Osguthorpe Russell 2011 03

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SpeechesBrigham Young University 20102011

What If Love Were Our Only Motive?

Russell T. OsguThORpe

8 Marc 2011


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Tak yo, pridt samo. It i ratto b r today. A tat coir wa ii,it rmidd m tat my wif ad I mt wit

or at aid i a coir jt ik tat a fw

yar back, ad w b itti xt to ac

otr r ic.

Ti ac i ray ik a cod om to

m. I t a ood art of my adt if at

BYu. W o ak m ow o I brwic ty do at timI ay I cam

wit Kar g. Mar. so ti i wr w mt,

ad ti i wr or cidr rcid tir

dcatio. It wr I cam to drtad tat

ari ca o o forr. I o t tdt

r. I o t taff. I o t facty. I o

am ik t o w ad wit Wyomi o

satrday. I ik camioi. I o BYu.

W Im waki acro cam, I ik to

ay o to a may o a I ca. I -

ciay ik it if ty ay o back. I itmy rtro way of doi ocia tworki. I

oc ookd at a tdt aroaci m o

t idwak. s wa o r c o

wic ofttim w arbt ti a m

a c-o wa. Qit oft to I a o

t idwak ar i ado. Bt om-

tim I t a ado od. Ad ti

mori I ot a ado mi.

Oc I wa itti otid a cofrc room

i t ibrary worki o my ato. A tdt

aroacd m ad akd a itt awkwardy,

so, wat ar yo doi?

I xaid tat I wa waiti for a mt-

i, bt t I cod my ato, tood , ad

aid, Yo kow, tdt r do tat to m.

Ty r jt com ad tart a cora-

tio. Wy did yo do tat? h rodd, W, I tot I mit ar

omti.

W ad a mmorab coratio. h ad

jt rtrd from a miio, ad ard

om of i faorit xric wit m.

Mti w o ca ric or i

i miraco way. My wif ad I rcty

iitd Bcaramaa, Coombia, o a Crc

aimt. Bcaramaa i a city of 1.2 mi-

io ry fridy o. I fact, ty rid

tm o bi t fridit city o t

InTelleCTuAl ReseRve, InC. 1

What If Love Were Our Only Motive?

Russell T. OsguThORpe

Russell T. Osguthorpe was the Sunday School

general president of The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints, director of the BYU Center for

Teaching and Learning, and a BYU professor in

the Department of Instructional Psychology and

Technology when this devotional address was given

on 8 March 2011.


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2 Brigham Young University 20102011 Speeches

at. W w arrid, may wr tr to

rt . Ty mad f ik w wr t

mot imortat o ty ad r mt.

W ad r b to ti city bfor. W adr t o wo wr rti .

Ad yt w ft tir o.

lo i o of t mot owrf oiti

forc i xitc. It i o of t trot

tatmt i a of critr, ad it occr

twic i Moroi: If y a ot carity, y

ar oti (Moroi 7:46; ao r 44).

no mattr ow comtt w mit b, ow

brit, ow tatd, ow attic, ow attrac-

ti, ow ardworkiif w ar ot acti

ot of o, w ar oti. To o iBcaramaa wr ot tiki of tm.

Ty wr ot tryi to ro ayti to

ayo. Ty wr imy raci ot to

i o. Ad tat tdt wo aroacd m

i t ibrary itray mad my day. hi wi-

i to t otid imf for a mit

iftd m.

Wi taci a miioary raratio

cor, I akd tdt to k track of ky

idicator, a ty wod b doi i t mi-

io d. O of t ky idicator wa totak to o. Jt ayi i to omo

wa ot o. Ty dd to a a ra

coratio wit ac w ro ty mt.

I xaid tat o tir miio, a day ry

day, ty wod b mti o for t rt

tim ad ty dd to ractic ti ki rior

to tir miio if ty watd to tr t

d rard. Ti aimt did ot cot

toward tir rad, bt tdt itd

tm i it wit ra ry ad commit-

mt. eac wk ty wod txt or -mai mtir rt for t wk.

O wk a tdt rortd ai co-

ratio wit 72 o ad r mt

bfor. Tat imri. I akd im i ca,

how did yo do tat i o wk? how did

yo iit wit o may?

h rodd, O, I wa tadi i i

a ot ti at wk, ad o I wod jt ak t

ro xt to m to od my ac i t i,

ad t I wod mo tro t i ad

itrodc myf ad tak to a may o a

I cod. I rcommd yo try ti, by t way,

bca ti i wat tod m i t d. h

aid, Yo kow, Brotr Otor, t r-

rii ti i tat I ray tik I mad om

frid I wi a t rt of my if.

Tik of tat for a mit. A did wa

jt mt o.

Tr i ra owr i imy raci ot to

otr ad bcomi acqaitd. I oc akd

a tdt o t idwak ow ti wr

oi. h aid, hy, BYu a rit, bt I jtdot kow aybody yt. It rtty oy at

tim.

My o i ot oy tat BYu wi b kow

for it i raki i acadmic ad ort

bt tat it wi, ik Bcaramaa, Coombia,

b kow a t fridit ac o t at.

Bi fridy i a rat ti, bca it

t oy way w ca mo from acqaitac

to ati fridi. sra wk ito t

mtr i my miioary raratio cor,

I rcid a -mai from a tdt wo totat oit ad r com to ca. I amd

tat ad drod t cor. T -mai

imy aid, I at b comi to ca.

I dot kow if tr ay way I ca ti

comt t cor. Cod I com ad tak

wit yo?

I t a aoitmt to im. h cam

to my ofc accomaid by i ridt ai-

tat. T ridt aitat xaid, I or-

ard im at it ayi tat ad r

attdd i miioary r ca, o I -td tat -mai yo ad com ad tak.

I tod t tdt tat ad mid a

mbr of aimt ad tat wod

d to comt ac o or wod fai t

cor. I xaid tat if cod comt

a t at aimt, com to ry ca

for t rmaidr of t mtr, tr i a

ftr aimt o tim, ad ccfy


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Russell T. Osguthorpe 3

comt t a, wod b ab to rci

a ai rad. T xt day t m a

dtaid a for mti a t coditio w

ad aid ot. h r mid aotr cariod, add i ry aimt, did w

o t a xam, ad ad t cor. T

ridt aitat d im ao t way.

h attdd t rt ca wit im to

mak r ad a ood xric o tat

rt day.

I akd t ridt aitat wat ad moti-

atd im to ti tdt. h xaid,

W, I mad a commitmt dri my mi-

io tat w I rtrd to BYu, I wod

frm rar for tir miio. I otrword, for t ridt aitat, t d of a

frma took rcdc or i ow d.

h card o for ti frma tdt tat

d im writ t -mai ma, cam

wit im to iit wit m, ad kt i toc

wit im ti t frma ad comtd

t cor.

I aw tat frma o t idwak t

foowi mtr. h wa wit om frid,

bt ra to m ad tod m tat wa

abot to bmit i aicatio to r a mi-io. h takd m for rmitti im to

comt t cor ad aid, I dot kow

wat wod a ad if yo ad ot

d m.

I aid, I didt ray do ayti. It wa

tat ridt aitat wo mad t diffrc

i yor if.

I k aki myf, Wat if or oy

moti wr o? Wat if ryti w did,

w did ot of o? Tr ar a kid of

moti ot tr. Ad may of tm ar otrtty. W mit b motiatd by r or

y or rd. s moti ar abdat.

A tdt, w mit b motiatd oy by

rad or by or dir to t ito radat

coo or to bi a carr. T ar ot c-

ariy i moti, bt tyr ot o.

W mit t trait A. W mit t ito

t bt radat coo. Or w mit ad t

bt job offr imaiab. Bt, aai, a Moroi

tat: If [w] a ot carity, [w] ar

oti.

W ca do ood ti wit taadab moti. Qoti i fatr, Mormo,

Moroi wrot tat if w i a ift, [ad]

dot it rdiy; . . . it i cotd . . . t

am a if [w] ad rtaid t ift; wrfor

[w ar] cotd i bfor god (Moroi 7:8;

ao r 9). Moti mattr. Ty mattr

a ot. I t d, whyw do ti i robaby

mor imortat tawhatw do. ei act ar

away motiatd by i moti. Bt act tat

mit aar to b ood o t rfac may

ot b fd by r moti. Ad o of trt moti of a i o.

so i it oib to do ryti w do ot

of o? I it oib to tdy bca w o

t lord ad hi cidr? I it oib to b

motiatd by o w w tak a tt, rad a

catr i a txtbook, comt a aimt,

or awr a qtio i ca? I it oib to

o omo wo a wrod ? Ca o

b or oy moti?

W kow wat it f ik to a coma-

io, a did t ood samarita ( lk10:3133). Bt w mit ao kow wat it

f ik to ior omo i d, a did

t rit ad t lit a ty ad by t

wodd ma, worryi mor abot tm-

ta abot t o i d. Moti

mattr.

It imortat to rmmbr tat w od

ot try to jd aotr moti. Bt w ca

jd or ow moti. W d to ook iid

ad tak tock. Ar w doi wat w do ot

of o? Or a om otr moti tak or? W ca aiy rat to t tory of t

rodia o. W a iky a mad dciio

tat d away from wat i ood ad rit.

T, ik t rodia o, w a com to

or, wok , ad rtd ( lk

15:17). Bt w mit ao b ab to rat to

t brotr of t rodia o, wo rtd

i brotr for a t oiti atttio wa


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tti from tir fatr. T fatr oy

moti wa o for bot of i o. h fry

fora t o ad ary tratd t otr

to com i ad cbrat t rtr of a famiymmbr.

W d to a a cia kid of o to

rjoic mor i t cc of otr ta i

or ow cc. W Ama mt Ammo

ad i brotr foowi tir miio to t

lamait, Ama rjoicd i i ow cc,

bt rjoicd mor i t cc of i

brtr: now, w I tik of t cc

of t my brtr my o i carrid away,

to t aratio of it from t body, a it

wr, o rat i my joy (Ama 29:16). W otr d tart to mattr mor

ta or ow, ad w otr cc

ar mor xciti to ta or ow, w ar

bii to xric t kid of o tat

or Fatr i ha ad or saior a for

. It i a o witot dimio. It a o

bodari, o imitatio. It i r. It i i-

it. It i tra. O, ow I wat to a mor

of ti kid of o for otr.

My wif brotr st bcam acti

i t Crc at t a of 15. h marrid ot-id t Crc ad for may yar akd tat

om tacr ot iit im. Ti i ow st

t i ow tory:

I was assigned a home teacher. When he called

me, I said something like, I dont want to be con-

tacted, and my wife is not interested. He asked if

he could at least make contact once in a while and

made sure I understood he was there for us if a need

arose.

For 22 years, every month, I faithfully receiveda postcard from that home teacher with a kind

thought or just a hello, hope things are going well

for you. I had never met him for the rst 18 years,

yet every month he made his home teaching contact

the only way he could.

That contact became very important to me when

we found out my wife had brain cancer in 1996.

We never had children, and so I was the primary

caregiver for her during her 23-month illness. I was

helped by 12 wonderful women who were friends,

neighbors, or co-workers.

One day the ward Relief Society president cameby our home to offer help. My wife was asleep at

the time, and I didnt want to wake her, so that

visit never happened. But that contact by the Relief

Society president was more important to me, I

think, as it softened my heart. My wife of 31 years

passed away 10 days later.

Foowi i wif dat, st dd

i ai t fra. Wo do yo tik

trd to for tat ? To i om tacr

of 22 yart o wo ad faitfy writ-t a of to card! how ay wod it a

b for tat om tacr ot to comt i

cai? som of a a difct tim om

taci o wo do wcom . Bt

tayd wit it.

Fi yar atr, st rmarrid. hi cod

wif wa a faitf mmbr of t Crc.

hi atway back to f actiity i t

Crc ba. lat yar st wa ordaid

a rit, ad t rcid t Mcizdk

pritooda aftr 50 yar of iactiity it Crc.

W w car for omo, w wat to

do omti for tm. st om tacr

card o to do omtito writ itr-

ay drd of card to t o d b

aid to iit. T Rif socity ridt

card o to iit at xacty t rit

momt for st. Im coicd tat tr ar

o a arod wo d tat kid of car-

i, tat kid of o. A w d to do i o

or y ad or ar ad or art o tat wca kow wat w d to do for otr.

W iky a oticd ow or rot,

pridt Toma s. Moo, ow i o to

otr. Foowi a roram i t Cofrc

Ctr, i wic 7,000 yot rformd o

ta or i t ai, a 12-yar-od daco

a a art of t a. Foowi i o,

pridt Moo motiod to t yo


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ma to com to im. T yo ma mad

i way off t ta to t frot row i t

adic wr pridt Moo wa itti.

Ty rtd ac otr wi ryo i tCofrc Ctr waitd i ic. T t

yo ma wt back o ta ad ot

warmd by a t otr yot i t cat.

eryo watd to ak t ad of omo

wo ad jt ak t ad of t rot.

At t d of t i, pridt Moo

tayd to rt a may yo o a

oiby cod. W watcd a a rot of

god xrd i o to t yot of t

Crc. At o oit wt o ta ad

ook t ad of a i a row of yoo i wcair. T wr yot wit

mti diabiiti. som cod ot ackow-

d pridt Moo adak wit

c, bt I am qit crtai tat ac cod

f i o.

Wi ri a a Ara sty, I oc

accomaid edr R M. no to a

tak cofrc i wic a w tak ri-

dt wa bi cad. A i t a rac-

tic, w briy itriwd aroximaty

30 Crc adr i t tak. edr noakd t tak crk to attac a ictr of ac

adr to t adr o-a bio. Aftr w

ad id t ca to t w tak ridt

ad i coor, w ad abot 45 mit

bfor t ritood adri mti wa

to bi. edr no ad I wr i t tak

ridt ofc rari for t xt mt-

i. I wa riwi t ma I wa a-

i to dir, bt I oticd tat edr no

wa oi or t o-a bio t of ac

Crc adr w ad jt itriwd. I wodrd wy wa riwi t

iformatio o carfy. T, w edr

no tood to ak dri t rit-

ood adri mti, I drtood. A

tat, cad o Crc adr by

am. h wod ay, Brotr Joo, Brotr

Adro, wod yo tad ad t abot

ow ti a at yor ward? T m

wr to w ad itriwd for oy a fw

mit ac, ad wa cai tm by

am. h ad r mt t adr bfor

itriwi tm, bt kw tir am.Wi I wa rari my ma for t

mti, wa mmorizi tir am

ooki at tir ictr ad tir bioo

cod ca o tm by am i t mti.

h wod iky r mot of t adr

aai i i miitry, bt took t tim to

ar tir am.

W I a ard ti xric wit

otr, ty oft ay, Y, edr no a a

rmarkab mmory for am. Bt wr a

tat ki com from? h car o abototr to ar tir am. Mot of cod

mmoriz 30 am i 45 mit. Bt may

of may ot tik to do o. I kow tat o

ti cam w a facty to wit

ry ar cawo mak a rio ffort

to ar tdt am. It i a im ti,

bt it ca ca t wo ari-taci

qatio. W o dri or actio a

arr ad tacra ma bi

ryti t bttr.

T saior arty miitry wa a tim oftaci, a tim of mirac. h tabid

hi Crc o t art. h cad t Tw

to bcom adr i t Crc. h tat

ryo wo wod it. h ad t ick

ad raid t dad. Ad wy did h do a

t ti? h ad oy o motio.

hi ma to i tat w d to b ood

ad do ood, bt w d to do it for t rit

rao. Ti i rciy wy t two rat-

t commadmt ar t ratt: To

at o t lord ty god wit a ty art,ad wit a ty o, ad wit a ty mid

ad To at o ty ibor a ty-

f (Mattw 22:3739). T moti ma

ryti.

W ar a o or way to omwr. W

ar a maki or way forward i if. W may

b ooki forward to marria, or, if wr

marrid, w may b ooki forward to ai


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or rt cid. W mit b ooki forward to

radat coo or to tri t workforc.

W ar away o or way to omwr.

My rt miio wa i Taiti. I o t wayTaitia rt ac otr. T itra mai

of tir rti wordia ora nama if

to yo or tat yo mit i. W ar itr

ii if or taki if from ac otr a w

mo forward o or way.

har word tak if away from t o

wo rci tm ad from t o wo

ttr tm. Bt word ok i o i if.

T tdt wo aroacd m i t ibrary

a m if. Ti ad aai ytrday.

somo akd m if I wa aki at tdotioa; tat actio a m if, a m

a itt boot, jt by ayi o. T ridt

aitat a if to t frma ad act-

ay to m a w. T om tacr ad Rif

socity ridt a if to my brotr-i-

aw, st. pridt Moo a if to ry

yo ro rtd i t Cofrc

Ctr tat i. Ad edr no a

if to to Crc adr cad by am.

Wat if a t word w ok wr motiatd

by o? T saior if o art wa ort, bt h

wa away raci ot i o ry t

of t way. h d o may wi h wa

o hi way to omo . h oticd

wat otr dd, racd ot to tm, ad

d tmomtim i im way ad

otr tim i miraco way. ery mirac

h rformd, ry word h ok, h did

ot of o.

h od to h tat. h card for tir

irita w-bi, bt h ao card for tirtmora d. W ty wr ry, h

fd tm wit oa. W tir o

rd, h iird tm wit t trt of

hi o.

h card for to wo ot tir way. h

card o to d tm ad bri tm

om. h r forot o of hi ow.

h od t yo. h od t ric. h

od t oor. h od t ick. h od t

ir. h od a of god cidr. W

h aw tm ffri, h ad tm. Wh aw tm orrowi, h iftd tm .

W h aw tm i ai, h comfortd

tm.

hi if o t art wa a xam of wat

it ma to do ood. Bt it wa ao a iar

xam of wat it ma to do ood for t

rit rao. ery act of t saior o art

wa do ot of o. e i t rat r-

morta coci hi offr to t Fatr wa moti-

atd by o for otr, wi t adrary

wa motiatd by . T saiormiio wa to i if by aowi to

coo to o t lord ad foow him. (s

Mo 4:13.) T adrary oa wa to tak

away or acy ad trby mak it imo-

ib for to o, bca it i imoib to

o w chooseto o. lo mt com

from witi. It caot b forcd o . so for

ro of i ow aim, t adrary

wod a mad it imoib for to k

t rt two commadmt. h wod a

mad ito oti. Crit ad a car miio i mortaity.

h cam to art to a ac of . h kw

ow hi if o art wod d ad ow hi

act of o for wod ca ryti.

eac of a a car miio a w, bt,

ik t saior, w d to rmai o to

t d of otr w a ao t way.

Or cadar ca r b o ackd tat

w dot a room to ow o to to

arod .

W ar tdyi t nw Ttamt tiyar i sday scoo. Ti book of critr

i a tory of ot o of t Fatr for t

so ad t o Ty a for ac of . W

caot fy comrd ti o. Bt w ca

f it. W caot fy mat it. Bt w ca

ray . . . wit a t ry of art tat w

mit b d wit it (Moroi 7:48). It i a o

tat tracd a of or morta xric. It


9/9


i a o tat ift ad bid ad trt,

tat cam ad comfort . T oy way for

to icra or caacity to o i ti way

i to f t o or Fatr i ha ad hiso a for . T mor w f Tir o

for , t mor w wi icra or caacity

to ar tat o wit otr.

T saior r tod taci ti

o of o. e amo hi a word

wr word of o. e w h wa o t

cro ad rady to comt hi miio, h

racd ot i o to to wo wr itray

taki hi if: Fatr, fori tm; for ty

kow ot wat ty do (lk 23:34). e

w h wa ffri mor ai ta ayof ca imai, h ti ad o for to

arod him, icdi t ry o wo

wr aii hi body to t cro.

T saior i or xam i ryti

ot oy i what w od do bt whyw

od do it. hi if o art wa a if of ii-

tatio to to rai or it a itt ir,to fort or ow robm ad rac ot to

otr. I kow tat w ar a od by god

t Fatr ad hi so J Crit. Tir o

i iit ad tra. I kow tat Ty i.

I bar wit of tat. I kow tat Ty ar

midf of or d. Ty a cad ro-

t i ti diatio to ar wat

w d to ar to rtr to Tir rc.

Ty a i t critr to id .

Ty a i a ti bca Ty o .

My rayr i tat w wi f tat o rymit of ry day ad tat w wi ar tat

o wit ryo i or at. I bar tat t-

timoy i t am of J Crit, am.

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Osguthorpe Russell 2011 03