Corinthians 3: 16 Know ye not that ye are the atemple of God, and that the bSpirit of God dwelleth cin you?
17 If any man adefile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is bholy, which temple ye are.
We often use this scripture to talk about not defiling our body through immorality. But, let’s think for a minute about not defiling it through our words. How should we speak of the temple?
We speak of it in reverence, with love and respect. We don’t mock or degrade the walls themselves, or the sacred things that happen within those walls. Why do we do that to ourselves? Why do we speak negatively of our talents, abilities, or physical appearance? If we are a temple of God, we owe ourselves the same respect and reverence we give the temple. We are quick to defend our religion and the sacred parts of the temple when we hear others degrade it. We should, as quickly, stop ourselves from degrading remarks about ourselves.
Elder Uctdorf said, “Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.”
What beauty has God given you? What function does your life have in His great plan? What is your capacity for good in this life? If you don’t know the answer to those questions, I would recommend a heart-felt conversation with God in order to answer them. Each of us came to earth with unique talents and abilities. I don't imagine that Heavenly Father created us in an assembly line. He created you, individually, think of that- You are a hand-made product of our Heavenly Father. He wanted you to be just how you are, but then asked you to make improvements on you. What a great plan! I get to be just how God wants me to be, and just how I want me to be. He started the process of creation, and with careful consultation with Him, I can finish making myself into who God wants me to be.
Sheri Dew said, “"The more we sense...our ultimate potential, the more determined we become to achieve it. It's the difference between your mother hounding you to practice the piano and reaching the point where you want to do it yourself.”
When we speak negatively of ourselves, either internally or to others, we are diminishing what our potential is. Not just that, but we diminish those around us. Elder Holland said: “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.”
How we speak of ourselves leads to how we speak of others. If we speak positively of ourselves, that spreads. Think of those people who you feel uplifted by being around. How do they speak of themselves? How do they speak of others? Do those who uplift you speak negatively of their own potential? No.
Fault-finding is not speaking with faith, hope, or charity. There was a young man who gave a talk as a youth speaker. I have never met this young man face-to-face. I only had the privilege to hear him speak in a sacrament meeting on my mission. He said something so impactful to me, that it is jotted down in my list of favorite quotes in the front of my scriptures. He said, “Faults are easy to find in someone, if that is what you are looking for.” Simple, but very true. If we look at someone, including ourselves, with the intent to find fault, we will find it. After all, we all have weaknesses. They do exist, and they are there. However, I believe the reverse of that statement is true, too- Greatness is easy to find in someone, if that is what you are looking for.
I want to point out something else about this story. That young man, whom I never met, said words that are etched into my memory, and my scriptures. He does not know the impact he made on me that day.
I wonder what he may have said if the person asking him to speak said, “We will be recording your words and reading them to other congregations across the United States.” But, that is what happened.
Nephi, Jacob, and other writers of the Book of Mormon etched their words into metal. They were so important, and so vital, they took the time and energy to do that. What of our words? What if we started imagining that every word we spoke was being etched into a permanent record to be reread somewhere?
They are being recorded, though, and replayed, too. We know from the hymn “Do what is right” that angels are taking silent notes. However, they aren’t the only ones. Our children have the words we speak etched in their minds. At the ages when they are learning language, the words we speak are forming those first understandings of who they are, and what language is. I learned sign language as a two-year old, and, as an adult, I could recall those words I learned. How much of what is said to a child is retained, permanently, in their minds?
Elder Holland said, “We must be so careful in speaking to a child. What we say or don’t say, how we say it and when is so very, very important in shaping a child’s view of himself or herself. But it is even more important in shaping that child’s faith in us and their faith in God. Be constructive in your comments to a child—always. Never tell them, even in whimsy, that they are fat or dumb or lazy or homely. You would never do that maliciously, but they remember and may struggle for years trying to forget—and to forgive. And try not to compare your children, even if you think you are skillful at it. You may say most positively that “Susan is pretty and Sandra is bright,” but all Susan will remember is that she isn’t bright and Sandra that she isn’t pretty. Praise each child individually for what that child is, and help him or her escape our culture’s obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are “enough.”
I wonder how the words we speak to and around children would change if we understood that every word was being etched into their minds forever. As adults, what will their memories be?
I wish to share what a friend of mine said about being a victim of verbal abuse. Her memory, as an adult, of what happened as a child, struck me.
I don't know what it is like to be a human punching bag, and I am really very grateful for that. I do know how it feels to be verbally abused by a parent. I imagine the memory process is very similar. I can remember exactly what I was doing, exactly what was said, and exactly how it hurt. I can remember who was there, who wasn't, in some cases, what I was wearing. I can remember who showed up and stopped it, or let it continue. When I think of it, the pain, if I allow it to be, is just as real and as evident at the day it was when the abuse happened. In a way, I am lucky because some of my verbal abuse, and actually very silent. No one thinks of it being that way, but I was called horrible names and told that I was worthless in one way or another - basically ripped to shreds, and the only thing said to me over the course of several months to follow, was either related to that experience OR related to passing food condiments - the silence became as painful as the words.
As Elder Holland said, and my friend experienced, it is both what is said, and what isn’t said, that makes a great impact.
One of my favorite professors in college was my sign language professor. He was completely Deaf from birth. He was the only member of his family that was Deaf, but his family all learned sign language in order to communicate with him. When he was just 15 years old, his father was in a car accident. In a head-on collision, the windshield shattered, spraying glass everywhere, including into his father’s eyes. His father was completely and permanently blinded by the accident. He was never again able to have a conversation with his father without the help of someone or something else. From 15 years old and on, many words were left unsaid. Many conversations that should happen between a father and son, didn’t. This tragedy was inflicted on them by an accident. Unfortunately, all too many family members leave conversations that should happen undone, and words are unspoken that should be spoken. For most, there is no reason for this. On my last day of class, he told us that no matter where life brought us, and no matter if we went on to learn more sign language or not, his hope was that we always made the effort to communicate with those we loved, for all too suddenly, that ability can be lost.
I have been blessed with the ability to use my sign language at times. It isn’t those words that I first learned at the age of two that I use, though. I can’t imagine those few signs would do me much good in most conversations. It took years of study and practice to be able to speak the language. I had the foundation, but I had to put the effort in. The only way to learn a language is through practice.
2 Nephi 23:2-3 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had areceived the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the btongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?
Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, bfeast upon the cwords of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will dtell you all things what ye should do.
How can we learn to speak in the tongue of angels? The same way we learn another language. We have a teacher, the Holy Ghost, a textbook, the scriptures, and now all we need to do is study and practice. That study and practice comes through daily study of the scriptures, looking to the Savior’s words as an example of how we should speak to each other. The practice comes in daily conversations we have with our fellow man.
Why should we learn this language? Because, as Elder Holland said, “When Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ speak to you—and They will—it will not be in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but it will be with a voice still and small, a voice tender and kind. It will be with the tongue of angels.”
How else will we understand their words, if we have not learned to speak Their language?
I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that He desires us to draw close to Him. I know that as we speak with faith, hope, and charity, to ourselves and to those around us, we will draw closer to Him, and we will hear His words and feel His spirit. I am grateful for the atonement, for without it, there would be no faith, hope, or charity to speak of. With it, we have all the faith hope and charity we need to draw us from day to day.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?
(This is an old talk I gave on "Christ-like Communication.")
There are thousands of books written on the subject of this. There is a whole industry based on it. The newest techonologies of our day are focused on this. So much of our time and energy and money is spent on our desire to communicate with each other. Our first few years of life are focused on learning to communicate.
Think of all the ways you have communicated today. Did you groan when your alarm rang this morning? Have you already attended a meeting and exchanged information with others in that meeting? Have you repeatedly encouraged a child to get ready? Did you roll your eyes when your mom told you to hurry up?
What about on the way to church this morning? Did you use a blinker on your car? Did you honk your horn at someone?
You have already communicated to your family, people at church, and maybe strangers on the street.
Did you kneel to pray this morning? Did you gather your family for prayer? Have you communicated with God today?
James 3:2 says "For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body."
If we can perfect our communication, our speech, we can perfect ourselves.
When you wake up in the morning, the day is perfect. It hasn't had one mistake in it, yet. If you kneel to pray before anything else, you have started your day exactly as your Heavenly Father desires you to start it. Your day is still perfect.
But, as we all know, that won't last forever. We have the rest of the day to face. We will communicate with our spouses, children, parents, siblings, strangers on the street, the cashier, the telephone repair man, and the list keeps going. How will we handle these communications? We should handle them in the way our Savior would.
I'm sure we all had our mothers say to us: "Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?" Like many things we learned in grade school, this is a good adage to live by.
Is is kind?
Elder Holland, in his talk "Tongue of Angels", spoke to us about the power of kind words, and the destruction of unkind words in our families. He said:
"Husbands, you have been entrusted with the most sacred gift God can give you—a wife, a daughter of God, the mother of your children who has voluntarily given herself to you for love and joyful companionship. Think of the kind things you said when you were courting, think of the blessings you have given with hands placed lovingly upon her head, think of yourself and of her as the god and goddess you both inherently are, and then reflect on other moments characterized by cold, caustic, unbridled words. Given the damage that can be done with our tongues, little wonder the Savior said, "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."5 A husband who would never dream of striking his wife physically can break her heart by the brutality of thoughtless or unkind speech. Brethren, these things ought not to be.
In that same spirit we speak to the sisters as well, for the sin of verbal abuse knows no gender. Wives, what of the unbridled tongue in your mouth, of the power for good or ill in your words? How is it that such a lovely voice which by divine nature is so angelic, so close to the veil, so instinctively gentle and inherently kind could ever in a turn be so shrill, so biting, so acrid and untamed? A woman's words can be more piercing than any dagger ever forged, and they can drive the people they love to retreat beyond a barrier more distant than anyone in the beginning of that exchange could ever have imagined. Sisters, there is no place in that magnificent spirit of yours for acerbic or abrasive expression of any kind, including gossip or backbiting or catty remarks.
May I expand this counsel to make it a full family matter. We must be so careful in speaking to a child. What we say or don't say, how we say it and when is so very, very important in shaping a child's view of himself or herself. But it is even more important in shaping that child's faith in us and their faith in God. Be constructive in your comments to a child—always. Never tell them, even in whimsy, that they are fat or dumb or lazy or homely. You would never do that maliciously, but they remember and may struggle for years trying to forget—and to forgive. And try not to compare your children, even if you think you are skillful at it. You may say most positively that "Susan is pretty and Sandra is bright," but all Susan will remember is that she isn't bright and Sandra that she isn't pretty. Praise each child individually for what that child is, and help him or her escape our culture's obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are "enough."
Speaking to our family members with kindness makes our homes a heaven on earth. Our homes are supposed to be like the temple. Imagine if we spoke to each other in our homes the way we do in the temple. I’m not talking about always in a whisper, but speaking kindly and encouragingly.
We should also speak kindly about ourselves. Negative comments about ourselves, made to ourselves or others, drag us down. Imagine Satan’s joy every time we insult ourselves. We are one of God’s creations, and, as the phrase goes “God don’t make no junk.”
Is it True?
Honesty is at the center of becoming like Christ. Christ and Satan are opposites, just as truth and lie are. Its very simple. To be honest is to be like Christ, to lie is to be like Satan. We can make the commitment to be 100% honest in our speech. There are times when telling a lie would seem easier, or to our advantage, and that makes it hard. But, being honest is never to our advantage, nor will it end up being easier.
James E Faust told this story:
“Today was test day in climbing the rope. We climb from a standing start to a point 15 feet high. …
“The school record for the event is 2.1 seconds. It has stood for three years. Today this record was broken. …
“For three years Bobby Polacio, a 14 1/2-year-old ninth grade … boy, [trained and worked, consumed by his dream] of breaking this record.
“In his first of three attempts, Bobby climbed the rope in 2.1 seconds, tying the record. On the second try the watch stopped at 2.0 seconds flat, a record! But as he descended the rope and the entire class gathered around to check the watch, I knew I must ask Bobby a question. There was a slight doubt in my mind whether or not the board at the 15 foot height had been touched. If he missed, it was so very, very close—not more than a fraction of an inch—and only Bobby knew this answer.
“As he walked toward me, expressionless, I said, ‘Bobby, did you touch?’ If he had said, ‘Yes,’ the record he had dreamed of since he was a skinny seventh-grader and had worked for almost daily would be his, and he knew I would trust his word.
“With the class already cheering him for his performance, the slim, brown-skinned boy shook his head negatively. And in this simple gesture, I witnessed a moment of greatness. …
“… And it was with effort through a tight throat that I told the class: ‘This boy has not set a record in the rope climb. No, he has set a much finer record for you and everyone to strive for. He has told the truth.
“I turned to Bobby and said, ‘Bobby, I’m proud of you. You’ve just set a record many athletes never attain. Now, in your last try I want you to jump a few inches higher on the takeoff.’ …
“After the other boys had finished their next turns, and Bobby came up … for his try, a strange stillness came over the gymnasium. Fifty boys and one coach [watched] breathlessly [as] Bobby Polacio … climbed the rope in 1.9 seconds! A school record, a city record, and perhaps close to a national record for a junior high school boy.
“When the bell rang and I walked away, … I was thinking: ‘Bobby, … at 14 you are a better man than I. Thank you for climbing so very, very high today.’ ”
Is it necessary?
I’m reminded of the story of the man and his wife, married for many years. One day, she asked why he never told her he loved her. His response: “I told you when I married you I loved you, and I’ll let you know if it ever changes.” Obviously, expressing love to one another, complimenting each other, and speaking encouraging words is necessary. Creating and maintaining relationships is an important part of our life here on earth. It is necessary that we communicate with each other to do this. Many, many communications are necessary for us to make.
What is unnecessary is backbiting, murmuring, complaining and gossiping. Orson Whitney 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."
Elder Holland said: We should honor the Savior's declaration to "be of good cheer."7 (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. I have often thought that Nephi's being bound with cords and beaten by rods must have been more tolerable to him than listening to Laman and Lemuel's constant murmuring.8 Surely he must have said at least once, "Hit me one more time. I can still hear you." 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.
Whining and complaining annoy others, and injure our own spirits. Gossiping, though, injures others. While researching this talk, I found a wonderful talk called “Keeping Confidences”, given by Larry Hiller. In it, he compares information with money.
“Some time ago I directed a major fund-raising event for our ward. When it was all over, those who had worked so hard with me to make it successful sighed and relaxed. But I still had one major worry: accounting for all of the funds. For my own peace of mind I had to be sure there could never be any question as to whether I had handled Church funds appropriately. I knew the bishop trusted me, but I still wanted to be sure there could never be a doubt.
Something else happened recently that made me give even more thought to the concept of handling other people’s property with integrity. A friend came to me to discuss in confidence a personal problem. Even more than advice, he needed someone to listen to him as he talked through the situation. He would have been embarrassed if the things I learned had become known to others, and he was counting on me not to violate his trust.
Few of us treat the tangible property of others with deliberate disregard. Despite daily news stories about theft, most people are still basically honest when it comes to respecting property. But what about less tangible things, such as information? Does our integrity extend that far?”
When you have been given information about someone, it is not your information to share. It is the same as if someone had handed you their cash. Would you feel free to allow others access to those funds? Of course not.
Larry Hiller says about gossip: Too many people seem to think that it is only gossip if it is unsubstantiated rumor. But something may be completely true and still be no one else’s business. Truth does not justify gossip any more than need justifies theft. And to excuse gossip by saying that it is common knowledge is the same as justifying sin because “others are doing it.”
“Sometimes gossip masquerades as neighborly concern. People repeat negative details of an intimate nature, clucking away in dismay over the problems and foibles of the third party. And all the time they justify themselves because they are simply repeating the sad truth.”
Of course we should show concern for one another. And there is a place for exchanges of information. But we ought to be cautious; we ought to examine our motives and think carefully before we speak.”
I would think that if you have to question whether or not you should say something, its probably better to just not say it. When we open our mouths and give our information, you do so not knowing the effects it will have on someone else. You may say to yourself “I don’t mind having this kind of information shared about me” but, you can’t speak for someone else.
We talk much about unity in our families, branch, and church. So, this quote really jumped out at me:
“So much strife and discontent can be avoided when we learn to keep confidences. “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.” (Prov. 26:20.)
“By using good judgment in our communications, we can strengthen our common bond of trust. When we are prudent in our speech, we provide fewer opportunities for the Adversary to cause divisions among us and fewer chances for our enemies to work against us.”
Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? Three questions we should ask ourselves about our language. Think of the words of the Savior. Were they kind? Were they true? Were they necessary? He never spoke a word that wasn’t all three of these things.
At the end of the day, it is no longer a perfect day. We made mistakes, as we all do. It is imperative that we once again kneel by the side of our bed, and communicate with God. Review our day with him, repent of those things we need to, and commit to strive to be better the next day. As we go through our lives, the most important communication we make is with our Maker. It is from the example of the Savior we can learn how to interact with others. He is willing to lend an ear to us, just as we should for our brethren. And, He is willing to forgive us, just as we should for our brethren.
There are thousands of books written on the subject of this. There is a whole industry based on it. The newest techonologies of our day are focused on this. So much of our time and energy and money is spent on our desire to communicate with each other. Our first few years of life are focused on learning to communicate.
Think of all the ways you have communicated today. Did you groan when your alarm rang this morning? Have you already attended a meeting and exchanged information with others in that meeting? Have you repeatedly encouraged a child to get ready? Did you roll your eyes when your mom told you to hurry up?
What about on the way to church this morning? Did you use a blinker on your car? Did you honk your horn at someone?
You have already communicated to your family, people at church, and maybe strangers on the street.
Did you kneel to pray this morning? Did you gather your family for prayer? Have you communicated with God today?
James 3:2 says "For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body."
If we can perfect our communication, our speech, we can perfect ourselves.
When you wake up in the morning, the day is perfect. It hasn't had one mistake in it, yet. If you kneel to pray before anything else, you have started your day exactly as your Heavenly Father desires you to start it. Your day is still perfect.
But, as we all know, that won't last forever. We have the rest of the day to face. We will communicate with our spouses, children, parents, siblings, strangers on the street, the cashier, the telephone repair man, and the list keeps going. How will we handle these communications? We should handle them in the way our Savior would.
I'm sure we all had our mothers say to us: "Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?" Like many things we learned in grade school, this is a good adage to live by.
Is is kind?
Elder Holland, in his talk "Tongue of Angels", spoke to us about the power of kind words, and the destruction of unkind words in our families. He said:
"Husbands, you have been entrusted with the most sacred gift God can give you—a wife, a daughter of God, the mother of your children who has voluntarily given herself to you for love and joyful companionship. Think of the kind things you said when you were courting, think of the blessings you have given with hands placed lovingly upon her head, think of yourself and of her as the god and goddess you both inherently are, and then reflect on other moments characterized by cold, caustic, unbridled words. Given the damage that can be done with our tongues, little wonder the Savior said, "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."5 A husband who would never dream of striking his wife physically can break her heart by the brutality of thoughtless or unkind speech. Brethren, these things ought not to be.
In that same spirit we speak to the sisters as well, for the sin of verbal abuse knows no gender. Wives, what of the unbridled tongue in your mouth, of the power for good or ill in your words? How is it that such a lovely voice which by divine nature is so angelic, so close to the veil, so instinctively gentle and inherently kind could ever in a turn be so shrill, so biting, so acrid and untamed? A woman's words can be more piercing than any dagger ever forged, and they can drive the people they love to retreat beyond a barrier more distant than anyone in the beginning of that exchange could ever have imagined. Sisters, there is no place in that magnificent spirit of yours for acerbic or abrasive expression of any kind, including gossip or backbiting or catty remarks.
May I expand this counsel to make it a full family matter. We must be so careful in speaking to a child. What we say or don't say, how we say it and when is so very, very important in shaping a child's view of himself or herself. But it is even more important in shaping that child's faith in us and their faith in God. Be constructive in your comments to a child—always. Never tell them, even in whimsy, that they are fat or dumb or lazy or homely. You would never do that maliciously, but they remember and may struggle for years trying to forget—and to forgive. And try not to compare your children, even if you think you are skillful at it. You may say most positively that "Susan is pretty and Sandra is bright," but all Susan will remember is that she isn't bright and Sandra that she isn't pretty. Praise each child individually for what that child is, and help him or her escape our culture's obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are "enough."
Speaking to our family members with kindness makes our homes a heaven on earth. Our homes are supposed to be like the temple. Imagine if we spoke to each other in our homes the way we do in the temple. I’m not talking about always in a whisper, but speaking kindly and encouragingly.
We should also speak kindly about ourselves. Negative comments about ourselves, made to ourselves or others, drag us down. Imagine Satan’s joy every time we insult ourselves. We are one of God’s creations, and, as the phrase goes “God don’t make no junk.”
Is it True?
Honesty is at the center of becoming like Christ. Christ and Satan are opposites, just as truth and lie are. Its very simple. To be honest is to be like Christ, to lie is to be like Satan. We can make the commitment to be 100% honest in our speech. There are times when telling a lie would seem easier, or to our advantage, and that makes it hard. But, being honest is never to our advantage, nor will it end up being easier.
James E Faust told this story:
“Today was test day in climbing the rope. We climb from a standing start to a point 15 feet high. …
“The school record for the event is 2.1 seconds. It has stood for three years. Today this record was broken. …
“For three years Bobby Polacio, a 14 1/2-year-old ninth grade … boy, [trained and worked, consumed by his dream] of breaking this record.
“In his first of three attempts, Bobby climbed the rope in 2.1 seconds, tying the record. On the second try the watch stopped at 2.0 seconds flat, a record! But as he descended the rope and the entire class gathered around to check the watch, I knew I must ask Bobby a question. There was a slight doubt in my mind whether or not the board at the 15 foot height had been touched. If he missed, it was so very, very close—not more than a fraction of an inch—and only Bobby knew this answer.
“As he walked toward me, expressionless, I said, ‘Bobby, did you touch?’ If he had said, ‘Yes,’ the record he had dreamed of since he was a skinny seventh-grader and had worked for almost daily would be his, and he knew I would trust his word.
“With the class already cheering him for his performance, the slim, brown-skinned boy shook his head negatively. And in this simple gesture, I witnessed a moment of greatness. …
“… And it was with effort through a tight throat that I told the class: ‘This boy has not set a record in the rope climb. No, he has set a much finer record for you and everyone to strive for. He has told the truth.
“I turned to Bobby and said, ‘Bobby, I’m proud of you. You’ve just set a record many athletes never attain. Now, in your last try I want you to jump a few inches higher on the takeoff.’ …
“After the other boys had finished their next turns, and Bobby came up … for his try, a strange stillness came over the gymnasium. Fifty boys and one coach [watched] breathlessly [as] Bobby Polacio … climbed the rope in 1.9 seconds! A school record, a city record, and perhaps close to a national record for a junior high school boy.
“When the bell rang and I walked away, … I was thinking: ‘Bobby, … at 14 you are a better man than I. Thank you for climbing so very, very high today.’ ”
Is it necessary?
I’m reminded of the story of the man and his wife, married for many years. One day, she asked why he never told her he loved her. His response: “I told you when I married you I loved you, and I’ll let you know if it ever changes.” Obviously, expressing love to one another, complimenting each other, and speaking encouraging words is necessary. Creating and maintaining relationships is an important part of our life here on earth. It is necessary that we communicate with each other to do this. Many, many communications are necessary for us to make.
What is unnecessary is backbiting, murmuring, complaining and gossiping. Orson Whitney 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."
Elder Holland said: We should honor the Savior's declaration to "be of good cheer."7 (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. I have often thought that Nephi's being bound with cords and beaten by rods must have been more tolerable to him than listening to Laman and Lemuel's constant murmuring.8 Surely he must have said at least once, "Hit me one more time. I can still hear you." 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.
Whining and complaining annoy others, and injure our own spirits. Gossiping, though, injures others. While researching this talk, I found a wonderful talk called “Keeping Confidences”, given by Larry Hiller. In it, he compares information with money.
“Some time ago I directed a major fund-raising event for our ward. When it was all over, those who had worked so hard with me to make it successful sighed and relaxed. But I still had one major worry: accounting for all of the funds. For my own peace of mind I had to be sure there could never be any question as to whether I had handled Church funds appropriately. I knew the bishop trusted me, but I still wanted to be sure there could never be a doubt.
Something else happened recently that made me give even more thought to the concept of handling other people’s property with integrity. A friend came to me to discuss in confidence a personal problem. Even more than advice, he needed someone to listen to him as he talked through the situation. He would have been embarrassed if the things I learned had become known to others, and he was counting on me not to violate his trust.
Few of us treat the tangible property of others with deliberate disregard. Despite daily news stories about theft, most people are still basically honest when it comes to respecting property. But what about less tangible things, such as information? Does our integrity extend that far?”
When you have been given information about someone, it is not your information to share. It is the same as if someone had handed you their cash. Would you feel free to allow others access to those funds? Of course not.
Larry Hiller says about gossip: Too many people seem to think that it is only gossip if it is unsubstantiated rumor. But something may be completely true and still be no one else’s business. Truth does not justify gossip any more than need justifies theft. And to excuse gossip by saying that it is common knowledge is the same as justifying sin because “others are doing it.”
“Sometimes gossip masquerades as neighborly concern. People repeat negative details of an intimate nature, clucking away in dismay over the problems and foibles of the third party. And all the time they justify themselves because they are simply repeating the sad truth.”
Of course we should show concern for one another. And there is a place for exchanges of information. But we ought to be cautious; we ought to examine our motives and think carefully before we speak.”
I would think that if you have to question whether or not you should say something, its probably better to just not say it. When we open our mouths and give our information, you do so not knowing the effects it will have on someone else. You may say to yourself “I don’t mind having this kind of information shared about me” but, you can’t speak for someone else.
We talk much about unity in our families, branch, and church. So, this quote really jumped out at me:
“So much strife and discontent can be avoided when we learn to keep confidences. “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.” (Prov. 26:20.)
“By using good judgment in our communications, we can strengthen our common bond of trust. When we are prudent in our speech, we provide fewer opportunities for the Adversary to cause divisions among us and fewer chances for our enemies to work against us.”
Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? Three questions we should ask ourselves about our language. Think of the words of the Savior. Were they kind? Were they true? Were they necessary? He never spoke a word that wasn’t all three of these things.
At the end of the day, it is no longer a perfect day. We made mistakes, as we all do. It is imperative that we once again kneel by the side of our bed, and communicate with God. Review our day with him, repent of those things we need to, and commit to strive to be better the next day. As we go through our lives, the most important communication we make is with our Maker. It is from the example of the Savior we can learn how to interact with others. He is willing to lend an ear to us, just as we should for our brethren. And, He is willing to forgive us, just as we should for our brethren.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Inspiration or Desperation?
Have you heard this before? "The Bishop wasn't inspired to give me that calling. It was a calling of desperation, not inspiration." "It isn't that the Lord wanted me in that calling. It's just that I am the only one who can play the piano." "I'm just the only person who was willing to do it. No one else would, so I got stuck with the job."
Sometimes, a calling just makes sense. The fact that it is obvious, or that you are the only choice, does not mean it wasn't inspired. It just means that the Lord made that one easy on the Bishop. God gave us a brain, and He expects us to use it.
I was thinking about my calling the other day. I know that I'm there because I was the only one who would do it. I also know that it is exactly where the Lord wants me to be. He set it up so I would be right there, doing that calling.
Does the Bishop ever extend a calling because it made the most sense? Sure he does. Does he extend a calling because only one person could do the job? Yes. Does he extend a calling because only one person was willing to do the job? Yes, he does that.
The greatest calling ever given was the calling Heavenly Father gave to Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world. Let's look at that one- Was the Plan of Salvation the one that just made the most sense? Yes. It was the plan that would best fulfill the purposes of God. Did Christ get called because He was the only person who could do the job? Yes. He was the only person who would live on this earth who would be capable of being the Savior of the world. Did Christ get called because He was the only one both willing and capable of doing it? Yes. Lucifer was willing to have the glory, but he wasn't willing to do things the way God wanted.
It seems, then, that the Savior's calling was one of "desperation." He was the one and only person who could provide a Savior for the world. It just doesn't seem so bad now, to have God say, "It's you I need to do this job." Whether you will spend your life sitting behind the piano, or you are the only one who will take that Sunbeams class, remember that the Lord needs *you* and no one else to fulfill that place in His plan of salvation.
To answer the question, then- inspiration or desperation? IMO, it just doesn't matter.
Sometimes, a calling just makes sense. The fact that it is obvious, or that you are the only choice, does not mean it wasn't inspired. It just means that the Lord made that one easy on the Bishop. God gave us a brain, and He expects us to use it.
I was thinking about my calling the other day. I know that I'm there because I was the only one who would do it. I also know that it is exactly where the Lord wants me to be. He set it up so I would be right there, doing that calling.
Does the Bishop ever extend a calling because it made the most sense? Sure he does. Does he extend a calling because only one person could do the job? Yes. Does he extend a calling because only one person was willing to do the job? Yes, he does that.
The greatest calling ever given was the calling Heavenly Father gave to Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world. Let's look at that one- Was the Plan of Salvation the one that just made the most sense? Yes. It was the plan that would best fulfill the purposes of God. Did Christ get called because He was the only person who could do the job? Yes. He was the only person who would live on this earth who would be capable of being the Savior of the world. Did Christ get called because He was the only one both willing and capable of doing it? Yes. Lucifer was willing to have the glory, but he wasn't willing to do things the way God wanted.
It seems, then, that the Savior's calling was one of "desperation." He was the one and only person who could provide a Savior for the world. It just doesn't seem so bad now, to have God say, "It's you I need to do this job." Whether you will spend your life sitting behind the piano, or you are the only one who will take that Sunbeams class, remember that the Lord needs *you* and no one else to fulfill that place in His plan of salvation.
To answer the question, then- inspiration or desperation? IMO, it just doesn't matter.
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