[consecrate all plus then some :)]

Loved this talk by President Uchtdorf at the last General Conference. So funny to think about all the things we do in the church. Voluntarily! Not a church for someone who just wants to hear a sermon and leave it at that. 

Once there was a man who dreamed that he was in a great hall where all the religions of the world were gathered. He realized that each religion had much that seemed desirable and worthy.

He met a nice couple who represented The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and asked, “What do you require of your members?”

“We do not require anything,” they replied. “But the Lord asks that we consecrate all.”

The couple went on to explain about Church callings, home and visiting teaching, full-time missions, weekly family home evenings, temple work, welfare and humanitarian service, and assignments to teach.

“Do you pay your people for all the work they do?” the man asked.

“Oh, no,” the couple explained. “They offer their time freely.”

“Also,” the couple continued, “every six months our Church members spend a weekend attending or watching 10 hours of general conference.”

“Ten hours of people giving talks?” the man wondered.

“What about your weekly church services? How long are they?”

“Three hours, every Sunday!”

“Oh, my,” the man said. “Do members of your church actually do what you have said?”

“That and more. We haven’t even mentioned family history, youth camps, devotionals, scripture study, leadership training, youth activities, early-morning seminary, maintaining Church buildings, and of course there is the Lord’s law of health, the monthly fast to help the poor, and tithing.”

The man said, “Now I’m confused. Why would anyone want to join such a church?”

The couple smiled and said, “We thought you would never ask.”

Why Would Anyone Join Such a Church?

At a time when many churches throughout the world are experiencing significant decreases in numbers, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—though small in comparison with many others—is one of the fastest growing churches in the world. As of September 2013 the Church has more than 15 million members around the world.

There are many reasons for this, but may I offer a few?

The Savior’s Church

First, this Church was restored in our day by Jesus Christ Himself. Here you will find the authority to act in His name—to baptize for the remission of sins, to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost, and to seal on earth and in heaven.¹

Those who join this Church love the Savior Jesus Christ and they wish to follow Him. They rejoice in the knowledge that God speaks to mankind again. When they receive sacred priesthood ordinances and make covenants with God, they can feel His power in their lives.² When they enter the holy temple, they sense they are in His presence. When they read the holy scriptures³ and live the teachings of His prophets, they grow closer to the Savior they love so much.

An Active Faith

Another reason is because the Church provides opportunities for doing good.

Believing in God is commendable, but most people want to do more than listen to inspirational sermons or dream of their mansions above.⁴ They want to put their faith into practice. They want to roll up their sleeves and become engaged in this great cause.

And that is what happens when they join with us—they have many opportunities to transform their talents, compassion, and time into good works. Because we have no paid local clergy in our worldwide congregations, our members perform the work of ministry themselves. They are called by inspiration. Sometimes we volunteer; sometimes we are “volunteered.” We see assignments not as burdens but as opportunities to fulfill covenants we gladly make to serve God and His children.

Treasured Blessings

A third reason why people join the Church is because walking the path of discipleship leads to precious blessings.

We see baptism as the starting point in our journey of discipleship. Our daily walk with Jesus Christ leads to peace and purpose in this life and profound joy and eternal salvation in the world to come.

Those who follow this path faithfully avoid many of the pitfalls, sorrows, and regrets of life.

The poor in spirit and honest of heart find great treasures of knowledge here.

Those who suffer or grieve find healing here.

Those burdened with sin find forgiveness, liberty, and rest.

(This is only part of the talk. To read the full talk, click here)

{sins of omission}

"Once the telestial sins are left behind and henceforth avoided, the focus falls ever more on the sins of omission. These omissions signify a lack of qualifying fully for the celestial kingdom. Only greater consecration can correct these omissions, which have consequences just as real as do the sins of commission. Many of us thus have sufficient faith to avoid the major sins of commission, but not enough faith to sacrifice our distracting obsessions or to focus on our omissions."

"Most omissions occur because we fail to get outside ourselves."

"...only by aligning our wills with God's is full happiness to be found. Anything less results in a lesser portion."

"As one's will is increasingly submissive to the will of God, he can receive inspiration and revelation so much needed to help meet the trials of life."

"Do we understand - really comprehend - that Jesus knows and understands when we are stressed and perplexed? ...perfect empathy... knows how to succor us... Since the Most Innocent suffered the most, our own cries of "Why?" cannot match His."

"Each of us might well ask, "In what ways am I shrinking or holding back?" Meek introspection may yield some bold insights! For example, we can tell much by what we have already willingly discarded along the pathway of discipleship. It is the only pathway where littering is permissible, even encouraged."

..."trusting that God has made "ample provision" beforehand to achieve all His purposes, including His purposes in our lives."

Elder Neal A. Maxwell

November 1995 Ensign

{being consecrated}

We need to consecrate ourselves and not be casual members of the Church.

Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, November 1992:

"Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus!"

"But is being consecrated and "swallowed up" a threat to our individuality? No! Heavenly Father is only asking us to lose the old self in order to find the new and the real self. It is not a question of losing our identity but of finding our true identity!"

"Increased consecration is not so much a demand for more hours of Church work as it is for more awareness of Whose work this really is!"

"Only when things begin to come into focus "with an eye single" do we see "things as they really are"! What a view awaits!"

"Becoming more like Jesus in thought and behavior is not grinding and repressing, but emancipating and discovering!"

"More members need the immense relief and peace which can come from being "settled" without which those individuals will be like "the troubled sea, when it cannot rest."

"There is another special reason to become settled: we will live in a time in which "all things shall be in commotion." The uncertainties, upheavals, and topsy-truviness of today's world will be such that those who vacillate and equivocate will be tossed about by severe turbulence."

"Brothers and sisters, whatever we embrace instead of Jesus and His work will keep us from qualifying to enter His kingdom and therefore from being embraced by Him. May we be settled and prepare now for that marvelous moment then..."

orthodoxy = the quality or state of being orthodox

orthodox = confirming to established doctrine esp. in religion

synonyms: regular, formal

antonyms: casual, informal, irregular

emancipate = to free from restraint, control, or the power of another

= to free from bondage

vacillate = to sway through lack of dquilibrium, fluctuate, to waver in mind, will, or feeling, hesitate in choice of opinions or courses

equivocate = to avoid committing oneself in what one says