Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (deceased) wrote in his book “Finding Peace in Our Lives:”
A key document of the restoration of the gospel is a letter the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote in reply to a request of John Wentworth, editor of a Chicago newspaper. In it, the Prophet wrote a “sketch of the rise, progress, persecution, and faith of the Latter-day Saints.” (1) It was apparently the first published account of principle events that occurred in the thirty-six year period after the Prophet’s birth. The last section of the letter, the Articles of Faith, is a concise statement of fundamental beliefs of the Church. The thirteenth article concludes: “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” (A of F 1:13)
The word seek means go in search of, try to discover, try to acquire. It requires an active, assertive approach to life. For example, Abraham sought for the blessings of the fathers . . . and to be a greater follower of righteousness.” (Abraham 1:2.) This is the opposite of passively waiting for something good to come to us, with no effort on our part.
We can fill our lives with good, leaving no good for anything else. We have much good from which to choose that we need never to partake of evil.
Elder Richard L. Evans declared: “There is evil in the world. There is also good. It is for us to learn and choose between the two; increase in self-discipline, in competence, in kindness; to keep going—putting one foot in front of the other—one day one hour one moment, one task at a time..” (2 below)
If we seek things that are virtuous and lovely, we surely will find them. Conversely, if we seek for evil, we will find that also. Lucifer understands how to tempt and drag many of our Heavenly Father’s children down to where he and his followers are. He rebelled and was cast out; he wants to make us as miserable as he is. (See 2 Nephi 2:18.)
My message may be the opposite of the worldly message of Satan’s fallacy. Nephi described it when he wrote: “Many. . . shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us. . . Nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take advantage of one. . . ; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.” (2 Nephi 28: 7-8.)
Though we live in the world, we must not be of the world. For members of the Church, seeking the good is more than a lofty ideal. It is an obligation we accepted when we entered the waters of baptism; we renew it each time we partake of the sacrament. We must remember: “The Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven.” (Doctrine & Covenants 1:31-32.)
~ Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (deceased), Finding Peace in Our Lives (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1995), 130-32
continued . . .
References:
2. Richard L. Evans, Thoughts For One Hundred Days, vol. 4 (Salt Lake City: Publishers Press, 1970), p. 199.
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