Obedience

President McKay opened his eyes and said, “Brother Nelson, it doesn’t feel good to me. Your place is here in Salt Lake City. ... I don’t think you should go to Chicago.”

When we long for blessings that seem to come easily to others, we can find peace by better understanding exactly what the Lord has promised.

When Sister Melanie Rasband walked in late to a large meeting, she began looking for a seat near the back. But President Nelson had another idea.

Here are a few inspiring commandments—ones that may slip our memory or get pushed under the rug in the living of life.

Have you ever had this happen before? It’s dinner time and you’re about to dig into your favorite meal. You scoop your plate full of food only to discover, to your disappointment, that you get full before you can finish it all. I have. And it’s a sad feeling.

I have a little confession: I don’t always follow the posted speed limit when I drive. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not a compulsive speeder, nor do I treat driving like I’m auditioning for the next Fast and Furious movie. It’s just that when I’m driving, I don’t always pay as close attention to the speed limit as I probably should. In fact, most of the time, I just match the pace set by everyone else on the road around me. I quite literally follow the crowd. And when I catch myself in the act—usually when I spot a police car up ahead and reflexively hit the brakes—it’s then I notice how fast I was really going, and that I could have gotten into trouble.

Maps are awesome. I mean, think about it: someone with so much more knowledge and experience than us took the time to measure, calculate, and draw the terrain and roads. They added towns and cities, miles and landmarks, and roads of all kinds. They even added the N on top so everyone else in the world—who isn’t my husband—can know where north is. Through their efforts, they have unlocked a world of driving and destinations for me. Because of them, I don’t have to be lost (as much). Because of them, I can know exactly how to get where I want to go.

Just as my parents taught me what to do if I got lost at Disneyland, we’ve all been taught what to do when we feel lost, scared, or abandoned on earth. 

I saw a post a while ago that has stuck with me for months. This post referenced a choice someone had made—a choice contrary to the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which they claim membership. After explaining their choice and their feelings surrounding it, they shared that they found peace in their choice by focusing on Heavenly Father’s love for them. They had determined that God’s love and their own happiness was the most important part of this situation.

Do you remember when President Uchtdorf told us about the bumper sticker he saw tacked onto the end of a car whose driver seemed to be a "little rough around the edges"?

I’ll admit it: I grew up thinking that Coke and other caffeinated drinks were frowned upon by the Church. I knew it wasn’t explicitly against the Word of Wisdom, so when asked why I wouldn’t drink anything caffeinated, I would say I didn’t enjoy the taste. But the reality is that I was mostly avoiding the caffeine. I thought drinking it was wrong.

Every Latter-day Saint absolutely needs daily personal revelation to stay steadfast on the path of discipleship. Our spiritual survival depends on it. Personal revelation need not be dramatic or life-changing. It simply needs to be consistent. Some of the most helpful revelations are overlooked because of their frequency and simplicity. A college student shared this entry from her personal journal following a class discussion on personal revelation:

I grew up the son of a professional football player father and a mother who was a model. And while I, unfortunately, inherited my dad’s looks and mother’s athletic ability—I did learn that I can accomplish a lot by working hard and doing the right thing.

Mormon, our beloved narrative guide through the Book of Mormon, was described by Ammaron, another record keeper, this way, “I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe” (Mormon 1:2).

At some point, some of us have encountered a child who just doesn't want to obey.

The First Presidency message for October 2016 included eight excerpts from President Thomas S. Monson's teachings about the blessings and importance of obedience.

With a renewed focus on Sabbath day observance, many wards and branches have instituted ways to improve their Sunday worship services. From devotionals to bishops' notes in the ward newsletter, the worldwide Church places a strong emphasis on keeping the Sabbath day holy.

Why does God give us commandments? How does keeping them help us? LDS Youth recently posted two new videos that answer these complicated questions in a way that is so simple and so poignant, the answers are bound to stick with you!

This fall, more than 1 million youth will don pads, buckle up the chin strap, and suit up to play high school football. I used to be one of those kids. At that time, not much else in life mattered.

MR says: Are there ways we could be sabotaging our own happiness without even realizing it?

The Lord has provided measures to help keep missionaries safe from spiritual and physical hazards, Elder David F. Evans of the Seventy and Executive Director of the Missionary Department said during the 2015 Seminar for New Mission Presidents held in the Provo Missionary Training Center on June 25.

If we were to line up a dozen mission presidents and ask them the question, “Of all the important attributes a missionary can possess, which are the three most important to develop?” I’m confident that all would include in their reply the attribute of obedience.

Conference Talk:

Can Latter-day Saints fulfill their roles as citizens in the societies where they live and also be true to their faith? Some may question the very premise — why must there be tension between church and country? Religion and government can’t ignore each other, nor need they be enemies. The spheres of spirituality and law differ, but they cooperate best when freedom of conscience and the common good make space one for another.

The Attributes of Jesus Christ: Obedient Son

I used to think that I was some kind of modern-day superhero. Not the kind that wears a cape, but more like a person that fixes everyone else’s problems. In my leadership roles, I noticed those that were struggling and would either 1. Beat myself up that they made choices that lead to unhappiness or 2. Wonder how I could keep everyone happy all the time. I wanted to save everyone.

I think that the teaching of “staying in the boat” is effective because it is so visual. We can relate to it.

What's It Like To Be a Mormon in the Entertainment Business?

Conference Talk:

Of course, it’s hard to nail down something as “the most valuable” lesson learned on my mission when I learned so much. As I think back on what I’ve learned over the past two years, many things come to mind. First is scriptural knowledge that comes from reading, studying, and pondering. Then there comes learning by faith, which Elder David A. Bednar speaks of often.

Dear Angela,

Thirty-four conversion stories were published last week for the Third Annual Hug a Convert Day. Thirty-four! Each one unique and wonderful. But this year, more than the previous two, there was an unmistakeable thread that ran though many of them. Did you notice?

It's not uncommon to see missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints walking down the street, traveling in pairs and wearing white shirts and dark slacks for the men, skirts and dresses for the women — regardless of the temperature.

What if I know someone is doing things that are wrong but he is still passing the sacrament and going to the temple? Should I tell his bishop?

Nearly a year has passed since President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the historic change to the church’s missionary program. It’s become known colloquially as the “age change” — meaning that worthy young men are eligible to serve at the age of 18 instead of 19 and after graduating from high school. Young women are now invited to serve at 19 instead of 21. While serving as a young man — and later teaching for a short time at the Mission Training Center in Provo, and even now having Mormon missionaries into my home as often as possible and working with them at every opportunity — I’ve learned a few things about the differences between happy, successful missionaries and the unpleasant alternatives.

Helaman 6-12

Jacob 1-4

2 Nephi 3-5

Preparation: Obtain a bean bag and two buckets or baskets. Label one bucket, “YES” and the other bucket, “NO.”

2 Nephi 1, 2

1 Nephi 1-22

Manual 3; Supplement from "We Are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down," by Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Last fall, I pruned the two apple trees in my back yard. One damp day this winter, I drove down to the nearby fire station to check on the legality of burning the pile of dried-out branches. The fireman I spoke with told me that it was illegal. “What if I built a fire with the branches, then roasted marshmallows on it? Is that legal?” I asked.