Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps

There have been a number of blogs discussing the recent solemn assembly in which the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were given the opportunity to rise from our seat and add our voice of sustaining and support for our new prophet Thomas S. Monson. It is our opportunity to confirm that through our own personal revelation we recognize that the mantel of the Priesthood, and the keys of Christ’s church, have been activated in the new prophet. We add our voice to say, “Yes, we know this is the servant of the Lord, our president, prophet, seer, and revelator, and we will follow and support him.”

If you have asked for that confirming spirit, standing to bear that witness is a beautiful experience. The Holy Ghost descends and overwhelms us all with love as we reach out to these men who give their lives to do God’s will and serve us.

Though not executed in a solemn assembly, this same pattern holds true for every position of service, or calling, within the church. This church is a voluntary effort by individuals, not because they have asked for it themselves. Rather, that the Lord, through proper channels, has asked it of them. Many of these callings will not be known in the congregations before they are announced for a sustaining vote. This does not mean however, that the congregation is denied an opportunity for spiritual confirmation that the individual, is exactly who the Lord wants to do something for Him, in His name. If you come to meetings with your heart open to the teaching of God that includes anything the Lord needs you to hear. As a name is read, you can still have that spiritual confirmation before, or in, that same moment as you raise your hand.

But what happens next? Aside from keeping us a united congregation under the direction of the Lord’s prophet, and other local leaders, there is another reason. When we raise our hand in confirmation of the revelations of Heavenly Father, we are asked to sustain the Lord’s choice of servant. He has identified this man, or woman, depending on the calling, as one who will serve Him as a true disciple, who will give an example that will draw the rest of his congregation, those disciples who are also striving for this level of devotion, on righteous paths.

What does it mean to sustain someone? It’s more than just raising our hand. It’s more than testifying of our love for the Lord’s choice. It is literally upholding and supporting them. It means we are covenanting with Heavenly Father that:
We will follow where His chosen servant leads.
We will do all that is asked of us by him.
We will offer our support, prayers and love everyday, just as we offer it to our Savior Jesus Christ.

Not only are we acknowledging their role in God’s kingdom, but we are committing ourselves to our role of support.

This means knowing what is asked of you. In the case of the prophet it means listening to and reading his messages. Then it means doing what is asked of you. It also means that even if you feel you disagree, you will refrain from gossip or illspeaking about God’s servants. It’s doing our best to help even when it is not required duty, to support his or her efforts and family who also make sacrifices by allowing their husband, son, wife, daughter to serve the Lord in a very devoted manner.

My raised hand during the solemn assembly committed me to a pattern of obedience, respect and love for a wonderful man. Within my stake, ward, or branch the promise is the same. Christ’s gospel is a whole heart, whole life endeavor. We show confirmation of the Lord’s will and our willingness to support it. It is a covenant and a promise to see that through with both actions and words, with our whole heart and life.

This past week I have been out of the country touring areas of South America and the Caribbean. During this time I was privileged to meet a wonderful example of discipleship. He was named for a great Book of Mormon prophet, Helaman, and he works as a tour guide at the Mayan archeological site in Tulum, Mexico.

While taking my group to the site, he happily told us about himself and the path that the Lord had placed his family on that would lead him to work as a tour guide in Tulum. He, like his father had completely turned his life over to the gospel of Jesus Christ and went in faith to the place where he felt he could be of most service to his Heavenly Father. He truly left his nets behind and followed Christ and we were greatly blessed for his choices. While in his company, Helaman quietly shared the gospel with us as we walked and talked with him through the ruins. He pointed out symbols and beliefs, shared the common archeological theories concerning them, then pointed out their correlation to things we as members of The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints know because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. He testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, the importance of temples, the plan of salvation, and most importantly of Jesus Christ. Though his words were enlightening, and provided a great amount of insight I never would have gained without his presence, what stayed with me the most was simply his spirit.

Helaman was a disciple of Christ in every best sense of the word. I can only hope that someday I can show the same amount of dedication to the gospel that he showed. I pray that one day my countenance will shine as brightly as his because I have followed his example of inviting the spirit into my life fully and completely.

He taught me much. I'll share a little bit of it with you over the coming days, but the best thing he taught me is how to love the Lord with all my might, mind and strength and to not be ashamed of this love. That's a wonderful gift.

Many of us feel a sense of comfort about who we are when we’re within the walls of our own home. Hopefully, we feel a similar level of comfort within our religious congregations. But, what about the workplace?

Discipleship is a full-time, life-time commitment. So what does it really mean to be a disciple within the workplace, just as we would be among our close friends or family? How does a disciple view work and how do those that he works with view him as a representative of Christ?

All things are spiritual in God’s eyes; therefore, we should not have a division of our own between things spiritual and secular. He has asked us to leave the world behind and follow Him. Does that mean we should not work? No, work is part of our growth here upon this earth. However, we should strive for a work environment that is comparable to our standards as disciples of Christ. If at all possible, our path should never lead us away from our spiritual self. In that same token, we should never bring anything with us to a situation that might lead another away from God. We need to be proud to exemplify our belief at any time or place.

WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) does not lose its power because we are not the child or teenager we usually associate this message with. There are many problems, both personal and within our workplace that can be solved by refocusing on the values the Gospel of Jesus Christ has instilled in us. He is to be our example in all things, not a few.

Look for the Savior in your every day lives, in every day things. Just as the Savior taught in parables to help His followers understand His messages, we can find His love, word and example in the simplest things in our own lives. Keeping His perspective helps us avoid the world’s perspective on such things as money, goods and power that seem to be so often central to the workplace.

Start your day with scripture study and prayer. Nephi has counseled us wisely in the Book of Mormon to “feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” (2 Nephi 32:3) I have found in my own life that when I neglect these two simple steps my day is lacking. No matter how good the activities of the day went, I have missed the presence of the Spirit. If things have gone badly, I have lacked the ability to find peace and the Lord’s will for the situation until I have returned to His basic commandments. Exercise your spirit every morning just as you would exercise your body. Do not leave for work without the power of the Holy Ghost to guide and protect you.

Be honest. Never display yourself as anything less than honest and trustworthy in the workplace. This also includes refraining from gossip or speaking ill of anyone that you work with.

Remember, often times he who is greatest, is the servant. A “what’s in it for me” attitude is not always the best course of action. Rather: “what creates the most good?” Once again, the Savior’s example is clear.

“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John 13:14-17

Have courage in your convictions. It is also important to remember that Christ was always appropriate to the situation and occasionally that situation called for Him to defend Himself or reprove those around Him. While it is important not to do nothing that is intended to be mean spirited it is equally important to stand up for your beliefs and help others understand their importance to you.

Pay your tithes. In Malachi we are advised to "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10) Returning a portion of our goods to the Lord helps keep a perspective based on the Lord’s blessings. It acknowledges His hand in our lives and our dedication to Him in everything that we do. It allows Him to be part of our financial decisions and planning.

The Lord is mindful of us in everything we do. A disciple’s goal is to focus our lives on Him in return whether it is at home, at church, at work, or anywhere else we may find ourselves.