CONTINUATION DECISIONS

Shortly after returning from Mexico where I had been serving as a missionary, I was called to be an early morning Seminary teacher in Orange County for our church. Although this was a calling I had received via the Priesthood line of the church, the calling also required me to meet with Brother Orgil to sign a contract. I cannot remember the exact amount, but I believe it was less than $100 and was intended to be used to offset the expenses which would be occurred for supplies.

Four years later I signed a contract to teach full time at the Kearns Junior High Seminary for a salary of less than $5,000. The signing of these five initial contracts became a yearly ritual which would last until I signed the last one shortly after I celebrated my 65th birthday.

Although these short trips down memory lane are therapeutic and lift my heart, I have started this Thought with these memories not as an indicator of the financial inflation which has taken place during my life, but as a reminder that most of the decisions we make in life require repetitious renewals of our commitment before we complete the agreed upon task.

There is a wonderful story in the Book of Mormon, in chapters 3-4 of 1 Nephi, which illustrates the Thought I am sharing this Sabbath Day.

Father Lehi had had a dream in which he was commanded of the Lord to send his sons back to Jerusalem to obtain the record of his family’s genealogy which was in the hands of a local leader called Laban.

After the older sons Laman and Lemuel had murmured and rejected the Lord’s command, since it was a hard thing their father required of them, Nephi responded in the following well known and often quoted words: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. (Initial decision)

After Laman, Lehi’s oldest son, fearing for his life, fled from the house of Laban, having failed in attempting to acquire the records from Laban and was attempting to convince his brothers to return to the tent of his father, Nephi said: As the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us. Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord. (First decision renewal)

A second attempt to secure the records failed when Laban chased the brothers from his home. This attempt resulted in the family’s wealth which the sons of Lehi had brought in an attempt to purchase the genealogical record, being stolen by Laban. Laman and Lemuel reacted by smiting Nephi with a rod, which required the intervention of an angel. In response to his brothers’ non-repentant murmuring Nephi responded: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians. (Second decision renewal)

When Nephi crept back into Jerusalem under the cover of darkness, as is the case with so many of the stewardships we accept in life as we go blindly onto unlit paths, trusting in the Lord to guide us as Nephi must have: And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. (Third decision renewal)

Interestingly the same ancient law which the Jewish Sanhedrin used to bring the Savior to trial and demand his death, was pronounced by the angel when Nephi was hesitant to take the life of Laban in order to obtain the plates: Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief. And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise. Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the Law of Moses, save they should have the law. (Fourth decision renewal)

Upon successful completion of their errand, having obtained the Plates of Brass which contained not only their family’s genealogy, but also the writings of the Prophets from Moses through Jeremiah, Nephi confirmed the successful completion of his father’s command in the following words: Surely the Lord hath commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord? (Confirmation of stewardship decisions)

I am pretty sure most of us will probably never receive callings which might result in the enlightenment of Heavenly Father’s children for millennium, but I am just as certain that whatever stewardships we do have placed on our shoulders will require more than a single, ‘yes, I will go and do’.

As a child, I doubt a day ever passes when we do not have to renew our decision, to honor our parents.

As a spouse, there are probably very few hours during the day, when we do not decide to sanctify the vows we made.

As a parent, the sun will never set on a day, when our commitment to sustain, teach and fortify our children is not renewed.

As an employee, each day I punch the clock, I make a renewed contract to aid in the success of whatever endeavor I am engaged in.

As a covenant keeping member of the church, a moment will not pass where those promises sealed by ordinances, do not require remembrance and renewal.

The importance our Heavenly Father places on the Law of Agency, and His consequent refusal to interfere with the use and misuse of that Law should sound resounding cords in our hearts and minds why decision making is not only constant, but continual and often necessitates multiple renewals.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY