In a General Conference talk by Carole M. Stephens, she told the story of her granddaughter. Sister Stephens was trying to take her 3 year old granddaughter Chloe to her house to spend the day together. Chloe would not stay buckled in her carseat. Sister Stephens tried bribing Chloe with cookies, baking bread, and playdoh, but none of these things worked. Then she was prompted by the Spirit to “teach her”. 

Sister Stephens then explained to Chloe the importance of the seatbelts and carseats to keep us safe. Chloe told her grandmother “Grandma, you want me to wear my seat belt because you love me!”(1)

When I first heard this talk, it completely reframed how I look at and feel about the commandments. Instead of viewing commandments as something I have to do, obeying the commandments became something I did to feel Heavenly Father’s love for me. 

There are many times where we might feel like obeying the commandments is restrictive and limiting, much like a seatbelt. As we shift our perception, we will be able to view obedience as a way to stay safe and close to Heavenly Father. 

Elder Von G. Keetch told a story of a time he was visiting Australia. As he was walking along a beach, he met a group of American surfers complaining about a barrier stretched across the bay, blocking them from surfing. From where they were standing, they could only see the barrier and beautiful waves. An older Australian surfer came over to the group, and handed them a pair of binoculars. As he looked through the binoculars, he could see dorsal fins of large sharks. The older surfer told him “Don’t be too critical of the barrier,” he said. “It’s the only thing that’s keeping you from being devoured.” (2)

Are we too critical at times of the commandments and guidelines? Do we view them as blocking our fun instead of seeing that they are protecting us from unseen dangers? 

When I was younger, I didn’t always have the best attitude towards commandments. I followed them, because I was supposed to. I would look at peers who weren’t following the same code of conduct, and their lives seemed entertaining and exciting. For a while, I let go of the Iron Rod and didn’t obey the commandments. What I found wasn’t happiness and fun, but guilt and emptiness. From then on, I held tight to the Iron Rod. My attitude towards obedience changed dramatically. I found happiness and peace from obedience. My nature had to be changed. 

Tad R Callister said “A change in nature comes when we are obedient, not because we have to, but because we want to.” (3)

When we are obeying Heavenly Father, we will walk on the covenant path. By making and keeping covenants with our Heavenly Father we will gain more of his priesthood power. President Oaks just told us in his devotional that covenants aren’t restrictive but are protective. Covenants elevate us beyond our own abilities. 

In the Book of Mormon, we can see examples of how people have been elevated by obedience. Nephi is a wonderful example of this. Nephi said, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (4)

Nephi acted on his faith and obeyed Heavenly Father. He didn’t give into fear or peer pressure from his brothers. He just obeyed, trusting that Heavenly Father would keep him safe. Nephi’s story wasn’t rainbows and butterflies because he was obedient. His brothers’ still tied him up multiple times, mocked him, beat him with sticks and threatened him. He faced heartache and hardships. But Nephi was able to overcome these challenges because Heavenly Father was there, supporting him. Nephi was blessed because of his obedience.  

In Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21 it says, 
“ There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”(5)

I hope and pray that we can all practice our faith in Jesus Christ and follow his example and commandments. That we can all choose to obey Christ’s teachings and listen to the lessons taught to us by our modern day prophets. I know that Russell M. Nelson receives revelation from Heavenly Father, and that his words are what God wants us to hear. 

I know that Heavenly Father’s arms are open to all of us, even if we have wandered from the covenant path. He wants us to return, to obey Him and remain safe in His presence. He gave us His son Jesus Christ to be our shepherd, to help us find our way back to Him. We will never exhaust His loving patience. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Jodi McGinn
Stake Primary President

References:

1. “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments”, Carole M. Stephens, October 2015 General Conference. 

2. “Blessed and Happy Are Those Who Keep the Commandments of God”, Elder Von G. Keetch, October 2015 General Conference.

3. “Are We Just Changing Our Behavior When We Should Be Changing Our Nature?”, Elder Tad R. Callister, Church News

4. 1 Nephi 3:7 

5. Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21