Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening,
this post should take five minutes to read from start to finish.
This post is focuses on April 2014 General Conference talk and it is called "Your Four Minutes" by Bishop Gary E. Stevenson. I would love to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk.
Bishop Stevenson mentioned the following;
"... Now, consider how your pathway to eternal life ... You are an eternal being. Before you were born, you existed as a spirit. In the presence of a loving Heavenly Father, you trained and prepared to come to earth for a brief moment and, well, perform.
This life is your four minutes. While you are here, your actions will determine whether you win the prize of eternal life. The prophet Amulek described, “This life is the time … to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day … to perform [your] labors.”In a sense, your four minutes have already begun. The clock is ticking.
The words of the Apostle Paul seem so fitting: to run the race, that you may obtain the prize. In the same way that certain steps are essential in the very brief performance of an Olympic athlete - jumps or maneuvers for ice skaters and snowboarders, negotiating the turns of a bobsled run, or carving through the gates of a downhill slalom course - so it is in our lives, where certain things are absolutely essential checkpoints which move us through our spiritual performance on earth.
These spiritual markers are the essential God-given ordinances of the gospel: baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, priesthood ordinations, temple ordinances, and partaking of the sacrament each week. “In the[se] ordinances … , the power of godliness is manifest.” ...
I urge you to ponder, “What do I need to do next to ensure my medal?” Perhaps during this conference, the Spirit has whispered to you what that may be: to prepare more thoughtfully for an ordinance in your future or to receive an ordinance that you should have received a long time ago. Whatever it may be, do it now. Don’t wait. Your four minutes will pass quickly, and you’ll have eternity to think about what you did in this life.
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| "The miracle of the Atonement can make up for imperfections in our performance." - Gary E. Stevenson. |
Self-discipline is needed. Daily prayer, scripture study, and church attendance must be the foundation of your training. A consistent pattern of obeying the commandments, keeping the covenants you have made, and following the Lord’s standard found in For the Strength of Youth is required.
Perhaps you’re aware of things in your life that are threatening to slow or stop your spiritual progress. If so, follow this scriptural counsel: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”
It is not yet too late to repent. But it soon may be, because no one really knows when your four minutes will be over.
Now, you may be thinking to yourself, "I already blew it. My four minutes are already a disaster. I may as well give up." If so, stop thinking that, and never think it again. The miracle of the Atonement can make up for imperfections in our performance.
As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has taught: “To those of you … who may still be hanging back, …" "… It is never too late so long as the Master … says there is time. … Don’t delay." Remember, you are not alone. The Savior has promised that He will not leave you comfortless.11 You also have family, friends, and leaders who are cheering you on.
... Recently, Elder David A. Bednar described a simple way to conduct a family assessment to mark progress on the covenant path by essential ordinances. All that is needed is a piece of paper with two columns: “name” and “plan for next or needful ordinance.” ... Everyone on the list needed the sacrament ordinance.
... in fulfilling our role to help each member of our family along the covenant path, with an action plan for each of them. Perhaps this is an idea for you which will lead to family discussions, family home evening lessons, preparation, and even invitations for essential ordinances in your family. ... With that in mind, is there someone who needs your encouragement? a family member? a friend? a classmate or fellow quorum member? How can you help them with their four minutes?
Dear friends, you are in the midst of an exhilarating journey. In some ways, you are racing down the half-pipe or sled track, and it can be challenging to perform each element or navigate each turn along the way. But remember, you’ve prepared for this for millennia. This is your moment to perform. This is your four minutes! The time is now! I express my utmost confidence in your abilities. You have the Savior of the world on your side. If you seek His help and follow His directions, how can you fail? ..."
I encourage you to read the whole talk in your own time. Here's the link to the talk.
Stay Tuned until next time.
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