BYU-Pathway Worldwide Devotional
Special Devotional
President Brian K. Ashton鈥
Our dear BYU-Pathway students, I鈥檓 here with Elder D. Todd Christofferson鈥of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Sister Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society General President; and Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. As you know, Elder Christofferson and Elder Rasband are special鈥witnesses of Jesus Christ and prophets, seers, and revelators. I want to bear witness of that. And as you listen to them and Sister Johnson鈥today, you鈥檒l be blessed. Thank you for being with us.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson鈥
Thanks for the opportunity.
Our first question today is this: President Nelson said,鈥淣ow is the time for you and me to prepare for the Second Coming鈥of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.鈥
Elder Christofferson
As you think about the Second鈥疌oming, preparations for the Second Coming, the real preparation is people. You know, it鈥檚 a people鈥痯reparing a people to receive the Lord. And so it鈥檚 all about not so鈥痬uch events as it is about people. And that means, I think, that each of us ought to strive to be the best鈥痺e can be and then influence others, serve, and lift, and help others鈥痠n the same way. To me, a BYU-Pathway education is a big鈥痯art of that 鈥 being the best we can be and having an influence for good really鈥痚verywhere we go, with whomever we have the opportunity鈥痶o be with and to serve.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband
Brian, I know that months ago when鈥疘 was preparing my general conference talk, I had the strongest of impressions鈥痶o include a portion about BYU-Pathway, for the benefit of the students, so that they would know all over鈥痶he world how much the Lord loves them and how important they are in鈥痶he majesty of this moment and the hastening of the Lord鈥檚 work. So, I just say that the Lord loves them. The Lord wants them to proceed鈥痑nd to get blessed both temporally and spiritually through their BYU-Pathway education, to bless the Church and the kingdom prior to the Lord鈥檚 coming.
President Ashton
Thank you.
You know, President Nelson鈥檚鈥痠nvitation for us to prepare for the Second Coming鈥痮f the Savior and the invitation to you to prepare yourself by鈥痳eceiving a BYU-Pathway education made me鈥痶hink a little bit about a scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants. It's from section 88, and it鈥痑ctually says we are to 鈥渢each diligently ... be instructed in doctrine,鈥痠n the law of the gospel.鈥
Elder Christofferson
Amen.
President Ashton
Thank you. Because the Holy Ghost is the teacher鈥and witness of all truth, BYU-Pathway students are taught that they need鈥to rely on the Holy Ghost in their studies. How did you learn鈥to obtain, recognize, and follow the promptings鈥of the Holy Ghost in your lives?鈥
Elder Rasband gave a whole鈥talk about this back in April 2017: 鈥淟et the Holy Spirit Guide.鈥
Elder Rasband
That was it.鈥Thank you.鈥
Elder Christofferson鈥
And I remember one thing you said there was we should go with our first prompting 鈥 that is, be attuned to the Spirit. But usually that first prompting鈥that comes to us will be the right one, and we shouldn鈥檛 second鈥guess or try to overthink it. If it鈥檚 good, it's going鈥to turn out all right. And I think that鈥檚 a good鈥part of listening to the Spirit鈥斺痠t鈥檚 been my experience anyway; if it鈥檚 good, it very鈥likely is the Spirit guiding. Maybe. I don鈥檛 know if you want鈥to add any more to your own talk.
Well, first of all, I鈥檓 honored鈥that you would even bring it up. That is very nice, and I appreciate it. I was thinking of a scripture鈥in Moroni, chapter 7, verse 16, and this is kind鈥of how to obtain the Spirit and how to know if it鈥檚 good: 鈥淔or behold, the Spirit鈥of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore I show unto you a way to judge;鈥for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent鈥forth by the power and gift of Christ.鈥
President Ashton鈥
You feel and it鈥檚鈥prompting you to do good.
Elder Rasband
Correct. And then you ought鈥to do it. Act upon it.
President Ashton
Yes, thank you.
President Johnson
I think I have learned to appreciate and understand better how the Holy Ghost鈥speaks to me in different ways. It鈥檚 not always the same for me. I think I was taught as a child鈥that the Holy Ghost would be a comforter, would feel like a warm blanket. That鈥檚 not the way the Holy Ghost鈥always works for me now. Certainly, the Holy Ghost鈥provides me with comfort, but sometimes I feel a little bit鈥of a prompting, a nudge. And as I鈥檝e listened 鈥斺
Elder Christofferson鈥
And it may not be comfortable.
President Johnson鈥
鈥 And it鈥檚 a little bit uncomfortable,鈥suggesting that I do something that鈥檚 maybe outside of my comfort zone. But as I act on those promptings, because鈥they are prompting to do something good or to say something, I get that feeling. As I鈥檝e acted upon it, I鈥檝e realized that鈥that鈥檚 the source of that prompting. And so I think I鈥檝e been blessed with more鈥of those promptings as I鈥檝e acted on those feelings 鈥 expressions from Him.
I think we all need鈥to learn the language of the Spirit. That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e talking about. And it's like learning any language. It takes some effort,鈥some practice, some experience. And I think of this verse in鈥section 18 of the Doctrine and Covenants, where the Lord talks about scripture, because I think the curriculum鈥for learning the language of the Spirit is the scriptures. And the more we鈥檙e in the scriptures,鈥the more attuned we are to the Spirit and the more we recognize the Spirit, and this is what He says when He talks鈥about those who study the scriptures: 鈥淲herefore you can testify that鈥you鈥檝e heard my voice and know my words.鈥
President Ashton
So read the scriptures. And what I heard鈥from you, Sister Johnson, is practice. Every time you have a good 鈥鈥an impression that鈥檚 good, as Elder Rasband talked about 鈥 act upon it, and you鈥檒l begin鈥to learn the language.
Elder Rasband
So, I think a key word, Brian, is 鈥渁ct.鈥 Not just feel good. Not just have an emotional experience,鈥but act upon it and do something. And I think our students鈥will learn how to move forward in their life if they act upon鈥these feelings and these promptings.
President Ashton
Thank you.
President Johnson
When we're confirmed members鈥of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, someone with priesthood鈥authority puts hands on head and says, 鈥淩eceive the Holy Ghost.鈥 And that suggests that we have to鈥斺痺ell, it鈥檚 a directive 鈥鈥we have to do something to receive it. We have to be prepared. We have to want it.鈥
President Ashton
Thank you. I just returned from Brazil, and one of the things I heard from students鈥in Brazil is that they have a lot to do. In fact, many of our students feel overwhelmed鈥with schoolwork, with their job, with callings, family, and other expectations. And sometimes they want to give up. You three do so much. Do you鈥ever get discouraged or overwhelmed? And what is your best tool for lifting鈥your spirits when you do feel discouraged?
President Johnson
I'll tell you what I do every single morning.鈥疘 listen to President Nelson. I have, I know I have, and I know all of you鈥痟ave 15 minutes to listen to the words of the prophet, seer, and revelator鈥痑nd the Lord鈥檚 mouthpiece on the earth today. And that makes a difference鈥痜or me. He鈥檚 optimistic. He鈥檚 joyful. Listening to him鈥痑nd his words reinvigorates me. And I head out the door thinking, I can do鈥痶his because President Nelson鈥檚 doing it. So that鈥檚 a tool that I use鈥痶hat keeps me ready to go.鈥
President Ashton
What a great idea.
Elder Rasband
What a beautiful thing you do.
President Johnson
I love him, and I love his words.
Elder Christofferson
Amen.
I learned a long time ago, even before coming into Church ministry, so to speak, that not all things in our day are created equal. And I learned from this scripture 鈥 this is Matthew, chapter 6, verse 33. And I recommend it to our students: 鈥淪eek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.鈥
President Ashton
So Heavenly Father orders things for you.
Elder Rasband
He helps order them.鈥疊ut if you鈥檙e not willing to let Him and get just overwhelmed by this mass鈥痮f things that you have to do, it can be very confusing鈥痑nd debilitating to all of us. I mean, we鈥檝e all been there.鈥痀ou were right. We鈥檝e all been there. But I think ordering it鈥痠n that priority of putting God first and His kingdom helps鈥痝et the rest of it right.
President Ashton
Very helpful.
Elder Christofferson
I hope it鈥檚 all right to feel overwhelmed at times, because I do. And I hope there鈥檚 nothing evil about that. But as has been said, I think the key is putting the most important things first. You can鈥檛 do everything. You really can鈥檛. But if you do the most important and work your way through priorities, somehow it does get done, and there鈥檚 no reason you can鈥檛 call on God for help. I mean, you鈥檙e striving to do what He wants. You鈥檙e striving to get an education. You鈥檙e striving to serve. You鈥檙e striving to bless others, especially those close to you. You鈥檙e on His path, His covenant path, so why wouldn鈥檛 He help you?
President Ashton
I like the moment by moment. I find myself praying throughout the day:.鈥淗eavenly Father, please help me to know what I need to do鈥痭ow,鈥 when it鈥檚 sometimes unclear. Thank you.
Elder Rasband
Brian, just one more thought. Heavenly Father has given us lots鈥痮f helpers in this process, too. I think of all your students. I think of their instructors. I think of their teachers. I think of their parents, even good friends. There is no harm in asking a mentor,鈥痠f you will, or a teacher for some advice. How would you handle this? What order would you put this in? And sometimes the Lord provides answers to us through living angels鈥痶hat surround us every day.
President Ashton
Great suggestion, thank you. As our concluding question, the purpose of BYU-Pathway Worldwide is to develop disciples of Jesus Christ. What would you teach us about becoming more like Him?
When President Nelson delivered that invitation to us to 鈥渕ake discipleship our highest priority,鈥
And so I invite you in your discipleship to choose now, to choose today 鈥 as President Nelson has invited us to do鈥 to be a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ, to make and keep covenants with Him. Because I know that, when you do, you will be blessed by His healing and strengthening power. I鈥檓 sure of that.
Elder Christofferson
Well said.
Elder Rasband鈥
That鈥檚 a beautiful response, and it makes me think that Heavenly Father wants us to say the same things, because I felt the same way. And I was going to suggest to the students that they make decisions early in their life, that they don鈥檛 have to continue to debate and make crises time and time again later in their life.
Elder Christofferson
That鈥檚 very good advice. One thing that occurs to me I would add to what鈥檚 already been said 鈥 which really is the most, is the core of the answer 鈥 would be to love the Lord, to love the Father, and express gratitude. Feel and express your gratitude to Them continually. There鈥檚 something about feelings and expressions of gratitude that brings the Spirit and, I think, would strengthen anyone鈥檚 discipleship. And we do have a lot to be grateful for. There鈥檚 no question. Our blessings are constant.
And I think also it鈥檚 worth studying and learning more about the life of the Savior. We have the references in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, the reference guides that have a heading called 鈥淛esus Christ,鈥 and have a series of citations in the scriptures about Him and His life. It鈥檚 worth reading those and getting better acquainted 鈥 I guess you could say 鈥 with Him in that way. And you鈥檝e got Preach My Gospel with that wonderful chapter on the attributes of Christ that we can all seek to emulate.
In the end I think it鈥檚 serving Him. And so whenever you have a chance to serve in the Church, whatever the calling may be, take it. Do it well. Do it the best you can. It doesn鈥檛 matter if it鈥檚 one that鈥檚 high visibility or nobody else sees you in your service. It doesn鈥檛 matter. Just always have a calling. Always have 鈥 be involved in His work and be serving Him as His disciple.
I speak for the three of us. The four of us really, as we have this moment with you to bear witness that Jesus is the Christ. He is the very Son of God. God lives and is the Father of our Savior and our Father. And He is resurrected, and His Resurrection is proof of His divinity and of everything else about His gospel and His covenants and His promises. He does have all power in heaven and in earth. You鈥檙e His. You鈥檙e His disciple, and He yearns to bless you as you prepare. And we bless you that you鈥檒l have His influence with you through the Holy Spirit continually. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
President Ashton and Elder Rasband
Amen.