Sshhhh...

In November 1992, Elder Marvin Ashton told this story at a BYU fireside:

“One of my favorite "cry-out-during-the-night" children's stories is that of a four-year-old boy who came during the middle of the night to his father and mother's bedroom, sobbing and crying with great enthusiasm. When his mother drew him near and put her arms around him to give comfort, saying, "What happened?" he said, "I fell out of bed." She asked, "How did you fall out of bed?" He cried, "Because I wasn't in far enough." This could be used to put over an extensive message as shared by a child, but let me just say in passing it has been my experience that most people who fall out of the Church do so because they were not in far enough.”

I was just thinking…How is it, that I can make sure to never find myself falling out of the Church because I wasn’t in far enough?

Though there are several answers, I propose one: MEDITATION.

A few years ago, while in a training for bishops and branch presidents, Elder David Evans talked about the principle of meditation. In summary, he said that if we would do two things regularly, we would be effective in our callings. Though this post focuses on the second, the first principle changed life for me as a branch president.

First, we were to keep a list of names on our person at all times. The list would be made up of those within our stewardship; and when we found ourselves with a moment of free time, we were to pull out the list, look it over, pray for inspiration on who needed some of our attention and then react to whatever the Spirit prompted us to do.

Second, he asked us to meditate regularly. As leaders and members in the church, it was our opportunity and our obligation to set time aside each day to sit quietly and to think. We should think about the gospel, count our blessings, review our challenges, repent of our sins, ponder over our studies, consider Christ and His miraculous Atonement, think about the salvation of our spouse and children, etc. The point was that we seldom pause and purposefully ponder the gospel and all it offers. If we would be willing to do so, miracles would follow.

Elder Quentin L. Cook, in April 2010 General Conference said, “We live in a noisy, contentious world, where it is possible to be viewing or listening to information, music, or even pure nonsense virtually every waking hour. If we want to have the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, we must find time to slow down, ponder, pray, and live so we are worthy to receive and act upon His promptings. We will avoid major mistakes if we heed His warnings. It is our privilege as members to receive light and knowledge from Him even to the perfect day.”

Elder Dallin Oaks, on page 56 of his book In the Lord’s Way, states: “God reveals Himself and His eternal truths to those who… wait and listen in humility for His teaching. Study and reason are appropriate to begin this process, but “the things of God cannot be learned solely by study and reason. Despite their essential and beneficial uses, the methods of study and reason are insufficient as ways of approaching God and understanding the doctrines of his gospel. We cannot come to know the things of God while rejecting or failing to use the indispensable method God has prescribed to learn these things. The things of God must be learned in His own way, through faith in God and revelation from the Holy Ghost.”

I have come to know that understanding the mysteries of God isn’t serendipitous. We are taught to knock, seek and ask. Meditation is the primary means of doing so.

I have often opted to put away music, television, media, other social noise to enjoy the fruits of meditation. It has always offered a bountiful harvest!

As a new year begins, I will strive to find more opportunities to do as Paul teaches in 1 Timothy 4:15, Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them…