Building The Character of Christ Through Emulation
Dear Elders and Sisters:
It was such a blessing to be with you in Zone Conference
this past week and I am so thankful for how prepared and ready to receive
revelation and training you were. I will
trust there was something for each of you in what was taught and
presented. I am deeply appreciative of
Sister Clark and her wonderful training, especially her excellent instruction
on "Teaching with the Spirit". Likewise, I am grateful to Elders Speer and
Olsen for all they taught, particularly how we can and should plan in great
faith!
As reinforcement and to provide future study material for
you, I am providing below many of the quotes and insights from my training on
character. If there is one thing that
would be on the top of my list to teach you, for you to learn, and to
ultimately become, it is someone with the "Character of Christ". As we discussed, we must move from worship to
adoration and ultimately emulation of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A study of His life as contained in the
Gospels and studying and observing His character through a study of Faith in
Him and His Atonement in the Book of Mormon will help you do so. In the end, wouldn't you want to teach as He
would, invite as He does, and lift and love our Heavenly Father's Children
towards home as He has.
From Brigham Young: ". . . I will take the liberty
of saying to every man and woman who wishes to obtain salvation through him
(the Savior) that looking to him, only, is not enough: they must have faith in
his name, character and atonement; and they must have faith in his father and
in the plan of salvation devised and wrought out by the Father and the Son.
What will this faith lead to? It will lead to obedience to the requirements of
the Gospel;..." (Journal of Discourses, Vol.13, p. 56, Brigham Young, July
18, 1869)
Jesus' character necessarily underwrote His remarkable
atonement. Without Jesus' sublime character there could have been no sublime
atonement! His character is such that He "[suffered] temptations of every
kind" (Alma 7:11), yet He gave temptations "no heed" (Doctrine
and Covenants 20:22). Someone has said only those who resist temptation really
understand the power of temptation. Because Jesus resisted it perfectly, He
understood temptation perfectly, hence He can help us. The fact that He was
dismissive of temptation and gave it "no heed," reveals His marvelous
character, which we are to emulate (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:22; 3 Nephi
12:48; 27:27). (O How Great the Plan of Our God, Maxwell, Feb 1995)
From President Spencer W. Kimball: “Integrity (which
includes the willingness and ability to live by our beliefs and commitments) is
one of the foundation stones of good character, and without good character one
cannot hope to enjoy the presence of God here or in the eternities… Some ['pick
and choose between'] standards as important and denigrate the other as trivial
and as intruding on their freedom of choice. These 'persons' fundamentally
miss-perceive the question, which is not whether the [standards of excellence
are] wise, but whether they should consider themselves bound by a promise. It
is not that such a [standard] is forced upon anyone; there is free choice to
come here. Once having elected to come
here and to participate in this [mission] with its special calling to represent
the Church and its highest standards, you must not compromise your integrity by
promising what you will and will not do.”
“This [mission] has no justification for its existence
unless it builds character, creates and develops faith, and makes men and women
of strength and courage, fortitude, and service—men and women who will become
stalwarts in the kingdom and bear witness of the . . . divinity of the gospel
of Jesus Christ. It is not justified on the basis of [baptisms] only.” (adapted
from “On My Honor” BYU devotional address, 1978 and quote from Mission Tour
given in England by Spencer W. Kimball)
From Elder Oaks: "“Character is not about what we
know but about who we are – and who we become.” (Oaks, Ensign, Nov 2000)
One observer stated: "The heart cannot be taught in
a classroom intellectually, to students mechanically taking notes. . . . You
can’t teach it or email it or tweet it. It has to be discovered within the
depths of one’s own heart when a person is finally ready to go looking for it.
What a wise person teaches is the smallest part of what they give. The totality
of their life, of the way they go about it in the smallest details, is what
gets transmitted. Never forget that. The message is in the person.” (Brooks, Road
to Character)
“In addition to Christ’s example, the gospel of Jesus
Christ offers us access to the truths of the plan of salvation, the gift of the
Holy Ghost, and the redemptive, transforming power of Christ’s Atonement. These
inestimable gifts provide a comprehensive framework that gives us the
opportunity to ultimately perfect our character. If we keep these things active
in our lives, we can have the faith we need to keep going when we stumble—as we
all will—and the power to improve—as we all must.” (Worthen, Building
Character, BYU Speeches)
And from Elder Bednar: “Let me suggest that you and I
must be praying and yearning and striving and working to cultivate a
Christ-like character if we hope to receive the spiritual gift of charity--the
pure love of Christ. Charity is not a trait or characteristic we acquire
exclusively through our own purposive persistence and determination. Indeed we must honor our covenants and live
worthily and do all that we can do to qualify for the gift; but ultimately the
gift of charity possesses us--we do not possess it (see Moroni 7:47). The Lord
determines if and when we receive all spiritual gifts, but we must do all in
our power to desire and yearn and invite and qualify for such gifts. As we
increasingly act in a manner congruent with the character of Christ, then
perhaps we are indicating to heaven in a most powerful manner our desire for
the supernal spiritual gift of charity. And clearly we are being blessed with
this marvelous gift as we increasingly reach outward when the natural man or
woman in us would typically turn inward.” (Bednar, The Character of Christ)
Thank you for coming to serve and allowing your service
to bless and change lives, including and especially your own.
With much love, respect, and admiration!
President Clark
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