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Okay. So you're here for some great church

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leadership content. The podcast is great, but there's

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also another piece of content you need to

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be enjoying each week. It is the Leading

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Saints email newsletter.

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Now I get it, email newsletters feel so

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02/2006,

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you know, but it isn't as old fashioned

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as you might think. It's actually one of

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the most popular pieces of content that Leading

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Saints produces.

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Each week I share a unique leadership thought

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that can only be found in the newsletter.

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I keep it short and sweet. Most can

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read it in less than five minutes. And

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then we share with you recent content you

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might have missed, throwback episodes, and leading saints

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events that happen more often than you might

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anticipate.

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If you want to make sure you are

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on the email list, simply visit leadingsaints.org/fourteen.

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That's leadingsaints.org/1four.

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That will also get you fourteen days access

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saints in your inbox by going to leadingsaints.org/14

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or click the link in the show notes.

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The following episode is a throwback

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episode, one that was published previously and was

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extremely popular. To see the details of when

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this was originally published, see the show notes.

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Enjoy this throwback episode.

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I got an email the other day from

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an individual. I forget where he is in

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the world, but he says, Kurt, I love

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Leading Saints, and I listen to it

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every time I'm on the treadmill.

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And then one time during an interview, he

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heard that Leading Saints has a YouTube channel.

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And like all the interviews, at least the

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vast majority of them are video recorded, and

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you can watch the video recording of the

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podcast episodes. And I'm like, yeah, man. Get

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on there. Go subscribe on YouTube to Leading

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Saints, and you can,

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get a visual of the interview and not

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just an audio experience.

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And even if you're not a big YouTube

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user, I do us a favor because this

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actually helps us gain more reach and

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expose our content

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to individuals who could really benefit from it

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leaders around the world. So regardless if you

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are on YouTube a lot or not go

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to YouTube and search for leading saints, find

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the familiar red logo and just subscribe. Even

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if you don't plan to,

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view every episode there, that's gonna help us

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gain a larger audience and more reach, dial

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in the algorithm,

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and, we'll start showing up on leaders' feeds

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that they didn't know how much they're missing

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here at Leading Saints. So head on over

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to YouTube, search for Leading Saints, and subscribe

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to our channel. And leave a comment every

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once in a while, but be nice.

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Today, I'm in person with my guest, professor

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Michael Goodman. How are you? Wonderful. Thanks. How

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are you? Good. Now we I feel like

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we've used and abused you at Leading Saints

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with the various

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interviews and things, but, you're back again for

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more. Happily.

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So and I'm glad you agreed to it.

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And what I wanted to do with this

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session

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is I wanted to get a BYU religion

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professor

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who spends his time studying, researching, oftentimes putting

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curriculum together all around the related doctrines for

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single adults in the church, whether that's eternal

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marriage,

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you know, this life, the next life, sealing

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and all these things

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that relates and

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fire some questions at and see what we

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can learn. So Super.

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You maybe for individuals who aren't familiar with

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you and your background, maybe just put yourself

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into context with that. K. My PhD is

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in marriage and family, and that was

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wonderful opportunity to formalize a passion that I've

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always had, which is to understand what makes

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marriage work, what makes family work.

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I'm a mutt,

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so I've got a I've got an associates

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in business, a bachelor's in journalism, a master's

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in IT, and a PhD in marriage and

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family, and I teach religion. So Oh, goodness.

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So I'm a high quality mutt, or at

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least a mutt one way or the other,

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but it's given me a background and a

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perspective

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academically that helps me to speak on different

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topics. I've had many wonderful opportunities to serve

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in the church. I've been a BYU Bishop.

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I've been a Mission President. I've served on

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several general committees for the church. Currently, I

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am doing that.

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So,

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yeah, that's about me in a nutshell. And

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sounds like a well rounded, individual. So that's

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good. Yeah. That's great. So

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you were you chaired the committee of putting

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together the eternal family or what what what's

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the course called? Eternal family. Cur eternal families.

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And and this is a religion course that

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every student BYU takes. Is that right? Exactly.

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So there's a there are four core what

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we call cornerstone classes that every BYU student

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has to take from the religion department.

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One based around the bible, one based around

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the doctrine of covenants, one based around the

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Book of Mormon and

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the eternal family. What? I was the chair

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of the group that put that together and

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also wrote the BYU online

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curriculum for that. Great. Great. So, you're a

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go to here. You'll if if there is

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an answer, you probably have it. So I'll

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give you an answer. You left your side

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of it. So I alright. But, yeah, I've

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I've got a little bit of experience with

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this. Cool. Well, let's start there. As far

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as, like, how does BYU handle teaching eternal

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families and marriage, especially in a group that

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you're hoping is moving towards maybe that ceiling

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ordinance, you know? You bet. We've got the

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the interesting reality here is that about 80%

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of our students are single, 20%,

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maybe a little less sometimes are married. So

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we're teaching a mixed

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status

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audience.

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But the the class is meant to teach

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the doctrines and principles

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that God has revealed through prophets

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regarding the the the

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eternal nature of family. Now, most of us

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who teach it, including myself, have PhDs in

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the topic

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act are active social scientists. So we will

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add some of those things to the material.

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But the reality is the course is based

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on what have prophets, seers, and revelators taught

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regarding the nature of marriage and family in

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the eternities and how to take those truths

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and some of the things we learned from

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day to day living and help people succeed

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in in their marriage and family life. Yeah.

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And I would guess, like even in other

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religious institutions or colleges, I mean, there's no

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family type of curriculum that they're getting. Yeah.

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This is a bit unique.

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There are there are family systems, more of

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a secular study of the family.

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There are

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classes that are explicitly based on

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on either people's best guess or the science

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behind how do you do marriage better. And

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most of those are based in communication or

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some other thing. This class is quite unique

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in in its focus on

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we understand to be eternal principles related to

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this. Now, eternal principles are crucial when you're

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trying to understand what's gonna happen in the

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next life in the nature of marriage and

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family, but we also talk about Monday and

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we talk about sexuality and we talk about

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communication. We do all those things as well,

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but we put that into the context of

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the the plan of salvation. Yeah. Yeah. So

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where's do we start building a foundation here

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as far as the as doctrine related to

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eternal family? And, obviously,

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our hope is to help leaders or other

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individuals better understand this to be a better

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help to maybe those who haven't had that

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that blessing

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in this life to some extent. You bet.

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It's an interesting challenge because

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all the other core classes and what you

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think of as, for instance, seminary classes, they're

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all based around a a volume of scripture.

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And so our children, from the time they're

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in primary, are studying and restudying and restudying

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Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Bible, all

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that. And so by the time they hit

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BYU, they've got a pretty solid foundation.

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Though it's true in the church, we talk

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about the family a lot.

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It's

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often a lot of the family's great, the

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Family's wonderful. The family's eternal. You should like

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family. Name Jesus Christ, amen. And we move

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on. And so we

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from primary on, we're not doing a lot

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of teaching of the foundations, the doctrines, the

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the realities eternally behind it. And so when

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students come to BYU,

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we don't generally have to convince them that

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the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day

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Saints values marriage or values family.

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But totally honestly,

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many of them could not explain why

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in detail. I don't want to be insulting

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in any way, but but there's a lot

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of learning that goes on in that class.

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And so

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our class is is it's interesting. We were

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when this process was happening, when we were

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trying to decide what the core classes of

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religion would be, There were a few of

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our my beloved friends, my fellow faculty members

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that weren't real comfortable with the family being

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there because it wasn't based on

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a scriptural text. Mhmm. This class is based

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in the teachings of living prophets. Yes, we

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use scripture. Yes, we take principles from

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that. But it's the only one of the

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four core classes that is actually a

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modern prophets

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based class as much as it is anything

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else. And so we have an opportunity to

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try and help our students

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basically from it's not just first date to

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chosen mate. It's not just the concept of

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how to value it and get married, but

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to see where marriage and where family fit

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in the eternities. And so you ask the

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question, where do we start? Doctrinally,

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interestingly, we start

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scripturally. And so so for example, we'll bring

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students to doctrine and covenants one thirty one

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if I'd just read just a Yeah. Yeah.

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Just a smidge just for fun. Right? And

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most students can almost quote this. Right? In

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the celestial glory, there are three heavens or

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degrees.

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And in order to attain the highest, a

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man must enter into this order of the

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priesthood,

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which, by the way, when the scripture was

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given or when it was written down by

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Joseph Scribe, the parenthetical statement, meaning the new

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and everlasting covenant of marriage, was not part

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of the text. That was added later by

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Brigham Young. But in order to obtain the

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highest, a man must enter into this order

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of the priesthood. And if he does not,

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he cannot obtain it. Obtain what? Obtain the

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highest degree,

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in the celestial kingdom. He may enter into

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00:09:57,945 --> 00:09:59,490
the others, but that is the end of

265
00:09:59,490 --> 00:10:01,649
his increase. He cannot have an increase. So

266
00:10:01,649 --> 00:10:04,290
so before this, back in 1830 well, in

267
00:10:04,290 --> 00:10:06,210
the eighteen thirties, late eighteen thirties, Joseph was

268
00:10:06,210 --> 00:10:09,090
already teaching the possibility of eternal family that

269
00:10:09,090 --> 00:10:10,929
you could be sealed to someone for eternity.

270
00:10:10,929 --> 00:10:12,945
So the earliest documents we have on that

271
00:10:13,424 --> 00:10:13,924
from

272
00:10:14,225 --> 00:10:16,065
they just went blank on it. Well, not

273
00:10:16,065 --> 00:10:18,164
Wilford would have w w Phelps

274
00:10:19,105 --> 00:10:20,565
and partly p Pratt

275
00:10:21,424 --> 00:10:23,424
share in their journals or in their letters

276
00:10:23,424 --> 00:10:25,585
to their family that, hey, this wonderful doctrine,

277
00:10:25,585 --> 00:10:27,299
you could be sealed forever. But none of

278
00:10:27,299 --> 00:10:29,720
those said you had to be sealed.

279
00:10:30,100 --> 00:10:32,200
They didn't make your salvation

280
00:10:33,220 --> 00:10:35,799
contingent on your marital status.

281
00:10:36,259 --> 00:10:37,940
This was the first one that did that.

282
00:10:37,940 --> 00:10:40,279
Doctor. Comes one thirty one, which said, no.

283
00:10:41,134 --> 00:10:42,995
For our ultimate purpose in life,

284
00:10:43,455 --> 00:10:45,534
it requires a man and a woman to

285
00:10:45,534 --> 00:10:47,134
be sealed together. And then, of course, if

286
00:10:47,134 --> 00:10:48,835
you go into section one thirty two,

287
00:10:49,294 --> 00:10:51,455
it continues that. People often get lost in

288
00:10:51,455 --> 00:10:52,975
one thirty two because it it deals with

289
00:10:52,975 --> 00:10:54,695
plural marriage, which we'll talk about today Yeah.

290
00:10:54,735 --> 00:10:57,000
A little bit also. But they don't realize

291
00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,160
that the the first whole beginning has nothing

292
00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:00,440
to do with plural marriage. It has to

293
00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:01,879
do with eternal marriage. And so if you

294
00:11:01,879 --> 00:11:03,639
take one thirty one and one thirty two,

295
00:11:03,639 --> 00:11:06,139
that really gives you your doctrinal base.

296
00:11:06,519 --> 00:11:08,040
And then, of course, in our class, we're

297
00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,060
going to go to the family proclamation.

298
00:11:10,904 --> 00:11:12,845
That's what the class is based off of.

299
00:11:13,304 --> 00:11:15,384
In fact, we have 14 units. They're based

300
00:11:15,384 --> 00:11:17,625
off of each of the paragraphs of the

301
00:11:17,625 --> 00:11:19,784
family proclamation with a little bit of a

302
00:11:19,784 --> 00:11:21,945
little bit of wiggle room in there. But

303
00:11:21,945 --> 00:11:23,704
you have a statement like this. We, the

304
00:11:23,704 --> 00:11:26,125
first presence in the Council of Twelve Apostles

305
00:11:26,639 --> 00:11:28,160
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter

306
00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:30,320
day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a

307
00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:32,820
man and a woman is ordained of God.

308
00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,360
So, yeah, God likes it. And that the

309
00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,320
family is central to the creator's plan for

310
00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:40,605
the eternal destiny of his children. So so

311
00:11:40,605 --> 00:11:43,424
you're beginning to see this concept of of

312
00:11:43,644 --> 00:11:45,024
family is not just nice.

313
00:11:45,485 --> 00:11:47,745
Marriage isn't just sweet if it happens,

314
00:11:48,365 --> 00:11:49,345
but it's actually

315
00:11:49,644 --> 00:11:51,884
central to the creator's plan for our eternal

316
00:11:51,884 --> 00:11:52,384
destiny.

317
00:11:53,199 --> 00:11:54,019
And so

318
00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,120
those provide what you'd say is is is

319
00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:00,079
foundational texts for it. But prophets, as you

320
00:12:00,079 --> 00:12:01,539
know, have been teaching for

321
00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:02,899
a long time.

322
00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,179
President Oaks, probably one of the more frequent

323
00:12:06,534 --> 00:12:09,034
speakers on this topic, right? And President Nelson,

324
00:12:09,095 --> 00:12:10,615
both of them, funny thing they're in the

325
00:12:10,615 --> 00:12:12,934
first presidency now. Yeah. President Oaks, here's a

326
00:12:12,934 --> 00:12:15,355
here's a couple thoughts for you. Our theology

327
00:12:16,215 --> 00:12:18,394
begins with heavenly parents.

328
00:12:19,254 --> 00:12:20,634
Our highest aspiration

329
00:12:21,519 --> 00:12:24,079
is to be like them. So think of

330
00:12:24,079 --> 00:12:25,459
section one thirty one.

331
00:12:26,079 --> 00:12:27,440
In order to obtain the highest degree of

332
00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:29,519
the celestial kingdom, you have to have a

333
00:12:29,519 --> 00:12:31,120
man and a woman sealed together. You think

334
00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,519
of section one thirty two, which reiterates that

335
00:12:33,519 --> 00:12:34,740
in very graphic detail.

336
00:12:35,355 --> 00:12:35,855
Why?

337
00:12:36,235 --> 00:12:39,195
Because it's central to God's plan for our

338
00:12:39,195 --> 00:12:40,095
ultimate destiny.

339
00:12:40,394 --> 00:12:41,934
What is our ultimate destiny?

340
00:12:42,475 --> 00:12:44,174
That's where a statement like this

341
00:12:44,634 --> 00:12:47,595
from President Oaks, our theology begins with heavenly

342
00:12:47,595 --> 00:12:49,914
parents. Our highest aspiration is to be like

343
00:12:49,914 --> 00:12:53,220
them. And then statements like this, the purpose

344
00:12:53,620 --> 00:12:55,000
this is Elder Oaks also.

345
00:12:55,779 --> 00:12:57,320
The purpose of mortal life

346
00:12:57,700 --> 00:12:59,779
and the mission of The Church of Jesus

347
00:12:59,779 --> 00:13:01,240
Christ of Latter day Saints

348
00:13:01,779 --> 00:13:04,179
is to prepare the sons and daughters of

349
00:13:04,179 --> 00:13:05,720
God for their eternal

350
00:13:06,254 --> 00:13:06,754
destiny,

351
00:13:07,295 --> 00:13:07,795
dash,

352
00:13:08,254 --> 00:13:10,754
to become like our heavenly parents.

353
00:13:11,934 --> 00:13:12,674
A fairly

354
00:13:13,535 --> 00:13:14,674
straightforward declaration

355
00:13:14,975 --> 00:13:17,295
that that heavenly father is not interested in

356
00:13:17,295 --> 00:13:19,795
turning us into kind of heavenly cheerleaders,

357
00:13:20,570 --> 00:13:22,570
but that the goal of our heavenly parents

358
00:13:22,570 --> 00:13:24,250
is to help us become like them, which

359
00:13:24,250 --> 00:13:26,009
shouldn't seem so strange being as that's kind

360
00:13:26,009 --> 00:13:27,649
of the goal of Yeah. We experience this

361
00:13:27,769 --> 00:13:29,929
that as mortals. Right? Exactly. And so so

362
00:13:29,929 --> 00:13:32,330
I guess you'd say, when we're looking at

363
00:13:32,330 --> 00:13:33,950
at the doctrine of marriage,

364
00:13:34,495 --> 00:13:36,975
the doctrine of marriage cannot be understood outside

365
00:13:36,975 --> 00:13:38,195
of the plan of salvation.

366
00:13:38,575 --> 00:13:41,295
It can't be understood outside of our destiny

367
00:13:41,295 --> 00:13:43,695
to become like our heavenly parents. Really love

368
00:13:43,695 --> 00:13:45,855
a statement by Ted R. Callister. He says

369
00:13:45,855 --> 00:13:46,355
this,

370
00:13:46,879 --> 00:13:48,899
It is this doctrine of identity

371
00:13:49,839 --> 00:13:51,779
that defines our potential

372
00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:52,580
destiny

373
00:13:52,959 --> 00:13:53,779
of godhood.

374
00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,440
If one does not correctly understand his divine

375
00:13:57,440 --> 00:13:59,200
identity, wish we could have his and hers

376
00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:01,295
in there, understand it's there,

377
00:14:01,835 --> 00:14:04,634
then he will never correctly understand his divine

378
00:14:04,634 --> 00:14:05,134
destiny.

379
00:14:05,915 --> 00:14:07,995
They are in truth, inseparable partners. And so

380
00:14:07,995 --> 00:14:10,235
we begin our understanding of the concept of

381
00:14:10,235 --> 00:14:11,215
eternal family,

382
00:14:11,835 --> 00:14:13,375
truthfully, not with marriage,

383
00:14:13,835 --> 00:14:14,894
but with our

384
00:14:15,379 --> 00:14:17,940
childhood to God that we are the children

385
00:14:17,940 --> 00:14:20,340
of God and if children then heirs heirs

386
00:14:20,340 --> 00:14:22,759
to God to become like God.

387
00:14:23,139 --> 00:14:24,120
Never is equal,

388
00:14:24,659 --> 00:14:26,899
never her equal, never have any mother's equal,

389
00:14:26,899 --> 00:14:27,399
but

390
00:14:28,504 --> 00:14:30,904
their goal for us is to help us

391
00:14:30,904 --> 00:14:33,225
become as they are and to receive all

392
00:14:33,225 --> 00:14:35,225
that they have. That's section one thirty two

393
00:14:35,225 --> 00:14:37,545
in a nutshell. Yeah. So Yeah. That's helpful.

394
00:14:37,545 --> 00:14:38,665
And, you know, just the other day, I

395
00:14:38,665 --> 00:14:40,990
was listening to an interview between two evangelical

396
00:14:40,990 --> 00:14:43,069
Christians, and they got on the topic of

397
00:14:43,069 --> 00:14:45,569
marriage. And I think outside of

398
00:14:45,870 --> 00:14:48,509
our faith tradition in the Christian world, you

399
00:14:48,509 --> 00:14:50,190
know, there's a belief that marriage does not

400
00:14:50,190 --> 00:14:52,750
continue after life or nor does marrying, nor

401
00:14:52,750 --> 00:14:55,069
does any of those type of relationships continue.

402
00:14:55,069 --> 00:14:57,065
Right. And so this is such a remarkable

403
00:14:57,205 --> 00:14:59,365
doctrine that's been revealed. And and we especially

404
00:14:59,365 --> 00:15:01,605
look at, you know, heavenly parents. It's easy

405
00:15:01,605 --> 00:15:03,445
to think, wow, you mean there's a a

406
00:15:03,445 --> 00:15:06,004
feminine divine as well? Like, that's so powerful.

407
00:15:06,004 --> 00:15:08,985
That also means that there's a an eternal

408
00:15:09,205 --> 00:15:12,220
a divine marriage that's happening, which is just

409
00:15:12,220 --> 00:15:14,000
as weighty and exciting

410
00:15:14,379 --> 00:15:16,620
as realizing that we have a mother in

411
00:15:16,620 --> 00:15:17,759
heaven. It's huge.

412
00:15:18,460 --> 00:15:20,139
The doctrine of mother in heaven is not

413
00:15:20,139 --> 00:15:22,399
a fringe doctrine as the brethren have said

414
00:15:22,779 --> 00:15:24,860
on the very church website, the essay on

415
00:15:24,860 --> 00:15:27,195
heavenly mother, is that this is a cherished

416
00:15:27,355 --> 00:15:28,654
and important belief

417
00:15:29,115 --> 00:15:30,174
doctrine of ours.

418
00:15:30,634 --> 00:15:33,115
I teach I've taught about 10,000 students at

419
00:15:33,115 --> 00:15:34,654
BYU. I'm an old man.

420
00:15:35,274 --> 00:15:38,014
Given semester of three to 500 students. Right?

421
00:15:38,475 --> 00:15:40,654
I wish you could look in the eyes

422
00:15:40,715 --> 00:15:43,319
of these bright, brilliant women

423
00:15:43,860 --> 00:15:46,039
as they come to begin to see

424
00:15:46,740 --> 00:15:49,399
the reality of a mother in heaven,

425
00:15:49,779 --> 00:15:52,179
that they're not meant to grow up to

426
00:15:52,179 --> 00:15:54,179
be a a kind of a different version

427
00:15:54,179 --> 00:15:55,319
of Heavenly Father,

428
00:15:55,754 --> 00:15:58,014
but that they have a mother in heaven

429
00:15:58,075 --> 00:16:01,035
as well and that that that puts the

430
00:16:01,035 --> 00:16:03,054
plan of salvation into a familial

431
00:16:03,514 --> 00:16:06,315
framework Yeah. Where we can begin to understand

432
00:16:06,315 --> 00:16:08,315
that it's our identity as the children of

433
00:16:08,315 --> 00:16:08,815
God

434
00:16:09,330 --> 00:16:12,450
to receive all that they have. Yeah. Yeah.

435
00:16:12,450 --> 00:16:14,450
So as you, like, lay that foundation, like,

436
00:16:14,450 --> 00:16:15,889
it's so fun to listen to because you

437
00:16:15,889 --> 00:16:18,769
just realize how miraculous this is, how these

438
00:16:18,769 --> 00:16:20,230
doctrines are so

439
00:16:21,184 --> 00:16:23,745
so miraculous and and they're exciting and that

440
00:16:23,745 --> 00:16:25,424
you feel that energy. And then I try

441
00:16:25,424 --> 00:16:27,264
and put myself into the shoes of a

442
00:16:27,264 --> 00:16:29,105
a single adult, and it's sort of like,

443
00:16:29,105 --> 00:16:31,664
wow, that is miraculous, and I don't get

444
00:16:31,664 --> 00:16:33,345
any piece of that. Right? Or and then

445
00:16:33,345 --> 00:16:35,105
you default you know, leaders default to the

446
00:16:35,184 --> 00:16:37,450
oh, well, we've been promised that someday you'll

447
00:16:37,450 --> 00:16:38,970
you'll everybody will get the chance. It was

448
00:16:38,970 --> 00:16:41,129
like, well What about now? Yeah. What about

449
00:16:41,129 --> 00:16:43,370
now? So after laying that foundation, like, just

450
00:16:43,370 --> 00:16:46,009
speaking to single adults, like, where do we

451
00:16:46,009 --> 00:16:48,490
go with that? You bet. I think it's

452
00:16:48,490 --> 00:16:48,990
crucial

453
00:16:49,929 --> 00:16:50,909
that we acknowledge

454
00:16:51,934 --> 00:16:53,875
the pain to start with.

455
00:16:54,254 --> 00:16:57,375
Not all experience that. Some are bushy eyed

456
00:16:57,375 --> 00:16:59,534
and and bushy tailed and bright eyed and

457
00:16:59,534 --> 00:17:01,214
just happy as little clams, and they're just

458
00:17:01,214 --> 00:17:03,774
going through it. 20, they're happy. 30, they're

459
00:17:03,774 --> 00:17:05,730
happy. 40, they're still they have.

460
00:17:06,210 --> 00:17:08,630
Some are not affected, but others are

461
00:17:09,410 --> 00:17:11,970
dear beloved friends of mine who who have

462
00:17:11,970 --> 00:17:12,470
experienced

463
00:17:13,250 --> 00:17:15,109
just psychic pain

464
00:17:15,410 --> 00:17:17,509
because they felt like, well, where am I?

465
00:17:17,730 --> 00:17:19,009
Where am I in this plan? They have

466
00:17:19,009 --> 00:17:20,230
a hard time seeing themselves

467
00:17:20,554 --> 00:17:22,015
whether they're simply single

468
00:17:22,634 --> 00:17:24,714
and haven't had an opportunity or or it

469
00:17:24,714 --> 00:17:26,875
hasn't worked or whether they experience same sex

470
00:17:26,875 --> 00:17:29,054
attraction or gender dysphoria or whatever

471
00:17:29,355 --> 00:17:31,275
the issue is that they they're saying, where

472
00:17:31,275 --> 00:17:33,035
do I fit? And so I think I

473
00:17:33,035 --> 00:17:35,214
think it's crucial that we start by

474
00:17:35,569 --> 00:17:38,049
by being honest and saying, yeah, I can

475
00:17:38,049 --> 00:17:40,289
understand how that could be painful. Mhmm. And

476
00:17:40,289 --> 00:17:41,809
not simply blowing it off. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

477
00:17:41,809 --> 00:17:43,009
In the next life, it's all gonna be

478
00:17:43,009 --> 00:17:44,210
good, which, by the way, we believe in

479
00:17:44,210 --> 00:17:45,650
the next life it all will be good.

480
00:17:45,650 --> 00:17:46,690
But you don't have to wait till the

481
00:17:46,690 --> 00:17:49,029
next life for that goodness to start. Right?

482
00:17:49,294 --> 00:17:51,794
I love a statement by Neil a Maxwell.

483
00:17:52,174 --> 00:17:54,095
Oh, Neil a Waxhaw. I just lied. Neil

484
00:17:54,095 --> 00:17:54,674
l Anderson.

485
00:17:55,615 --> 00:17:57,934
When he was teaching in general conference two

486
00:17:57,934 --> 00:17:59,394
thousand sixteen, he said this.

487
00:18:00,015 --> 00:18:02,335
We will continue to teach the Lord's pattern

488
00:18:02,335 --> 00:18:02,994
for families.

489
00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,359
But now with millions of members and the

490
00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:08,519
diversity we have in the children of the

491
00:18:08,519 --> 00:18:09,019
church,

492
00:18:09,559 --> 00:18:11,640
we need to be even more thoughtful and

493
00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:12,140
sensitive.

494
00:18:12,839 --> 00:18:15,319
Our church culture and vernacular are at times

495
00:18:15,319 --> 00:18:16,220
quite unique.

496
00:18:16,519 --> 00:18:18,285
It's a good way to put it. The

497
00:18:18,285 --> 00:18:20,605
primary children are not going to stop singing.

498
00:18:20,605 --> 00:18:22,065
Families can be together forever.

499
00:18:22,444 --> 00:18:24,285
But when they sing, I am so glad

500
00:18:24,285 --> 00:18:26,845
when daddy comes home or with father and

501
00:18:26,845 --> 00:18:28,224
mother leading the way.

502
00:18:28,684 --> 00:18:30,605
Not all children will be singing about their

503
00:18:30,605 --> 00:18:31,265
own family.

504
00:18:31,690 --> 00:18:33,309
And we have to realize that.

505
00:18:33,769 --> 00:18:36,029
I was I was raised by two

506
00:18:36,410 --> 00:18:36,910
wonderful,

507
00:18:37,690 --> 00:18:38,190
wonderful

508
00:18:38,730 --> 00:18:39,869
alcoholic parents.

509
00:18:40,490 --> 00:18:42,190
My family did not

510
00:18:42,809 --> 00:18:45,305
match the picture of what we learned families

511
00:18:45,305 --> 00:18:47,545
are, in theory, intended to be in this

512
00:18:47,545 --> 00:18:48,045
life.

513
00:18:48,505 --> 00:18:50,184
But that did not make of me a

514
00:18:50,184 --> 00:18:51,404
second class citizen.

515
00:18:52,265 --> 00:18:54,345
As Elder Gong and and several others that

516
00:18:54,345 --> 00:18:55,865
have actually got statements I'll I'll share a

517
00:18:55,865 --> 00:18:57,865
little bit later have stated in general conference,

518
00:18:57,865 --> 00:19:00,859
our our status with God isn't based on

519
00:19:00,859 --> 00:19:02,160
our marital status.

520
00:19:02,619 --> 00:19:04,859
It's based off our heart. It's based off

521
00:19:04,859 --> 00:19:07,900
our covenant connection with God. And so I'd

522
00:19:07,900 --> 00:19:10,059
simply say as we as we continue to

523
00:19:10,059 --> 00:19:12,345
teach the doctrines, we realize there are some

524
00:19:12,345 --> 00:19:14,345
that have a hard time seeing themselves in

525
00:19:14,345 --> 00:19:17,005
there and acknowledge that pain and

526
00:19:17,384 --> 00:19:19,704
live in that pain. Be willing to sit

527
00:19:19,704 --> 00:19:21,644
down with someone and let them share

528
00:19:22,105 --> 00:19:24,664
without doing what I'm I'm infamous. I wouldn't

529
00:19:24,664 --> 00:19:26,825
say famous. This is the bad part of

530
00:19:26,825 --> 00:19:29,039
wanting to solve. Right? I'm like, yeah. Yeah.

531
00:19:29,039 --> 00:19:29,539
But

532
00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:31,619
yeah. Please solve.

533
00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,640
But no one is gonna care squad of

534
00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:36,480
what you say if they don't think you

535
00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:38,400
understand where they're coming from. Yeah. I think

536
00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,875
that's really crucial. Like, just making space to

537
00:19:40,875 --> 00:19:43,275
acknowledge that pain because it's uncomfortable. Like, I

538
00:19:43,275 --> 00:19:44,555
don't wanna be in a room where somebody

539
00:19:44,555 --> 00:19:46,555
is feeling pain. I wanna swoop in there

540
00:19:46,555 --> 00:19:47,914
and and make it all better, you know?

541
00:19:47,914 --> 00:19:49,595
That's right. And so I think that's just

542
00:19:49,595 --> 00:19:51,674
great advice that it's not that there's some

543
00:19:51,674 --> 00:19:53,789
scripture if you read a certain way or

544
00:19:53,869 --> 00:19:55,549
a quote that nobody's heard of in the

545
00:19:55,549 --> 00:19:57,869
morning. Yeah, exactly. But it's more of like

546
00:19:57,869 --> 00:19:59,470
just sitting with them. And it really, you

547
00:19:59,470 --> 00:20:01,309
know, the savior was the master of that,

548
00:20:01,309 --> 00:20:02,830
just sitting with them in the pain and

549
00:20:02,830 --> 00:20:04,750
saying, I bet that hurts. You know, I

550
00:20:04,750 --> 00:20:06,750
don't I don't fully understand that. I haven't

551
00:20:06,750 --> 00:20:08,294
lived your life, but I bet that really

552
00:20:08,294 --> 00:20:09,654
hurts. I'm willing to sit with you in

553
00:20:09,654 --> 00:20:10,554
that direction. Exactly.

554
00:20:10,934 --> 00:20:13,174
Where where I think I think we're getting

555
00:20:13,174 --> 00:20:14,774
better and better at that nowadays. I think

556
00:20:14,774 --> 00:20:17,174
that that our culture is such that that

557
00:20:17,174 --> 00:20:18,474
that is the expected

558
00:20:19,414 --> 00:20:22,454
reaction, and it's the right one. Mhmm. Without

559
00:20:22,454 --> 00:20:24,509
it, nothing else works. But I also think

560
00:20:24,509 --> 00:20:26,529
we forget that the savior never stopped there.

561
00:20:26,590 --> 00:20:29,309
Yeah. Right? Like, Elder Holland's fond of saying,

562
00:20:29,309 --> 00:20:30,670
you know, God will take you right where

563
00:20:30,670 --> 00:20:32,029
you are. He just won't leave you where

564
00:20:32,029 --> 00:20:34,029
you are. Right? He's gonna continue. And so,

565
00:20:34,029 --> 00:20:36,210
yes, live with that person. But then

566
00:20:36,625 --> 00:20:37,125
ultimately,

567
00:20:38,144 --> 00:20:40,304
not only, yes, it'll work out in the

568
00:20:40,304 --> 00:20:42,164
next life, but say, okay. What about now?

569
00:20:42,464 --> 00:20:43,744
What do we need to know now so

570
00:20:43,744 --> 00:20:45,444
that we can experience joy

571
00:20:45,984 --> 00:20:48,065
now? Can can I share a few principles?

572
00:20:48,065 --> 00:20:50,109
Yeah. Let's do it. Thoughts. I think of

573
00:20:50,109 --> 00:20:51,409
these as kind of four

574
00:20:51,710 --> 00:20:54,049
overarching principles that help us to understand

575
00:20:54,349 --> 00:20:56,750
the ceiling ordinance that help us understand how

576
00:20:56,750 --> 00:20:58,690
this fits for a single or

577
00:20:58,990 --> 00:21:01,250
a divorced person. Both my parents divorced,

578
00:21:01,710 --> 00:21:04,190
and that's ripping rich and ripe in my

579
00:21:04,190 --> 00:21:04,690
family.

580
00:21:05,375 --> 00:21:06,975
What are the principles that can help us

581
00:21:06,975 --> 00:21:09,394
understand how God's gonna make it all right

582
00:21:10,015 --> 00:21:11,154
as long as we

583
00:21:11,615 --> 00:21:13,715
stay covenant connected to him? So one,

584
00:21:14,335 --> 00:21:16,174
no one will be denied any blessing that

585
00:21:16,174 --> 00:21:18,174
Heavenly Father has promised all his children because

586
00:21:18,174 --> 00:21:19,970
of something outside their control. I'm going to

587
00:21:19,970 --> 00:21:21,970
share a couple of statements from the prophets

588
00:21:21,970 --> 00:21:23,250
so it's not just from Brother Goodman because

589
00:21:23,250 --> 00:21:25,330
that would be very scary. Because Brother Goodman

590
00:21:25,330 --> 00:21:27,250
said you should never believe it. But if

591
00:21:27,250 --> 00:21:28,849
the prophet said that, then we're a little

592
00:21:28,849 --> 00:21:29,430
bit better.

593
00:21:29,890 --> 00:21:32,690
But God will not deny any blessing to

594
00:21:32,690 --> 00:21:34,450
his children because of something outside of their

595
00:21:34,450 --> 00:21:34,950
control.

596
00:21:35,305 --> 00:21:37,545
And so when we are doing all that

597
00:21:37,545 --> 00:21:39,085
we can in righteousness,

598
00:21:39,785 --> 00:21:41,884
no matter what our situation is,

599
00:21:42,345 --> 00:21:43,945
the Lord will take that and turn it

600
00:21:43,945 --> 00:21:44,684
into gold.

601
00:21:45,065 --> 00:21:47,785
And nobody will be denied. Pick your pick

602
00:21:47,785 --> 00:21:50,099
your challenge. Pick your mental health challenge. Pick

603
00:21:50,099 --> 00:21:53,559
your physical health challenge. Pick your geographic isolation

604
00:21:53,779 --> 00:21:54,279
challenge.

605
00:21:54,980 --> 00:21:58,500
Pick your social awkwardness challenge. You know, whatever

606
00:21:58,500 --> 00:22:00,579
it is, pick the reality that some people

607
00:22:00,579 --> 00:22:02,339
don't feel an attraction of some of the

608
00:22:02,339 --> 00:22:05,054
opposite gender or they just feel uncomfortable in

609
00:22:05,054 --> 00:22:07,214
their skin as far as their own gender.

610
00:22:07,214 --> 00:22:09,534
There are many reasons why people may not,

611
00:22:09,534 --> 00:22:10,595
at this moment,

612
00:22:11,294 --> 00:22:13,315
see themselves in the plan of salvation.

613
00:22:13,774 --> 00:22:16,014
I think it's absolutely crucial that we start

614
00:22:16,014 --> 00:22:17,794
by saying you're there.

615
00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:21,039
You're there. I can't promise you that this

616
00:22:21,039 --> 00:22:22,500
is there or that is there.

617
00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:25,460
Same sex attraction is there or or

618
00:22:26,079 --> 00:22:26,579
some

619
00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:29,920
aspect of physical or mental health, whatever it

620
00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:31,434
is. I I can't say that, but I

621
00:22:31,434 --> 00:22:32,554
can look you in the eye and say

622
00:22:32,554 --> 00:22:34,394
without a doubt, you're in the plan of

623
00:22:34,394 --> 00:22:36,315
salvation. Heavenly father has a plan for you

624
00:22:36,315 --> 00:22:39,115
and you will not be denied any blessing

625
00:22:39,115 --> 00:22:39,615
ultimately

626
00:22:40,075 --> 00:22:42,794
that God promises all of his children. In

627
00:22:42,794 --> 00:22:44,494
other words, until there's hope

628
00:22:45,070 --> 00:22:46,609
until there's hope that they're

629
00:22:47,070 --> 00:22:49,070
the things will feel better than they sometimes

630
00:22:49,070 --> 00:22:50,990
do right now, there's no way to move

631
00:22:50,990 --> 00:22:53,330
forward. So we start with that. Two,

632
00:22:53,869 --> 00:22:56,190
God will not, our heavenly father will not

633
00:22:56,190 --> 00:22:57,410
abrogate agency.

634
00:22:57,934 --> 00:22:59,694
Abrogate's a funky term. You always teach me

635
00:22:59,694 --> 00:23:01,294
a word every time we do an interview.

636
00:23:01,294 --> 00:23:03,474
I I learn a word. Basically means

637
00:23:03,775 --> 00:23:06,115
to stop or limit or take away.

638
00:23:06,575 --> 00:23:07,075
God

639
00:23:07,855 --> 00:23:10,575
cannot be God and take away agency. Now

640
00:23:10,575 --> 00:23:12,095
agency doesn't mean you get to do whatever

641
00:23:12,095 --> 00:23:13,474
you want without any consequences.

642
00:23:13,829 --> 00:23:15,769
Right. But you'll get what you want

643
00:23:16,069 --> 00:23:18,490
as long as that thing that you want

644
00:23:19,029 --> 00:23:19,849
is righteous.

645
00:23:20,789 --> 00:23:23,529
And so if your desire is righteous,

646
00:23:24,549 --> 00:23:27,349
is in line with heavenly father's will for

647
00:23:27,349 --> 00:23:28,169
his children,

648
00:23:29,174 --> 00:23:31,255
he's gonna make it possible. You might say,

649
00:23:31,255 --> 00:23:32,934
I don't see how it's possible. And right

650
00:23:32,934 --> 00:23:35,095
now it's not. And you go, I totally

651
00:23:35,095 --> 00:23:36,934
agree. Right now where you are thinking what

652
00:23:36,934 --> 00:23:39,014
you think, it may not be possible. But

653
00:23:39,014 --> 00:23:41,335
to God, it is. He does not limit

654
00:23:41,335 --> 00:23:43,434
agency. He does not make

655
00:23:43,980 --> 00:23:46,220
it impossible for us to receive all that

656
00:23:46,220 --> 00:23:48,220
he has given if we're simply willing to

657
00:23:48,220 --> 00:23:50,539
do what he's asked us to do. Yeah.

658
00:23:50,539 --> 00:23:51,759
Principle number three.

659
00:23:52,140 --> 00:23:53,980
God loves us with a perfect love and

660
00:23:53,980 --> 00:23:55,980
will do everything in his power to exalt

661
00:23:55,980 --> 00:23:58,484
us. I had an interesting situation when I

662
00:23:58,484 --> 00:24:00,605
was a fairly new convert. Joined the church.

663
00:24:00,605 --> 00:24:02,644
A year later, went on a mission. Came

664
00:24:02,644 --> 00:24:04,904
back. I was off with my brother-in-law,

665
00:24:05,204 --> 00:24:07,684
good friend, and I was kind of bemoaning

666
00:24:07,684 --> 00:24:10,184
the reality of my own family of origin.

667
00:24:10,669 --> 00:24:11,970
Mother and father alcoholics,

668
00:24:12,669 --> 00:24:13,490
drug abuse,

669
00:24:14,029 --> 00:24:16,109
jail time, just you name it. We we're

670
00:24:16,109 --> 00:24:18,589
the poster child of dysfunctionality. Right? And I

671
00:24:18,589 --> 00:24:21,150
was bemoaning the thought that I worried that

672
00:24:21,150 --> 00:24:23,410
I wouldn't be with my parents for eternity.

673
00:24:23,950 --> 00:24:24,929
And my brother-in-law

674
00:24:26,204 --> 00:24:28,125
is not a majorly churchy guy in any

675
00:24:28,125 --> 00:24:29,345
way, but my brother-in-law,

676
00:24:29,644 --> 00:24:31,724
just a good man, looked at me and

677
00:24:31,724 --> 00:24:34,285
said, Mike, do you really think you love

678
00:24:34,285 --> 00:24:35,744
your parents more than God?

679
00:24:36,845 --> 00:24:37,345
Woah.

680
00:24:37,724 --> 00:24:39,325
That's not what I was saying. He said,

681
00:24:39,325 --> 00:24:41,690
yeah. That's exactly what you're saying. What would

682
00:24:41,690 --> 00:24:43,450
you do for your parents if it were

683
00:24:43,450 --> 00:24:44,430
within your control?

684
00:24:44,970 --> 00:24:47,049
Everything. Would you force them? No. I wouldn't

685
00:24:47,049 --> 00:24:48,970
force them because that's not love. There's this

686
00:24:48,970 --> 00:24:51,529
agency thing. Go back to principle two. But

687
00:24:51,529 --> 00:24:53,450
do you really think God won't give them

688
00:24:53,450 --> 00:24:53,950
all

689
00:24:54,484 --> 00:24:56,505
that they are willing to receive? And

690
00:24:57,045 --> 00:24:59,144
it was like all of a sudden,

691
00:25:00,085 --> 00:25:02,565
a massive weight fell from my shoulders. I

692
00:25:02,565 --> 00:25:04,105
know the goodness of my parents.

693
00:25:04,484 --> 00:25:06,265
Neither of them were up for the gospel.

694
00:25:06,644 --> 00:25:07,305
I tried,

695
00:25:08,179 --> 00:25:09,619
but I know the goodness of my parents.

696
00:25:09,619 --> 00:25:10,900
I know I couldn't force them. I know

697
00:25:10,900 --> 00:25:12,839
I can't nor nor will God force them.

698
00:25:13,299 --> 00:25:15,059
But God kinda likes them more than I

699
00:25:15,059 --> 00:25:16,900
do and has a whole lot of more

700
00:25:16,900 --> 00:25:18,500
knowledge than I do. And so if I

701
00:25:18,500 --> 00:25:20,819
understand that he loves with a perfect love

702
00:25:20,819 --> 00:25:22,964
and he's not giving up, He's going to

703
00:25:22,964 --> 00:25:24,664
do everything he can to help

704
00:25:25,045 --> 00:25:26,184
that then can help

705
00:25:26,644 --> 00:25:28,964
us when we are faced with situations we

706
00:25:28,964 --> 00:25:30,804
don't understand, we don't have hope. We can't

707
00:25:30,804 --> 00:25:32,164
figure out how in our own head it's

708
00:25:32,164 --> 00:25:32,984
going to work.

709
00:25:33,285 --> 00:25:34,644
It can't work. And then last but not

710
00:25:34,644 --> 00:25:36,664
least, and this comes down to the concept

711
00:25:36,910 --> 00:25:39,390
of, yeah, cool, but what about now? Through

712
00:25:39,390 --> 00:25:42,190
the grace of Christ, Heavenly Father can provide

713
00:25:42,190 --> 00:25:45,650
solutions to temporary situations outside our control. Mhmm.

714
00:25:46,109 --> 00:25:46,609
No.

715
00:25:47,230 --> 00:25:48,450
Our single friends

716
00:25:48,910 --> 00:25:50,750
don't have to wait till the next life

717
00:25:50,750 --> 00:25:52,609
to experience joy. That's pure nonsense.

718
00:25:53,285 --> 00:25:54,644
Adam felt that men might be men or

719
00:25:54,644 --> 00:25:56,325
that they might have joy is what the

720
00:25:56,325 --> 00:25:58,565
savior taught. Now, all to ultimately, none of

721
00:25:58,565 --> 00:26:00,484
us have that joy in fullness in this

722
00:26:00,484 --> 00:26:00,984
life.

723
00:26:01,365 --> 00:26:03,525
None of us we we were joking before

724
00:26:03,525 --> 00:26:05,680
we started. None of us are gonna get

725
00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:07,279
out of this alive. None of us are

726
00:26:07,279 --> 00:26:09,840
are challenge free. I I think you're aware

727
00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:11,840
I've just been diagnosed with my fourth case

728
00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:13,840
of cancer. Yeah. I know that I have

729
00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:15,600
cancer. I didn't want my third or my

730
00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:17,360
second or my first. I don't want the

731
00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:18,900
treatments I'm about to start.

732
00:26:19,360 --> 00:26:20,580
Having said that,

733
00:26:21,015 --> 00:26:23,654
the grace of Christ can do for me

734
00:26:23,654 --> 00:26:25,035
in my situation

735
00:26:25,894 --> 00:26:27,734
what he can do for all in their

736
00:26:27,734 --> 00:26:30,955
situation. He can help us learn to live

737
00:26:31,015 --> 00:26:32,154
life joyously

738
00:26:33,015 --> 00:26:35,769
now. And that's what the prophets are trying

739
00:26:35,769 --> 00:26:38,589
to they're trying to help us see. Yes.

740
00:26:39,049 --> 00:26:40,750
The next life is going to be peachy.

741
00:26:41,049 --> 00:26:42,429
Stop worrying about that.

742
00:26:43,129 --> 00:26:44,889
Start worrying about what you can do right

743
00:26:44,889 --> 00:26:46,409
now. Can I share just a few statements?

744
00:26:46,409 --> 00:26:47,849
Just just for the sheer fun of it.

745
00:26:47,849 --> 00:26:48,349
Yeah.

746
00:26:48,674 --> 00:26:50,755
So a couple just just so you know,

747
00:26:50,755 --> 00:26:52,295
it's not Mike Goodman's.

748
00:26:52,995 --> 00:26:54,595
It's not thus f Mike Goodman. That'd be

749
00:26:54,595 --> 00:26:56,055
so scary. President Kimball,

750
00:26:56,674 --> 00:26:58,835
we promise you that in as far as

751
00:26:58,835 --> 00:27:01,875
eternity is concerned, no soul will be deprived

752
00:27:01,875 --> 00:27:04,880
of rich and high and eternal blessings for

753
00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:07,619
anything which that person could not help,

754
00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:10,019
that the Lord never fails in his promises,

755
00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:13,279
that every righteous person will receive eventually all

756
00:27:13,279 --> 00:27:14,820
to which the person is entitled

757
00:27:15,315 --> 00:27:16,994
and and this is interesting, in which he

758
00:27:16,994 --> 00:27:19,075
or she has not forfeited through any fault

759
00:27:19,075 --> 00:27:21,494
of his or her own. So, yeah, agency

760
00:27:21,554 --> 00:27:23,894
is real and consequences to actions are real.

761
00:27:24,355 --> 00:27:26,274
What the savior is desperately saying and what

762
00:27:26,274 --> 00:27:28,774
president Nelson is just pleading with us is

763
00:27:29,309 --> 00:27:31,169
stay covenant connected.

764
00:27:31,630 --> 00:27:34,109
If you'll stay covenant connected to God, there's

765
00:27:34,109 --> 00:27:37,649
nothing you will lose. There is no no

766
00:27:37,710 --> 00:27:40,349
righteous desire that you could ever hope for

767
00:27:40,349 --> 00:27:42,669
that will not all be yours if you'll

768
00:27:42,669 --> 00:27:45,455
simply stay with me. President Nelson, how about

769
00:27:45,455 --> 00:27:45,955
that?

770
00:27:46,654 --> 00:27:48,355
Through no feeling of their own,

771
00:27:48,815 --> 00:27:51,295
they, some individuals in life, they deal with

772
00:27:51,295 --> 00:27:52,035
the trials

773
00:27:52,735 --> 00:27:53,715
of life alone.

774
00:27:54,335 --> 00:27:55,634
But we all

775
00:27:56,255 --> 00:27:56,755
reminded

776
00:27:57,509 --> 00:27:59,830
be we all reminded that, in the Lord's

777
00:27:59,830 --> 00:28:01,769
own man time, no blessing

778
00:28:02,150 --> 00:28:05,029
would be withheld from his faithful saints. The

779
00:28:05,029 --> 00:28:07,450
Lord will judge and reward each individual according

780
00:28:07,589 --> 00:28:10,309
to heartfelt desires as well as deeds. And

781
00:28:10,309 --> 00:28:10,970
so present

782
00:28:11,325 --> 00:28:13,505
Nelson is saying, listen, don't fear.

783
00:28:13,964 --> 00:28:15,825
Don't live life thinking, oh my goodness.

784
00:28:16,204 --> 00:28:18,444
I'll never have this. It's just not right.

785
00:28:18,444 --> 00:28:20,284
It's not accurate. I'm not gonna read all

786
00:28:20,284 --> 00:28:21,825
these but but literally.

787
00:28:22,684 --> 00:28:25,410
Lorenzo Snow, Harold b Lee, Spencer w Kimber,

788
00:28:25,490 --> 00:28:27,410
Howard w Hunter, Gordon b Hinckley, Thomas s

789
00:28:27,410 --> 00:28:29,330
Monson, Russell M. Nelson, how that's for a

790
00:28:29,330 --> 00:28:31,570
few profit Yeah. Have all made the exact

791
00:28:31,570 --> 00:28:32,390
same statements.

792
00:28:32,930 --> 00:28:35,809
God will make all possible if we will

793
00:28:35,809 --> 00:28:36,710
simply do

794
00:28:37,090 --> 00:28:38,230
if we'll stay connected.

795
00:28:39,384 --> 00:28:41,005
Then we'll receive all

796
00:28:41,704 --> 00:28:44,365
all that we can, all that we want.

797
00:28:44,744 --> 00:28:46,605
But what does it mean for now? Right?

798
00:28:47,144 --> 00:28:49,325
Richard G. Scott. I love Elder Scott.

799
00:28:49,785 --> 00:28:51,964
He said this, Throughout your life on earth,

800
00:28:52,369 --> 00:28:53,269
seek diligently

801
00:28:53,570 --> 00:28:54,390
to fulfill

802
00:28:55,330 --> 00:28:58,130
the fundamental purposes of this life through the

803
00:28:58,130 --> 00:28:58,630
ideal

804
00:28:58,930 --> 00:28:59,430
family.

805
00:28:59,809 --> 00:29:01,490
Sounds like a very typical thing to say,

806
00:29:01,490 --> 00:29:03,430
right? Mhmm. But then he says this,

807
00:29:03,809 --> 00:29:05,970
While you may not have yet reached that

808
00:29:05,970 --> 00:29:06,470
ideal,

809
00:29:07,315 --> 00:29:09,335
do all you can

810
00:29:09,715 --> 00:29:11,875
through obedience and faith in the Lord to

811
00:29:11,875 --> 00:29:12,375
consistently

812
00:29:12,914 --> 00:29:14,855
draw as close to it

813
00:29:15,154 --> 00:29:16,055
as you're able.

814
00:29:16,434 --> 00:29:18,434
If for the present that does not include

815
00:29:18,434 --> 00:29:20,535
sealing in the temple to a righteous companion,

816
00:29:21,075 --> 00:29:21,815
lift it.

817
00:29:22,269 --> 00:29:23,089
It. Pray for

818
00:29:23,390 --> 00:29:25,410
it. Exercise faith that you'll obtain it.

819
00:29:25,789 --> 00:29:28,029
We cannot say whether that blessing will be

820
00:29:28,029 --> 00:29:29,390
obtained on this side of the veil or

821
00:29:29,390 --> 00:29:31,890
beyond. And we don't make promises God hasn't.

822
00:29:32,190 --> 00:29:34,625
God hasn't said when it's gonna happen. But

823
00:29:34,625 --> 00:29:37,105
the Lord will keep his promises. In his

824
00:29:37,105 --> 00:29:40,225
infinite wisdom, he will make possible all you

825
00:29:40,225 --> 00:29:42,545
qualify in worthiness to receive. So so let

826
00:29:42,545 --> 00:29:44,545
let me let me kinda sum that up.

827
00:29:44,545 --> 00:29:46,305
What he got what he's trying to what

828
00:29:46,305 --> 00:29:48,565
the prophets are saying is listen.

829
00:29:49,049 --> 00:29:50,970
The world would build into you and I

830
00:29:50,970 --> 00:29:51,470
fear

831
00:29:52,009 --> 00:29:52,509
anxiety

832
00:29:52,809 --> 00:29:55,690
that we're an insecurity that we're not enough

833
00:29:55,690 --> 00:29:57,789
or that or that we've been

834
00:29:58,250 --> 00:29:59,390
fed up unfair

835
00:29:59,930 --> 00:30:01,529
Thick or hand of cards. Right? Hand of

836
00:30:01,529 --> 00:30:03,684
cards. Exactly. Try it for, like, a better

837
00:30:03,845 --> 00:30:05,465
I I it'll work. It'll work.

838
00:30:05,845 --> 00:30:07,785
And the reality is, of course,

839
00:30:08,085 --> 00:30:10,744
this life I mean, you know, with with

840
00:30:10,805 --> 00:30:12,085
half of what I can look at and

841
00:30:12,085 --> 00:30:14,105
say life is not fair and that's correct.

842
00:30:14,725 --> 00:30:16,424
But God cannot be unfair.

843
00:30:17,089 --> 00:30:19,830
God cannot be unfair. And he promises

844
00:30:20,369 --> 00:30:20,869
compensatory

845
00:30:21,410 --> 00:30:21,910
blessings

846
00:30:22,690 --> 00:30:24,930
for all of us if we'll simply stay

847
00:30:24,930 --> 00:30:26,070
connected to him.

848
00:30:26,529 --> 00:30:27,029
And

849
00:30:27,490 --> 00:30:29,664
we don't have to wait for the joy

850
00:30:29,664 --> 00:30:30,325
to begin.

851
00:30:30,705 --> 00:30:32,224
One of the things I desperately try to

852
00:30:32,224 --> 00:30:35,265
teach my students at BYU is is learn

853
00:30:35,265 --> 00:30:36,164
to live

854
00:30:36,785 --> 00:30:37,285
relationally

855
00:30:38,065 --> 00:30:40,465
now. Mhmm. You are a part of a

856
00:30:40,465 --> 00:30:42,884
family. You're a son. You're a daughter.

857
00:30:43,250 --> 00:30:44,850
You're a brother. You're a sister. You're an

858
00:30:44,850 --> 00:30:45,910
aunt. You're an uncle.

859
00:30:46,450 --> 00:30:49,590
Learn to live relation what Elder Scott said,

860
00:30:49,650 --> 00:30:51,990
if for the present that's not sealing, well,

861
00:30:52,289 --> 00:30:54,049
get as close to it as you can.

862
00:30:54,049 --> 00:30:55,109
Live familiarly.

863
00:30:56,174 --> 00:30:58,595
Fancy term, which means value family.

864
00:30:59,215 --> 00:31:00,674
Right? Value friendship.

865
00:31:00,975 --> 00:31:01,795
Live relationally.

866
00:31:02,174 --> 00:31:04,575
As we do that, we realize, oh my

867
00:31:04,575 --> 00:31:07,615
goodness, God is a relational being. As we

868
00:31:07,615 --> 00:31:09,394
do that, we begin to build a relationship

869
00:31:09,535 --> 00:31:11,859
not just horizontally, but vertically

870
00:31:12,319 --> 00:31:14,740
with God. Yeah. And then life

871
00:31:15,359 --> 00:31:16,659
becomes rich.

872
00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:18,259
Think about this.

873
00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:20,559
Was Elder Gong in the last conference who

874
00:31:20,559 --> 00:31:23,519
said, we crossed over a decade ago to

875
00:31:23,519 --> 00:31:26,015
where over half of the church Yeah. Is

876
00:31:26,015 --> 00:31:28,894
now either single or well, not married. Yeah.

877
00:31:28,894 --> 00:31:31,394
Single or something. Widowed. Something. Something. Right?

878
00:31:31,695 --> 00:31:33,134
So are we really saying that that that

879
00:31:33,134 --> 00:31:34,815
means that over 50% of the church is

880
00:31:34,815 --> 00:31:37,055
doomed to to misery? Do we really believe

881
00:31:37,055 --> 00:31:37,795
that nonsense?

882
00:31:38,700 --> 00:31:41,579
Ask any single person who's actively living life

883
00:31:41,579 --> 00:31:42,960
and doing their very best.

884
00:31:43,419 --> 00:31:46,079
Are they miserable? No. Are they married? No.

885
00:31:46,700 --> 00:31:47,519
Not yet.

886
00:31:47,980 --> 00:31:49,899
What I would point I want to make

887
00:31:49,899 --> 00:31:51,899
somewhere in what we do today is the

888
00:31:51,899 --> 00:31:55,065
concept of none of us are broken.

889
00:31:55,525 --> 00:31:57,224
Yeah. We're in process.

890
00:31:57,845 --> 00:31:59,765
That's a totally different way of looking at

891
00:31:59,765 --> 00:32:02,105
my life. Yeah. I'm not broken

892
00:32:02,404 --> 00:32:04,404
with all my imperfections and I got oodles

893
00:32:04,404 --> 00:32:05,065
of imperfections,

894
00:32:05,765 --> 00:32:06,904
but I'm in process.

895
00:32:07,299 --> 00:32:10,180
And if I will live relationally, live relationally

896
00:32:10,180 --> 00:32:13,240
with God, bind myself to him, live relationally

897
00:32:13,299 --> 00:32:16,019
with those around me, whether that includes a

898
00:32:16,019 --> 00:32:18,339
romantic one on one marriage at this point

899
00:32:18,339 --> 00:32:19,000
or not,

900
00:32:19,460 --> 00:32:19,960
love.

901
00:32:20,420 --> 00:32:20,920
Live.

902
00:32:21,775 --> 00:32:22,595
Lose yourself

903
00:32:23,295 --> 00:32:25,615
in service to others, and today will be

904
00:32:25,615 --> 00:32:28,414
a joyous day. Yeah. Yeah. That's so so

905
00:32:28,414 --> 00:32:29,934
helpful. And a few things I wanna point

906
00:32:29,934 --> 00:32:32,835
out, like, just in the context of leadership

907
00:32:32,974 --> 00:32:35,420
and whatnot is, you know, you reference, I

908
00:32:35,420 --> 00:32:37,599
think, in principle one that that God won't

909
00:32:37,660 --> 00:32:41,099
God won't deny anybody anything, especially these righteous

910
00:32:41,099 --> 00:32:43,259
blessings. Right? And so we could follow that

911
00:32:43,259 --> 00:32:45,740
example of saying, you know, I'm going to

912
00:32:45,740 --> 00:32:48,460
be an individual, especially a leader that doesn't

913
00:32:48,460 --> 00:32:51,884
deny them of certain opportunities. Right? Now, you

914
00:32:51,884 --> 00:32:53,164
know, as far as in the context of

915
00:32:53,164 --> 00:32:56,144
callings, there's a handful of administrative callings that

916
00:32:56,444 --> 00:32:59,345
yeah. Very, very little. Right? Very few. But

917
00:32:59,404 --> 00:33:01,325
just, you know, from a recent general conference,

918
00:33:01,325 --> 00:33:03,345
that's been the encouragement. We need to

919
00:33:03,779 --> 00:33:05,619
not deny them of some of these beautiful

920
00:33:05,619 --> 00:33:07,619
opportunities in our ward families. And and so

921
00:33:07,619 --> 00:33:09,380
that's I think I love to think that

922
00:33:09,380 --> 00:33:11,380
in the context that God's not denying them

923
00:33:11,380 --> 00:33:13,539
anything. So why do we sometimes deny them

924
00:33:13,539 --> 00:33:15,380
anything? And and God mourns when we do.

925
00:33:15,380 --> 00:33:18,345
Yeah. Right? Because he doesn't love his married

926
00:33:18,345 --> 00:33:20,845
children and and like his single children.

927
00:33:21,225 --> 00:33:24,265
Mhmm. He loves us all. He wants our

928
00:33:24,265 --> 00:33:24,765
happiness.

929
00:33:25,144 --> 00:33:25,545
That's the

930
00:33:26,345 --> 00:33:28,445
it's the whole purpose of our existence. Right?

931
00:33:28,904 --> 00:33:29,644
The world

932
00:33:30,250 --> 00:33:32,329
is selling us a mess of potty when

933
00:33:32,329 --> 00:33:35,150
it's trying to convince us that if you're

934
00:33:35,210 --> 00:33:37,630
not married, you can't have happiness.

935
00:33:38,250 --> 00:33:40,589
If you're not in a stereotypical

936
00:33:41,609 --> 00:33:43,069
Latter day Saint family,

937
00:33:43,785 --> 00:33:46,585
you're an outsider. You don't fit. Now mind

938
00:33:46,585 --> 00:33:48,744
you, I understand that people can treat others

939
00:33:48,744 --> 00:33:50,345
like that. And when we do, shame on

940
00:33:50,345 --> 00:33:52,505
us. Let's get some repentance going on. Right?

941
00:33:52,505 --> 00:33:56,125
Mhmm. But they're not outsiders to God. Yeah.

942
00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:58,640
They're not outsiders to those who truly know

943
00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:01,039
and understand the gospel. And then do we

944
00:34:01,039 --> 00:34:03,299
have to do better? Yes, we do.

945
00:34:03,759 --> 00:34:05,680
And I'm not in any way wanting to

946
00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:07,840
guilt someone who's feeling like that, but I'm

947
00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:09,860
wanting them to understand you belong.

948
00:34:10,295 --> 00:34:11,815
You belong and you're right. At this point,

949
00:34:11,815 --> 00:34:12,635
you're the majority.

950
00:34:13,015 --> 00:34:15,494
Yeah. So so you're you're you're not the

951
00:34:15,494 --> 00:34:18,454
minority. Right? Yeah. Yeah. And then, you know,

952
00:34:18,454 --> 00:34:20,855
another example of the God loves us, obviously.

953
00:34:20,855 --> 00:34:22,695
I mean, that's primary level,

954
00:34:23,015 --> 00:34:24,855
doctrine, but it's so true. And so the

955
00:34:24,855 --> 00:34:27,170
more that we can reach out and

956
00:34:27,469 --> 00:34:29,630
love those single adults in our circles is

957
00:34:29,630 --> 00:34:32,109
helpful. And and oftentimes, we think and as

958
00:34:32,109 --> 00:34:35,010
I've interviewed other single adults for this summit,

959
00:34:35,469 --> 00:34:37,710
that's been a strong message of of stories

960
00:34:37,710 --> 00:34:39,230
of people who really love them. And it's

961
00:34:39,230 --> 00:34:40,734
not like, oh, I I sat next to

962
00:34:40,734 --> 00:34:42,494
you in the pew. Like, that's good enough.

963
00:34:42,494 --> 00:34:44,414
Right? But, like, no. You're, like, coming over

964
00:34:44,414 --> 00:34:46,255
to our family dinner. You're, like, part of

965
00:34:46,255 --> 00:34:46,994
us. Like

966
00:34:47,295 --> 00:34:47,954
like, really,

967
00:34:48,335 --> 00:34:50,414
you know, making them part of that that

968
00:34:50,414 --> 00:34:52,255
relationship, whether it's in your family or in

969
00:34:52,255 --> 00:34:54,014
the the local community can go a long

970
00:34:54,014 --> 00:34:54,914
way, you know?

971
00:34:55,219 --> 00:34:57,699
And then the, the covenant connected like as

972
00:34:57,699 --> 00:34:59,699
a leader, like that's sort of the direction

973
00:34:59,699 --> 00:35:01,799
you can push them rather than, well,

974
00:35:02,179 --> 00:35:03,539
how many days you did this week or

975
00:35:03,539 --> 00:35:05,139
how many times you swipe white right then

976
00:35:05,139 --> 00:35:07,539
left or whatever. Right. It's more of like,

977
00:35:07,539 --> 00:35:09,940
how can you as as a single Latter

978
00:35:09,940 --> 00:35:10,599
day Saint

979
00:35:10,905 --> 00:35:12,425
be covenant connected? What do you think? You

980
00:35:12,425 --> 00:35:14,184
know? And and that's where the focus is,

981
00:35:14,184 --> 00:35:15,085
that relationship

982
00:35:15,864 --> 00:35:18,265
with God and our savior rather than, you

983
00:35:18,265 --> 00:35:19,704
know, we've got to go find somebody. That's

984
00:35:19,704 --> 00:35:22,425
right. That's right. Absolutely true. And then just

985
00:35:22,425 --> 00:35:24,440
the they would just it's along the same

986
00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:26,940
line. Just live relationally now. I mean, because

987
00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:29,559
God made us that we are relationship creatures.

988
00:35:29,559 --> 00:35:31,079
You don't do well without them. Right. And

989
00:35:31,079 --> 00:35:32,380
there's no way around that.

990
00:35:32,839 --> 00:35:34,859
Even especially now, it feels

991
00:35:35,285 --> 00:35:37,125
like we're connected more than we are in

992
00:35:37,125 --> 00:35:39,125
reality. We really need people on our lives

993
00:35:39,125 --> 00:35:41,844
and and, lean into those relationships. So And

994
00:35:41,844 --> 00:35:44,485
by the way, quick point that sometimes is

995
00:35:44,485 --> 00:35:45,385
is is misinterpreted.

996
00:35:46,325 --> 00:35:48,405
That need for relationships has nothing to do

997
00:35:48,405 --> 00:35:50,529
with personality traits. It has nothing to do

998
00:35:50,529 --> 00:35:52,609
with introverted or extroverted. Oh, that's a great

999
00:35:52,609 --> 00:35:54,630
point. We all need relationships.

1000
00:35:55,489 --> 00:35:58,389
We all need to feel understood and loved.

1001
00:35:58,449 --> 00:35:58,949
And

1002
00:35:59,250 --> 00:36:01,329
just so happens the savior taught us the

1003
00:36:01,329 --> 00:36:02,630
best way to do that.

1004
00:36:02,929 --> 00:36:04,389
So it's kind of the paradox.

1005
00:36:04,835 --> 00:36:05,894
How do you find yourself?

1006
00:36:06,355 --> 00:36:07,255
You lose yourself.

1007
00:36:07,554 --> 00:36:09,154
Yeah. So you could sit back and say,

1008
00:36:09,154 --> 00:36:10,835
woe is me. No one's being nice to

1009
00:36:10,835 --> 00:36:13,014
me. Or we can say, okay,

1010
00:36:13,554 --> 00:36:15,474
who can I go and help at this

1011
00:36:15,474 --> 00:36:15,974
point?

1012
00:36:17,559 --> 00:36:19,079
Quick story. Yeah. This is not part of

1013
00:36:19,079 --> 00:36:20,279
what I was thinking. But Alright. Let's hear

1014
00:36:20,279 --> 00:36:22,359
it. I had a I had this wonderful

1015
00:36:22,359 --> 00:36:24,279
young lady when I was a bishop at

1016
00:36:24,279 --> 00:36:25,579
BYU in my ward.

1017
00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:28,440
And she was she was fantastic in all

1018
00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:31,239
ways. She was graduated from BYU already, working

1019
00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:31,739
already,

1020
00:36:32,304 --> 00:36:33,925
a return missionary, just bright,

1021
00:36:34,224 --> 00:36:35,425
but I had a hard time getting her

1022
00:36:35,425 --> 00:36:36,085
to activities.

1023
00:36:36,385 --> 00:36:38,065
She just never came. She come to church

1024
00:36:38,065 --> 00:36:39,344
and that was it. So one day, I

1025
00:36:39,344 --> 00:36:41,425
was poking her and just saying, hey, I

1026
00:36:41,425 --> 00:36:41,925
wanted

1027
00:36:42,304 --> 00:36:44,385
oh, Bishop, you know, it's just not my

1028
00:36:44,385 --> 00:36:46,619
thing. I'm kinda shy. And I said I

1029
00:36:46,619 --> 00:36:49,119
said, question for you. I just had this

1030
00:36:49,179 --> 00:36:51,099
brainstorm. I now know it's inspiration, but back

1031
00:36:51,099 --> 00:36:52,239
then, not that brainstorm.

1032
00:36:52,859 --> 00:36:54,779
I said, on your mission, you're a true

1033
00:36:54,779 --> 00:36:57,259
missionary. I said, yeah. So what you do

1034
00:36:57,259 --> 00:36:59,099
when a when a when you brought an

1035
00:36:59,099 --> 00:37:01,575
investigator to church, did you just let them

1036
00:37:01,575 --> 00:37:02,835
be and see what happened?

1037
00:37:03,215 --> 00:37:05,375
And she asked, of course not. You know,

1038
00:37:05,375 --> 00:37:07,055
we slobbered up one side and down the

1039
00:37:07,055 --> 00:37:08,974
other. We attached them to this person and

1040
00:37:08,974 --> 00:37:10,835
that person. And I said,

1041
00:37:11,295 --> 00:37:12,595
can I give you an assignment?

1042
00:37:13,179 --> 00:37:14,780
And she got that, you know, oh dear,

1043
00:37:14,780 --> 00:37:15,820
what are you gonna do? Right? And I

1044
00:37:15,820 --> 00:37:17,659
said I said, I want you to come

1045
00:37:17,659 --> 00:37:19,179
to ward prayer. You know, we have all

1046
00:37:19,179 --> 00:37:19,920
these dorky,

1047
00:37:20,780 --> 00:37:21,760
callings at BYU.

1048
00:37:22,300 --> 00:37:23,340
I said, I want you to come to

1049
00:37:23,340 --> 00:37:25,500
ward prayer. Oh, Bishop. And I can see

1050
00:37:25,500 --> 00:37:26,699
her driving. I said, no. No. No. No.

1051
00:37:26,699 --> 00:37:27,980
No. She said, I don't want you to

1052
00:37:27,980 --> 00:37:28,480
socialize.

1053
00:37:28,894 --> 00:37:30,094
Said, I want you to walk in the

1054
00:37:30,094 --> 00:37:31,775
door and I want you to survey that

1055
00:37:31,775 --> 00:37:32,275
room

1056
00:37:32,655 --> 00:37:34,815
and find one person who you think feels

1057
00:37:34,815 --> 00:37:36,574
more awkward than you do. And then I

1058
00:37:36,574 --> 00:37:38,094
want you to go talk to that person.

1059
00:37:38,094 --> 00:37:39,074
Can you do that?

1060
00:37:39,375 --> 00:37:40,755
She sat there for a second.

1061
00:37:41,454 --> 00:37:42,675
Yeah. I I could do that.

1062
00:37:43,010 --> 00:37:44,929
She had gotten herself stuck into the concept

1063
00:37:44,929 --> 00:37:46,550
of I have to socialize.

1064
00:37:47,170 --> 00:37:48,849
I have to be the life of the

1065
00:37:48,849 --> 00:37:50,789
party. Work the room. Right. Work the room.

1066
00:37:50,929 --> 00:37:53,569
And that that is so not me. You

1067
00:37:53,569 --> 00:37:54,929
put me in a group of people and

1068
00:37:54,929 --> 00:37:56,289
I'm a people watcher. I'll get in a

1069
00:37:56,289 --> 00:37:57,730
corner and just start watching. I could do

1070
00:37:57,730 --> 00:37:59,775
it all day long. But she did. She

1071
00:37:59,775 --> 00:38:01,454
came to the next one and she looked

1072
00:38:01,454 --> 00:38:02,974
around. I could see in her eyes. She's

1073
00:38:02,974 --> 00:38:03,474
like,

1074
00:38:03,934 --> 00:38:04,434
oh.

1075
00:38:04,894 --> 00:38:06,594
And she found this young man

1076
00:38:07,135 --> 00:38:09,315
who was a bit by himself. And

1077
00:38:09,695 --> 00:38:11,054
I could I could just see her kinda,

1078
00:38:11,054 --> 00:38:13,160
okay, here we go. And so she put

1079
00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:15,260
on her missionary shoes, walked over there,

1080
00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:17,880
and started chatting just just a little bit

1081
00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:19,880
side to side. And he'd smile a little

1082
00:38:19,880 --> 00:38:22,119
and she'd smile a little bit. And and

1083
00:38:22,119 --> 00:38:24,280
it was fun and, you know, no sparks

1084
00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:27,394
or anything, but we went home. Next week,

1085
00:38:27,394 --> 00:38:29,155
she came back to work prayer and you

1086
00:38:29,155 --> 00:38:31,335
wanna guess who she sat next to. Yeah.

1087
00:38:31,554 --> 00:38:33,735
Next week, she came back and and, yes,

1088
00:38:34,275 --> 00:38:36,054
they ended up getting sealed,

1089
00:38:36,594 --> 00:38:38,675
which is cool. I love that. But the

1090
00:38:38,675 --> 00:38:39,735
reality is

1091
00:38:40,219 --> 00:38:42,319
I wasn't trying to get her sealed.

1092
00:38:42,699 --> 00:38:44,539
Well, that's a lie. If you're a BYU

1093
00:38:44,539 --> 00:38:46,299
Bishop, you're always trying to help your your

1094
00:38:46,299 --> 00:38:48,779
folks find love. But my goal was to

1095
00:38:48,779 --> 00:38:51,819
help her to connect, to live relationally. Yeah.

1096
00:38:51,819 --> 00:38:53,839
You don't have to socialize, serve.

1097
00:38:54,219 --> 00:38:55,760
Serving is much less threatening.

1098
00:38:56,355 --> 00:38:58,195
Right? And so if we can help our

1099
00:38:58,195 --> 00:39:00,675
our brothers and sisters who aren't married, stop

1100
00:39:00,675 --> 00:39:03,235
sitting back and going, woe is me. There's

1101
00:39:03,235 --> 00:39:04,514
reason for the woe is me. I'm not

1102
00:39:04,514 --> 00:39:06,594
I'm not Yeah. There's a bit. Yeah. But

1103
00:39:06,594 --> 00:39:08,275
it doesn't help to sit in woe is

1104
00:39:08,275 --> 00:39:08,775
me.

1105
00:39:09,155 --> 00:39:11,414
Gird up our loins, fresh kritch take.

1106
00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:12,820
Go love someone.

1107
00:39:13,199 --> 00:39:15,780
Yeah. As we love someone, our own light

1108
00:39:16,159 --> 00:39:18,179
builds, our own life builds,

1109
00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:20,719
and the spirit of God builds in our

1110
00:39:20,719 --> 00:39:22,659
life. Yeah. So That's awesome.

1111
00:39:23,039 --> 00:39:23,940
Alright. So

1112
00:39:24,525 --> 00:39:26,204
let's jump to this and we can jump

1113
00:39:26,204 --> 00:39:27,644
around to some of these on our airline.

1114
00:39:27,644 --> 00:39:30,224
But I think of those single sisters,

1115
00:39:30,684 --> 00:39:33,184
out there who's maybe they know someday

1116
00:39:33,484 --> 00:39:35,484
they'll have the opportunity of marriage, but then

1117
00:39:35,484 --> 00:39:37,130
they also worry, but yeah. But what if

1118
00:39:37,130 --> 00:39:40,410
it's in this eternal polygamous relationship or plural

1119
00:39:40,410 --> 00:39:43,210
marriage relationship? So and, you know, the the

1120
00:39:43,210 --> 00:39:44,809
concerns and questions. I mean, where do we

1121
00:39:44,809 --> 00:39:45,710
start to understand,

1122
00:39:46,329 --> 00:39:49,130
you know, plural marriage in our doctrine? Yeah.

1123
00:39:49,130 --> 00:39:49,630
So

1124
00:39:49,930 --> 00:39:50,910
plural marriage

1125
00:39:51,534 --> 00:39:53,155
was a marital practice

1126
00:39:53,934 --> 00:39:54,755
that was

1127
00:39:55,054 --> 00:39:56,355
not the doctrine,

1128
00:39:56,735 --> 00:39:57,875
but the practice

1129
00:39:58,574 --> 00:40:00,114
based around a specific

1130
00:40:00,414 --> 00:40:02,894
set of circumstances in our history. And when

1131
00:40:02,894 --> 00:40:04,994
I say our history, go back.

1132
00:40:05,454 --> 00:40:06,195
Your earliest

1133
00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,559
plural marriages are recorded in the biblical era.

1134
00:40:09,559 --> 00:40:11,880
You've got Abraham. You've got Moses. You got

1135
00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:13,800
a whole bunch of, stuff going on there.

1136
00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:15,099
But long story short,

1137
00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:18,280
plural marriage is a system of marriage that

1138
00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:19,340
the Lord institutes

1139
00:40:19,720 --> 00:40:21,019
on rare occasions

1140
00:40:22,194 --> 00:40:24,994
when he sees the need. And it's almost

1141
00:40:24,994 --> 00:40:27,474
always interestingly it's almost always at the beginning

1142
00:40:27,474 --> 00:40:29,155
of a dispensation. If you go back and

1143
00:40:29,155 --> 00:40:30,855
you look at when

1144
00:40:31,234 --> 00:40:33,795
plural marriage has been commanded or allowed, it's

1145
00:40:33,795 --> 00:40:35,494
almost always as the lord is starting

1146
00:40:35,795 --> 00:40:38,170
Yeah. A dispensation. Yeah. Right? But one way

1147
00:40:38,170 --> 00:40:40,650
or the other, that also means that there

1148
00:40:40,650 --> 00:40:42,829
are those who are sealed for

1149
00:40:43,210 --> 00:40:45,630
time and eternity to more than one person.

1150
00:40:46,090 --> 00:40:48,809
And members of the church, as a general

1151
00:40:48,809 --> 00:40:50,590
rule, know that that happens

1152
00:40:51,184 --> 00:40:52,945
with a man and two women, but they

1153
00:40:52,945 --> 00:40:55,045
don't realize, doctrinally speaking,

1154
00:40:55,505 --> 00:40:57,585
that also happens with the woman and more

1155
00:40:57,585 --> 00:40:59,344
than one man. If you go to the

1156
00:40:59,344 --> 00:41:01,105
general handbook, it explains this. But let me

1157
00:41:01,264 --> 00:41:03,045
this this is just from the gospel

1158
00:41:03,824 --> 00:41:05,284
essay on plural marriage,

1159
00:41:05,940 --> 00:41:06,679
says this.

1160
00:41:07,380 --> 00:41:10,599
Okay. Moreover, members are permitted to perform ordinances

1161
00:41:10,980 --> 00:41:13,159
on behalf of deceased men and women

1162
00:41:13,859 --> 00:41:16,440
who married more than once on this earth,

1163
00:41:16,500 --> 00:41:18,500
sealing them to all their spouses to whom

1164
00:41:18,500 --> 00:41:20,304
they were legally married. If you're a man

1165
00:41:20,304 --> 00:41:22,304
and you are married to five women, you

1166
00:41:22,304 --> 00:41:23,824
can be sealed to those five women. If

1167
00:41:23,824 --> 00:41:25,425
you're a woman and sealed to five men,

1168
00:41:25,425 --> 00:41:27,204
you can be sealed to those five men

1169
00:41:27,664 --> 00:41:29,204
that have passed away. Right?

1170
00:41:29,824 --> 00:41:31,285
Then this important statement,

1171
00:41:32,219 --> 00:41:34,380
the precise nature of these relationships in the

1172
00:41:34,380 --> 00:41:36,000
next life is not known,

1173
00:41:36,300 --> 00:41:38,699
and many family relationships will be sorted out

1174
00:41:38,699 --> 00:41:40,940
in the life to come. Latter day Saints

1175
00:41:40,940 --> 00:41:43,500
are encouraged to trust in our wise heavenly

1176
00:41:43,500 --> 00:41:45,199
father who loves his children

1177
00:41:45,515 --> 00:41:47,914
and does all things for their growth. It

1178
00:41:47,914 --> 00:41:49,675
reminds me I'm gonna go back to the

1179
00:41:49,675 --> 00:41:50,574
statement by

1180
00:41:51,035 --> 00:41:53,835
by President Oaks on this concept of trusting

1181
00:41:53,835 --> 00:41:54,335
God.

1182
00:41:55,434 --> 00:41:57,195
Okay. Before I do that, I can back

1183
00:41:57,195 --> 00:41:58,715
up just a little bit more. Oh, sorry.

1184
00:41:58,715 --> 00:42:00,239
I gotta go back a little bit more.

1185
00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:01,679
Do you remember one of the points that

1186
00:42:01,679 --> 00:42:03,380
I brought up, one of my four foundational

1187
00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:06,099
points was God won't abrogate agency? Yeah.

1188
00:42:06,639 --> 00:42:07,840
One of the things that means is you

1189
00:42:07,840 --> 00:42:09,599
will never be stuck in a relationship you

1190
00:42:09,599 --> 00:42:11,599
don't want to be in. Yeah. You will

1191
00:42:11,599 --> 00:42:13,184
never be forced into a relationship

1192
00:42:14,144 --> 00:42:15,265
a relationship you don't wanna be. So so

1193
00:42:15,265 --> 00:42:16,785
let's assume for a moment that there's a

1194
00:42:16,785 --> 00:42:18,565
man and a woman, and

1195
00:42:19,025 --> 00:42:20,965
the man it doesn't matter. Man dies.

1196
00:42:21,664 --> 00:42:24,704
Now let's simplify this, for right now. Woman

1197
00:42:24,704 --> 00:42:26,849
dies. Right? Man is,

1198
00:42:27,329 --> 00:42:29,489
lives for another two, three years, finds another,

1199
00:42:29,809 --> 00:42:32,710
person, marries her. He's now sealed to both.

1200
00:42:33,250 --> 00:42:35,090
Right? How's it gonna work in the next

1201
00:42:35,090 --> 00:42:35,590
life?

1202
00:42:36,050 --> 00:42:39,269
Yeah. Good answer. Good answer. We don't know.

1203
00:42:39,570 --> 00:42:41,170
We simply know it will, and it'll be

1204
00:42:41,170 --> 00:42:42,309
glorious. But

1205
00:42:42,744 --> 00:42:44,984
will wife number one be stuck in a

1206
00:42:44,984 --> 00:42:47,405
plural marriage? Definitely not. No.

1207
00:42:47,864 --> 00:42:48,364
No.

1208
00:42:48,905 --> 00:42:50,605
Couple statements for you here.

1209
00:42:50,905 --> 00:42:52,125
Joseph Ealing Smith.

1210
00:42:52,425 --> 00:42:54,664
The dead will have the privilege of making

1211
00:42:54,664 --> 00:42:56,364
known the things they desire

1212
00:42:56,960 --> 00:42:58,420
and are entitled to receive.

1213
00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:01,059
In this way no soul will be neglected

1214
00:43:01,119 --> 00:43:02,639
and the work of the Lord will be

1215
00:43:02,639 --> 00:43:03,139
protected.

1216
00:43:04,079 --> 00:43:04,900
Elder Gong,

1217
00:43:05,440 --> 00:43:08,960
marriage covenants are binding by mutual choice of

1218
00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:10,099
those making them.

1219
00:43:10,454 --> 00:43:12,775
A reminder of God's and our respect for

1220
00:43:12,775 --> 00:43:14,614
agency and the blessing of his help when

1221
00:43:14,614 --> 00:43:16,695
we unitedly seek it. So we come back

1222
00:43:16,695 --> 00:43:18,215
to this concept of, well, I don't wanna

1223
00:43:18,215 --> 00:43:19,735
be stuck in a relationship. I don't want

1224
00:43:19,735 --> 00:43:21,835
to. Cool. You won't be.

1225
00:43:22,375 --> 00:43:25,679
God will not abrogate agency. Nobody will be

1226
00:43:25,679 --> 00:43:28,239
forced into a plural or a singular marriage

1227
00:43:28,239 --> 00:43:30,159
they don't wanna be in. Yeah. Because in

1228
00:43:30,159 --> 00:43:32,159
order for that to be efficacious, the ceiling

1229
00:43:32,159 --> 00:43:32,900
to be efficacious,

1230
00:43:33,199 --> 00:43:35,840
you have to desire it and be worthy

1231
00:43:35,840 --> 00:43:38,835
of it. Right? And so nobody's gonna be

1232
00:43:38,835 --> 00:43:41,094
stuck in that situation. Now having said that,

1233
00:43:41,954 --> 00:43:42,695
oh, baby.

1234
00:43:43,235 --> 00:43:44,135
There's a history

1235
00:43:44,755 --> 00:43:48,215
that helps us understand that there are situations

1236
00:43:48,434 --> 00:43:51,414
of plurality of marriage, plurality of spouses

1237
00:43:52,199 --> 00:43:54,139
that were joyous and happy.

1238
00:43:54,679 --> 00:43:55,179
And

1239
00:43:55,639 --> 00:43:58,139
to the best of our understanding, those relationships

1240
00:43:58,359 --> 00:44:00,380
will exist in the next life.

1241
00:44:00,839 --> 00:44:03,639
But there has been not one statement by

1242
00:44:03,639 --> 00:44:05,179
a prophet that says

1243
00:44:06,155 --> 00:44:08,554
you had said to the church as a

1244
00:44:08,554 --> 00:44:09,054
whole,

1245
00:44:09,355 --> 00:44:11,054
you have to be willing to live

1246
00:44:11,434 --> 00:44:11,934
polygamously

1247
00:44:12,554 --> 00:44:14,894
Yeah. To be exalted and have eternal life.

1248
00:44:14,954 --> 00:44:17,994
There were specific people where prophets said, this

1249
00:44:17,994 --> 00:44:19,214
is you right now.

1250
00:44:19,610 --> 00:44:21,449
But there's never been a statement by a

1251
00:44:21,449 --> 00:44:23,390
prophet to the church as a whole

1252
00:44:23,769 --> 00:44:26,510
that said plural marriage is necessary for salvation,

1253
00:44:26,890 --> 00:44:28,650
which is good because there's kind of not

1254
00:44:28,650 --> 00:44:30,409
enough people for that to work out. Right?

1255
00:44:30,409 --> 00:44:32,489
Yeah. There's kind of this fifty fifty mix

1256
00:44:32,489 --> 00:44:35,234
business going on. And so no one, a,

1257
00:44:35,234 --> 00:44:36,835
need we're worried that they're gonna be stuck

1258
00:44:36,835 --> 00:44:39,014
in a relationship they don't want to. B,

1259
00:44:39,554 --> 00:44:40,855
no one need worry

1260
00:44:41,315 --> 00:44:44,194
that plural marriage is a requirement in the

1261
00:44:44,194 --> 00:44:44,694
eternities.

1262
00:44:45,394 --> 00:44:45,894
C,

1263
00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:47,219
it's possible

1264
00:44:47,519 --> 00:44:50,800
that plural marriage may actually not may, according

1265
00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:52,800
to the statements of prophets, will exist in

1266
00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:55,780
the next life, but it'll exist in ways

1267
00:44:55,840 --> 00:44:58,980
where all those involved have exercised their agency

1268
00:44:59,039 --> 00:45:02,224
and desire that relationship. Yeah. That's helpful. We

1269
00:45:02,224 --> 00:45:03,765
just smile and go,

1270
00:45:04,864 --> 00:45:07,425
shouldn't be it's not part of our it

1271
00:45:07,425 --> 00:45:09,505
shouldn't be part of our worry because it's

1272
00:45:09,505 --> 00:45:12,244
never possible to be forced in that situation.

1273
00:45:12,305 --> 00:45:14,630
Yeah. And I I, you know, that as

1274
00:45:14,630 --> 00:45:16,630
far as the aggregate and agency, whatnot, I

1275
00:45:16,630 --> 00:45:18,309
heard heard that a lot in the context.

1276
00:45:18,309 --> 00:45:20,570
When I was a bishop, for individuals who

1277
00:45:20,630 --> 00:45:22,630
would just get out of a divorce, they

1278
00:45:22,630 --> 00:45:24,789
just hate this individual, and they come in

1279
00:45:24,789 --> 00:45:26,949
and say, Bishop, let's cancel that ceiling. Let's

1280
00:45:26,949 --> 00:45:27,530
go over

1281
00:45:27,829 --> 00:45:29,864
paperwork. Right? And sort of slow them down

1282
00:45:29,864 --> 00:45:31,264
and be like, yeah. But there's still a

1283
00:45:31,344 --> 00:45:33,344
there's still an ordinance there that's intact. But

1284
00:45:33,344 --> 00:45:35,204
any anything you'd add to that? Yeah. Absolutely.

1285
00:45:35,264 --> 00:45:36,964
This is this is hugely important.

1286
00:45:37,505 --> 00:45:39,585
I actually use an example. Oh, you know,

1287
00:45:39,585 --> 00:45:40,625
I don't have a slide on. I do

1288
00:45:40,625 --> 00:45:41,585
have a slide on this, but it's just

1289
00:45:41,585 --> 00:45:42,784
not Well, we we can add it in.

1290
00:45:42,784 --> 00:45:43,029
We can add it in. We can add

1291
00:45:43,029 --> 00:45:43,089
it in. We can add it in. We

1292
00:45:43,089 --> 00:45:43,934
can add it in. Yeah.

1293
00:45:44,599 --> 00:45:45,420
The reality

1294
00:45:45,880 --> 00:45:48,360
I use a a silly analogy. I try

1295
00:45:48,360 --> 00:45:49,800
and get as far out from my students

1296
00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:50,460
as possible

1297
00:45:50,760 --> 00:45:52,679
so that doesn't affect anyone, and we're not

1298
00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:54,760
Yeah. In the sense. So I say, okay.

1299
00:45:54,760 --> 00:45:56,780
Imagine there's there's Sam and Susie.

1300
00:45:57,434 --> 00:45:59,614
Sam's a return missionary. He's a return missionary.

1301
00:45:59,675 --> 00:46:01,275
They fall in love. They get married. They

1302
00:46:01,275 --> 00:46:02,175
have two babies,

1303
00:46:02,555 --> 00:46:05,035
and then Sam becomes an axe murderer. And

1304
00:46:05,035 --> 00:46:06,875
I always ask, anyone have family that's axe

1305
00:46:06,875 --> 00:46:09,035
murdering? Okay. No events. Right? We're safe, right,

1306
00:46:09,035 --> 00:46:11,434
at this point? Okay. So we're safe. So

1307
00:46:11,434 --> 00:46:14,269
Sam's an axe murderer, and I'll show them

1308
00:46:14,489 --> 00:46:17,130
what's happening to the sealing covenant at that

1309
00:46:17,130 --> 00:46:19,449
point. You know, we usually use the triangle

1310
00:46:19,449 --> 00:46:21,289
concept. Uh-huh. We got God and Sam and

1311
00:46:21,289 --> 00:46:23,849
Susie. Right? So what happened to Sam and

1312
00:46:23,849 --> 00:46:25,230
God's covenant connection?

1313
00:46:25,724 --> 00:46:28,605
Severed. Right? Severed. Right? What happened to Sam

1314
00:46:28,605 --> 00:46:29,744
and Susie's connection?

1315
00:46:30,445 --> 00:46:30,945
Severed.

1316
00:46:31,644 --> 00:46:34,285
The ordinance is in place. Mhmm. But in

1317
00:46:34,285 --> 00:46:36,285
order for that, the holy spirit of promise

1318
00:46:36,285 --> 00:46:38,460
to bind that, it has to be based

1319
00:46:38,460 --> 00:46:40,460
on righteousness and the desire of both people.

1320
00:46:40,460 --> 00:46:43,280
Guess what? That's gone. It's gone. Uh-huh.

1321
00:46:43,739 --> 00:46:44,239
Susie

1322
00:46:44,940 --> 00:46:46,559
is no longer sealed.

1323
00:46:47,260 --> 00:46:49,360
Technically, she's sealed, but she's no longer

1324
00:46:49,820 --> 00:46:52,239
the ceiling is no longer efficacious to Sam.

1325
00:46:52,619 --> 00:46:53,119
But

1326
00:46:53,635 --> 00:46:55,255
Susie's sealing to God,

1327
00:46:55,635 --> 00:46:57,635
which was part of the marital covenant Mhmm.

1328
00:46:57,715 --> 00:46:58,695
Is still intact.

1329
00:46:59,075 --> 00:47:01,235
And many members don't realize that that when

1330
00:47:01,235 --> 00:47:02,215
you are married,

1331
00:47:02,755 --> 00:47:05,815
you're making a covenant both to each other

1332
00:47:06,275 --> 00:47:07,335
and to God.

1333
00:47:07,750 --> 00:47:09,610
And so as a result of that,

1334
00:47:09,989 --> 00:47:12,150
Sam's an axe murderer and he's got problems.

1335
00:47:12,150 --> 00:47:12,650
Right?

1336
00:47:13,190 --> 00:47:13,690
Susie

1337
00:47:14,150 --> 00:47:16,410
is not only not stuck with Sam,

1338
00:47:17,030 --> 00:47:19,430
Susie is continuing to draw the blessings that

1339
00:47:19,430 --> 00:47:21,690
come from her ceiling to God.

1340
00:47:22,295 --> 00:47:23,595
And that ceiling

1341
00:47:24,295 --> 00:47:26,055
can I mean, it's up to Susie and

1342
00:47:26,055 --> 00:47:27,575
the first presidency how they want to deal

1343
00:47:27,575 --> 00:47:29,655
with that? Right. But then if Susie wants

1344
00:47:29,655 --> 00:47:31,914
to remarry, that ceiling will be

1345
00:47:32,454 --> 00:47:32,954
officially

1346
00:47:33,735 --> 00:47:36,449
cut and then she'll be sealed to whoever

1347
00:47:36,449 --> 00:47:38,289
she wants to be. Yeah. And that, that

1348
00:47:38,289 --> 00:47:40,289
triangle will be restored at some point. Right?

1349
00:47:40,289 --> 00:47:41,730
And that's why I mean, you say, well,

1350
00:47:41,730 --> 00:47:43,989
why don't we just, you know, seal individuals

1351
00:47:44,050 --> 00:47:45,250
to God? Do you know what? You go

1352
00:47:45,250 --> 00:47:47,010
that way. But there's there's power in that

1353
00:47:47,010 --> 00:47:47,510
relational

1354
00:47:47,809 --> 00:47:49,409
There it is. Ordinance. Right? Well, and and

1355
00:47:49,409 --> 00:47:51,255
and you raised a really important point, Kurt,

1356
00:47:51,255 --> 00:47:53,974
which is that when Joseph taught the sealing

1357
00:47:53,974 --> 00:47:55,654
ordinances, this goes back to the concept of

1358
00:47:55,654 --> 00:47:57,755
plural marriage and a bunch of other things.

1359
00:47:57,974 --> 00:47:58,875
There's really

1360
00:47:59,255 --> 00:48:01,494
two aspects to that that that we are

1361
00:48:01,494 --> 00:48:04,180
being sealed to God. And interestingly, in the

1362
00:48:04,180 --> 00:48:05,000
early church,

1363
00:48:05,619 --> 00:48:08,280
baptism was often referred to as a sealing

1364
00:48:08,500 --> 00:48:10,820
to God. Mhmm. That we are baptized, we're

1365
00:48:10,820 --> 00:48:12,340
binding ourselves to God. And and you can

1366
00:48:12,340 --> 00:48:13,699
think of it that way. Right? Because you're

1367
00:48:13,699 --> 00:48:15,619
making a covenant with God when you're baptized.

1368
00:48:15,619 --> 00:48:17,800
And so there's the covenant connection with God.

1369
00:48:18,394 --> 00:48:20,734
Our spouse has no power

1370
00:48:21,355 --> 00:48:23,994
to take that away. None. Zero. That is

1371
00:48:23,994 --> 00:48:25,214
between you and God.

1372
00:48:25,514 --> 00:48:27,755
And that is ultimately gonna be based on

1373
00:48:27,755 --> 00:48:30,974
your integrity, your faith, your desires. Right?

1374
00:48:31,329 --> 00:48:33,730
But God doesn't just want to bind us

1375
00:48:33,730 --> 00:48:34,389
to him.

1376
00:48:34,849 --> 00:48:37,089
God wants to help us become as God

1377
00:48:37,089 --> 00:48:39,730
is. Hence, as Elder Oaks says, to become

1378
00:48:39,730 --> 00:48:41,670
as our heavenly parents. Well, that doesn't happen

1379
00:48:41,889 --> 00:48:43,809
if you don't have a husband and a

1380
00:48:43,809 --> 00:48:44,309
wife

1381
00:48:44,954 --> 00:48:47,595
where both are bound together and bound to

1382
00:48:47,595 --> 00:48:48,095
God.

1383
00:48:48,474 --> 00:48:50,255
And so you have the the covenant

1384
00:48:50,635 --> 00:48:52,954
not only from you and God, but from

1385
00:48:52,954 --> 00:48:55,595
God to you too as a couple. Yeah.

1386
00:48:55,595 --> 00:48:57,980
Very important. In fact, that's something that we're

1387
00:48:57,980 --> 00:48:58,859
going to talk about. Shall we do it

1388
00:48:58,859 --> 00:49:00,219
now? Yeah. Yeah. Let's jump into it. Let's

1389
00:49:00,219 --> 00:49:02,300
do it. And I guess I'll just insert

1390
00:49:02,300 --> 00:49:04,219
here that I love the concept of why

1391
00:49:04,219 --> 00:49:06,539
we need another individual in that is it

1392
00:49:06,539 --> 00:49:09,039
sort of gives us an arena to practice

1393
00:49:09,099 --> 00:49:11,655
the that commitment to another person so that

1394
00:49:11,655 --> 00:49:13,494
we're better at being committed to God. Right?

1395
00:49:13,494 --> 00:49:16,155
That's absolutely true. Absolutely true. And and ultimately,

1396
00:49:16,775 --> 00:49:18,535
one of the things that we we try

1397
00:49:18,535 --> 00:49:20,375
to help our students understand at BYU is

1398
00:49:20,375 --> 00:49:22,695
that the the ceiling between a a a

1399
00:49:22,695 --> 00:49:23,835
husband and wife

1400
00:49:24,239 --> 00:49:24,980
is primary.

1401
00:49:25,440 --> 00:49:27,440
The ceiling between husband, wife, and children is

1402
00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:28,260
very important.

1403
00:49:28,719 --> 00:49:30,480
But let's not pretend that we're gonna live

1404
00:49:30,480 --> 00:49:32,079
in a nineteen fifties family up in the

1405
00:49:32,079 --> 00:49:34,400
in the in the next life. Our children

1406
00:49:34,400 --> 00:49:36,239
aren't going to be living in our living

1407
00:49:36,239 --> 00:49:38,239
room up up in the celestial kingdom. They're

1408
00:49:38,239 --> 00:49:40,105
hopefully going to be living with their spouses.

1409
00:49:40,105 --> 00:49:42,684
Mhmm. So the primary relationship is always

1410
00:49:43,224 --> 00:49:44,204
husband and wife.

1411
00:49:44,585 --> 00:49:46,744
And mind you, I love my children. I

1412
00:49:46,744 --> 00:49:48,184
want them bound to me. And and the

1413
00:49:48,184 --> 00:49:49,325
good news is this,

1414
00:49:49,785 --> 00:49:51,945
my children have no power to break that

1415
00:49:51,945 --> 00:49:52,925
binding tie.

1416
00:49:53,539 --> 00:49:55,099
They can sink themselves to hell to quote

1417
00:49:55,099 --> 00:49:56,339
a prophet. I don't want them to do

1418
00:49:56,339 --> 00:49:58,739
that. But they can, but they cannot break

1419
00:49:58,739 --> 00:49:59,960
the binding tie between

1420
00:50:00,339 --> 00:50:02,820
my sweetheart, I and them because that's based

1421
00:50:02,820 --> 00:50:03,960
on our faithfulness,

1422
00:50:04,260 --> 00:50:05,800
not their faithfulness.

1423
00:50:06,565 --> 00:50:09,045
K. Seal of ordinance. Yeah. Four four aspects,

1424
00:50:09,045 --> 00:50:11,045
and and and this is not brother Goodman.

1425
00:50:11,045 --> 00:50:12,824
This this is a dear friend.

1426
00:50:13,364 --> 00:50:15,445
Creel Covert. Have you ever heard that name?

1427
00:50:15,445 --> 00:50:17,195
I have not. Creel Covert was a member

1428
00:50:17,195 --> 00:50:18,105
of the seventy.

1429
00:50:18,739 --> 00:50:20,179
He is a dear friend of mine. He

1430
00:50:20,179 --> 00:50:21,539
was my area president when I was a

1431
00:50:21,539 --> 00:50:22,920
mission president. Oh, cool.

1432
00:50:23,299 --> 00:50:25,940
Really awesome guy. Anyway, he wrote an article

1433
00:50:25,940 --> 00:50:28,059
that was published in the Ensign in June

1434
00:50:28,059 --> 00:50:30,099
1998, which meant he wrote it the year

1435
00:50:30,099 --> 00:50:30,599
before

1436
00:50:30,994 --> 00:50:32,114
because that's the way it works.

1437
00:50:32,675 --> 00:50:34,355
Long story short, that's when he was my

1438
00:50:34,355 --> 00:50:35,815
mission president that came out.

1439
00:50:36,114 --> 00:50:38,275
Your area. Area president. I was a mission

1440
00:50:38,275 --> 00:50:40,355
president. Thank you. And he taught that the

1441
00:50:40,355 --> 00:50:42,295
sealing ordinance has four

1442
00:50:42,594 --> 00:50:43,655
specific elements.

1443
00:50:44,199 --> 00:50:45,800
And if we want our our our young

1444
00:50:45,800 --> 00:50:48,519
adults, our singles, our marriage to understand this,

1445
00:50:48,519 --> 00:50:50,519
they have to understand the different parts. You

1446
00:50:50,519 --> 00:50:51,340
got one,

1447
00:50:51,800 --> 00:50:54,280
individual covenants and blessings. So we talked about

1448
00:50:54,280 --> 00:50:56,360
that a little bit earlier. When Sam and

1449
00:50:56,360 --> 00:50:58,599
Susie are married, they're not only making a

1450
00:50:58,599 --> 00:51:00,535
covenant with with each other, they're making a

1451
00:51:00,535 --> 00:51:01,594
covenant with God.

1452
00:51:02,054 --> 00:51:04,875
And Sam's ax murdering does not

1453
00:51:05,335 --> 00:51:08,934
impact Susie's connection. So an individual covenant that

1454
00:51:08,934 --> 00:51:11,335
is based on our faithfulness to God, not

1455
00:51:11,335 --> 00:51:14,429
our spouse's faithfulness to God nor our spouse's

1456
00:51:14,429 --> 00:51:16,589
faithfulness to us. In other words, no one

1457
00:51:16,589 --> 00:51:17,489
condemn us.

1458
00:51:17,869 --> 00:51:19,089
No one condemn us.

1459
00:51:19,389 --> 00:51:22,130
So one, our individual covenants with God. Two,

1460
00:51:22,510 --> 00:51:23,409
joint covenants.

1461
00:51:23,869 --> 00:51:25,489
These are the things that only

1462
00:51:25,789 --> 00:51:28,030
are in place when two people are true

1463
00:51:28,030 --> 00:51:29,954
to their covenant. Let me read what he

1464
00:51:29,954 --> 00:51:30,454
says.

1465
00:51:30,755 --> 00:51:33,155
Elder Colfer, the two of you jointly will

1466
00:51:33,155 --> 00:51:35,555
make promises, commandments, and covenants with your heavenly

1467
00:51:35,555 --> 00:51:37,875
father and will make covenants to receive each

1468
00:51:37,875 --> 00:51:39,175
other as husband and wife.

1469
00:51:39,555 --> 00:51:42,434
You then will jointly receive promises of blessings

1470
00:51:42,434 --> 00:51:45,420
conditioned upon your joint faithfulness. Notice the word

1471
00:51:45,420 --> 00:51:48,380
joint all the time here. The continued faithful

1472
00:51:48,380 --> 00:51:50,619
obedience of both of you is essential if

1473
00:51:50,619 --> 00:51:52,719
the promised blessings are to be received

1474
00:51:53,179 --> 00:51:53,679
jointly.

1475
00:51:54,219 --> 00:51:55,900
This is because the promises are made to

1476
00:51:55,900 --> 00:51:57,980
you as one. That is as a single

1477
00:51:57,980 --> 00:52:00,565
unit consisting of two halves. And so that

1478
00:52:00,704 --> 00:52:03,505
joint covenant blessing when when my ex murderer

1479
00:52:03,505 --> 00:52:05,045
Sam did what he did,

1480
00:52:05,664 --> 00:52:08,704
that blessing is actually taken from both Sam

1481
00:52:08,704 --> 00:52:11,264
and Susie because that is only given jointly.

1482
00:52:11,264 --> 00:52:12,704
Wait a minute. Susie is gonna be okay.

1483
00:52:12,704 --> 00:52:14,859
We're gonna work this out. Right? But that

1484
00:52:14,859 --> 00:52:16,400
blessing is actually

1485
00:52:17,019 --> 00:52:19,340
dependent or contingent on both people being true

1486
00:52:19,340 --> 00:52:21,019
to it. Not only the blessing, though, the

1487
00:52:21,019 --> 00:52:21,519
commitment.

1488
00:52:21,820 --> 00:52:23,900
Hence, when Sam decides to be an axe

1489
00:52:23,900 --> 00:52:24,400
murderer,

1490
00:52:24,699 --> 00:52:25,199
he

1491
00:52:25,579 --> 00:52:27,820
breaks that commitment to his wife, and she

1492
00:52:27,820 --> 00:52:29,119
is no longer stuck

1493
00:52:29,484 --> 00:52:30,304
with him. Right?

1494
00:52:31,244 --> 00:52:31,744
Three,

1495
00:52:32,125 --> 00:52:34,284
joining in celestial marriage. This is the part,

1496
00:52:34,284 --> 00:52:35,964
as he said, this element qualifies you to

1497
00:52:35,964 --> 00:52:37,405
live together as husband and wife under the

1498
00:52:37,405 --> 00:52:39,085
laws of the land. Here that you are

1499
00:52:39,085 --> 00:52:41,164
united forever becoming one flesh before the Lord

1500
00:52:41,164 --> 00:52:42,605
and forming a new family unit that if

1501
00:52:42,605 --> 00:52:43,964
you are faithful and obedient, it will last

1502
00:52:43,964 --> 00:52:46,030
forever. So the when most people think about

1503
00:52:46,030 --> 00:52:48,349
ceilings, they're thinking about the third part Yeah.

1504
00:52:48,510 --> 00:52:50,690
As where you're super glued. Yeah. Right?

1505
00:52:51,469 --> 00:52:53,389
And then four, the fourth part of the

1506
00:52:53,389 --> 00:52:54,210
sealing ordinance,

1507
00:52:54,670 --> 00:52:56,769
blessing for children born in the covenant.

1508
00:52:57,150 --> 00:52:58,829
Or in my case, where both my children

1509
00:52:58,829 --> 00:52:59,489
are adopted,

1510
00:53:00,144 --> 00:53:03,425
sealed after the Mhmm. After the our sealing.

1511
00:53:03,425 --> 00:53:04,644
Right? Sealed to us.

1512
00:53:05,105 --> 00:53:06,785
All children born to the two of you

1513
00:53:06,785 --> 00:53:08,785
are born in the blessings of the sealing

1514
00:53:08,785 --> 00:53:10,785
covenant. Thus, it is common to say that

1515
00:53:10,785 --> 00:53:12,625
your children are born in the covenant. They're

1516
00:53:12,625 --> 00:53:15,045
entitled to the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant

1517
00:53:15,179 --> 00:53:17,260
and then he outlines those. And so so

1518
00:53:17,260 --> 00:53:19,099
when we're talking about the sealing ordinance, we're

1519
00:53:19,099 --> 00:53:21,359
really talking about four specific elements.

1520
00:53:21,980 --> 00:53:24,000
Individual promises we make with God,

1521
00:53:24,380 --> 00:53:26,400
joint promises we make with God,

1522
00:53:26,780 --> 00:53:29,019
the actual binding, the sealing, the super glue,

1523
00:53:29,019 --> 00:53:30,744
whatever you want to call it and the

1524
00:53:30,744 --> 00:53:33,424
blessings that then entail upon our children as

1525
00:53:33,424 --> 00:53:34,605
a result of that.

1526
00:53:34,905 --> 00:53:37,465
So four aspects of that sealing covenant that

1527
00:53:37,465 --> 00:53:39,545
are necessary for us to actually understand and

1528
00:53:39,545 --> 00:53:42,105
that understanding those four elements then helps us

1529
00:53:42,105 --> 00:53:43,644
begin to work through some of

1530
00:53:44,380 --> 00:53:46,800
the contingencies that we see. Divorce,

1531
00:53:47,659 --> 00:53:48,159
death,

1532
00:53:48,619 --> 00:53:49,119
remarriage.

1533
00:53:49,659 --> 00:53:51,420
When you start to say, okay, let's think

1534
00:53:51,420 --> 00:53:53,260
through those the not not just the four

1535
00:53:53,260 --> 00:53:55,500
elements of the sealing ordinance, but remember what

1536
00:53:55,500 --> 00:53:57,260
we talked about that that God loves us.

1537
00:53:57,260 --> 00:53:58,559
He won't aggregate agency.

1538
00:53:59,075 --> 00:54:01,394
When you start to put this all together,

1539
00:54:01,394 --> 00:54:02,695
you realize that

1540
00:54:02,994 --> 00:54:04,595
no one's ever stuck in a relationship they

1541
00:54:04,595 --> 00:54:06,755
don't want to be in. No one is

1542
00:54:06,755 --> 00:54:08,515
ever going to be denied any blessing that

1543
00:54:08,515 --> 00:54:10,515
God would give to all his children. We

1544
00:54:10,515 --> 00:54:11,735
don't know the exact

1545
00:54:12,230 --> 00:54:14,010
configuration of family units

1546
00:54:14,469 --> 00:54:16,389
necessarily with all the complexity that goes with

1547
00:54:16,389 --> 00:54:18,389
that in the next life. But as Elder

1548
00:54:18,389 --> 00:54:19,750
Oaks said, let me oh, let me share

1549
00:54:19,750 --> 00:54:21,989
this. This is good stuff. Gotta love President

1550
00:54:21,989 --> 00:54:23,849
Oaks. This is what he said.

1551
00:54:24,255 --> 00:54:26,174
For all questions about the spirit world. Now

1552
00:54:26,174 --> 00:54:27,454
he's not about the spirit world. I'm going

1553
00:54:27,454 --> 00:54:28,574
to expand it a little bit because it's

1554
00:54:28,574 --> 00:54:30,355
true of the next phase after that.

1555
00:54:30,815 --> 00:54:32,114
I suggest two answers.

1556
00:54:32,734 --> 00:54:33,234
First,

1557
00:54:33,534 --> 00:54:35,614
remember that God loves his children and will

1558
00:54:35,614 --> 00:54:37,295
surely do what is best for each of

1559
00:54:37,295 --> 00:54:37,795
us.

1560
00:54:38,239 --> 00:54:38,739
Second,

1561
00:54:39,280 --> 00:54:42,159
remember this familiar Bible teaching which has been

1562
00:54:42,159 --> 00:54:44,000
most helpful to me on a multitude of

1563
00:54:44,000 --> 00:54:45,059
unanswered questions.

1564
00:54:45,599 --> 00:54:47,619
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.

1565
00:54:48,079 --> 00:54:49,780
Lean not unto thine own understanding.

1566
00:54:50,159 --> 00:54:52,339
In all thy ways acknowledge him

1567
00:54:52,805 --> 00:54:55,204
and he shall direct thy paths. This concept

1568
00:54:55,204 --> 00:54:56,744
of trusting in the Lord.

1569
00:54:57,285 --> 00:54:59,465
Trust in the Lord is a familiar

1570
00:54:59,845 --> 00:55:01,364
and true teaching of the Church of Jesus

1571
00:55:01,364 --> 00:55:03,684
Christ Latter day Saints. That same principle applies

1572
00:55:03,684 --> 00:55:06,405
to unanswered questions about ceilings in the next

1573
00:55:06,405 --> 00:55:06,905
life

1574
00:55:07,440 --> 00:55:08,739
or desired readjustments

1575
00:55:09,119 --> 00:55:12,159
because of events or transgressions in mortality. What

1576
00:55:12,159 --> 00:55:13,380
happens if my spouse

1577
00:55:13,920 --> 00:55:15,380
walks with their covenants

1578
00:55:15,679 --> 00:55:17,679
and we still love each other? What happens

1579
00:55:17,679 --> 00:55:20,239
with that? Right? There are so much we

1580
00:55:20,239 --> 00:55:22,934
do not know that our only sure reliance

1581
00:55:22,934 --> 00:55:24,454
is to trust in the Lord and his

1582
00:55:24,454 --> 00:55:25,674
love for his children.

1583
00:55:26,054 --> 00:55:28,454
This concept that if we can trust the

1584
00:55:28,454 --> 00:55:28,954
Lord,

1585
00:55:29,574 --> 00:55:31,894
it's not that we have all the detailed

1586
00:55:31,894 --> 00:55:33,574
answers because we don't. Anyone who says that,

1587
00:55:33,574 --> 00:55:35,594
you know that they're blowing smokeage. Right?

1588
00:55:36,039 --> 00:55:39,239
But I love what President Eyring said. Let

1589
00:55:39,239 --> 00:55:40,839
me let me and this kinda ties this

1590
00:55:40,839 --> 00:55:43,319
whole section together. Plural marriage, the sealing ordinance,

1591
00:55:43,319 --> 00:55:45,099
and the and the concept of the singles

1592
00:55:45,400 --> 00:55:47,099
and how they can find peace.

1593
00:55:47,719 --> 00:55:50,875
President Eyring, for some, that eternal joy may

1594
00:55:50,875 --> 00:55:52,714
seem a faint or even fading hope. The

1595
00:55:52,714 --> 00:55:54,714
eternal joy of marriage and family and all

1596
00:55:54,714 --> 00:55:55,694
that good stuff. Right?

1597
00:55:56,155 --> 00:55:58,954
Parents, children, brothers and sisters may have made

1598
00:55:58,954 --> 00:56:01,434
choices that seem to disqualify them from eternal

1599
00:56:01,434 --> 00:56:01,934
life.

1600
00:56:02,315 --> 00:56:03,534
You may even wonder

1601
00:56:04,079 --> 00:56:06,079
whether you have yet been qualified through the

1602
00:56:06,079 --> 00:56:07,619
Atonement of Jesus Christ.

1603
00:56:08,079 --> 00:56:10,480
A prophet of God once offered me counsel

1604
00:56:10,480 --> 00:56:11,860
that gives me peace.

1605
00:56:12,400 --> 00:56:14,719
I was worried that a choice of others

1606
00:56:14,719 --> 00:56:16,640
might make it impossible for our families to

1607
00:56:16,640 --> 00:56:18,480
be together for every other same experience I

1608
00:56:18,480 --> 00:56:22,035
did. Probably before me. He, the prophet said,

1609
00:56:22,815 --> 00:56:25,635
you are worrying about the wrong problem.

1610
00:56:26,335 --> 00:56:29,555
You live worthy of the celestial kingdom. Stay

1611
00:56:29,614 --> 00:56:30,595
covenant connected

1612
00:56:31,199 --> 00:56:33,839
and the family arrangements will be more wonderful

1613
00:56:33,839 --> 00:56:36,079
than you can imagine. I love that quote.

1614
00:56:36,079 --> 00:56:37,839
That's such a good quote. Yeah. That's great.

1615
00:56:37,839 --> 00:56:39,280
And for those of us who come from

1616
00:56:39,280 --> 00:56:42,239
divorced families and and all that goes with

1617
00:56:42,239 --> 00:56:45,135
that and a and a angelic mother who

1618
00:56:45,275 --> 00:56:46,954
loved the church but wouldn't join it and

1619
00:56:46,954 --> 00:56:48,414
a father who didn't

1620
00:56:48,795 --> 00:56:50,554
wasn't even close to being willing to do

1621
00:56:50,554 --> 00:56:52,074
it. I can trust

1622
00:56:52,474 --> 00:56:54,154
Heavenly father loves my dad more than I

1623
00:56:54,154 --> 00:56:55,755
do. Loves my mom more than I do.

1624
00:56:55,755 --> 00:56:56,574
Loves us

1625
00:56:56,954 --> 00:56:58,815
and will give us every ounce

1626
00:56:59,289 --> 00:57:02,089
that we're willing to receive. Love it. Alright.

1627
00:57:02,089 --> 00:57:04,009
So here's a a curveball question just to

1628
00:57:04,730 --> 00:57:06,329
that I didn't warn you before. So what's

1629
00:57:06,329 --> 00:57:08,569
the the whole the whole concept of of

1630
00:57:08,569 --> 00:57:10,809
servants in the celestial kingdom? That's sometimes,

1631
00:57:11,224 --> 00:57:13,304
you know, the the singles the adults are

1632
00:57:13,304 --> 00:57:15,545
single, then there'll be servants in the celestial

1633
00:57:15,545 --> 00:57:17,704
kingdom to those at the highest level. So

1634
00:57:17,704 --> 00:57:19,864
I'm gonna take it back to this concept

1635
00:57:19,864 --> 00:57:22,284
of God will deny no person

1636
00:57:22,585 --> 00:57:24,905
every blessing that that person not only is

1637
00:57:24,905 --> 00:57:25,405
willing

1638
00:57:25,784 --> 00:57:26,445
to receive,

1639
00:57:26,960 --> 00:57:29,519
but will live faithful of. Mhmm. There's no

1640
00:57:29,519 --> 00:57:31,759
such thing as a servant in the celestial

1641
00:57:31,759 --> 00:57:33,920
kingdom of anyone who doesn't want to be

1642
00:57:33,920 --> 00:57:35,920
a servant in the celestial kingdom. So in

1643
00:57:35,920 --> 00:57:36,579
other words,

1644
00:57:37,039 --> 00:57:39,279
the thought of, oh my goodness, what if

1645
00:57:39,279 --> 00:57:40,099
I just

1646
00:57:40,400 --> 00:57:41,539
I'm not good enough

1647
00:57:41,875 --> 00:57:44,434
or whatever it is, you know, insecurities or

1648
00:57:44,434 --> 00:57:45,974
anger or whatever it is. Right?

1649
00:57:46,275 --> 00:57:48,055
The Lord is saying to us,

1650
00:57:48,515 --> 00:57:50,055
listen, trust me.

1651
00:57:50,515 --> 00:57:51,494
Come to me.

1652
00:57:51,875 --> 00:57:53,655
Stay covenant connected with me

1653
00:57:53,969 --> 00:57:55,269
and open your heart.

1654
00:57:55,809 --> 00:57:57,650
Right now, you may not be able to

1655
00:57:57,650 --> 00:57:59,730
receive everything that that I want to give

1656
00:57:59,730 --> 00:58:01,969
you. Okay. That don't make me love you

1657
00:58:01,969 --> 00:58:03,650
less. It just means that we're in for

1658
00:58:03,650 --> 00:58:05,590
the long haul. Heavenly father is not impatient.

1659
00:58:05,889 --> 00:58:07,269
Mhmm. But we often are.

1660
00:58:07,594 --> 00:58:10,414
And so does someone want to be in

1661
00:58:10,714 --> 00:58:13,694
eternally binding relationship in the next life?

1662
00:58:14,154 --> 00:58:16,255
It's theirs. Yeah. There's no

1663
00:58:16,714 --> 00:58:18,815
ifs, ands or buts. It's not

1664
00:58:19,114 --> 00:58:22,315
if you're handsome or if you're socially suave

1665
00:58:22,315 --> 00:58:24,750
or or if you don't experience same sex

1666
00:58:24,750 --> 00:58:26,750
attraction or if you pick your if there

1667
00:58:26,750 --> 00:58:27,570
are no ifs,

1668
00:58:28,110 --> 00:58:30,110
do we want it? Are we willing to

1669
00:58:30,110 --> 00:58:31,250
live faithful

1670
00:58:31,950 --> 00:58:34,050
to the Lord's covenants, commandments

1671
00:58:34,910 --> 00:58:36,769
in the process of getting there?

1672
00:58:37,315 --> 00:58:39,235
If so, there's no Yeah. Servants in the

1673
00:58:39,235 --> 00:58:41,315
slasher kingdom. Yeah. And I live just the

1674
00:58:41,315 --> 00:58:43,394
concept of if you want a relationship, there's

1675
00:58:43,394 --> 00:58:44,914
always one there with god. Yeah. You know,

1676
00:58:44,914 --> 00:58:46,515
you can it's always there and and that

1677
00:58:46,515 --> 00:58:48,195
he hopes you take that one every time.

1678
00:58:48,195 --> 00:58:49,715
And then he'll do with us what we

1679
00:58:49,715 --> 00:58:52,210
couldn't otherwise do with ourself. And and I

1680
00:58:52,210 --> 00:58:53,650
I come back to this concept because it's

1681
00:58:53,650 --> 00:58:54,789
really so important.

1682
00:58:55,090 --> 00:58:55,590
Hopelessness

1683
00:58:56,130 --> 00:58:56,869
is death.

1684
00:58:57,329 --> 00:58:59,570
This concept of I just don't see a

1685
00:58:59,570 --> 00:59:00,070
possibility.

1686
00:59:00,849 --> 00:59:02,690
I learned an interesting lesson as a mission

1687
00:59:02,690 --> 00:59:04,765
president. I back in my day back, you

1688
00:59:04,765 --> 00:59:06,204
know, when you walked uphill both ways in

1689
00:59:06,204 --> 00:59:08,445
the snow. Back in my day, we had

1690
00:59:08,445 --> 00:59:10,844
zone commerce every month. We got new missionaries

1691
00:59:10,844 --> 00:59:13,324
every month. We interviewed every missionary every month.

1692
00:59:13,324 --> 00:59:15,085
Oh, wow. You're busy. I was busy. I

1693
00:59:15,085 --> 00:59:16,525
mean, they're already busy. I was on a

1694
00:59:16,525 --> 00:59:18,699
plane twice a week for three years. And

1695
00:59:18,699 --> 00:59:20,300
you're in Thailand. Right? So In Thailand. Right?

1696
00:59:20,300 --> 00:59:20,800
I

1697
00:59:21,179 --> 00:59:21,679
had

1698
00:59:21,980 --> 00:59:24,239
probably about one person out of every

1699
00:59:24,619 --> 00:59:26,219
group that came to me that tried to

1700
00:59:26,219 --> 00:59:27,980
go home early. You know, I can't do

1701
00:59:27,980 --> 00:59:30,380
this. I'm depressed. I'm sad. I'm lonely. I'm

1702
00:59:30,380 --> 00:59:31,760
sick or whatever it was.

1703
00:59:32,065 --> 00:59:34,485
Probably about 30 plus that I had

1704
00:59:34,864 --> 00:59:35,925
in the whole mission.

1705
00:59:36,545 --> 00:59:39,605
I learned some powerful lessons working with them.

1706
00:59:39,744 --> 00:59:41,505
One of the very first things I learned

1707
00:59:41,505 --> 00:59:42,005
was

1708
00:59:42,385 --> 00:59:44,244
until I can help them realize

1709
00:59:44,559 --> 00:59:46,819
that I wasn't asking them to live in

1710
00:59:46,880 --> 00:59:49,699
the same psychic pain they were currently feeling

1711
00:59:50,000 --> 00:59:50,819
for their permission,

1712
00:59:51,440 --> 00:59:53,039
I could not help them. As long as

1713
00:59:53,039 --> 00:59:55,199
they thought to themselves, I'm stuck. I'm miserable.

1714
00:59:55,199 --> 00:59:57,454
I I if I stay this Yeah. We

1715
00:59:57,454 --> 00:59:58,894
just have to white knuckle it. Just white

1716
00:59:59,215 --> 01:00:00,894
Yeah. It won't work. They couldn't do what

1717
01:00:00,894 --> 01:00:02,034
they needed to

1718
01:00:02,494 --> 01:00:04,034
to work their way out of the homesickness,

1719
01:00:04,335 --> 01:00:07,235
the sadness, the depression, the anxiety, you know.

1720
01:00:07,454 --> 01:00:09,215
And so my first task as a mission

1721
01:00:09,215 --> 01:00:12,099
present, besides loving them and just let them

1722
01:00:12,179 --> 01:00:14,339
letting them know they're okay was to to

1723
01:00:14,339 --> 01:00:16,420
have help them have hope. Hope and a

1724
01:00:16,420 --> 01:00:17,320
brighter future.

1725
01:00:17,859 --> 01:00:19,780
That same principle applies when we're talking about

1726
01:00:19,780 --> 01:00:22,179
marital relationships, whether you're married and it's not

1727
01:00:22,179 --> 01:00:24,099
working well or you're not married and you

1728
01:00:24,099 --> 01:00:26,019
want it to be or whatever your issue

1729
01:00:26,019 --> 01:00:26,839
is. Right?

1730
01:00:27,284 --> 01:00:28,585
Until we have hope,

1731
01:00:29,045 --> 01:00:30,964
there's no getting to the next step. Once

1732
01:00:30,964 --> 01:00:31,864
we have hope,

1733
01:00:32,164 --> 01:00:33,844
then we can open our heart to the

1734
01:00:33,844 --> 01:00:36,105
influence of the Lord, of the spirit,

1735
01:00:36,484 --> 01:00:38,424
and then God can begin to work magic

1736
01:00:38,565 --> 01:00:41,530
that it's not Harry Potter. It's it's grace.

1737
01:00:41,530 --> 01:00:42,750
It's the good stuff.

1738
01:00:43,050 --> 01:00:44,750
The magic that we ultimately ultimately

1739
01:00:45,130 --> 01:00:47,150
cannot get without his help.

1740
01:00:47,530 --> 01:00:48,349
And so

1741
01:00:48,650 --> 01:00:51,389
helping our our single see that

1742
01:00:51,835 --> 01:00:54,074
it'll be more wonderful than anything you can

1743
01:00:54,074 --> 01:00:54,574
imagine.

1744
01:00:55,835 --> 01:00:58,074
And no, you do not have to live

1745
01:00:58,074 --> 01:00:59,695
white knuckled now in misery.

1746
01:01:00,235 --> 01:01:02,255
In the next life, yay, you get happiness.

1747
01:01:02,795 --> 01:01:05,295
Yeah. That's not gonna motivate anyone. Yeah.

1748
01:01:05,769 --> 01:01:06,269
Live

1749
01:01:06,570 --> 01:01:07,070
relationally

1750
01:01:07,610 --> 01:01:08,110
now.

1751
01:01:08,570 --> 01:01:10,190
Do everything we can

1752
01:01:10,970 --> 01:01:12,670
to draw closer to God

1753
01:01:13,130 --> 01:01:15,769
and to our brothers and sisters around that

1754
01:01:15,930 --> 01:01:16,430
us.

1755
01:01:16,809 --> 01:01:20,090
If that doesn't include an eternal ceiling at

1756
01:01:20,090 --> 01:01:21,545
this point, okay.

1757
01:01:22,324 --> 01:01:24,244
Go do what the majority of the church

1758
01:01:24,244 --> 01:01:24,984
is doing.

1759
01:01:25,364 --> 01:01:27,385
Live life meaningfully and passionately.

1760
01:01:28,324 --> 01:01:30,085
And as you do that, that's where the

1761
01:01:30,085 --> 01:01:32,664
doors will open up. Yeah. That's awesome.

1762
01:01:33,079 --> 01:01:35,480
Anything we've missed or question or thought or

1763
01:01:35,880 --> 01:01:36,380
And

1764
01:01:36,840 --> 01:01:38,280
I'm sure we've missed something. I'll get the

1765
01:01:38,280 --> 01:01:39,800
emails. You might It's all good. Yeah. I

1766
01:01:39,800 --> 01:01:42,280
know. I know. One one important concept that

1767
01:01:42,280 --> 01:01:43,960
I I hinted at earlier that I would

1768
01:01:43,960 --> 01:01:46,440
I would simply reiterate, and that's this concept

1769
01:01:46,440 --> 01:01:46,940
that

1770
01:01:47,445 --> 01:01:48,825
if you are right now

1771
01:01:49,285 --> 01:01:51,684
in a situation where you're not where you

1772
01:01:51,684 --> 01:01:52,985
want to be, familially

1773
01:01:53,285 --> 01:01:55,785
or merrily or whatever it is,

1774
01:01:56,644 --> 01:01:58,965
Satan would convince you and I that we

1775
01:01:58,965 --> 01:01:59,465
are

1776
01:02:00,050 --> 01:02:00,550
irrevocably

1777
01:02:00,929 --> 01:02:02,630
broken, that we're just

1778
01:02:02,929 --> 01:02:04,150
damaged goods.

1779
01:02:04,849 --> 01:02:07,989
God never sees his children as damaged goods.

1780
01:02:08,050 --> 01:02:09,429
He just doesn't do that.

1781
01:02:10,050 --> 01:02:12,130
If we can help each other, if we

1782
01:02:12,130 --> 01:02:13,889
could put our arms around our brothers and

1783
01:02:13,889 --> 01:02:15,135
sisters who are feeling lonely

1784
01:02:16,094 --> 01:02:16,594
and

1785
01:02:16,894 --> 01:02:18,734
sad and let sit with them. Let them

1786
01:02:18,734 --> 01:02:19,795
share the the difficulty

1787
01:02:20,094 --> 01:02:22,894
and and and acknowledge the reality to that.

1788
01:02:22,894 --> 01:02:24,355
Then get up and live.

1789
01:02:25,695 --> 01:02:26,434
Love them.

1790
01:02:27,054 --> 01:02:29,215
If I were talking to bishops and stake

1791
01:02:29,215 --> 01:02:29,715
presence,

1792
01:02:30,719 --> 01:02:32,639
do everything in your power to help those

1793
01:02:32,639 --> 01:02:34,639
that are in your stake that are not

1794
01:02:34,639 --> 01:02:37,599
necessarily married or in a family situation or

1795
01:02:37,599 --> 01:02:39,359
that are married and it's a bitter family

1796
01:02:39,359 --> 01:02:42,179
situation or that were married and are divorced.

1797
01:02:43,199 --> 01:02:44,500
Help them realize

1798
01:02:44,880 --> 01:02:45,859
they're not broken.

1799
01:02:46,505 --> 01:02:48,585
The situation may not be good. Don't whitewash

1800
01:02:48,585 --> 01:02:49,625
the situation. But

1801
01:02:50,105 --> 01:02:51,405
and they might be struggling.

1802
01:02:52,105 --> 01:02:54,684
Welcome to mortality. All of us are. Right?

1803
01:02:55,065 --> 01:02:57,324
They're not broken. They're in process.

1804
01:02:58,105 --> 01:03:00,765
As we realize that we're in process, that

1805
01:03:00,824 --> 01:03:02,719
creates the concept of hope.

1806
01:03:03,099 --> 01:03:05,519
In process means I'm going to live life

1807
01:03:05,900 --> 01:03:08,559
everyday relationally. I'm going to love.

1808
01:03:09,019 --> 01:03:11,199
I'm going to serve. I'm gonna grow.

1809
01:03:11,659 --> 01:03:13,519
That is not a miserable life.

1810
01:03:14,059 --> 01:03:16,300
That doesn't deny the fact that someone still

1811
01:03:16,300 --> 01:03:17,359
may feel lonely.

1812
01:03:17,954 --> 01:03:19,954
That doesn't deny the reality that someone may

1813
01:03:19,954 --> 01:03:20,775
still feel

1814
01:03:21,555 --> 01:03:22,215
the missing

1815
01:03:22,515 --> 01:03:25,414
part that comes with I want an eternal

1816
01:03:25,474 --> 01:03:27,394
intimate relationship and I'm not in one now.

1817
01:03:27,394 --> 01:03:30,114
Again, don't deny that. Don't pretend it's not

1818
01:03:30,114 --> 01:03:31,715
a big deal. Just go be happy. Right?

1819
01:03:31,715 --> 01:03:33,094
That's not the way it works.

1820
01:03:33,630 --> 01:03:35,569
Acknowledge that. But you don't help

1821
01:03:36,029 --> 01:03:38,269
by saying, yeah, you are kind of hopeless,

1822
01:03:38,269 --> 01:03:39,710
aren't you? There's not much you can do

1823
01:03:39,710 --> 01:03:41,089
here. Well, you know, just

1824
01:03:41,389 --> 01:03:42,609
grin and bear it.

1825
01:03:43,710 --> 01:03:46,750
Love that person. Sit with that person. Pray

1826
01:03:46,750 --> 01:03:49,105
with that person. Then get off your knees

1827
01:03:49,105 --> 01:03:51,825
and walk with that person. Go serve. Go

1828
01:03:51,825 --> 01:03:52,325
love.

1829
01:03:53,265 --> 01:03:54,724
Encourage that person

1830
01:03:55,105 --> 01:03:56,244
to lose themselves

1831
01:03:56,864 --> 01:03:58,724
because that's how we find ourselves.

1832
01:03:59,345 --> 01:04:00,965
Don't minimize the pain

1833
01:04:01,425 --> 01:04:03,809
but don't wallow in it. Realize that if

1834
01:04:03,809 --> 01:04:05,489
we're in process and we all are. And

1835
01:04:05,489 --> 01:04:07,970
by the way, find the happiest married person

1836
01:04:07,970 --> 01:04:10,710
you can find, they're in process too. Yeah.

1837
01:04:10,849 --> 01:04:12,289
There ain't no such thing as a perfect

1838
01:04:12,289 --> 01:04:14,289
being. There's only Christ and he's gone and

1839
01:04:14,289 --> 01:04:15,730
you can't marry him. And so it's it's

1840
01:04:15,730 --> 01:04:17,885
done. You're you are now an imperfect world

1841
01:04:17,885 --> 01:04:19,565
then. Right? And so as a result of

1842
01:04:19,565 --> 01:04:20,065
that,

1843
01:04:20,445 --> 01:04:21,664
all of us are in process.

1844
01:04:22,045 --> 01:04:24,864
Yeah. So let's love each other and encourage

1845
01:04:24,925 --> 01:04:25,585
each other.

1846
01:04:25,965 --> 01:04:27,585
Live well now.

1847
01:04:28,204 --> 01:04:30,140
Love it. Oh, go ahead. One more thought.

1848
01:04:30,140 --> 01:04:32,860
Because you'd asked about the proclamation. Oh, yeah.

1849
01:04:32,860 --> 01:04:35,099
Yeah. Remember that? Yeah. Because that's sometimes can

1850
01:04:35,099 --> 01:04:37,440
be, there's going to be some friction there.

1851
01:04:37,900 --> 01:04:39,900
Yeah. Tension there that Tension. Like, Oh, maybe

1852
01:04:39,900 --> 01:04:41,680
I'll just ignore that until I'm married.

1853
01:04:42,059 --> 01:04:42,559
Exactly.

1854
01:04:43,215 --> 01:04:45,055
You actually asked me I wish we had

1855
01:04:45,055 --> 01:04:46,175
like an hour. We don't and I know

1856
01:04:46,175 --> 01:04:47,414
we gotta we gotta be quiet here in

1857
01:04:47,414 --> 01:04:48,515
a moment. But Yeah.

1858
01:04:48,815 --> 01:04:50,994
What can single adults learn from the proclamation?

1859
01:04:51,055 --> 01:04:52,675
Is there comfort in the proclamation?

1860
01:04:53,454 --> 01:04:54,835
My statement would be,

1861
01:04:55,295 --> 01:04:56,994
this is a very technical statement,

1862
01:04:57,429 --> 01:04:59,690
oodles and oodles and oodles.

1863
01:05:00,630 --> 01:05:03,030
Mhmm. We choose what we're gonna focus on.

1864
01:05:03,030 --> 01:05:05,769
Do we Satan Satan does not like us.

1865
01:05:06,230 --> 01:05:07,989
Sorry. I don't think that's a revelation to

1866
01:05:07,989 --> 01:05:10,150
anyone. He's always gonna try and get us

1867
01:05:10,150 --> 01:05:12,114
to focus on what we don't have, what

1868
01:05:12,114 --> 01:05:14,195
we think we'll never have, and what is

1869
01:05:14,195 --> 01:05:15,094
out of our control.

1870
01:05:15,555 --> 01:05:16,934
So if we read the proclamation

1871
01:05:17,635 --> 01:05:19,954
thing about what don't I have, what don't

1872
01:05:19,954 --> 01:05:21,635
I see a possible way of having, and

1873
01:05:21,635 --> 01:05:23,394
what do I have no control of getting?

1874
01:05:23,394 --> 01:05:24,934
That's a depressing document.

1875
01:05:25,949 --> 01:05:28,349
Right? What if we read it for what

1876
01:05:28,349 --> 01:05:31,389
it contains that we can focus on? All

1877
01:05:31,389 --> 01:05:33,650
of a sudden, that document is magic.

1878
01:05:33,949 --> 01:05:35,409
Married, single, divorce.

1879
01:05:36,109 --> 01:05:37,809
It speaks of a God who's

1880
01:05:38,144 --> 01:05:40,304
speaking to his prophets. It speaks to the

1881
01:05:40,304 --> 01:05:42,385
fact that he is that we are his

1882
01:05:42,385 --> 01:05:44,704
children. It speaks to the fact that we

1883
01:05:44,704 --> 01:05:45,364
can be

1884
01:05:45,664 --> 01:05:47,605
bound to him through sacred ordinances

1885
01:05:48,144 --> 01:05:49,445
that he is

1886
01:05:49,824 --> 01:05:52,369
desires of living in us. It speaks to

1887
01:05:52,369 --> 01:05:54,690
the worth of our very soul. It speaks

1888
01:05:54,690 --> 01:05:55,430
to the

1889
01:05:55,809 --> 01:05:56,630
the sacredness

1890
01:05:57,650 --> 01:05:58,230
of individuals

1891
01:05:58,849 --> 01:06:00,070
and relationships.

1892
01:06:01,090 --> 01:06:03,110
There are so many beautiful truths.

1893
01:06:03,650 --> 01:06:05,030
Don't let Satan

1894
01:06:05,484 --> 01:06:07,405
pin us in this little box. What can't

1895
01:06:07,405 --> 01:06:09,005
I do? What do I think I'll never

1896
01:06:09,005 --> 01:06:09,505
have?

1897
01:06:09,804 --> 01:06:11,724
And what's out of my control? Whatever you're

1898
01:06:11,724 --> 01:06:14,304
asking about those three things, you're guaranteed misery.

1899
01:06:14,605 --> 01:06:15,885
So if you look at this and say,

1900
01:06:15,885 --> 01:06:17,484
yeah, the family brought me in and says

1901
01:06:17,484 --> 01:06:19,960
I should be married and I right. You

1902
01:06:19,960 --> 01:06:21,980
can't force anyone right now. So stop pretending.

1903
01:06:22,599 --> 01:06:24,380
And if you can't control that,

1904
01:06:24,840 --> 01:06:25,980
stop going there.

1905
01:06:26,440 --> 01:06:28,219
Look at what he's just said

1906
01:06:28,599 --> 01:06:30,780
about the the worth of your soul.

1907
01:06:31,160 --> 01:06:33,160
That you're a beloved son or daughter of

1908
01:06:33,160 --> 01:06:35,534
God. That your destiny is to become like

1909
01:06:35,534 --> 01:06:37,054
God. And I can just go on and

1910
01:06:37,054 --> 01:06:39,214
on and on, and it's it's rich and

1911
01:06:39,214 --> 01:06:41,534
thick. Yeah. It's worth engaging in for sure

1912
01:06:41,534 --> 01:06:44,174
no matter your marital status or Exactly. Yeah.

1913
01:06:44,174 --> 01:06:46,494
Exactly. Well, I I think we hit the

1914
01:06:46,494 --> 01:06:48,255
big points. Right? Yeah. That was a great

1915
01:06:48,255 --> 01:06:50,219
discussion. And then I'm sure, like I said,

1916
01:06:50,219 --> 01:06:51,579
I'll probably get emails to be like, oh,

1917
01:06:51,579 --> 01:06:53,019
Kurt, you missed this point in that point.

1918
01:06:53,019 --> 01:06:54,539
You should have asked him that. But I

1919
01:06:54,539 --> 01:06:55,820
think this is a good you know, we

1920
01:06:55,820 --> 01:06:57,679
can't build Rome in one episode.

1921
01:06:58,219 --> 01:07:00,860
Yeah. So but this is great. And last

1922
01:07:00,860 --> 01:07:02,139
question I have is if you're in a

1923
01:07:02,139 --> 01:07:04,719
room full of of bishops, relief study presidents,

1924
01:07:04,860 --> 01:07:06,675
other leaders, and you sort of are are

1925
01:07:06,675 --> 01:07:08,275
done this to some extent, but what final

1926
01:07:08,275 --> 01:07:08,775
encouragement

1927
01:07:09,235 --> 01:07:10,215
would you give them?

1928
01:07:10,594 --> 01:07:11,815
It's a worthy question.

1929
01:07:12,675 --> 01:07:13,894
President Oaks,

1930
01:07:14,594 --> 01:07:15,575
president Nelson,

1931
01:07:16,675 --> 01:07:19,715
and many others have asked us to focus

1932
01:07:19,715 --> 01:07:20,934
on two things

1933
01:07:21,349 --> 01:07:22,890
that we often think are in

1934
01:07:23,269 --> 01:07:24,489
tension with each other.

1935
01:07:24,789 --> 01:07:26,150
It goes by a bunch of different names,

1936
01:07:26,150 --> 01:07:27,750
but the the one that president Nelson is

1937
01:07:27,750 --> 01:07:29,829
and president Oaks have used most frequently is

1938
01:07:29,829 --> 01:07:31,369
love and law. Mhmm.

1939
01:07:31,750 --> 01:07:33,610
If I were speaking to

1940
01:07:34,125 --> 01:07:34,864
recent leaders,

1941
01:07:35,244 --> 01:07:37,505
Relief Society leaders, young men, young women leaders,

1942
01:07:38,125 --> 01:07:39,804
I would say the very first thing you

1943
01:07:39,804 --> 01:07:41,485
have to do if you have any hope

1944
01:07:41,485 --> 01:07:42,625
of being of help,

1945
01:07:42,925 --> 01:07:44,844
you have to sincerely love those that you

1946
01:07:44,844 --> 01:07:47,429
serve. This is not rocket science. They could

1947
01:07:47,429 --> 01:07:49,109
care less what you think or want or

1948
01:07:49,109 --> 01:07:50,889
know if they don't feel valued

1949
01:07:51,429 --> 01:07:53,589
for where they are. If they don't feel

1950
01:07:53,589 --> 01:07:55,210
loved for who they are.

1951
01:07:55,589 --> 01:07:57,690
If they don't see that you care.

1952
01:07:58,230 --> 01:07:59,589
The old adage, they don't care what you

1953
01:07:59,589 --> 01:08:01,109
know until they know how much you care

1954
01:08:01,109 --> 01:08:03,315
is is just true. And so it starts

1955
01:08:03,315 --> 01:08:03,815
with,

1956
01:08:04,355 --> 01:08:06,275
you want a right to try to bless

1957
01:08:06,275 --> 01:08:06,775
someone?

1958
01:08:07,795 --> 01:08:09,815
Love. So it starts there. But

1959
01:08:10,195 --> 01:08:11,574
if that's all we do,

1960
01:08:12,034 --> 01:08:14,614
to be very frank, we're leaving them helpless.

1961
01:08:15,074 --> 01:08:16,854
Oh, they got a good friend in us.

1962
01:08:17,110 --> 01:08:18,869
And I'm not in any way indicating that

1963
01:08:18,869 --> 01:08:20,390
we should try to be their savior, that

1964
01:08:20,390 --> 01:08:22,310
we we should take over for them. But

1965
01:08:22,310 --> 01:08:24,489
once they know that they are loved,

1966
01:08:24,949 --> 01:08:26,710
then we have the opportunity to say, did

1967
01:08:26,710 --> 01:08:28,965
you know that God has something for you

1968
01:08:29,604 --> 01:08:31,864
vastly better than you have for yourself?

1969
01:08:32,404 --> 01:08:34,724
Then we can begin to draw them and

1970
01:08:34,724 --> 01:08:36,984
invite them to come under the savior.

1971
01:08:37,444 --> 01:08:38,984
As they come under the savior,

1972
01:08:39,685 --> 01:08:43,064
the other issues begin to come into perspective.

1973
01:08:43,650 --> 01:08:45,329
And so if I were to try to

1974
01:08:45,329 --> 01:08:47,729
help my own bishop, my own stake president,

1975
01:08:47,729 --> 01:08:49,810
which by the way are great men, it

1976
01:08:49,810 --> 01:08:51,670
would be love those that you

1977
01:08:51,970 --> 01:08:55,030
have the sacred opportunity to serve and then

1978
01:08:55,250 --> 01:08:56,550
bring them to Christ.

1979
01:08:57,345 --> 01:08:59,025
You might think law bring them to Christ.

1980
01:08:59,025 --> 01:09:01,105
Yeah, because because the commandments are how we

1981
01:09:01,105 --> 01:09:03,025
are brought to the savior. Don't use the

1982
01:09:03,025 --> 01:09:04,945
commandments as a weapon. Don't whack people with

1983
01:09:04,945 --> 01:09:05,445
them.

1984
01:09:05,905 --> 01:09:07,905
Invite them to come to the savior because

1985
01:09:07,905 --> 01:09:09,905
then the savior can do with and for

1986
01:09:09,905 --> 01:09:10,405
them

1987
01:09:10,840 --> 01:09:13,239
that which no bishop, no stake present, no

1988
01:09:13,239 --> 01:09:14,539
friend can ever do.

1989
01:09:27,045 --> 01:09:29,845
And that concludes this throwback episode of the

1990
01:09:29,845 --> 01:09:31,225
Leading Saints podcast.

1991
01:09:32,164 --> 01:09:34,645
The end. That's it for this Leading Saints

1992
01:09:34,645 --> 01:09:36,725
episode. I encourage you to check out some

1993
01:09:36,725 --> 01:09:38,840
of the most popular episodes of the podcast

1994
01:09:38,899 --> 01:09:40,420
that we list at the bottom of the

1995
01:09:40,420 --> 01:09:42,579
show notes. If you haven't listened to all

1996
01:09:42,579 --> 01:09:45,220
of those, do so now. And remember, to

1997
01:09:45,220 --> 01:09:47,300
get on the email newsletter list, simply go

1998
01:09:47,300 --> 01:09:49,560
to leadingsaints.org/fourteen.

1999
01:10:15,100 --> 01:10:17,600
It came as a result of the position

2000
01:10:17,659 --> 01:10:20,595
of leadership which was imposed upon us

2001
01:10:21,155 --> 01:10:23,795
by the God of heaven, who brought forth

2002
01:10:23,795 --> 01:10:27,335
a restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2003
01:10:27,954 --> 01:10:28,854
When the declaration

2004
01:10:29,235 --> 01:10:31,574
was made concerning the only

2005
01:10:32,275 --> 01:10:34,675
true and living Church upon the face of

2006
01:10:34,675 --> 01:10:35,414
the earth,

2007
01:10:35,829 --> 01:10:38,570
We were immediately put in a position of

2008
01:10:38,630 --> 01:10:39,130
loneliness,

2009
01:10:39,510 --> 01:10:41,130
the loneliness of leadership

2010
01:10:41,989 --> 01:10:45,130
from which we cannot shrink nor run away,

2011
01:10:46,070 --> 01:10:48,550
and to which we must face up with

2012
01:10:48,550 --> 01:10:49,930
boldness and courage

2013
01:10:50,391 --> 01:10:50,891
and

2014
01:10:51,420 --> 01:10:51,920
ability.