This story really touched my heart today as I have been pondering this week's Sunday School lesson's "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also".
A story
written by Karen Nolen, which appeared in the New Era in
1974, tells of a Benjamin Landart who, in 1888, was 15 years old and an
accomplished violinist. Living on a farm in northern Utah with his mother and seven brothers and
sisters was sometimes a challenge to Benjamin, as he had less time than he
would have liked to play his violin. Occasionally his mother would lock up the
violin until he had his farm chores done, so great was the temptation for
Benjamin to play it.
In late 1892 Benjamin was asked to travel to Salt Lake
to audition for a place with the territorial orchestra. For him, this was a
dream come true. After several weeks of practicing and prayers, he went to Salt Lake
in March of 1893 for the much anticipated audition. When he heard Benjamin
play, the conductor, a Mr. Dean, told Benjamin he was the most accomplished
violinist he had heard west of Denver.
He was told to report to Denver
for rehearsals in the fall and learned that he would be earning enough to keep
himself, with some left over to send home.
A week after Benjamin received the good news, however, his
bishop called him into his office and asked if he couldn’t put off playing with
the orchestra for a couple of years. He told Benjamin that before he started
earning money there was something he owed the Lord. He then asked Benjamin to
accept a mission call.
Benjamin felt that giving up his chance to play in the
territorial orchestra would be almost more than he could bear, but he also knew
what his decision should be. He promised the bishop that if there were any way
to raise the money for him to serve, he would accept the call.
When Benjamin told his mother about the call, she was
overjoyed. She told him that his father had always wanted to serve a mission
but had been killed before that opportunity had come to him. However, when they
discussed the financing of the mission, her face clouded over. Benjamin told
her he would not allow her to sell any more of their land. She studied his face
for a moment and then said, “Ben, there is a way we can raise the money. This
family [has] one thing that is of great enough value to send you on your
mission. You will have to sell your violin.”
Ten days later, on March 23, 1893, Benjamin wrote in his
journal: “I awoke this morning and took my violin from its case. All day long I
played the music I love. In the evening when the light grew dim and I could see
to play no longer, I placed the instrument in its case. It will be enough.
Tomorrow I leave [for my mission].”
Forty-five years later, on June 23, 1938, Benjamin wrote in
his journal: “The greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up
something I dearly loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten
me for it.”
Thomas S.
Monson
April 2003
General Conference
(See
“Benjamin: Son of the Right Hand,” New Era, May 1974, 34–37.)
