Being a Righteous Example

This is my talk from Sacrament Meeting today.

I was asked to base my talk on Pres. Monson’s talk from last conference, Examples of Righteousness(Thomas S. Monson, “Examples of Righteousness,” Ensign, May 2008, 65–68). His talk mostly centered on US being an example of righteousness. He said that it is our duty and our task to be good examples. The Lord doesn’t expect us to do it alone though. Pres. Monson says, “ If we are on the Lord’s errand…we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Never forget that truth. That divine help, of course, is predicated upon our worthiness. Each must ask: Are my hands clean? Is my heart pure? Am I a worthy servant of the Lord?”

Pres Monson talks about the boy in a stake conference who imitated almost everything he did. When I read this part of his talk, I was reminded of my two-year old. She is also a master imitator! She follows me around all day, saying everything I say, trying to do everything I do. At times, it can really be annoying, but it makes me think that I better be a good example to her. She will imitate me whether I’m doing righteous things or not.

Pres. Monson quotes Brigham Young, who said: “We should never permit ourselves to do anything that we are not willing to see our children do. We should set them an example that we wish them to imitate.” So, if I want her to make her bed everyday, I better be making MY bed everyday. Pres Faust says it even better than me.

“When parents try to teach their children to avoid danger, it is no answer for parents to say to their children, “We are experienced and wise in the ways of the world, and we can get closer to the edge of the cliff than you.” Parental hypocrisy can make children cynical and unbelieving of what they are taught in the home. For instance, when parents attend movies they forbid their children to see, parental credibility is diminished. If children are expected to be honest, parents must be honest. If children are expected to be virtuous, parents must be virtuous. If you expect your children to be honorable, you must be honorable.”
(James E. Faust, “The Greatest Challenge in the World—Good Parenting,” Ensign, Nov 1990, 32)
It’s not only our kids who are watching us, everyone is. Everything we do is a part of who we are and who we are is what people are seeing. Every group we belong to is judged by others based on our actions. When I tell someone I’m a Mormon, they will judge other Mormons by what they see me do. If I am kind and loving, they will think Mormons are kind and loving. If I am rude and inconsiderate, they will think all Mormons are rude and inconsiderate. It just takes one person.

“This entire people have become as a city upon a hill which cannot be hid. Sometimes we take offense when one who is a member of the Church is involved in a crime and the public press is quick to say that he is a Mormon. We comment among ourselves that if he had been a member of any other church, no mention would have been made of it.
Yet, is not this very practice an indirect compliment to our people? The world expects something better of us, and when one of our number falters, the press is quick to note it. We have, indeed, become as a city upon a hill for the world to see.
Unless the world alters the course of its present trends (and that is not likely); and if, on the other hand, we continue to follow the teachings of the prophets, we shall increasingly become a peculiar and distinctive people of whom the world will take note. For instance, as the integrity of the family crumbles under worldly pressures, our position on the sanctity of the family will become more obvious and even more peculiar in contrast, if we have the faith to maintain that position. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “A City upon a Hill,” Ensign, Jul 1990, 2)

I’m not always a perfect example. I make mistakes, a lot. I say and do things I know I shouldn’t. Maybe a part of the repentance process is letting those who are looking to me as an example know that I was wrong.

Although we are not perfect examples we do have a perfect example to follow. Pres. Monson said,
“To the sophistry of Satan, Jesus turned His back. To the duty designated by His Father, He turned His face, pledged His heart, and gave His life. And what a sinless, selfless, noble, and divine life it was. Jesus labored. Jesus loved. Jesus served. Jesus testified. What finer example could we strive to emulate?”

Jesus labors under the direction of our Heavenly Father and is in complete harmony with him. We know that it was Jesus who was the creator. Jesus worked out a perfect atonement for us. He said to Moses, “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”(Moses 1:39) He asks us to help with His work. He asks us to “be anxiously engaged in a good cause.” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:27)

Jesus loved us enough to die for us. When Lazarus had died, he loved Mary and Martha and raised their brother from the dead. When people were sick or in pain, he felt compassion for them and healed them. He asks us to love others, saying “Love one another; as I have loved you, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35)

Jesus served every chance he got. All of his miracles benefited people in some way. healing their sicknesses, feeding them, blessing the children. Through the power of the Atonement, He serves us. He can heal our sicknesses and pains, he can make sure we have enough to eat. He has atoned for our sins. Although we rarely serve people on the scale that He did, we can be great instruments in His Hands to serve others. He asks us to serve our fellow men and to serve God.

Jesus testified of himself. “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.” He also said, ”I am the way, the truth, and the life”(John 14:6). He asks us “to stand as witnesses of [Him] at all times and in all things, and in all places”(Mosiah 18:9)

I testify that Jesus is the Christ.

Filed under: Uncategorized , Children, Christ, Example, Jesus, Parents, Thomas S. Monson