Dear Elders and Sisters:
I trust the title is descriptive. It was a prompting I received during two
talks yesterday in Modesto North's Stake Conference. I knew if the Quorum of the Twelve could have
been there they would have given the spiritual equivalent of a standing
ovation. I wanted to stand up and shout:
"Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" So if I have your attention, please read
on. It was amazing.
Sister Cook had been asked to speak and was followed by
her husband. Here's their story. She grew up in Utah and was baptized at age
8. Her family moved to Modesto when she was 11 and after some real challenges
her parents ended up divorcing. In her
own words she: "lost her way and quit going to church and started doing
things she was not proud of." In
her early 20s she met Jason and fell in love.
He was a young father of two girls and was very committed to them. They married and had two boys together. Neither had been active in their religion but
as they were raising children they decided they would serve them by attending
church so they split time and attendance between their respective churches -
one week at the LDS Church, one week at the Baptist Church - but soon a trend
began where they attended more weeks at the LDS Church than the Baptist
Church. One day their nine year old boy
(about 1 year ago) came forward and asked to be baptized. Sister Cook (Mom) said: "You'll have to
work it out with your father." But the son was afraid to talk to Dad. This broke Dad's heart and got him thinking
about some things.
Commentary: Please note at this point I have not said
anything about Missionaries. One of the
important principles about the Hastening of the Work is that He (the Lord) is
hastening His work. He is doing all the
work. He is preparing His children
everywhere to receive the gospel - from nine year old boys to 38 year old men.
He has Less Active Members He is working on.
He is working on innocent, sweet nine year old boys. He can get a family to recognize there is
more in the LDS Church than the Baptist Church and get them to spend their
Sunday's at His true church. He can
soften the heart of a 38 year old father when a nine year old son steps forward
wanting to be baptized. As He states in
D&C 88:73 "I will hasten my work in its time." and in 2 Nephi 27
"I can do mine own work!" It
is His work! He is doing it! He's doing all the preparing of and for His
children to receive the gospel, to repent and come into the Kingdom. He is hastening His work and it is just up to
us as to whether and to what extent we will participate.
So, on with the story: They call the missionaries in
(Elder Spendlove was mentioned) to teach the son and he is heading towards
baptism. On his way there he challenges
his sister of 11 years of age to get baptized.
She wants to. Then the older daughter of 14 years of age is challenged
by her sister and she says she will if Dad will. Dad has been feeling some things and noting
that with each step he takes toward becoming reconciled with God his life gets
better and better. As a result of a ward
member encouraging him, he decides to get baptized as well. They will go to the temple very soon to be
sealed as a family.
Do you see the beauty of it all? Can you see why the Brethren would want to
applaud that? You have a member that is
rescued - changes her ways, repents, and becomes active again. You have four of Heavenly Father's children
now baptized and a family on the way to the Temple to be sealed. Missionaries were involved as teachers and I
am sure, given the great love the Cooks have for Elder Spendlove, did a
wonderful job teaching. You have Member
help which was a big factor in Dad getting baptized and you have a Ward that is
strengthened by their activity as they participate in callings. Find!
Teach! Baptize! Rescue!
I am sure the Twelve would applaud that with loud acclaim - at least
spiritually. I am sure they would want
to give this family, the Missionaries, and the Members the Spiritual Equivalent
of a Standing Ovation.
And He allows us to participate with Him in His
work. How kind and generous He is to do
so. Please do not waste a moment of the
time He has given you to participate with Him in the Hastening of His
work. It is a wonderful work and it will
go forward! With the opportunity to
participate with Him, our lives can and will be forever changed and
blessed. Just like the Twelve would want
to, I offer you the Spiritual Equivalent of a Standing Ovation for being so
Worthy, so Obedient, so Committed, and so Focused and for serving with No
Regrets!
Sister Clark and I love you! We cheer for you and pray for you in all
diligence! And we applaud all you do to
better participate and keep pace with Him in the Hastening of the Work!
With all my love,
President Clark
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