the videos this week have been on ethics and honesty. In my husband's accounting world 'ethics' is a big thing. Every two years he has to redo his certificate and have so many hours in ethics.
If everyone was honest in business the world would be a much nicer place to live. There is a lot of corruption in business. But it does not start there. People have to be corrupt to be corrupt in business. Many Mormons are corrupt also. We figure ever which way to get out of our taxes, we figure ever which way to pay the minimum on tithing. I heard a quote once that said "don't pay your taxes like your tithing, trying to figure out how to pay the minimum."
I want to remember these two names and go back and do some research on them Frank Levinson and Jan Newman.
Two talks I want to remember for the future
Brigham Young University-Idaho Devotional
oct 2010 making a living and a life lynn Robbins
In the beginning”...when Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden, the Lord told Adam that he would thereafter “eat bread in the sweat of [his] face” (Genesis 3:19). Adam really had only one choice as to his life’s work – he “began to till the earth . . .” we are told in Moses 5:1. He clearly had some challenges that you and I have not had to face. However, his work environment did have some advantages. Among others, he was able to set his own hours and approve his own sick leave and vacation time and he could not be fired.
He was not tempted by Jones’
law, either, which states that our needs are determined by what our
neighbor has. Without neighbors there were no property line disputes.
There was no coveting or jealousy, or envy, or selfishness or any of the sins
that come with competition and comparison.
In fact, Satan had very little
to work with – there were very few sins with which he could tempt Adam and
Eve. Think about it – if you were the first man or woman what could he
tempt you with? Stealing? – no -- from whom? Coveting – no.
Envy?—no. Gossiping? – impossible – think about it. Living beyond
one’s means? – also impossible. When you reflect on it, most serious sins
involve others and would not become a possibility for Satan until the human
race began to multiply and he could use competition and comparisons to appeal
to the pride of men.
In President Ezra Taft
Benson’s classic talk Beware of Pride he said that “pride (the universal
sin) is essentially competitive in nature . . .The proud make every man their
adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any
other worldly measuring device against others. In the words of C. S. Lewis:
‘Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it
than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of
being above the rest. . .’ (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan,
1952, pp. 109–10.) . . . Some prideful people are not so concerned as to
whether their wages meet their needs as they are that their wages are more than
someone else’s. Their reward is being a cut above the rest. This is the enmity
of pride.” (Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” Ensign, May 1989, 4)
The competition that Satan was
so anxiously awaiting could not take place until Adam and Eve began to multiply
and replenish the earth. When it finally did happen, it was in the work
place and in the acquiring of material possessions where it occurred. It was
here that he claimed Cain as his first victim as Cain fell prey to the Master
Mahan principle “that I may murder and get gain” (Moses 5:31).
The acquiring of wealth and
material possessions would become Satan’s most fertile ground, tempting mankind
with the cunning strategy that this world is our destiny and that anything and
everything in this world is available for money.
Working in this world to make
a living was part of the Lord’s plan for His children, not just to survive, but
to see how we would get along with others in making that living – to see if we
would be honest in our dealings with our fellowmen. Satan quickly
recognized the work environment as a strategic setting to stir up all manner of
sin, including covetousness, jealousies, self-indulgence, living beyond one’s
means, anger, contention in marriages, infidelity, greed and envy, selfishness,
even theft and murder.
Motives in the work
place Here at BYU Idaho you
are learning, not only how to make a living, but more importantly, how to make
a good and honest living. Your mid-term tests and final exams are
indicators of your progress in preparing for a profession, but they pale in
comparison and importance to the celestial tests the Lord will be monitoring as
He observes your daily behavior in your dealings with your fellowmen. What you
do to make a living, or how many dollars you earn, aren’t nearly as important
to the Lord as whether you:
- Are building His kingdom including strong and valiant families.
- Are honest in your dealings with your fellowmen and using your God-given talents in their service;
- and if you are filling your life with good works, that positively impact your community and world.
In Charles Dicken’s classic story,
A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge undergoes an amazing
transformation, from a ruthless money lender, to a caring and charitable
businessman and philanthropist. As his motives evolve in the story,
transforming him from a cruel and stingy miser to a compassionate member of his
community, we witness a marvelous impact on him and others that touches us
profoundly.
The motives that drive people
are the hinges upon which major outcomes swing.
In making a living, the Lord
identified two opposite motivators – God and mammon. We know that
money itself is not evil; in fact, it represents “the sweat of our face” – a
commandment of the Lord. Mammon goes beyond money to “the love of money”
and is referred to as “the root of all evil” we read in 1 Tim. 6:10.
I want to share some
illustrations of the interplay between a love of God and our fellowmen on the
one hand, and the need to make a living on the other. There are several
combinations of these two motives which, for demonstration purposes, I will
give the following grades:
Grade
|
Primary Motivation
|
Secondary Motivation
|
A
|
Love of God and fellowmen ©
|
Income $
|
A-
Level At
the A-level, The Lord established the correct order with priorities as we read
in Jacob 2:18-19,, “Before you seek for riches, seek the kingdom of God.
And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek
them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good . . .” At this
level the primary motivation is a love of God and our fellowmen. Of
necessity, there is a secondary motivation to earn a living.
If a love of God and fellowmen
is the primary motivation, then the working man or woman will be a kingdom
builder and a full-tithe payer. They will have a “zeal towards their fellow men
. . . and will be perfectly honest and upright in all things”
(Alma27:27). As a laborer they will be “worthy of their hire” (Luke
10:7). As an employer they will give a “just recompense of wages,”
(D&C 124:121). They will be a beloved employer and endeavor to help,
not only their customers, but also their employees and community. They will have
a baker’s dozen mentality with superior customer service. Sometimes this person
will even render service at no charge to help someone in need, such as those
doctors who travel to Third-world countries to help the disadvantaged.
Their products and services are of the highest quality.
Those at the A-level aren’t
working for mankind, but living for mankind, trying to lift and help others.
In addition to making a living, they are making a life. They have a
different vision than those at lower levels. Because of their love for
their fellowmen, they define their business in terms of customers’ needs,
such as a builder of homes rather than merely a brick mason. At l B throug D,
business is usually defined in terms of products and services
rather than customers’ needs.
Grade
|
Primary Motivation
|
Secondary Motivation
|
A
|
Love of God and
fellowmen ©
|
Income $
|
B
|
Money $
|
Love of fellowmen ©
|
B-
Level A
love of God can only exist at the A-level, since the person who loves God would
always put Him first, not being able to serve two masters. At the
B-level, the primary motivation is money, but there is still a love of
fellowmen and a genuine desire to provide good products and services to
customers. This could even be an A-level person or company who has been
sidetracked by the world. It is difficult for a company which goes public
to remain at the A-level. The pressure on the board of directors and
corporate officers to increase the value of the stock is so great that many
lose sight of the A-level vision that helped them achieve their success in the
first place. Concern for the stockholder and the bottom line will almost
always force an “A” company to the B-level and sometimes lower.
Grade
|
Primary Motivation
|
Secondary Motivation
|
A
|
Love of God and
fellowmen ©
|
Income $
|
B
|
Money $
|
Love of fellowmen ©
|
C
|
Love of money $
|
Indifferent to clients or
customers
|
C- Level
At the C- level, the “love of money”
is the only motivator. The businessman or woman engineers minimal
quality, or the appearance of quality, into their products and services so that
they may be competitive and survive, but look for the cheapest ways to produce,
without any true concern for their customer. Their personal integrity is
compromised as they begin to engage in dishonest practices, such as deceptive
advertising and meaningless guarantees. The customer is often considered
a nuisance when problems arise and usually neglected so that the businessman or
woman can be on to a new customer. Since the business already has its
profit, they are slow to respond to customers with complaints. You’ve
probably had a “C” company sell you something and then not service it
afterward, which not only frustrated you, but caused you to lose any loyalty whatsoever
to that company. You’ll never shop there again.
Grade
|
Primary Motivation
|
Secondary Motivation
|
A
|
Love of God and
fellowmen ©
|
Income $
|
B
|
Money $
|
Love of fellowmen ©
|
C
|
Love of money $
|
Indifferent to clients or
customers
|
D
|
Filthy Lucre $
|
Harmful to clients and customers
|
D-
Level At
the D-level, the unwary are more victims than customers. Once again the
motivation is the love of money, but this time at the peril of the customer,
who will be harmed and maybe even injured or killed. Profits at this
level are known as “filthy lucre.”
“Filthy Lucre,” President
Spencer W. Kimball said, “is that had through sin or sinful operations and that
which comes from the handling of liquor, beer, narcotics and those many other
things which are displeasing in the sight of the Lord. . . those who deal in
the forbidden are recipients of filthy lucre.” (Melchizedek Priesthood
Personal Study Guide 1984, p. 84)
This is the category of which
the Doctrine and Covenants warned, “In consequence of evils and designs which
do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have
warned you, and forewarn you . . .” (D&C 89:4)
In addition to those things
mentioned by President Kimball, we would also include tobacco, pornography,
prostitution, and gambling, etc. While some of these things may be legal,
they can still be unhealthy, immoral and maybe even lethal. In his
insightful book Winners Never Cheat, Elder Jon M. Huntsman writes,
“Cigarettes are an example of a legal product that, when used as directed,
causes death. Tobacco companies cloak their consciences with the
simplistic observation that no one forces people to smoke." (Winners
Never Cheat by Jon M. Huntsman, p 75)
No profession is exempt
from Satan’s influence.
The int insight with this model is
that all professions, businesses, and services can be found at all levels or
grades A - D.
There are A-level accountants
and there are D-level accountants. The D-level accountant cooks the
books, which occurred at ENRON and WorldCom where dishonest business practices
eventually caused the business to collapse. Their focus was on the bottom
line at the peril of their customers and shareholders.
There are A-level bankers and
D-level bankers.
In the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”
starring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, Bailey’s Savings and Loan is an
A-level bank with a love of their fellowmen and a genuine desire to help
families get out of the low quality housing in Potter’s Field and into a
respectable home of their own.
Potter, on the other hand, was
a ruthless and uncaring man who thought nothing of stealing the $8,000 that
Uncle Billy misplaced in a rolled- up newspaper while making a deposit.
At one point in the movie, Potter
makes George an offer he can’t refuse, to come and work for Potter at many
times the income George is currently making, including some very attractive
benefits. One of those benefits was George’s dream --to
travel. George is momentarily mesmerized by the offer, and then
realizes he is being offered a job with a D-level employer. Upset with
himself for even considering the offer, he calls Mr. Potter, “Nothing but a
scurvy little spider” (which is a good description for a D-level person) and
walks out.
In “A Christmas Carol,”
Scrooge made the transformation from a ruthless D-level lender as the story
begins, including a total disregard for his fellowmen and a desire to “decrease
the surplus population,” to an A-level gentleman as the story concludes.
One reason you occasionally
hear jokes about attorneys is because people often consider it a profession
that rarely transcends the D-level. Those at this level were referred to as
“cunning” in The Book of Mormon. (See Alma 10:15) While it is true that there
are lawyers at the D-level, there are many who are or have been A-level --
Howard W. Hunter, James E. Faust, Dallin H. Oaks, Quentin L Cook, D. Todd
Christofferson, to name a few. One reason the book, To Kill a
Mockingbird, has become one of the all time literary classics is because of
the inspirational example of an A-level attorney, Atticus Finch.
Another profession, which
people tend to place in the D category by nature, is politicians. You can
think of several D-level politicians right now, as there are many to choose
from throughout the world.
The A-level politicians are
men like King Benjamin and Mosiah from the Book of Mormon, or George Washington
and Abraham Lincoln from our history books. For these men money was not
their primary motivator, but actually risked their own fortunes defending their
country. They were true patriots, whose primary motivation was a love of
God, their fellowmen and their country.
What about teachers? It
is only fair that they should receive the same grades that they give their
students. The best teachers get an A. They are often voted “Teacher
of the Year.” D-level teachers are biding their time until
retirement. They don’t really care for the children in their class and
can even damage or destroy a child’s self-worth by labeling him, calling him
names and publicly ridiculing him.
At our local grade school the
vast majority of our childrens’ teachers have been at the A and B-level.
However, in two different years, two of our children were placed in classes
with D-level teachers. The D-nature of each teacher manifested itself
quite quickly. It was clear that these teachers did not like teaching and
did not like children, often doing cruel things to them. My wife is
intolerant of “C” and “D” level teachers assigned to our children. When
the principal would not or could not move our children to another classroom and
teacher, my wife pulled the children out of the school and placed them in a
distant school less convenient to our family. The inconvenience of
driving them to the other school was a small price to pay for the
life-impacting benefits gained from the better teachers that our children
received, in those instances.
How about
carpenters? Have you ever purchased anything made by a “C” or “D”
level carpenter? What was the product like? Do you still have
it, or did you have to get rid of it because of poor quality? What
kind of carpenter do you think Brigham Young was? Or the carpenter from
Nazareth?
An A-level store owner
gives, in the Savior’s words, a “good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over” (Luke 6:38), while the D-level store owner uses “a
false balance” (Proverbs 11:1) tipped in his favor.
Even for the respected
industry of medicine, there are doctors at the A-level and there are doctors at
the D-level. A D-level doctor is one who will selfishly perform
unnecessary operations to satisfy his greed, or those who have signed up with
rogue Internet pharmacies and prescribe dangerous drugs to people they have not
examined. (See “The Pill Peddlers, Reader’s Digest, Oct. 2004, 141)
The Golden Rule – a
Principle of Happiness and Success
Sometimes
we hear stories of a D-level person who is not playing by the rules and appears
to be prospering and out-performing those who are playing by the rules, almost
as if they had an unfair advantage. In such cases we feel a sense of injustice
and frustration, as noted in this quote from Jeremiah 12:1,
“Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore
are all they happy that deal very treacherously?”
Appearances
can be deceiving. It may seem that the wicked are prosperous and happy,
but we know that “wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10) Given 20 more
years, who do you think the customers will naturally gravitate to, George
Bailey or Mr. Potter? Who will be most successful over the long run with
the greatest customer loyalty?
The most basic of all
marketing principles is to give the customer what he or she wants and
deserves. It is a principle that was taught by the Savior which we know
as the golden rule, “Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets”
(3 Ne. 14:12). Many businesses forget that principle. Some
cut corners and produce inferior products. Some are guilty of price
fixing. Some are guilty of deceptive advertising. These and many
other strategies are the ways Satan tempts men to serve mammon. The
following are some important questions to ask of everyone in the
workforce:
- Do you give an honest day’s work for your pay?
- Are you loyal to your employer?
- Are you honest with the customers?
- Are your products and service of the highest quality?
- Do you charge fair prices?
- Are you concerned for the welfare of your employees?
Scrooge finally started paying
Bob Cratchet a fair wage and providing comfortable working conditions.
Referring once again to the
book, Winners never Cheat, Elder Huntsman referred to a Wall Street
Journal report which ranked attributes that recruiters looked for in hiring
new personnel. He noted that the three highest ranking traits were
Christ-like attributes—Interpersonal skills, an ability to work well within a
team, and personal integrity. “Curiously,” he said, “work experience and
strategic thinking were in the middle of the list of the 20 most desired traits
for new hires.” (Winners never Cheat by Jon M. Huntsman, p
91-92) As the world becomes increasingly more wicked it will become more
and more difficult to find people of integrity. I believe the search for
people of integrity is already drawing more and more recruiters to
BYU-Idaho. You are a rare and highly prized commodity.
Three Helpful Principles:
Some decisions that face members of
the Church are not always easy or clear.
Here are three helpful principles to
help you make A-level choices.
Can you ask the Lord’s
blessings with a clear conscience? We learn in Alma 34:24-25
that you can pray for success in your labors -- “over the crops of your fields,
that ye may prosper in them. . . over the flocks of your fields, that they may
increase.” The Church Handbook of Instruction teaches us
that “Members of the Church should endeavor to be involved in activities and
employment upon which they can conscientiously ask the blessings of the Lord
and which are consistent with the principles of the gospel and the teachings of
the Savior.” (Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1 2006, p.
179)
When questionable products
or services are involved, is the person’s involvement direct or indirect?
Can an A-level grocer, for example, sell coffee and tea to those customers
who know nothing of the Word of Wisdom and for whom it would not be a
sin? The grocer might do so at the request of his customers to meet their
demands when he clearly would never produce coffee himself. His
involvement is indirect.
Does the product or service
hurt society? Some products and services may be
detrimental to the individual while others damage the community. Coffee
and tea, for example, would be products that have individual consequences.
Alcohol and pornography, however, have proven to also have community
consequences. Alcohol has resulted in traffic accidents and domestic
violence; pornography has led to divorce and broken homes, pedophilia, rape,
murder, etc. “Pornography damages individual lives, families, and
society . . . Church members should . . . oppose its production,
dissemination, and use.” (Emphasis added, Church Handbook of
Instructions, Book 1 2010, 166)
An A-level company feels a community
responsibility that goes beyond respecting individual agency or rights and
customer demands.
Years ago, while on a stake
visit, Pres Kimball interviewed a brother who was a grocer by trade. I
quote Pres Kimball,
“What do you sell in this store?’ .
. . ‘Groceries and miscellaneous merchandise.’ ‘Your competitors sell
other things including forbidden things, do they not?’ I asked.
‘Yes, but we have felt it was not right. . . We lost trade, of course. People
leave our store and go to the other store and buy many dollar’s worth of
groceries where they can get a few cans of beer or some wine, but we do not
sell it.’ And I could not refrain from saying, ‘God bless you, my
faithful brother. . . . Your dollars are clean.’” (Melchizedek Priesthood
Personal Study Guide 1984, p. 84)
With these additional
thoughts, we can add one more level to the model which we will label “F”.
Grade
|
Primary Motivation
|
Secondary Motivation
|
A
|
Love ©
|
Income $
|
B
|
Money $
|
Love ©
|
C
|
Love of money $
|
Indifferent to customers
|
D
|
Filthy Lucre $
|
Harmful to customers
|
F
|
Filthy Lucre
|
Harmful to customers and to
society, nations destroyed.
|
F Level At this level are the unscrupulous
individuals and companies whose involvement is ‘direct’ and whose primary
business damages or destroys society.
What about those whose
involvement in F-level products and services is not direct, nor is it their
primary business, such as a grocer who sells beer and wine or pornographic
magazines fearing he will lose business if doesn’t provide it? Because
his primary business and motivation is good, he may not be at the D or F-level,
but due to his disregard for principle #3 above, and as an abettor of the
forbidden, he is now excluded from the A category as that level has been
compromised.
Many at the F-level were
identified earlier at the D-level, but may actually fit better at this level
because of their negative impact on communities and nations. At this
level, we also find the parasites of society, those who don’t contribute, but
only take -- organized crime, con artists, internet scams, Ponzi schemes,
etc. At this level, you have murder and elimination of competition.
It is at this level where secret combinations operate, like the Gadiantons who
destroyed both the Jaredite and the Nephite civilizations and according to
Moroni will be a very real threat in our day. (see Ether 8:24.) These are
they who by secret design and murder place their friends on the “judgment
seats” of the world --dictators and tyrants who destroy nations. The Apostle
Paul referred to such individuals as “rulers of the darkness of this world.”
(Ephesians 6:12)
Some at this level, like
purveyors of pornography, justify their wares based upon law and
legality. Will freedom of speech protect pornography in the New
Jerusalem? Absurd! The phrases, “Pro-choice” and “Freedom of
Speech” when promoted by Satan, are really evil euphemisms masquerading as good
– a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing who is demanding to dine with the
sheep.
A-level and a Zion Society Speaking of the New Jerusalem
and life in the millennium, work in a Zion society will be guided by the law of
consecration and having all things in common. Because the earth has
‘enough and to spare’ there will be no unemployment in the millennium.
The great millennial motivators will be the first two great commandments, a
love of God and a love of fellowmen. It was these same A-level motivators
that resulted in the great prosperity and happiness enjoyed in both the City of
Enoch and with the Nephites for 200 years following the Savior’s visit to
them. One way to prepare for future life in the millennial day is to make
sure our motives and behavior are at the A-level today.
Pres Benson mentioned that,
“It was essentially the sin of pride that kept us from establishing Zion in the
days of the Pro Joseph Smith. It was the same sin of pride that brought
consecration to an end among the Nephites. (See
4 Ne. 1:24–25)
Pride seduces a person from the
A-level to the B-level or lower. It would be difficult, if not
impossible, for a proud person to remain at the A-level, because of the
“enmity” he has towards his fellowmen men, citing Pres. Benson.
(ibid) This enmity is opposite the love of God and our fellowmen
which is the first motivator at the A-level.
Conclusion
A common and recurring nightmare for
many people is to suddenly realize they have forgotten to attend class all
semester, and it is now time for the final exam. In the dream, they are
panic stricken wondering how they could have ever been so absent-minded, with
no time remaining to turn in assignments or to cram for the imminent final
exam. They are grateful to awaken in the morning and realize it was only
a dream.
This
dream has a parallel. For many it will be a nightmare come true, when at
judgment day, they realize they neglected the most important class of their
life and are totally unprepared for the ultimate of all final exams. Alma
forewarned of the nightmare when he asked, “can ye imagine yourselves brought
before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse,
having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance . . . ?
(Alma 5:18)
In A Christmas Carol,
Marley is living this nightmare, bound in the chains he “forged in life, link
by link.” He vocalizes the nightmare, in response to a comment made by
Scrooge, “But you were always a good man of business, Jacob.” “Business!”
cried Marley, . . . “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my
business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my
business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the
comprehensive ocean of my business! . . . Why did I walk through crowds of
fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed
Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? Were there no poor homes to
which its light would have conducted me!” (The Annotated
Christmas Carol, ed. Michael Patrick Hearn (1976), 79)
I
mentioned your mid-term tests and final exams as indicators of your progress in
preparing for a profession, but said they pale in comparison and importance to
the celestial tests the Lord will be monitoring as He observes your daily
behavior in your dealings with your fellowmen. In your pursuit of an
income, may you remember, as Marley stated, that mankind is your true business.
You should be congratulated if you earn “A” grades here at BYU-Idaho, but
they are meaningless if you don’t achieve the more important “A” grade in
life. The Savior is your example in becoming an A-level individual.
In conclusion, may each of you
be guided by the Spirit in all your employment decisions -- in finding A-level
employment and in being an A-level employee, yourself. May you each use
your God-given talents in the service of your fellowmen and making your
communities and world a better place to live.
I bear my testimony of
the Savior and his perfect example. His desire is for you to be happy and
successful -– and to make both a living and a life. He said, “I am come
that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
(John 10:10) He cares for you and will bless you as you follow true and
correct principles, I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
True Blue, Through and Through
Sheri L. Dew Brigham Young University–Idaho
Devotional March 16, 2004
My dear young friends, it is a joy
to be with you, and I pray that the Spirit will speak to each of you who are
ready to hear what He has to say.
A few weeks ago while meeting with
President Gordon B. Hinckley, he asked how work was going. Among other things,
I told him about a difficult decision I had made that in retrospect I now
realized I should have made earlier. “President, I just wish I were smarter,” I
confessed. Without missing a beat, he replied, “I wish you were smarter, too.”
Then, after pausing for effect, he added, “I wish we were all smarter.”
Here at this institution of higher
learning, you’re well aware of the advantages of being smart. Today I want to
talk with you about a virtue that is just plain smart and that will have as
much impact on your happiness, your peace of mind, and your ability to fulfill
your life’s mission as any virtue I can think of.
It is a virtue that will ultimately
make you or break you. It will make or break you as a husband or wife, father
or mother, brother or sister, colleague or friend or leader. It will make or
break your career. And most significantly, it will make or break your efforts
to achieve exaltation. For it will define your relationship with God the
Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.
This is a virtue that every man or
woman of God must come to possess in increasing degrees. It is a virtue found in
every true follower of Jesus Christ.
It is the virtue of
integrity.
We tend to define integrity as
honesty. And without question, it includes that. But telling the truth is just
the beginning of integrity.
President Joseph F. Smith
called integrity “the cornerstone of character” (4 April 1897 General
Conference). And President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of integrity this way: “Men
and women of integrity understand intrinsically that theirs is the precious
right to hold their heads in the sunlight of truth, unashamed before anyone” (Standing
for Something, 29).
An incident in the life of President
Joseph F. Smith bears out this point. In the fall of
1857, the nineteen-year-old Joseph
F. was returning from his mission in Hawaii, and in California he joined a
wagon train. It was a volatile time for the Saints. Johnston’s Army was
marching towards Utah, and many had bitter feelings towards the Church. One
evening several hoodlums rode into camp, cursing and threatening to hurt every
Mormon they could find. Most in the wagon train ran and hid in the brush. But
Joseph F. thought to himself: “Shall I run from these fellows? Why should I
fear them?” With that, he walked up to one of the intruders who, with pistol in
hand, demanded, “Are you a Mormon?” Joseph F. Smith responded, “Yes siree; dyed
in the wool; true blue, through and through.” At that, the hoodlum grasped his
hand and said, “Well you are the [blankety-blank] pleasantest man I ever met!
Shake hands, young fellow. I am glad to see a man that stands up for his
convictions” (See Gospel Doctrine, 518).
I love Joseph F. Smith’s words: true
blue, through and through.
For the purpose of our discussion
today, will you think of integrity as being True. True Blue, Through
and Through. True to yourself, meaning who you are as a son or daughter of
God, and who you are in the process of becoming. True to others, meaning that
you do what you say you will do. And true to God, meaning that you practice
what you preach and that you are doing what you covenanted to do here in
mortality.
Living with integrity isn’t
necessarily easy, but it is far easier than the alternative. Integrity
engenders confidence and peace of mind, whereas breaching integrity always has
painful consequences. A case in poin:
I was raised on a large grain farm
in Kansas, and on a farm you learn to drive as soon as you can see over the
steering wheel and touch the pedals–preferably at the same time. For me, that
was in the fourth grade. So, by the time I got my driver’s license at fourteen,
I was a seasoned veteran behind the wheel. Or so I thought.
That first June after getting my
driver’s license, I was expected to help with harvest. My job was to drive a
grain truck from the field to the elevators, ten miles away via country road.
The trip to the elevator was a straight shot, except for one stop sign to cross
a highway.
Now, it takes hundreds of yards to
grind down through the gears and bring a fully loaded grain truck to a complete
stop. It was a pain for a young girl. Each time I came to that stop sign, I
couldn’t help but think how much easier it would be if I didn’t have to
completely stop. It’s not as though I needed to stop. There was rarely any
traffic on that remote highway. And besides, Kansas is flat. You can stand on a
tuna fish can and see forever. So from the cab of the truck, I could see for
miles. After indulging in these thoughts for a few days, I managed to
rationalize that it was actually a good idea if I just slowed down but didn’t
completely stop.
Which I began to do. And it did make
dealing with the stop sign so much easier. But then something curious
began to happen; and before I knew it, not only was I not stopping, but I
wasn’t doing much more than taking my foot off the pedal briefly, glancing both
ways, and barreling across the highway. I did this day after day, including one
afternoon when I again disregarded the stop sign, sped across the highway, and
proceeded down the dirt country road.
Now, I should point out that a heavy
truck on a dirt road kicks up a lost of dust. That afternoon, after going five
miles, I looked in the rear-view mirror as I slowed to turn a corner and to my
fourteen-year-old horror saw a white car with a rotating red light on top
following me. I had never even seen a policeman out in the country. And after
eating my dust for five miles, he was not all that cheerful. Then, when he saw
how young I was, he demanded to talk with my parents. So with his red lights
still gyrating, he followed me to our farm a mile away. And let’s just say that
it was a painful experience.
I learned three things that day:
First, that with lightening speed, I went from complete observance to complete
disregard of the law. Second, my demise started with a small crack in my
integrity. The instant I talked myself into taking a small liberty, I was on a
slippery slide into full-scale disobedience. And third, there is no such thing
as slightly breaking a law–whether a law of the land or a law of God–because
even a slight breach of integrity opens the door for Satan.
Helaman’s stripling warriors stand
in stark contrast to my performance behind the wheel of the grain truck. They
performed “every word of command with exactness” and “were true
at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted” (Alma 57:21; 53:20).
In other words, they kept their covenants with precision. They were true blue,
through and through. They clearly understood that a half-hearted effort to keep
the Sabbath day holy or to be morally clean or to tell the truth is no effort
at all. Joseph Smith didn’t declare that we usually believe in being
“honest, true, chaste, benevolent, [and] virtuous” (Articles of Faith 1:13). On
Mount Sinai the Lord didn’t say, “Thou shalt rarely covet”; or “Thou
shalt not steal very often”; or “Thou shalt only commit adultery a time
or two.” He said “Thou shalt not,” clearly delineating the line between
integrity and infidelity, a line that when we cross we risk losing control of
our thoughts, motives, and actions. Just as I did in the grain truck.
Integrity is the foundational virtue
upon which all other virtues are dependant. It is the first rung on the
character ladder. Where there is integrity, other virtues will follow. Where
there is no integrity, other virtues have no chance of developing.
Falsehood and breaches of integrity
are as old as Cain and Abel. Today there seem to be flagrant violations of
integrity everywhere–the newsroom, the locker room, the board room, even the
court room. We have endured so many outrageous national scandals that obscene
abuses of power and money seem almost ho-hum. Leaders at the highest levels of
government have committed unspeakable breaches of integrity–and then lied until
forced to confess. Executives in one corporation after another have bilked
investors out of billions. Some have lost fame and fortune simply because they
lied.
Four years ago, prior to the last
presidential election, I was invited to address an east coast professional
organization on the topic of leadership. The “gist” of my message was that true
leaders embodied certain virtues–with the key virtue being integrity–because a
man or woman who can’t be trusted can’t really lead.
After the presentation, an
accomplished businesswoman approached me. “You know,” she said, “I’ve never
thought about the connection between leadership and integrity. But I guess it
really is impossible to lead people if they don’t trust you.”
Her reaction stunned me! Who wants
to be led by a liar? Tell me, do you care if the professor who determines your
grades is fair? Do you care if your banker is honest? Would you like to know
that your surgeon didn’t cheat his way through his residency? Do you care if
the person you’re dating tells you the truth about his life, his past, and his
feelings about everything from the gospel to what kind of family he wants to
have?
Of course you do, because it is not
possible to develop a relationship, any relationship–whether between
husband/wife, parent/child, teacher/student, or business/customer– with someone
you can’t trust. There is a reason adultery is referred to as “cheating,” because
it constitutes such a cruel breach of trust. And trust, which can only be
engendered in an atmosphere of integrity, is the keystone that holds every
organization together–whether it is a marriage or a family, a business or a
nation, or even the kingdom of God.
Prophets ancient and modern have
provided patterns to emulate. Consider Joseph, whose rotten brothers sold him
into Egypt and then lied about it. In stark contrast to his brothers, Joseph’s
integrity held fast under the most trying of circumstances. Consider his words
as he resisted the seductive advances of Potiphar’s licentious wife:
Behold, my master...hath committed
all that he hath to my hand;...neither hath he kept back any thing from me but
thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and
sin against God? (Genesis 39:9).
Joseph was unwilling to betray
either his friend or his God. He was true blue.
Job set an example of integrity for
the ages. Even after losing his wealth, his health, and his family, he
declared, “Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. My
righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go” (Job 27:4-6).
Then there was Saul, who went about
destroying the Church–until his remarkable conversion. From that time forward,
the Apostle Paul was faithful to his charge to “bear [the Lord’s] name
before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). He
was stoned, persecuted, arrested, and bound in chains (See Acts 14:19; 21:33).
Yet even before King Agrippa, he boldly declared the truth and was true to what
he knew to be true.
Prophets in our day have been
similarly valiant, beginning with the Prophet Joseph, whose vision of the
Father and the Son consigned him to a lifelong crucible. He was mocked and
persecuted, tarred and feathered, imprisoned for months at a time, and betrayed
by trusted friends. Through it all he declared,
I had actually seen a light, and in
the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to
me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision,
yet it was true;...I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it,
and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it”
(JS-H 1:25).
The Prophet Joseph never backed
down. His was stunning integrity under stunning circumstances.
Joseph’s successors have followed
suit. Elder Ezra Taft Benson was an Apostle when President Dwight D. Eisenhower
appointed him to serve in his Cabinet as Secretary of Agriculture. For eight
years the press routinely battered Secretary Benson for his policies. But over
time, he won the respect of even his opponents. A reporter for the New York
Times explained why:
He acts like a man whose
conscience is always clear–his testimony today will be the same next week...or
a year from now. He doesn’t have to remember what he said to an opposition
Senator at their last meeting. This is a built-in ulcer-saving device not
always found in Washington” (New York Times Magazine, 11 April
1954).
Through it all Elder Benson lived by
this statement: “I feel it is good strategy to stand up for the right, even
when it is unpopular. Perhaps I should say, especially when it is unpopular” (Ezra
Taft Benson, 373).
President Gordon B. Hinckley has
also been a model of integrity. After he was interviewed by Mike Wallace for
“60 Minutes,” I spoke with Mr. Wallace about their interview. Of the many
things Wallace praised President Hinckley for, he seemed most impressed with
the fact that the prophet had done everything in connection with their
interview that he had promised to do. When I later offered to show Mr. Wallace
how I intended to quote him in President Hinckley’s biography, he replied,
“That’s not necessary. You’re a Mormon. I trust you.” Do you really think this
hard-hitting veteran journalist believes every member of the Church is
trustworthy? Of course he doesn’t! He is not that naive. But his statement was
not a reflection of me or of us, it was a reflection of President Hinckley.
Wallace was saying, in effect, “If you are associated with that man, then I assume
that you, too, will do what you have said you will do.”
Such trust can only be earned one
person at a time. Do you do what you say you will do? Can you keep a
confidence? Does your signature on a document or a check or your temple
recommend mean something? Your word is who you are. No wonder James the
Apostle taught that “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways”
(James 1:8).
Indeed, anything that lacks
integrity is unstable, as any engineer will tell you. A bridge or skyscraper
that has structural integrity does what it was built to do. It isn’t
necessarily perfect. It could have flaws. But, under stress and repeated use,
it does what it was built to do. If, on the other hand, a structure does not
have structural integrity, it will at some point fail, as was the case with the
world’s first jet airliner, the British-made de Havilland Comet.
When the Comet was introduced in
1949, the future seemed bright for jet travel–until three Comets disintegrated
in flight, killing all aboard. The planes were grounded as puzzled engineers
worked feverishly to understand why these planes had operated flawlessly at
first, only to later break apart in mid-air. The engineers set up a fuselage in
a large pool and pumped water in and out, simulating the effects of repeated
cabin pressurization. At first, the experiment revealed nothing. But then it
yielded a startling discovery. The repeated stress caused small cracks to form
around the rectangular windows, cracks that soon widened into gaping holes. The
planes could not withstand repeated pressure. They lacked structural integrity.
You and I live in a world filled
with pressure–pressure to accomplish, pressure to get ahead, pressure to
conform, pressure to be popular. And so on. None of us are perfect. We all have
flaws. How then, under repeated pressure, may we avoid allowing small cracks in
our integrity to form so that we can do what we came here to do? How can we
stay true blue–to ourselves, to others, and to our Father and His Son?
May I suggest seven things that will
help us become men and women of integrity:
1.Decide today, once and for all,
that you will be worthy of trust–the trust of family and friends,
colleagues and business associates, and most of all, the Lord. The more the
Lord trusts you, the more knowledge and power He will give you.
Consider the exquisite promise the
Lord made Nephi, son of Helaman: “Blessed art thou, Nephi, for I have beheld
how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word...unto this
people....Because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness,...I will make
thee mighty in word and in deed,...yea, even that all things shall be done unto
thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my
will.” Nephi had proven himself to the Lord. And because the Lord could trust
him, He increased Nephi’s access to His knowledge and power.
Trust is equally crucial to our
relationships here. I have seen marriages crumble because husbands and wives
couldn’t trust each other’s word or motives or faithfulness. I have seen
families disintegrate because small cracks in a parent’s integrity led to
gaping emotional and spiritual holes. I repeat what I said earlier: It is not
possible to build a relationship with someone you can’t trust. And nowhere is
this more evident than in a marriage and family.
I know of a couple who struggled for
years to build a satisfying relationship, but without success. The husband had
learned to lie when the going got tough, and then lie about lying. His wife, on
the other hand, was so consumed with her desire to be liked and well thought of
that she never discovered who she was–rather than who she thought
everyone expected her to be. She spent her time and money doing and buying
things to be “seen of men and women.” Both husband and wife were, in their own
way, disingenuous. Neither were true to themselves, so their love could not
grow.
During the two years I have served
as the president of a company, I have gained new appreciation for how
fundamental trust is to every relationship. As I selected individuals to serve
as officers in our company, I found myself asking three questions: Can I trust
this person’s motives? Can I trust this person’s judgment? Can I trust that he
or she will tell me the truth? I realized that, while skills were imperative, integrity
was even more so.
The Holy Ghost is not able to
inspire or endorse the words or actions of someone who is not true and who
can’t be trusted. So decide now, today, once and for all, that at all cost you
will be a man or woman of integrity who can be trusted.
2. Have faith that the Lord can
and will help you, and then diligently seek His help.
Nehi exemplifies this. Repeatedly he
was true to the Lord’s commands, even when they
seemed implausible. Retrieve the
brass plates from Laban? Hunt food with a broken bow? Build a ship without
tools or experience? Yet repeatedly, the “I-will-go-and-do Nephi” went and did
(See 1 Nephi 3:7). His response when his brothers called him a “fool” for
attempting to build a ship was classic Nephi: “If the Lord has such great
power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it
that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship” (1 Nephi 17: 51).
And build a ship he did, because he knew the Lord would help him.
Faith is the first principle of the
gospel because it is our faith that activates the power of the Atonement in our
lives. If your faith is wobbly, if you’re not sure the Lord will come to your
aid, put Him to the test “Even if ye can only desire to believe, let this
desire work in you” (Alma 32:27). The results will astound you, for God “worketh
by power, according to the faith of the children of men” (Moroni 10:7).
Challenges that test our faith are almost always opportunities to strengthen
our faith. So believe the Lord will help you, and then diligently seek after
His help.
3. Make covenants and keep them.
In other words, do what you say you will do. This begins with keeping the
covenants you made at baptism and again in the House of the Lord, and then
being precisely, completely true to those covenants.
But it also includes being fair and
square with others. Here is a sample checklist: Do you do what you say you will
do, or do you often make excuses for not coming through? Will you rationalize
taking advantage of someone else if it is to your advantage? Are you
doing your own classwork? Do you give your best effort at work or just put in
time? Do you pay a full tithe? Are you really living the Honor Code?
Would you date your best friend’s boyfriend behind her back? Are you honest
with those you date, or are you leading someone on because no one better has
come along and you don’t want to sit home Friday night? Are you straight with
your parents about how you spend their money? If you could improve your chance
for graduate school by cheating, would you do it? What DVDs do you watch and
web sites do you visit when you’re alone? Are you honest and moral in the dark
of night as well as broad daylight? Are you true to those who have trusted you
with their love and confidence? Are you living worthy of the kind of man or
woman you hope to marry, and of the children whom our Father will entrust to
your care?
Please understand, I am not asking
these questions for my benefit. But I am inviting you to enroll today in
Integrity 101 and ask yourself these and other similar questions.
Because now is the time to learn to be precisely honest. Now is the time to
commit yourself to a life of integrity. I can promise that in future days you
will face dilemmas far more complex than the ones I have mentioned, but dilemmas
that can almost always be resolved if you are fair and honest and true. So in
your youth, learn wisdom; yea, learn...to keep the commandments of God with
exactness (see Alma 37:35). Learn to be true to every covenant you make.
4. Stand up for what you believe.
In fact, look for every opportunity to do so. Don’t be showy
or loud about it, and please don’t ever criticize or judge others in the
process. But relish every opportunity to stand for something, to be true to
what you know is right.
Nine days after Heber J. Grant was
born, his father died and his widowed mother Rachel was left to carry on. She
tried to support her young son by working as a seamstress and taking in
boarders, but they remained desperately poor. Rachel’s well-to-do brothers offered
her a life of ease if she would renounce the Church. But she could not bring
herself to turn her back on the gospel. Her prophet-son later spoke often about
the dramatic impact her devotion had on him.
It is not possible to denounce who
you are, or to live beneath who you are, and be happy. True happiness comes
only when you are living up to who you are. King Benjamin understood this when
he described the “happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.
For...they are blessed in all things” (Mosiah 2:41).
If you want to feel real joy,
keep the commandments and be true to who you are. It is actually easier to
stand up for what you believe than to not do so. I was reminded of this
last summer, when I was invited to speak about the family to a gathering of
United Nations diplomats. I agonized over what to say to such a diverse group.
In the end, I simply explained that my parents had taught me as a child that
personal virtue was essential for a happy marriage and family, and that in my
youth I had promised God that I would live a chaste life.
I then acknowledged that, though I
had not yet had the chance to marry, I had kept my promise. “It hasn’t always
been easy to stay morally clean,” I admitted. “It has required some
self-discipline. But on balance, it has been far easier than the alternative. I
have never spent one second worrying about an unwanted pregnancy or disease. I
have never had a moment’s anguish because a man used and then discarded me. And
when I do marry, I will do so without regret. So you see,” I concluded, “I
believe a moral life is actually an easier and a happier life.”
I worried about how such a
sophisticated audience would respond to a message about virtue and abstinence,
but to my surprise they leaped to their feet in applause–not because of me, but
because the Spirit had borne witness of the truth of that message. The happiest
people I know are those who have the integrity to stand up for what they
believe.
5. Expect your integrity to be
challenged. Metaphorically speaking, be on the
lookout for Potiphar’s wife. She will show up again and again. Be ready to
leave your cloak in her hand and flee again and again, because Satan won’t
tempt you just once. Moses had to resist Satan’s temptations four times. And he
had to tell Satan to beat it four times before he finally left–and that was
after ranting and raving, weeping and wailing, and exposing Moses to the
bitterness of hell (see Moses 1:19-22).
You too will have to tell Satan to
beat it over and over again. Never forget that we are here on probation. We are
here to be tested and to show, by our choices, whether we want to be part of
the Kingdom of God more than we want anything else. Satan knows this. So count
on the fact that your integrity will be tested. It will be tested in ways large
and small. This is actually a blessing, for you don’t really know what you
believe until your beliefs are tested. You don’t know if you’re honest until
your honesty is tested. You don’t know if you really prize chastity until your
virtue is tested. You don’t know if you can be trusted–with someone’s feelings,
with money, with influence, with power–until your trust is tested. In every
trial comes a moment of truth when you must decide what you really believe.
So count on tests of your integrity.
But also know that every time we choose to be obedient, every time we make a
tough but righteous choice, our integrity is fortified.
6. Don’t give up.
This is a lifelong process. I am fifty years old, and I have to work at this
every day. The older I get, and the more determined I become to keep the
commandments with exactness, the more often I find myself seizing the
opportunity to repent, ask for forgiveness from the Lord and others, and then
try again. Daily repentance and precise obedience are crucial to increasing
integrity. But then, that is the pattern of life. And when you do something
that intro-duces a crack into your integrity, if you are paying attention the
Spirit will let you know through His whisperings and the workings of your
conscience that you have something to work on.
I was recently in the Midwest when a
woman approached me and asked if I was the president of Deseret Book. When I
nodded yes, she handed me a check and with emotion said, “Years ago I had a
financial setback and could not pay a bill I owed your company. I have felt
guilty ever since. Please take this so that my conscience can be clear again.”
No one except the Savior will live a
perfect life, and no one is perfected in a day. It takes time and sheer work to
develop and refine our integrity. Heber J. Grant said it this way: “I know
of no easy formula for success. Persist, persist, PERSIST; work, work, WORK–is
what counts in the battle of life” (Teachings of HJG, p. 36).
So learn to delight in repenting and
obeying. And don’t give up.
7. Covenant–or perhaps I should
say, renew your covenant–with our Father and His Son to do what you came here
to do. For doing what we agreed to do
premortally is the ultimate expression of our integrity.
As in all things, the Savior is the
supreme example of perfectly fulfilling His foreordained mission. Premortally,
when our Father outlined His plan and the need for a Redeemer, the Savior
responded, “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27).
He came, lived a sinless life, and
at the appointed hour submitted to the agony of Gethsemane. He didn’t do it for
Himself; He was already a God. He did it for you and me.
Perhaps even the Savior didn’t
completely comprehend the depths to which He would be required to go, for there
came that moment of unspeakable anguish when He pleaded, “Father, if thou be
willing, remove this cup from me.” But then, in the midst of His agony, He
demonstrated supernal integrity by adding: “Nevertheless, not my will, but
thine, be done” (Luke 22:41-43).
There was no ram in the thicket this
time. The Son of God did what He was sent here to do. His was the ultimate
honoring of a commitment. And it was also an unparalleled example of something
that should give each of us great courage. For at that sublime moment of
submission, “there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening
him” (Luke 22:43). Even the Savior wasn’t required to complete His mission
alone. And neither are we, if we too honor our eternal commitments and submit
ourselves to God.
Later, on the cross, the Savior
uttered seven final words: “It is finished, thy will is done” (JST
Matthew 27:54). From “Here am I, send me” to “It is finished, thy will is
done,” we have a pattern of perfect integrity.
We too made premortal commitments,
among them surely being a willingness to come during this “eleventh hour”
(see D&C 33:3). Surely we followed our Elder Brother’s example. Perhaps we
said something like this: “If you need someone who will have the courage and
determination to face the world at its worst, here am I, send me. If you need
husbands and wives who will be faithful to each other, raise their children in
the admonition of the Lord, and defend the family, here am I, send me. If you
need men and women who will see through the lies of the world about family and
gender and intimacy, and who will never confuse being tolerant of others with
tolerating sin, here am I, send me. If you need men and women who can think
straight in a confused, twisted world, here am I, send me. If you need men and
women who will be fearless in building the kingdom of God, please, here am I,
send me.”
Two weeks ago, President Boyd K.
Packer said this:
The world is spiraling downward at
an ever-quickening pace. I am sorry to tell you that it will not get better. I
know of nothing in the history of the Church or in the history of the world to
compare with our present circumstances. Nothing happened in Sodom and Gomorrah
which exceeds the wickedness and depravity which surrounds us now....The first
line of defense–the home–is crumbling. Surely you can see what the adversary is
about. We are now exactly where the prophets warned we would be
(Boyd K. Packer, BYU J. Reuben Clark Law Society Devotional, 28 February 2004).
My dear young friends, whom I
believe to be the best this world has ever seen, you were sent now because you
have everything it takes to deal with the world now. You were put through your
paces premortally. That you are here now speaks to how well you did. You have
it in you to not only withstand the pressures of the last days but to triumph over
them.
Now, that doesn’t mean you are all
living up to who you are. Some of you no doubt need to make course corrections.
To help with this, I invite you to undergo the spring cleaning to end all
spring cleanings by enrolling in Integrity 101. Let me outline the coursework.
First, take an inventory of your integrity by asking yourself the kind of
questions I listed earlier. Look for cracks that may have started to form. Be
honest with yourself about your past dishonesties. Second, for the next 30 days
take time every night to assess how you did that day. Were you true to yourself
and to others? Were you true to God in every situation? See if it makes a
difference in what you say, how you spend your time and money, the decisions
you make, and what you repent of. See if it also makes a difference in how you
feel about yourself and your life.
And finally, as you become more
fully aware of your strengths and weaknesses, turn to the Savior more
frequently and with increasing fervor. Thank our Father for the gift of His Son
and the privilege of repenting. Express your deep desire to live with
integrity. And then plead for help. The Savior has the power to help you
change. He has the power to help you turn weakness into strength. He has the
power to make you better than you have ever been.
I know that this is true, for I have
felt His redeeming and enabling power again and again and again. May we come to
be more true than we have ever been before–true to ourselves, true to others,
and true to God, with whom we have made sacred covenants. May we be like the
Sons of Helaman–who were strict to remember God day in and day out, and
who were true at all times to whatsoever thing with which they had been
entrusted. May we be true blue, through and through.
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