SACRAMENT MEETING TALK

21 February 2016

Revised and published Sunday, April 12, 2020

I thought it would be fun to add the outline I had made for the Sacrament Meeting talk which generated the previous six Thoughts. There are two reasons I wanted to share this outline: first, I wanted my posterity to know how people in the days before talks were written out completely and read from pulpit, prepared an outline and then spoke from the points on that outline and second, since I only had seven minutes to speak when I went to the pulpit before the meeting was scheduled to end, I wanted everyone to know the extent which I had to modify my prepared talk so that the meeting would end in time.

As things turned out I ended up bearing a short testimony about my conviction to some of the points in the talk, since I finished at the appointed minute.

Maybe my frustration for being able to only give an abbreviated version of my talk was the reason I wrote the six Thoughts for a Sabbath Day, based on the talk and published them twice. Anyway I am grateful for those who have stayed with me as I fulfilled my need to share.

My original copy had key words highlighted in red, but since the places I publish my Thoughts don’t use print colors other than black I have put those key words in bold type. In those long ago days once having gone over the talk in preparation many times, when at the pulpit the speaker only needed to glance at the key words to know what to say. For those of that generation it felt more personal and made it easier to commune with the Spirit.

INTRODUCTION:

Take large stack of papers to the podium – Brother Fagan told me 5 times that I was to be finished by 5 minutes after the hour, so I thought I would give him a bit of a fright!

I wanted to make one addition to the introduction Kathleen gave about us a few weeks ago – she mentioned that we had five boys and a girl – but she failed to mention that her personal needs always came eighth, after making sure the children and me were cared for.

BODY:

1. The subject I have been asked to speak on is – The Plan of Salvation – Kathleen asked me how I was going give this talk without a visual with circle and lines on it. I assured her I would be taking a much different approach.

My prayer is that from my brief remarks someone will have just a little bit of understanding added to that which they now have.

I begin with a very familiar scripture from the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price.

Chapter 1 verse 39

For behold this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

I think a great deal of understanding can be gained by also including the verse which precedes this very familiar one.

Chapter 1 verse 38

As one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.

I believe the principle of there being no end to his works – applies to individuals as well as worlds without end.

The Plan of Salvation is difficult to understand logically if we confine Gods work to mortality alone.

There are too many of his children who for one reason or another never hear or never have a chance to live the principles of His Gospel during mortality. The Plan just doesn't seem to universally apply when we try to make all of Heavenly Fathers children’s eternal existence dependent on time spent in mortality.

My current privilege in the Temple has burned into my soul the testimony of His work having been a great part of His childrens’ pre mortal existence, their mortal existence (no matter how brief or extensive) and will continue for as long as needed in their post mortal existence – until our Father in Heaven can say His work with each child has been completed.

I think we should prayerfully ponder and consider, if Heavenly Father never ceases his work of trying to help us gain Eternal Life – then why should we give up the hope which causes us to keep trying. Why would we be so foolish as to give up trying when our Father never will?

Alma shortly after he had joined the remnants of the people of Zeniff with the main body of Nephites in Zarahemla taught them the following in Mosiah 26:30.

Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.

They whom we sustain as living Apostles and Prophets – have repeatedly told us that it is never too late.

2. If it hasn’t occurred to you already – there needs to be some thought given to how what I have just said is consistent with the teaching in the book of Mormon – that this life is the time to prepare to meet God.

Let me site a lesser used scripture from the Book of Mormon on this subject. A careful reading of:

Alma Chapter 12 verse 24 might help us extend our understanding the meaning of our probationary time.

And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death…

Nevertheless there is a space granted unto man in which he might repent…

Therefore this life (I believe in context he is speaking of the Spirit World) became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead.

Brigham Young made the statement – it wouldn't surprise him if it took millions upon millions of years as we count them – after he passes from mortality – before he would be prepared for exaltation.

There is no doubt for those who have the privilege of hearing and understanding the gospel during mortality – this is part of their day of their probation – as was every day of their premortal lives and as every day of their post mortal lives will be.

For we who fit into the category spoken of in Doctrine and Covenants Section 82 verse 3

For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.

It should not surprise us that the Lord almost immediately admonishes us to WATCH and pray continually (Alma 13: 28).

His counsel to WATCH reminds me of what I often refer to as Zen Mormonism – being always and forever in the moment of striving to put on the attributes, characteristics and perfections of our Father and His Son Jesus the Christ.

3. Just one final scripture

1 Corinthians Chapter 15 verse 19

And if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

In his final Lecture Elder Maxwell mentioned that he was looking forward to getting off the bench and back into the action.

Christ himself went immediately to preach to those who had perished in the flood and established the missionary program which exists in that space after our mortal death and prior to our final resurrection mentioned by Alma, and outlined in section 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

If there is no progress in our pre mortal lives and our post mortal lives as well as our mortal span – The Plan of Salvation is difficult to understand logically – and the soon to be 150 operating Temples have little need to open their doors.

My prayer is that with our limited vision and meager understanding of The Plan of Salvation we will not put the borders of mortality around the Eternal-ness and Everlasting-ness of our Heavenly Father’s work and Glory.

In the name of His son Jesus the Christ – Amen.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

❣️THINK + PLAN + PREPARE + DO + HUGS + PEACE + JOY + LOVE + INTEGRITY + FAITH + HOPE + CHARITY❣️ = 💞THE GOOD LIFE💞