Raising the Bar

Ammon and Lamoni

Elder M. Russell Ballard

These are "perilous times." We battle literally for the souls of men. The enemy is unforgiving and relentless. He is taking eternal prisoners at an alarming rate. And he shows no sign of letting up.

Elder Ballard

Listen to (these) words, my young brethren: … We don't need spiritually weak and semi-committed young men. We don't need you to just fill a position;

we need your whole heart and soul.

We need vibrant, thinking, passionate missionaries who know how to listen to and respond to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. This isn't a time for spiritual weaklings.

We cannot send you on a mission to be reactivated, reformed, or to receive a testimony. We just don't have time for that.

Consequently, (brethren) if we are "raising the bar" for your sons to serve as missionaries, that means we are also "raising the bar" for you. If we expect more of them, that means we expect more of you and your wife as well.

Remember, Helaman's 2,000 stripling warriors were faithful because "they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him" (Alma 53:21)—and that instruction came in their homes.

Elder Ballard Continues

Sons of Mosiah

Alma 17: 2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea,

and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

Understanding

Mormon's use of the term "understanding" is consistent with Old Testament usage. The most common word for "understanding" and "insight" in Hebrew is binah, which is formed from the root byn, and originally meant "to distinguish, separate” (Tate and Nyman)

Power

sons of Mosiah reject their "rights to the kingdom"

"taught with power and authority

Ammon opts instead to "be thy servant."

"I will shew forth … the power which is in me, in restoring these flocks

yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst them

they began to be astonished at his power

servants say they "do not believe that a man has such great power

The king wants to know, "Where is this man that has such great power?"

Rabbanah," which is interpreted as "powerful or great king"

Tell me by what power ye slew and smote off the arms

Ammon being "wise, yet harmless Wilt thou hearken unto my words,

if I tell thee by what power I do these things?

Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also power

Man dies trying to kill Ammon -causes contention as to "the cause of this great power."

How?

SpiritualPower

Drains Spiritual Power?

Quiz: Who wrote “Academic Freedom”?

They say we're anti-intellect,Afraid to even think-Our paranoid, deep fear of truthHas caused our minds to shrink.

We're bigoted and prejudiced,Withdrawn, afraid, regressive.They must speak out and save the Church;Someone must be progressive.

But them! How could we dare believe?No! No! They're nowhere near it.For shame that we should think the thought That they are anti-spirit.

"A Narrow-Minded Bigot"

Elder Holland, April Conference 2003

I speak to any of the adults of the Church…who may be given to cynicism or skepticism

Who in matters of whole souled devotion always seem to hang back a little,

Who at the Church’s doctrinal campsite always like to pitch their tents on the periphery of religious faith

Parents simply cannot flirt with skepticism or cynicism, then be surprised when their children expand that flirtation into a full-blown romance!

In matters of faith and belief children are at risk of being swept downstream by this intellectual current or that cultural rapid…(because) we just didn’t want to stifle anyone’s freedom to think otherwise.

Elder Holland Continued

Elder Richard L. Evans

Sometimes…parents…feel that they can relax as to conduct and conformity or take a so called liberal view of basic and fundamental things- thinking a little laxness or indulgence won’t matter- or they may fail to teach or to attend Church, or may voice critical views.

But, if the parent goes a little off course, the children are likely to exceed the parent’s example.