Teachings of Jacob Z.Hess, Carrie L. Skarda, Kyle D. Anderson, Ty R. Mansfield, from their book “The Power of Stillness”:
Relishing the present, of course, is not a foreign concept to Latter-day Saints. We just talk about it differently—focusing on “showing gratitude” and “recognizing God’s hand in all things.” Among other things, this kind of present-focused gospel helps us see the “same old” activities with fresh eyes, inviting us to find more richness important, spiritual or family practices that may otherwise feel routine over time.
It’s in relation to other people, that the true value of full presence really shines, as illustrated vividly in the Savior’s own life. For example, when an important religious ruler’s child is terribly ill, the large crowds follow Christ trying to make it to this child’s bedside before anything tragic happens.
That’s as intense as it gets: a prominent leader, a life-and-death situation with a small child, crowds watching, time ticking . . . no wonder the disciples were so focused on “getting there,” into the future to save the child. Most of us would be totally preoccupied with what we were going to say and do in that future moment—not to mention with how these crowds, or his father, would respond if things didn’t go well.
While no doubt experiencing the rush of these same human tendencies, Christ notices a sick woman in the street. But Christ doesn’t simply see her; He is so present in the moment unfolding, right here, now that he feels her silent touch on the hem of His garment. And stops.
He stops. The impending future crisis does not overwhelm His capacity to be totally present and ready to create a healing moment with this deserving woman (see Matthew 9:18-25; Luke 41-56).
How many moments do we miss—with kids or spouses or brothers and sisters at church, or even the same old homeless lady on the street—because we’re rushing forward with our own always-so-important tasks?
This magnificent moment in Christ’s ministry also reminds us of how easy it is to get caught up in doing good things to the point that we overlook other opportunities or priorities. We get so busy that we forget about ministering to a neighbor in need until we catch ourselves and refocus. As prayer or scripture reading fades, we notice and catch ourselves, exploring what happened before bringing our attention back to these priorities. We realize that our mind is thinking about our to-do list rather than the sacrament, and we bring it back. We knowingly turn away from an indulgence against God’s will—but then we feel the inner angst, remember what we really want most, and come back to Him.
Whether in formal meditation or in our larger spiritual life, this rhythm of pausing and bringing ourselves back is core to both mindfulness and God’s plan for us, not an aberration in either case.
Embodied Religion
Thankfully, each time we come back to our highest ideals and deepest commitments, we exercise a kind of muscle that grows in real ways, allowing us to embody and live out our highest ideals and highest convictions.
A wonderful story demonstrating this living of our faith was when Brigham Young learned of the great suffering among people stuck in the Wyoming snow. He arose in general conference and declared: “I will now give this people the subject and the text of the Elders who may speak to-day and during the conference. It is this. On the 5th day of October, 1856 many of our brethren and sisters are on the plains with handcarts, and probably many are seven hundred miles from this place, and they must be brought here, and we must send assistance to them. The text will be, ‘To get them here.’ “
Perhaps more than any moment in Latter-day Saint history, this sermonette embodies the particularity of pure religion at the heart of Christian faith. The message? Save my sheep. Feed them. Clothe them. Bind up their wounds and cherish them as the brothers and sisters they verily are. For those of us interested in mindfulness, the message could continue: Don’t just speak of being present (or philosophies about it) Go. Be. Present.
~ The Power of Stillness (Jacob Z.Hess, Carrie L. Skarda, Kyle D. Anderson, Ty R. Mansfield, The Power of Stillness (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2019) p. 98-100
