From the book, “The Holy Spirit” by Robert L. Millet:
Under the title:
“Examining Ourselves”
In recent years we have been reminded by our leaders that significant prophecy is being fulfilled in our day, the Lord said, “Behold, I will hasten the work in its time” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:73). To hasten is to urge or to accelerate, to move or act quickly. Specifically, the brethren have called upon the Latter-day Saints to hasten the work of (1) reaching out to those who may not now enjoy the blessings of the restored gospel; (2) extending the blessings of that gospel to those who have died without the opportunity to receive its requisite covenants and ordinances; and (3) searching out and caring for the poor and needy among us. These selfless acts—missionary service, temple service and ministering are part of what we are called upon to do as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. “The apostle James, brother of our Lord, explained that this is what true Christians do; this is what we call “pure religion.” But there was one more thing involved in pure religion—namely keeping ourselves unspotted from the vices of the world (JST, James 1:27). This facet of the Christian faith has to do with personal spiritual refinement.
In addition to hearing much about hastening the work, we have been told how important it is to encourage and foster “real growth,” that is deep conversion, complete consecration to God and His Church and kingdom. At the October 2000 general conference, President Dallin H. Oaks delivered a stirring address entitled “The Challenge to Become.” He emphasized that true righteousness is not just measured in what we do although what we do may be an indicator of our inner righteousness. True righteousness is what we have become, what we are, who we are!
He pointed out that the process of becoming more like our Savior “requires far more that acquiring knowledge. It is not even enough for us to be convinced of the gospel: we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.” President Oaks went on to say that “the final judgement is not just an evaluation of the sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgement of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become.”4
While such growth is surely the product of consistent and sustained gospel living, what does it look like? How might we know, if we are, through the years, experiencing real growth? What might we begin noticing in our own ministering and discipleship? How deep is our conversion?
- There begins to develop within our hearts a desire to do more to further the work of the Lord and to be better people than we are. This seems to be what Abraham felt when he wrote of how he had previously been a follower of righteousness but had felt the need “to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess greater knowledge” (Abraham 1:2). That is, Abraham wanted to do more and to be more. ~Robert L. Millet, The Holy Spirit (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2019) 232-33
(Continued. . .)
