{"id":5320,"date":"2013-08-20T14:39:56","date_gmt":"2013-08-20T20:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/speeches.byu.edu\/?p=5320"},"modified":"2021-12-01T16:59:02","modified_gmt":"2021-12-01T23:59:02","slug":"let-us-think-straight-2","status":"publish","type":"speech","link":"https:\/\/speeches.byu.edu\/talks\/m-russell-ballard\/let-us-think-straight-2\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cLet Us Think Straight\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
My brothers and sisters, I hope you are having a wonderful time while here at BYU during Campus Education Week. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the plan of happiness our Heavenly Father has given to us. There is so much information that I always feel we need to be cautious and wise to ever keep uppermost in our minds the simple doctrine and gospel of Christ. Simply stated, it is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance of sin, baptism by immersion for the remission of sin, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.<\/p>\n
Sister Ballard and I returned a few days ago from England, where we had the privilege, along with several of the Brethren and their wives, to watch the first-ever presentation of the British Pageant. Some 200 cast members, and several hundred other volunteer members, told the story in song, dance, and the spoken word about the arrival of Elders Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Willard Richards, Joseph Fielding, and a few others who came to establish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England.<\/p>\n
As I watched that story unfold, it brought great memories flooding back to my mind of my experience sixty-five years ago arriving in England to serve a full-time mission as a young man. And as the story progressed, I was deeply touched by the overwhelming contribution converts in the British Isles, and, of course, some from Scandinavia, made in building up and strengthening The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1837 and even on through to today. These fearless early missionaries, bearers of the priesthood and the message of the Restoration, touched hundreds and later thousands of lives through their testimonies, priesthood blessings, and love for the people of Great Britain. They reaped a great harvest of wonderful converts.<\/p>\n
As I watched the pageant, I thought to myself, \u201cHow did they do this?\u201d The early Saints did not have any proselytizing systems. They did not have Preach My Gospel. <\/i>They did not have a Missionary Training Center. They did not have easy ways of transportation. But what they did have was an abiding, deep testimony that Joseph Smith knelt in the presence of the Father and the Son as They appeared to him in 1820 and opened the way of the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Father and the Son gave him the principles of the doctrine of Christ that I have previously mentioned.<\/p>\n
As I pondered the miracle of the mission to Great Britain, it seemed to me that the simple gospel truths, powerfully explained by those great apostles of yesteryear, just penetrated the hearts of the people. I was also deeply impressed\u2014in fact, so much so that I changed what I had in mind to share with you today because of the impressions that came to me about the power and the importance of the faith and testimony of the dear women and even the children who joined the Church during that formative era. As I watched and remembered, it was overwhelming. They withstood the challenges of the journey to Zion because of their faith, their own study and knowledge of the Book of Mormon, and their unwavering acceptance of Joseph Smith as the prophet of this dispensation. The women of the British Isles who made their way here\u2014many arriving without their companion and some of their children whom they buried along the way\u2014were in many ways the heart of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in those early days.<\/p>\n
The same is true now. In so many ways women are the heart of the Church. So today, with the help of the Lord, I would like to pay tribute to the faithful women and young women of the Church today. To you dear sisters, wherever you live in the world and whether you hear this address or read it, please know of the great affection and trust that the First Presidency and the Twelve have in you.<\/p>\n
In 1948, when I arrived in England, it was after World War II, and many of the little branches that grew into wards and stakes were really held together by the faith\u2014the simple faith\u2014and trust in our Heavenly Father and His plan of those sisters who remained behind while their husbands and sons went off to fight in World War II. Had it not been for the sisters and their faith and their strength during those difficult days, we would have had to start our work from scratch in several of the branches where I served.<\/p>\n
Brothers and sisters, I pray that the Lord will bless me that I may follow the counsel of a small plaque in my office that reads, \u201cAbove all else, brethren, let us think straight.\u201d These were the last words spoken in mortality by my grandfather, Elder Melvin J. Ballard, who was in the hospital suffering end-stage leukemia in 1939.<\/p>\n
My father, who was sitting at Grandfather\u2019s bedside, told me that Grandfather pushed himself up in bed, looked around his hospital room as though he were addressing a congregation or a group, and said clearly, \u201cAnd above all else, brethren, let us think straight.\u201d I don\u2019t go into my office any day of the week that I don\u2019t see those words.<\/p>\n
\u201cThinking straight\u201d for all of us has always been important, but never more so than today.<\/p>\n
From the beginning of time there have been articulate men and women who have had unusual powers of persuasion. Those with gifts of communication have always had great influence, but the influence of persuasive communicators has never been greater than it is today. Because of the Internet, and particularly the popularity and proliferation of social media\u2014Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and heaven only knows what else has become popular that I\u2019m not aware of yet\u2014anyone can talk to anyone about anything. Today anyone who is clever, articulate, and glib can find an audience and develop a following. Unfortunately, not everyone who has cultivated the ability to communicate uses their powers of expression to spread or teach truth. And not everyone has the help of the Holy Ghost to think straight.<\/p>\n
In what I say this morning please keep in mind and think straight about the basic doctrines of Christ that include the love our Father in Heaven has for His daughters who are precious and essential to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I encourage you brethren to listen carefully as well as the sisters because I believe there are some truths that both women and men need to understand about the essential role women have in strengthening and building up the kingdom of God on the earth.<\/p>\n
You have come to Campus Education Week to learn new things and to take refresher courses on things you may have forgotten or not focused on for a while. So let me begin with a refresher course about what we are doing here\u2014and I don\u2019t mean what we are doing here at BYU today. I\u2019m referring to what we are doing here on earth.<\/p>\n
We are beloved spirit sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. We lived with Him in the premortal realms. In order to fulfill the mission of bringing \u201cto pass the immortality and eternal life of man\u201d (Moses 1:39), Heavenly Father created a plan designed to help His children achieve their ultimate potential. Our Father\u2019s plan called for man to fall and to be separated from Him for a time by being born into mortality, gaining a body, and entering a period of testing and probation. His plan provided for a Savior to redeem mankind from the Fall. The Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ provides the way through gospel ordinances and sacred covenants to return to the presence of God. Because we would live in a mortal environment filled with danger and distractions, Heavenly Father and His Son knew we would need access to power greater than our own. They knew we would need access to Their power. The gospel and doctrine of Christ give all who will accept it power to achieve eternal life and power to find joy in the journey.<\/p>\n
There are those who question the place of women in God\u2019s plan and in the Church. I\u2019ve been interviewed enough by national and international media to tell you that most journalists with whom I have dealt have had preconceived notions about this topic. Through the years many have asked questions implying that women are second-class citizens in the Church. Brothers and sisters, nothing could be further from the truth.<\/p>\n
Let me suggest five key points for you to ponder and think straight about regarding this important topic.<\/p>\n
I repeat: Our Heavenly Father created both women and men, who are His spirit daughters and sons. This means that gender is eternal. He has a plan designed to help all who choose to follow Him and His Son Jesus Christ achieve their destiny as heirs of eternal life.<\/p>\n
Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ are perfect. They are omniscient and understand all things. Further, Their hopes for us are perfect. Their work and Their glory is to see Their children exalted\u2014to bring about the immortality and eternal life of mankind.<\/p>\n
Surely if our eventual exaltation is Their essential goal and purpose, and if They are omniscient and perfect as we know They are, then They understand best how to prepare, teach, and lead us so that we have the greatest chance to qualify for exaltation. There was an old-time television program called Father Knows Best, <\/i>in which the father in the family was depicted as having all the answers. Well, we all know that no father on this earth is infallible. But there is one father, our Father in Heaven, who knows all, foresees all, and understands all. His comprehension, His wisdom, and His love for us are perfect. Surely we must agree that our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ know best which opportunities the sons and daughters of God need to best prepare the human family for eternal life.<\/p>\n
Most everyone has family or friends who have been caught up in various troubling contemporary social issues. Arguing about the issues generally does not bring any resolution and, in fact, can create contention. There are some questions about the Church\u2019s position on sensitive issues that are hard to answer to anyone\u2019s satisfaction. However, when we seek the Lord in prayer about how to feel and what to do in these situations, the impression comes: \u201cDo you believe in Jesus Christ and do you follow Him and the Father?\u201d I believe most everyone in the Church at one time or another will wonder if they can do all they are asked to do. But if we really believe in the Lord, the reassurance comes: \u201cI believe Jesus Christ, and I\u2019m willing to do whatever He needs me to do.\u201d So we move forward. How powerful are the words \u201cI believe Jesus Christ\u201d!<\/p>\n
When all is said and done, each of us has the privilege of choosing whether or not we will believe that God is our Father, that Jesus is the Christ, and that They have a plan designed to help us return home to Them. This, of course, requires faith, which is why faith is the first principle of the gospel. Our testimonies and our peace of mind and our well-being begin with the willingness to believe that our Father in Heaven does indeed know best.<\/p>\n
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord\u2019s Church, and His Church is governed by and through priesthood authority and priesthood keys.<\/p>\n
Priesthood keys are the authority God has given to priesthood leaders to direct, control, and govern the use of His priesthood on earth. The exercise of priesthood authority is governed by those who hold its keys (see D&C 65:2; 81:2; 124:123). Those who hold priesthood keys have the right to preside over and direct the Church within a jurisdiction. <\/i>[\u201cPriesthood Keys,\u201d Handbook 2: Administering the Church<\/i> (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2010), 2.1.1 (p. 8)]<\/p>\n
Those who have priesthood keys\u2014whether that be a deacon who has keys for his quorum or a bishop who has keys for his ward or a stake president who has keys for his stake or the president of the Church who holds all priesthood keys\u2014literally make it possible for all who serve or labor faithfully under their direction to exercise priesthood authority and have access to priesthood power.<\/p>\n
All men and all women serve under the direction of those who have keys. This is how the Lord governs His Church. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, \u201cThe Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years\u201d (HC<\/i> 3:386; quoted in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith<\/i> [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2007], 104).<\/p>\n
President David O. McKay further explained:<\/p>\n
Priesthood is inherent in the Godhead. It is authority and power which has its source only in the Eternal Father and his Son Jesus Christ. . . .<\/i><\/p>\n
In seeking the source of the priesthood, . . . we can conceive of no condition beyond God himself. In him it centers. From him it must emanate. Priesthood, being thus inherent in the Father, it follows that he alone can give it to another. <\/i>[CR, <\/i>October 1965, 103; quoted in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay<\/i> (2003), 115]<\/p>\n
Let me repeat something I stated in the April 2013 general conference:<\/p>\n
In our Heavenly Father\u2019s great priesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. . . . In the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife. <\/i>[\u201cThis Is My Work and Glory,\u201d Ensign, <\/i>May 2013, 19]<\/p>\n
Why are men ordained to priesthood offices and not women? President Gordon B. Hinckley explained that it was the Lord, not man, \u201cwho designated that men in His Church should hold the priesthood\u201d and that it was also the Lord who endowed women with \u201ccapabilities to round out this great and marvelous organization, which is the Church and kingdom of God\u201d (\u201cWomen of the Church,\u201d Ensign, <\/i>November 1996, 70). When all is said and done, the Lord has not revealed why He has organized His Church as He has.<\/p>\n
When thinking about those things we do not fully understand, I am reminded of these words by my deceased friend and Apostle, Elder Neal A. Maxwell, who said, \u201cWhat we already know about God teaches us to trust him for what we do not know fully\u201d (Deposition of a Disciple<\/i> [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1976], 56).<\/p>\n
And Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated in this last April general conference, \u201cIn this Church, what we know will always trump what we do not know\u201d (\u201cLord, I Believe,\u201d Ensign, <\/i>May 2013, 94).<\/p>\n
Brothers and sisters, this matter, like many others, comes down to our faith. Do we believe that this is the Lord\u2019s Church? Do we believe that He has organized it according to His purposes and wisdom? Do we believe that His wisdom far exceeds ours? Do we believe that He has organized His Church in a manner that would be the greatest possible blessing to all<\/i> of His children, both His sons and His daughters?<\/p>\n
I know these things are true and testify that they are true. I testify that this is the Lord\u2019s Church. Women are integral to the governance and work of the Church through service as leaders in Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary; through their service as teachers, full-time missionaries, and temple ordinance workers; and in the home, where the most important teaching in the Church occurs.<\/p>\n
Let us not forget that approximately one-half of all of the teaching that takes place in the Church is done by sisters. Much of the leadership provided is from our sisters. Many service opportunities and activities are planned and directed by women. The counsel and other participation of women in ward and stake councils and in general councils at Church headquarters provide needed insight, wisdom, and balance.<\/p>\n
Elder Quentin L. Cook told about a life-changing role a stake Relief Society president had in Tonga. During a stake conference held while Elder Cook was there, the names of sixty-three prospective elders were sustained for ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood. When Elder Cook asked how this \u201cmiracle\u201d had been accomplished, the stake president told him that in a stake council meeting, the stake Relief Society president spoke of many men in their late twenties and early thirties who had not served missions and who were in various stages of activity. She suggested that the council focus on priesthood ordinations and temple ordinances for them as well as for their wives\u2014some of whom were less active or not members.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs she spoke, the Spirit confirmed to the [stake] president that what she was suggesting was true,\u201d Elder Cook related.<\/p>\n
It was decided that the men of the priesthood and the women of the Relief Society would reach out to rescue these men and their wives. . . . Those involved in the rescue focused primarily on preparing them for the priesthood, eternal marriage, and the saving ordinances of the temple. During the next two years, almost all of the 63 men who had been sustained to the Melchizedek Priesthood at the conference I attended were endowed in the temple and had their spouses sealed to them. This account is but one example of how critical our sisters are in the work of salvation. <\/i>[\u201cLDS Women Are Incredible<\/a>!\u201d Ensign, <\/i>May 2011, 20\u201321]<\/p>\n For more than twenty years I have been teaching the importance of councils, including the vital participation of sister leaders, and the work of councils is emphasized in the current Church handbooks. As I say these things, however, I acknowledge that there are some men, including some priesthood leaders, who have not yet seen the light and who still do not include our sister leaders in full partnership in ward and stake councils. I also acknowledge that there are some men who oppress women and in some rare circumstances are guilty of abusing women. This is abhorrent in the eyes of God. I feel certain that men who in any way demean women will answer to God for their actions. And let me add that any priesthood leader who does not involve his sister leaders with full respect and inclusion is not honoring and magnifying the keys he has been given. His power and influence will be diminished until he learns the ways of the Lord.<\/p>\n Now, sisters, in speaking this frankly with men, may I also exercise a moment of candor with you. While your input is significant and welcomed in effective councils, you need to be careful not to assume a role that is not yours. Ward and stake councils that are the most successful are those in which priesthood leaders trust their sister leaders and encourage them to contribute to the discussions and in which sister leaders fully respect and sustain the decisions of the council made under the direction of priesthood leaders who hold keys. Families are helped and individuals are activated through council meetings in which this partnership exists and in which the focus is on people. Units in the Church are strengthened by members who love and desire to help one another as they serve the Lord.<\/p>\n The proclamation on the family teaches foundational truths about the separate roles of men and women, particularly as they relate to their positions as husbands and wives:<\/p>\n By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. <\/i>[\u201cThe Family: A Proclamation to the World,\u201dEnsign, <\/i>November 1995, 102]<\/p>\n It takes a man and a woman to create a new life. And it takes both men who respect women and the distinctive spiritual gifts they have and women who respect the priesthood keys held by men to invite the full blessings of heaven in any endeavor in the Church.<\/p>\nNumber 3<\/strong><\/h2>\n