The Power, Joy and Love of Covenant Keeping ~ Part Two

Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately four to six minutes to read from start to finish.

This post focuses on a October 2013 General Conference talk and it is called, "The Power, Joy, and Love of Covenant Keeping" by Sister Linda K. Burton. This post is part two. I would like to share with you some highlights that I liked while I was reading the talk and I hope you would be able to learn something new while you are reading this post.

Sister Burton continues, ... "2. Keeping covenants is essential for true happiness.

President Thomas S. Monson taught, “Sacred covenants are to be revered by us, and faithfulness to them is a requirement for happiness.” ... Covenant keepers are commandment keepers!

I love the scripture that reads: “And now when the people had heard these words [meaning the words describing the baptismal covenant], they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.” ... They cheerfully desired to make and keep their covenants!

One Sunday a young sister joyfully exclaimed, “I get to take the sacrament today!” When was the last time we rejoiced in that privilege? And how do we demonstrate it? We do this by always remembering the Savior and always keeping His commandments, which include keeping His Sabbath day holy. We do it by always remembering Him as we always have our personal and family prayers, daily scripture study, and weekly family home evenings. And when we get distracted or casual with these important things, we repent and begin again.

Making and cheerfully keeping our covenants gives validity and life to the vital sacred and saving ordinances we need to receive in order to obtain “all that [the] Father hath.” Ordinances and covenants are the “spiritual milestones” President Henry B. Eyring referred to when he taught: “The Latter-day Saints are a covenant people. From the day of baptism through the spiritual milestones of our lives, we make promises with God and He makes promises with us. He always keeps His promises offered through His authorized servants, but it is the crucial test of our lives to see if we will make and keep our covenants with Him.”

"The best way to STRENGTHEN a home, current or
future, is to KEEP COVENANTS!" - Linda K. Burton.

3. Keeping our covenants demonstrates our love for the Savior and our Father in Heaven.

Of all the reasons we ought to be more diligent in our covenant keeping, this reason is more compelling than all love. ... Why was the Savior willing to keep His covenant with the Father and fulfill His divine mission to atone for the sins of the world? It was His love for His Father and His love for us. ...

“If we fully appreciated the many blessings which are ours through the redemption made for us, there is nothing that the Lord could ask of us that we would not anxiously and willingly do.” According to this statement by President Joseph Fielding Smith, covenant keeping is one way to express our love for the incomprehensible, infinite Atonement of our Savior and Redeemer and the perfect love of our Father in Heaven.

Elder Holland movingly suggested, “I am not certain just what our experience will be on Judgment Day, but I will be very surprised if at some point in that conversation, God does not ask us exactly what Christ asked Peter: ‘Did you love me?’”

... The Savior said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." How we all need a regular manifestation of the Savior in our daily lives!

Let us remember that even those who have been wayward in the past or who are currently struggling can feel the touch of the Good Shepherd’s hand upon their heads and hear His voice saying: “Come on. You aren’t tied down anymore. You are free.”

... He can say that because He kept His covenants with love. The question then is, will we? May we go forth with faith, cheerful hearts, and a great desire to be covenant keepers. ..."

If you would like to read the whole talk either now or in your own time, here is the link below.
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2013/10/the-power-joy-and-love-of-covenant-keeping

Stay Tuned until next time.