We’ve had some trouble with our new refrigerator of late. I’ve been pretty frustrated as I’ve pulled out delicate garden lettuce frozen solid, thrown out once perfect eggs now cracked and frozen, and been unable to use solid sour cream. Ugh! My new fridge?
I started pulling things in from the edges of shelves in an attempt to improve circulation. I tried to figure how to change the air filter which doesn’t seem intuitive to me. Dad kept asking if we couldn’t just raise the temperature. I would if I could see easily how to do so. I tried to find safe corners and drawers. But mostly, I just started keeping fragile things in the old garage fridge. Irony?
Well yesterday, I looked at the control panel on the door to see if there were any discernable fixes to my problem. The number 33 caught my attention above the number 0. People had been leaving the panel unlocked because they like to get frequent drinks of cold, filtered water from the fridge dispenser and with that opening, a little button-pusher had inadvertently set the fridge to cool to one degree above freezing. And my nice, new refrigerator is vindicated: it was only doing what it was told to do!
I’ve thought about this in terms of persistence. I can honestly say that I wish my fridge had been smart enough to realize that I have plenty of freezer space and I really wanted it to be a refridgerator. But on the other hand, I also have to admire the persistent compliance to a difficult task.
TC, in his talk Sunday about making weak things become strong, mentioned his part in that process. He mentioned faith, humility, obedience, and work. We’ve also been discussing obedience as it pertains to strengthening faith in primary this month. Sis S was so enthusiastic after one sharing time with us leaders. She said, “Don’t you just love the power of this principle? I always used to wonder if I was stifling my children with the principle of obedience. But I was giving them the power to have faith!” We are singing Faith in primary and the last phrase says, “Faith is strengthened, I feel it grow whenever I obey.”
Obedience is faith in action. But steadfast obedience brings a select few to mind. I think of the people of Anti-Nephi Lehi who when they were converted were zealous (Alma 27:30) in their adherence to the principles missionaries taught them. So unyielding were they in the practice of their beliefs that they would suffer death without resistance, trusting that their death was no tragedy and being unwilling to risk offending God in the least bit.
That steadfastness one generation later produced a miraculous battalion of soldiers. Helaman, in speaking of these youth who had not entered into a covenant to never shed blood again, but had been taught faith, courage, and valiance from their infancy from the most converted of people, described them as men of truth and soberness, faithful in all things (Alma 53).
This young group, raised in a non-violent society, came to the aid of the Nephites in defending their freedoms from the Lamanites who were warring to destroy liberty (especially freedom of religion). The war-plan was to keep these young “Sons of Helaman” safe, utilize them as decoys, but not really to employ them in battle. But God had other designs for this valiant group. They were able to testify and encourage Helaman - one of their teachers! - that they were not afraid to fight as their mothers had taught them that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. (Alma 56:47).
Over the battles this company fought, and they were in fierce fighting, every one of them received injury, 10% of them in one battle to the point of fainting for the loss of blood. Yet in the end they all came home. Helaman reconciles this remarkable fact with the loss of many who fought beside them to their exactness in their obedience to every word of command and their exceeding faith (Alma 57:20-1, 26). Also in Alma 58: 40, Helaman says they stand fast in their liberty and they are strict to remember.
Faithful Latter-day Saints are commanded in many things. We have standards for eating, dress, media, dating… think for the Strength of Youth. And yet we know that we are not fruitful if we must be commanded in all things. There are more ways than the ways we are commanded to be obedient and steadfast.
It seems that the key to being steadfast is in the heart: the steadfast have a desire to obey, to witness with their works in every regard their faith and acceptance of Jesus Christ. The desire for sin is removed from their hearts, they are changed beings. They are the stuff miracles come through. I trail a legacy of faithfulness. I want to be cool like that. I want my kids to be clear and right like the Sons of Helaman. I can’t wait to see what my grandchildren will do in this world.
Be strong, be immovable in righteousness, depend on God for deliverance, and be obedient in every command, especially those from the Spirit. We pray continually for you in this.
I love you,
Mom
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