1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:20,880 Hey there everybody welcome out to another episode of Redeemed Through His Blood, Scott 2 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:26,320 and David Durfey here as always. 3 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:27,320 How are you Dave? 4 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:28,320 I'm good. 5 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:29,320 Good. 6 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,160 I don't talk enough about that. 7 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:32,160 We don't. 8 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:36,200 It's uncomfortable for people I think Scott to talk about blood. 9 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:43,080 I don't know my wife and I had that little conversation the other day because I was talking 10 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:51,400 about cleaving to covenants and the importance of cleaving to our covenants gives us a special 11 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:55,720 access to his love and his blood. 12 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,960 And she said, why do you say blood? 13 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:05,880 I said sweetheart, you know many times the scriptures talks about the blood. 14 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,600 Our garments wash white in his blood. 15 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:17,400 His blood represents our cleansing, our healing, our life. 16 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:26,760 And our spiritual life is through his blood, redemption through his blood. 17 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:32,640 I mean I know it's uncomfortable for people and it's a little bit of our culture I think. 18 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:42,160 But you know if you've ever witnessed the sacrifice of a lamb during a Jewish festival 19 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:55,240 they are bloody, I mean you get a priest, a son of Levi dressed in white, covered in 20 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:56,240 blood. 21 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:02,040 I mean really from head to toe blood is splattered all over him. 22 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:03,760 And that's sacred. 23 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,840 That is really, really sacred and symbolic. 24 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:16,120 And I don't know, we chose to name this podcast that three years ago or more Scott and it 25 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:29,160 was for a reason and I just think we need to be more mindful of that use, the use of 26 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:38,520 that word and what it represents even every Sunday when we partake of his blood. 27 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:44,480 We really should just take that in and cherish that and if it makes it feel uncomfortable 28 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,240 maybe that'll make it more memorable. 29 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,760 I don't know. 30 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:56,480 So anyway, we say that every, you start the podcast out every week saying that and it 31 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:01,600 just rolls off our tongue but we named it that for a reason anyway. 32 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:06,880 Sunday and this is an exercise that I'll be having this evening with our Institute kids 33 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,840 as we talk about these important things. 34 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,840 Every Wednesday though we're going to talk about, you know, we won't ask for specific 35 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,360 experiences and stuff but we're going to talk about what was your sacrament experience 36 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:21,960 and we're going to be reflective on that and intentional about it. 37 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:27,560 You know, this is something that I've made a practice in my own life for many years now 38 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,200 and it began when I re-entered the fold. 39 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:38,160 In other words, when my membership was reinstated, when I was rebaptized and all those things, 40 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:46,200 that's when that began for me because that's when the sacrament really took on a deep meaning 41 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:51,120 in my life and I wanted to be prepared as I was partaking the sacrament because there 42 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:55,720 was a stretch of time, a long stretch of time when I wasn't allowed or when I wasn't able 43 00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:00,920 to take of it and so during that period of time I missed it and long for it. 44 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:06,560 So this Sunday I'm sitting in sacrament meeting and I'm contemplating this very thing, the 45 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:07,560 blood, right? 46 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:14,080 And I love it in Romans chapter 4, God commanded his love towards us that in that while we 47 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:20,360 were yet sinners Christ died for us, much more than being now justified by his blood. 48 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:27,720 Justified, made right by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 49 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:34,160 For if we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more 50 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,960 being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 51 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:44,560 Anyway, and then it goes on and the word atonement is used one of only a few times in the Bible. 52 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:50,200 The only one time in the New Testament is in Romans. 53 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:53,800 And it is used more in the Old Testament. 54 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:54,800 Right. 55 00:04:54,800 --> 00:05:05,600 Yeah, Scott, I just think we have to really appreciate the imagery of his blood and his 56 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:09,240 suffering and all of that. 57 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:15,040 And you know, heaven forbid that any of us would lose our membership in the church. 58 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:23,840 But boy, it could be a blessing to anyone to be denied the privilege of participating 59 00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:30,960 in those blessings for a while to help them fully appreciate and be more grateful. 60 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:40,480 I think we just take so many things kind of for granted and don't just don't dwell on 61 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,920 it enough or think about it enough. 62 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,880 Right. my personal experience definitely aligns with what you just said. 63 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:47,880 No question. 64 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:48,880 Yeah. 65 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,680 Well, let's finish our course if we can. 66 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:54,680 We'll see where we go, how far we get. 67 00:05:54,680 --> 00:06:02,720 But we're on the principles of principles and keys of revelation, personal revelation, 68 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:04,640 personal revelation. 69 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:12,920 Such an important topic and the most important spiritual skill that one can acquire. 70 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:14,360 I think it is a skill. 71 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:15,960 I know it's a gift. 72 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:17,560 First and foremost, it's a gift. 73 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:19,280 It cannot be demanded. 74 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:20,280 It can't be earned. 75 00:06:20,280 --> 00:06:22,640 It can't be manipulated. 76 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:31,920 But it is a skill to be able to know how to receive revelation and how to be open to it, 77 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:38,600 how to hear it, how to how to use it in our lives, which our Heavenly Father, I know, 78 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,440 wants us to learn that skill. 79 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:46,200 And it's a skill and a gift that's not cheap. 80 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,640 So I hope that people are. 81 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:53,280 I was thinking today, coming over here, Scott, I wonder how many people today will even be 82 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:56,040 aware of their fears? 83 00:06:56,040 --> 00:07:00,800 How many people today will seek some revelation in their life? 84 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:08,480 How many people will try to really try the experiment to look under him in every thought? 85 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:12,120 How many people will walk in the spirit? 86 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,320 Know they're walking in the spirit? 87 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:20,600 You know, it's kind of a daily thing, Scott, and people, I think, have to to really learn 88 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:22,120 the skill of revelation. 89 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:23,640 It has to be a daily thing. 90 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:30,680 It can't be a Sunday thing or a once in a while or depends on how I feel thing. 91 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:36,280 It's got to be it's got to be a daily thing where we're we're seeking it to through prayer 92 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,440 and scripture and the instruments of grace. 93 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:45,000 We're seeking to have the spirit with us to receive the spirit, really the commandment 94 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:51,480 to fulfill the commandment, receive the Holy Ghost, which everyone received that commandment 95 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:53,520 when they were confirmed. 96 00:07:53,520 --> 00:08:02,440 So anyway, hope our listeners are being more mindful and intentional about that. 97 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:05,480 And I think we're on like the sixth or seventh step. 98 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:06,480 We're on seven. 99 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:08,720 We're on seven. 100 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:14,560 And we talked last time about asking inspired questions, the right questions, right? 101 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,880 And not asking a mess. 102 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:23,640 And the seventh step is I'll just read it off my PowerPoint here. 103 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:29,800 Be mindful, meditative and learn to listen. 104 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:36,680 Eliminate distractions and distortions from your life and do not become over programmed 105 00:08:36,680 --> 00:08:42,680 by technology, social media and virtual reality. 106 00:08:42,680 --> 00:08:44,880 And artificial intelligence. 107 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:45,880 Yeah. 108 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:46,880 Yeah. 109 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:52,640 I think that's probably become more prevalent since you originally originated this stuff. 110 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:57,640 But yeah, I think that, you know, Dave, in just hearing you kind of set us up for what 111 00:08:57,640 --> 00:08:59,480 we're going to talk about today, there's key. 112 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:01,200 There's a couple of key elements here. 113 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,920 And I hope that we've all picked up on those key elements. 114 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:11,000 You know, we have to be mindful in order to be mindful that's going to require some focus 115 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,080 and some work and some and some work. 116 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:15,080 Yeah. 117 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:16,400 The elimination of distractions. 118 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,600 Yeah, there's a lot of work here. 119 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:22,520 You have to be really intentional about it. 120 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:23,520 Yeah. 121 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:24,520 Yeah. 122 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:29,720 And so, you know, because of that, because of the intent that's required behind all of 123 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:35,800 this, this is one that we do, we really kind of have to go back and consider, okay, what 124 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:40,160 are the, the first keys that have led me into this one? 125 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,800 So if it's okay, just real quick, I'm going to, I'm not going to read them all in their 126 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,000 entirety, but I'm just going to kind of summarize them. 127 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:51,080 So the first key is identify fears and other negative emotions and replace them, right, 128 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:52,080 with faith and love. 129 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:57,840 The next one is to know God, learn of Christ and develop faith in their character and attributes. 130 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:03,080 Identify three, identifying, replace the pavilions of selfish, inappropriate motives. 131 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:07,700 Four, increase personal purity and confidence in the presence of God by letting virtue govern 132 00:10:07,700 --> 00:10:09,240 your thoughts unceasingly. 133 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:11,800 Five, repent of sins of omission. 134 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:16,160 Be intentional and diligent in using instruments of grace. 135 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:17,880 Six, ask the right questions. 136 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,160 And now this one, be mindful and meditative. 137 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,960 And you can see why number seven comes in its order. 138 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:29,720 You know, we are, we're now prepared by going one through six of what I just read. 139 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:36,480 We're now prepared to focus our minds and to discipline our meditation and to discipline 140 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:43,120 even our learning so that we have, and you know, you think about what, think about that, 141 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,360 that, that phrase right there, learn to listen. 142 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,160 You know, we think about, well, I don't have to learn to hear. 143 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:55,400 I can hear, you know, but listening is a skill, you know, and it's going to require some effort 144 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:56,760 on our part as well. 145 00:10:56,760 --> 00:11:02,480 So I just wanted to point that out because I think that the other six definitely are 146 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:07,120 preparatory to seven and seven will be to eight and eight to nine and so on it goes. 147 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:11,720 But I wanted to just make sure that we were all kind of had the same bedrock with Beneath 148 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:13,560 us as we go forward, Dave. 149 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:15,320 Well, I think that's great. 150 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:23,200 And I, you know, I think one of the, my favorite talks given in the last 10 years in general 151 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:30,720 conference was given in the, the session of general conference in which a proclamation 152 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:38,120 was read recognizing the 200th anniversary of the first vision and President Nelson read 153 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:44,440 that proclamation in front of a, uh, uh, one of the witness trees, one of the trees, one 154 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:50,800 of the oldest trees in the sacred grove, which I, you and I have, you know, stood in front 155 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:52,800 of together. 156 00:11:52,800 --> 00:12:00,040 And he read a proclamation and as part of that, he gave this amazing talk called hear 157 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:09,320 him April 2020 general session of conference, hear him. 158 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,840 And I just, I have loved that talk. 159 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:21,120 I have read it and re read it and, you know, maybe a better words that we should use instead 160 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:29,200 of a learn to listen to him is learn to hearken to him because hearkening includes listening 161 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,600 and acting. 162 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:37,320 When we read the word harken in the, in the holy scriptures, which is used often in the 163 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:44,760 doctrine of covenants, especially it means to hear and to obey. 164 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:49,960 And he, he, there's just one paragraph in that talk I want to, I want to read. 165 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:56,840 Uh, maybe, maybe, maybe a couple and a lot of, a lot of my thoughts behind this principle 166 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:02,160 of revelation, uh, is, uh, comes from this talk. 167 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:09,560 He says, as we seek President Nelson, as we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our 168 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:16,960 efforts to hear him need to be ever more intentional. 169 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:26,800 Prophet God, Scott, it takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives 170 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:32,360 with his words, his teachings, his truths. 171 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:41,640 We simply cannot rely upon information we bump into on social media with billions of 172 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:49,680 words online and in a marketing saturated world constantly infiltrated by noisy nefarious 173 00:13:49,680 --> 00:13:53,800 efforts of the adversary where we can go to hear him. 174 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:58,040 Well, that's a prophet talking and telling us the truth. 175 00:13:58,040 --> 00:13:59,440 And I love the word choice there. 176 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:05,960 You know, he says that, uh, info we bump into, how descriptive is that? 177 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:08,760 I mean, that is so perfect because that's what it is. 178 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:12,440 It's happened to me and I'm, and I'm pretty sure it's happened to all of us, you know, 179 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,160 we get on the internet and it happened to me just yesterday. 180 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:19,960 I was looking something up for Deb and I, and I saw something that I hadn't attended to 181 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:25,240 yet and I'm like, oh gosh, and I got, and then, you know, maybe 30 or 40 minutes later, I'm 182 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:26,680 Deb's like, so did you ever get that? 183 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:29,960 And I'm like, oh geez, I didn't even remember, you know, I know. 184 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:30,960 Yeah. 185 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:32,480 So it's, it's, you know, down that rabbit. 186 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,080 Yeah, I got, I got bumped into on social media or whatever. 187 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:37,080 And that's what he's talking about. 188 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:42,320 You know, the words that we kind of started off with, with the importance of being intentional 189 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:43,320 with this, right? 190 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,800 I mean, we bumped into stuff. 191 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:47,840 That's not intentional. 192 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:48,840 That word bump. 193 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:49,840 Yeah. 194 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,360 I do too, Scott. 195 00:14:52,360 --> 00:15:00,560 And honestly, that, this is such an important skill in and of itself to learn to listen. 196 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:07,920 And I, I think it's a, I don't know, I think it's a, an attribute, a character attribute. 197 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:14,480 You know, some people, and I'm, I'm, don't claim to be one of those, are so good at listening. 198 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:22,120 You know, they, they're so good at listening to others before jumping in or solving problems. 199 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,440 They can, they'll just listen. 200 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:26,600 They'll listen to understand. 201 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:35,200 They'll, they listen unselfishly without any idea of manipulation or they'll listen before 202 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,000 they start thinking of their answer. 203 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:47,400 They just really want to, to receive information and understand the other individual. 204 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:56,720 So that's what, that's the intent of really revelation is not to again get what we want. 205 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:04,920 I think so many times we pray for what we want and we want revelation. 206 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:08,480 Well, that shouldn't, that should not be our motive. 207 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:14,520 Our motive should be as sons and daughters of, of a heavenly father. 208 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:20,040 We should seek to know what he wants us to know. 209 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:23,640 What information does he want to give us? 210 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:27,320 That's, that's the purpose of the skill of revelation. 211 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:34,880 That's the skill of listening is to understand him, not to be understood, but to understand 212 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:43,560 his will, to, to, to know his will, not to get what we want. 213 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:50,360 That's just so critical, I think in this principle of revelation. 214 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:56,760 So there's a, a scripture in the doctrine of covenants, doctrine of covenants 88 63. 215 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:01,960 This is what it says, draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you seek me diligently 216 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:07,720 and you shall find me ask and you shall receive knocking a shall be opened unto you. 217 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:13,120 And I think Dave, this is a, a, when we eliminate these distractions and seek the Lord diligently, 218 00:17:13,120 --> 00:17:15,080 we will receive guidance and revelation. 219 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:19,920 I mean, that is just a promise that's been given to us, but there is that requirement. 220 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:25,040 I have to draw near unto him and how do I draw near unto him? 221 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:29,960 Well, I really do need to eliminate a lot of these distractions and so forth that we're 222 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:30,960 talking about. 223 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,680 And, and I purposely use the word distortions. 224 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:34,680 Right. 225 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:36,040 Distractions and distortions. 226 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:37,040 So explain why? 227 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:43,760 Well, social media is so, it's, it's not just a distraction, but even worse, there 228 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,800 are so many distortions. 229 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,080 What you see isn't real. 230 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:51,880 What you read about isn't true. 231 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:59,320 It's all, it's, you know, they, they preach social media, the news, everything else. 232 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:03,160 It's just, it's not based on truth. 233 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:05,160 It's based on perception. 234 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,560 It's based on culture. 235 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:14,200 It's based on so many things that are not eternal or absolute. 236 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:21,000 It's, it's just, it's so flippant, really the, the stuff, the information that we receive 237 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:27,800 and it's just, I don't know, Scott, we, we just have to be more, more intentional again 238 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:31,680 what we watch, what we, what we listen to. 239 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:35,640 I, I just, this has been on my mind in the scripture. 240 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:45,840 You know, I love this story about Elijah and the Lord speaks to him and this is in 1st 241 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:54,200 Kings chapter 19 and I just want to read here for a minute. 242 00:18:54,200 --> 00:19:04,200 So, Elijah is, is seeking, you know, to know what to do in a certain situation and, and 243 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:10,080 the rocks break in pieces and, and he says, the Lord was not in the wind and after the 244 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:15,200 wind and earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the earthquake, 245 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:19,280 a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. 246 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,000 I mean, we just see so many events, right? 247 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,480 Everything is so sensationalized these days. 248 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:30,400 The news, everything is just so spectacular and grand and noisy. 249 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:36,600 There's just so much noise, so many things going on in the world, so many things going 250 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,000 on in our life. 251 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:45,520 Oh man, Scott, it's so sad to me sometimes when I, even in family, sometimes activities, 252 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:50,880 I look around and half the people are on their phones, you know? 253 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:57,080 I don't know what they're, what they're seeking, but I don't know. 254 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:02,560 It just really bothers me that we can't, let me finish the verse. 255 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:04,560 Sorry. 256 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:10,040 And after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire, 257 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:13,000 a still small voice. 258 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:20,040 Now that is what we need to be seeking is that still small voice. 259 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:26,600 The Lord is not in these sensational things. 260 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:32,920 If we want revelation, it is a still small voice. 261 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:38,520 That's 1 Kings 19, 11 and 12. 262 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:44,080 And Scott, it's not easy to hear a still small voice. 263 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:46,840 It's, it's, it's not easy. 264 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:48,880 I love what Elder Bednar said. 265 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:53,920 You know, this is something he said at a CES fireside in 2009. 266 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:59,360 He says, we live in a time when technology can distract us from what is most important. 267 00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:02,080 Now this is 2009. 268 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,880 We live in 2020 for today. 269 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,480 Technology has advanced exponentially since 2009. 270 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:14,320 So imagine it difficult as it would have been in 2009 times that by however many and then 271 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:16,840 again, and that's what it is today, right? 272 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:20,240 So we live in a time when technology can distract us from what is most important. 273 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:26,600 If we lower attention to be constantly divided, we lose the ability to focus and more importantly 274 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:27,600 to listen. 275 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,360 There you go. 276 00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:36,960 So you know, he's telling us that technology, if we allow technology to fragment our attention 277 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,880 and diminish our capacity to listen to the spirit, then we will pay that price and that 278 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:47,440 will be the price of, of over distortion and too much technology using it for the wrong 279 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,520 reason, get distracted and all that other stuff. 280 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:58,200 So I don't know when, when we, what are some practical invitations and exercises we can 281 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:05,120 offer listener Scott about how to, how to gain this skill? 282 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:08,760 Well, how can they, how can, how can we listen? 283 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:18,440 How can, what can we do to become more adept in hearing the voice of the Lord? 284 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:23,040 Well, because it's going to take focus because it's going to take effort on our part. 285 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:31,360 We have to find ways to draw quietness or solace or the ability to be able to just focus 286 00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:33,240 on him into our lives. 287 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:37,880 And so, you know, we use prayer, we use meditation, we talked about that. 288 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:42,800 We use the scriptures and other good books and music and all the other stuff that we 289 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:43,800 talked about. 290 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:49,560 But, but I think today our focus is, it needs to kind of just be on the prayer of meditation, 291 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:53,800 specifically maybe the meditation part of how we do this. 292 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:59,480 You know, again, we go back to seven, the key itself, be mindful, meditative, meditative 293 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:02,720 and learn to listen, eliminate distractions and distortions in your life. 294 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,760 Do not become over programmed by technology, social media or virtual reality. 295 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,320 So be mindful, meditative and learn to listen. 296 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:14,400 I think all three of those things can kind of be encapsulated into one experience. 297 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,960 And it may take some planning and effort and practice. 298 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:20,340 It may take some planning. 299 00:23:20,340 --> 00:23:22,160 It may take a habit. 300 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:25,120 It may take a time set aside. 301 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:31,760 It may, I mean, really Scott, it's not going to happen if you don't plan it. 302 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:38,960 And maybe as part of one's day, I mean, when's the last time you put meditation down in your 303 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:39,960 plan? 304 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:40,960 Are you asking me? 305 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:41,960 Yeah. 306 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:42,960 Yesterday. 307 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:43,960 You did? 308 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:44,960 Yeah. 309 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:45,960 Wow. 310 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:46,960 Yeah. 311 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:47,960 Yeah. 312 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:48,960 This is, this is, and if you would ask me that a week ago, I wouldn't have been able 313 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:54,280 to say that, but this has been a re, a point of emphasis that I've just kind of re restored 314 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:55,280 in my own life. 315 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:56,280 I, there's been some stuff. 316 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:57,280 We talked about it. 317 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:00,360 I've alluded to it without getting into full detail. 318 00:24:00,360 --> 00:24:06,720 But you know, the fall of Adam and Eve has been alive and well in my life and in my family 319 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:07,720 lately. 320 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:13,120 And I know that through, you know, we, we in step 11 in Alcoholics Anonymous, we sought 321 00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:20,160 through prayer and meditation to maintain conscious contact with God, maintain conscious 322 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:24,960 contact with God, praying only for a knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry 323 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:25,960 that out. 324 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:30,840 And Dave, since you know, 20, it'll be 26 years next month, but 26 years ago when I 325 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:37,840 began to engage in this process of recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous, that step 11 326 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,920 was really important to me right from the very beginning because that's where I feel 327 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:42,920 him. 328 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:46,280 You know, we let's go back to it and just talk about why, you know, use some logic around 329 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:47,280 this. 330 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:51,320 You know, in the beginning, when we started this podcast, we talked about the fall of 331 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:52,320 Adam and Eve. 332 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,040 We talked first, we talked about who we are, who's we are the fall of Adam and Eve, the 333 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:59,920 effects of the fall in our lives, the atonement of Jesus Christ and the effects of Jesus Christ's 334 00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:04,960 atonement and the power of Jesus Christ or the or Jesus Christ's power and effects in 335 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:07,720 our life made available to us through his atonement. 336 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:16,680 Well all of those things are important and they bring us to this spot where it allows 337 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:22,800 us now through prayer and meditation to not just establish but to really maintain and 338 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:24,720 build on that relationship with God. 339 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:28,840 Because we begin to build on that relationship with God, all of our comings and goings and 340 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:32,440 this is not happening probably for any of us because we don't live in a perfect world 341 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:35,640 and we're not apostles and prophets but all of our comings and goings. 342 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:40,640 If we are walking with God the way God has invited us and ultimately wants us to walk 343 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:44,360 with him then all of our communication with him is personal revelation. 344 00:25:44,360 --> 00:25:46,200 Yeah, true. 345 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,400 Well, so you meditate it. 346 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:49,400 Yeah. 347 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:50,400 That's in your daily plan. 348 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:51,400 Yeah. 349 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:52,400 Yeah. 350 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:53,400 How long? 351 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:54,640 Well, that's the thing. 352 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:56,200 I don't know for sure. 353 00:25:56,200 --> 00:26:01,000 A few minutes, several minutes, less than 15 and I don't time it. 354 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:02,320 How do you do it? 355 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,080 So the way I did it this time is I just came in here. 356 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:10,400 A lot of people like to go somewhere where there's not distractions around them and I 357 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:11,400 love to do that. 358 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:15,640 I have a place up Provo Canyon that I love to go and then I have a place that's even 359 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:20,720 more sacred to me because it takes more effort but it's Tempanuki up behind Tempanogos Mountain. 360 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:23,920 I've got a space up there that I love to go. 361 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,520 How do you meditate here in your home? 362 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:27,520 In my home. 363 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:29,160 So this is a great question. 364 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:33,480 So I have to prepare my, you know, they say prepare the space. 365 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:38,080 Well the space includes me and so I have to silence all of my stuff. 366 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:40,640 I silence my Alexa app here. 367 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:43,400 I make sure that the night I don't just silence my computer. 368 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:48,240 I have to turn it off because in my industry I'll get dings when things happen in the stock 369 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:49,240 market. 370 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,120 It'll be a big, big time distraction for me. 371 00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:52,240 So I have to turn that off. 372 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:58,560 And then I always start with prayer and I like to have music in the background and the reason 373 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:02,200 I like to have, and when I say music, just instrumental, I don't like to have, and this 374 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:03,200 is just me. 375 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:04,200 This is not a prescription. 376 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,720 This is my prescription and it's evolving and changing pretty regularly. 377 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:13,400 But I like to turn on just some kind of instrumental music and there's all different types that 378 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:15,280 I love to listen to. 379 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:17,680 Sometimes it's church related and sometimes it's not. 380 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:22,880 You know, I love Native American flute music, for example, and other things like that. 381 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:28,240 And I'll listen and as I'm listening, I will set the intention and I will say pray to Heavenly 382 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:34,720 Father, I am opening myself up to you to receive whatever it is that you have for me. 383 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:41,200 And or I'll go with a question or I'll go with an intention of something that I need, 384 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:42,840 that I know I need healed in my life. 385 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:44,280 And this goes back to last week. 386 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:49,200 This is where the question is asked, show me ways that I can do this better. 387 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:50,200 And I'll do that. 388 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:55,920 And sometimes my meditation, Dave, is completely silent and sometimes I don't have the music 389 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:57,680 going and I'm in the mountains or whatever. 390 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:02,640 And sometimes I'm here and I'm doing it with the little music going and a pen and paper. 391 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:03,800 And so it just looks different. 392 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:09,040 You know, the important thing about meditation for me is creating the space and inviting 393 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:10,040 the spirit. 394 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:12,920 And it doesn't have to look a specific way. 395 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:18,240 It can look however anybody needs it to look in order for them to have that. 396 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:22,680 So when we're describing meditation, so it's clear to our listeners, we're not talking 397 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:28,600 about sitting in a certain position on the floor. 398 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:36,480 What is that position when you're sitting in a position and you've got your hands in 399 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:42,480 a certain position and you're chanting or humming. 400 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:47,080 You know, I get all that. 401 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:49,600 I think there's power in some of that. 402 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:57,480 Actually, I've studied that a little bit and I know that there's something to that. 403 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,200 But we're not talking about that. 404 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:10,280 We're talking about really just meditating upon what God has for us to learn from him, 405 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:11,560 seeking the spirit. 406 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:22,800 It's as a patriarch to receive revelation for someone else and to be prepared to give 407 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:30,080 someone a revelation from God is really the process is not any different than trying to 408 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:36,080 receive a revelation for me, which Heavenly Father invites us to do. 409 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:40,040 And the way I would do that, I don't know how other patriarchs do it, but the way I 410 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:50,880 do it was to begin with prayer, using sacred music, turning to some scripture, pondering 411 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:58,840 the word and not while I'm reading or while I'm listening or whatever, I'm seeking the 412 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:00,960 voice of the Lord. 413 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:04,800 I'm not just reading for information here. 414 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:12,520 I'm reading to hear the voice of the Lord for me and how that verse applies to me or 415 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:19,880 I'll then I'll go off and I'll ponder and I'll set back after reading a word or two 416 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:24,480 or a verse or two and I'll lean back and I'll ponder. 417 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:28,920 I mean, this is the meditative state that we're talking about. 418 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:35,040 Last time we talked about saying a prayer and if you ask an inspired question, pause 419 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:36,520 and listen for an answer. 420 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:38,960 Listen to what comes to you through the Spirit. 421 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:43,200 Listen to what comes to your mind and to your heart. 422 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:50,960 That's really what we're talking about in being a listener, being mindful, being meditative. 423 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:56,360 I think we could kind of describe it by saying to be mindful, meditative actually means to 424 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:59,680 create space in our lives for the Spirit to speak to us. 425 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:06,720 And for a young mother who has children up at night and children up in the morning and 426 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:14,880 how does she create a space and a time, you know, or all of our other listeners are so 427 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:18,040 busy, really, how do you create that? 428 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:24,040 Well, I'll tell you where I receive a lot of revelation actually is laying in bed at 429 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:25,040 night. 430 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:29,240 And usually, you know, early in the morning, I usually go to bed listening to a conference 431 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,040 talk and I'm asleep by the time they say, Amen. 432 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:37,960 I'm really blessed that I can be asleep in 10, 15 minutes. 433 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:39,920 But I think it kind of sets me up. 434 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:46,080 I think my dreams are better, more edified because I go to bed listening to a voice of 435 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:47,800 a prophet. 436 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:53,520 Then in the morning, usually when I get up, I just kind of lay there and meditate. 437 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:54,520 There's lots of places. 438 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:57,400 It may be in a bed where one meditates. 439 00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:58,400 Yeah, absolutely. 440 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:07,680 And then I'll take notes on my phone if I receive a prompting or a revelation. 441 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:17,160 So I just, it is for whatever circumstance and situation people are in, but I know that 442 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:25,400 there's those moments and those places that one can receive revelation and they may, maybe 443 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:33,560 it's in a car while driving, listening to music or listening to the scriptures or whatever. 444 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:35,040 You don't have to go to the mountains. 445 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:36,960 You don't have to go to a sacred grove. 446 00:32:36,960 --> 00:32:37,960 Nope. 447 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:40,400 You don't have to do any of that. 448 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:41,760 Maybe it's washing dishes. 449 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:42,760 Maybe. 450 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:46,280 Maybe it's doing the wash or whatever. 451 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:47,440 You're meditating. 452 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:52,840 You're thinking about the voice and will of the Lord while you do those things. 453 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:57,400 This is really interesting because we think oftentimes, and I know I've been guilty of 454 00:32:57,400 --> 00:32:58,400 this. 455 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,760 Can I just say probably nobody washes the dishes anymore? 456 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:06,200 Yeah, you're right about that. 457 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:07,640 I remember watching the dishes. 458 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:09,840 My mother never had a dishwasher. 459 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:14,720 My mother would always, I remember my mother, just a memory, Scott, sorry. 460 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:20,440 I remember my mother setting in that kitchen window, looking out that kitchen window at 461 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:26,560 the traffic going by a main street in American fork and her washing dishes. 462 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:34,120 And I believe she probably received her greatest revelations, washing dishes, looking out that 463 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:37,160 window and meditating. 464 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:42,760 And we've kind of, we have lost some of those opportunities in our world because everything 465 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:48,560 is so automated and we don't really do some of those things anymore. 466 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:53,600 We don't have a time out to just wash the dishes. 467 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:57,960 Anyway, we've really created a busy life for ourselves. 468 00:33:57,960 --> 00:33:58,960 There's no doubt. 469 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:00,920 And you just conjured a ton of memories in my mind. 470 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:05,200 I still, when I drive past the property, the house no longer even stands there, but where 471 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,400 Grandma and Grandpa's house used to be, I still drive past there and there's two or 472 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:11,360 three things that I miss as I'm driving past. 473 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:16,560 And one of those is seeing Grandma standing there at the sink, whether she's washing dishes 474 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:17,560 or preparing a meal. 475 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:22,920 But you can see her as I drive by and I still, as I drive past her, I still long for that 476 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:23,920 comfort. 477 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:24,920 She loved that. 478 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:25,920 That was one of those things. 479 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:27,720 But you know, we can alter to her. 480 00:34:27,720 --> 00:34:34,200 We talk about meditation and I think that it conjures in our mind a vision of what it 481 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:35,800 should look like exactly. 482 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:39,960 You know, we think of, you know, as we started with our palms, palms spaced up, our legs 483 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:44,480 crossed, you know, chanting home or whatever the case may be. 484 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:45,480 And that's fine. 485 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:47,760 But we're misconstrued in that. 486 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:51,520 And the reason I say that is, you know, we think that we take that even from the Buddha 487 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:56,560 practices, which I guess in part, you know, some of that has been replicated from there. 488 00:34:56,560 --> 00:35:00,360 But the Buddha taught this, chop wood and carry water. 489 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:01,480 And that's your meditation. 490 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:03,160 It doesn't have to be. 491 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:04,880 And that was from the Buddha. 492 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:09,560 The Buddha literally said that as he was talking about, what am I supposed to do? 493 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:11,080 How am I supposed to meditate? 494 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:12,240 What am I supposed to live in? 495 00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:14,760 And that was his instruction. 496 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:17,600 Carry chop wood and carry water. 497 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:20,160 And so it doesn't have to look a certain way. 498 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:23,000 I love maybe, maybe without earbuds. 499 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:27,080 You probably eat well unless you're listening to some great well music to help you stay 500 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:28,080 in it. 501 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:29,760 You know, that's, that's true. 502 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:31,680 I mean, that's really true. 503 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:37,120 But so many times when we're listening to other stuff, we're not really meditating. 504 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:39,320 Well, and what is the will of the Lord? 505 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:43,240 We're listening to somebody else tell us what the will of the Lord if yeah, that's their 506 00:35:43,240 --> 00:35:44,880 ideas or their thoughts. 507 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:50,000 And we're not really, there's a, there's a mediator there. 508 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:51,600 And I'm not saying that's bad. 509 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:53,240 The Savior is a mediator. 510 00:35:53,240 --> 00:35:54,960 Prophets can be mediators. 511 00:35:54,960 --> 00:36:03,680 But I'm just saying that sometimes we are just so immersed in information over programmed 512 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:11,480 over programmed that we just need to put maybe some, some earplugs in our ears instead of 513 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:16,840 earbuds and block out the, the, the noise. 514 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:21,960 If you could come up with an earplug for brain noise, you would be a, that would be amazing. 515 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:25,000 I'm just saying that would be amazing. 516 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:27,320 We should, we should start a campaign. 517 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:29,240 Earplugs not earbuds. 518 00:36:29,240 --> 00:36:30,240 Earplugs. 519 00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:31,240 Yeah. 520 00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:33,320 Plug, plug the, plug the noise. 521 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:38,280 Well, I think that, you know, as we, as we're moving along this process and trying to learn 522 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:45,000 how to implement personal revelation in our lives and to, to make these things at work 523 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:49,080 so that we can't, you know, Dave, let's, so let's just go back to what's our main objective 524 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:50,080 here. 525 00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:55,240 Our main objective is always to draw an eye unto him, to put on the atonement of Jesus 526 00:36:55,240 --> 00:37:01,600 Christ so that we can fill the instruments of grace in our life at work administering, 527 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:05,280 which is the Holy Ghost administering the effects of the atonement in our life, not 528 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:06,960 just for sin. 529 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:11,160 That's important, but not just for sin, but for all of the effects of the fall of Adam 530 00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:15,600 and Eve that we have that are obvious in our lives every day. 531 00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:20,880 So you know, to have that spirit with us, to be able to administer that in our lives, 532 00:37:20,880 --> 00:37:26,120 the effort that we put into this and the way that we begin to develop and mold and shape 533 00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:29,880 our thinking and our approach to Heavenly Father. 534 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:34,040 When it comes to prayer meditation, and I think specifically when it comes to meditation, 535 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:37,520 it's easy for me to tell him it's hard for me to hear him. 536 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:41,040 And I think that it's through the meditation where much of that hearing takes place. 537 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:42,640 That's where the real work is. 538 00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:43,640 I agree. 539 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:50,320 Is in the listening, being so that leads us to number number eight, which is related. 540 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:54,120 And that is, be still and wait upon the war. 541 00:37:54,120 --> 00:37:58,200 And they're, they're a little bit different, but be still and wait. 542 00:37:58,200 --> 00:38:04,480 So I wanted to just, you know, there's that amazing scripture in doctrine, come in section 543 00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:05,480 98. 544 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:06,480 You want to turn there? 545 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:10,200 So doctrine, come in section 98 verse one, does I remember? 546 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:11,760 Elder Christopherson. 547 00:38:11,760 --> 00:38:12,760 This was powerful. 548 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:19,400 Elder Christopherson, when I was the Institute director at UVU, Elder Christopherson was coming 549 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:22,880 to UVU Institute to do a fireside. 550 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:32,400 We actually held it in the UVU Convention Center on, on, on, or UCU, the Utah community. 551 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:33,400 You CCU. 552 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:34,400 You CCU. 553 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:35,400 Sorry. 554 00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:37,160 Utah Community Credit Union. 555 00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:38,160 Yes. 556 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:45,400 In their big arena, arena convention hall, whatever, on the UVU Utah Valley University 557 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:46,400 campus. 558 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:48,880 A lot of us in there. 559 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:55,960 Anyway, Elder Christopherson and his wife had come and, and I, I was, you know, I kind 560 00:38:55,960 --> 00:39:04,440 of hosted him and we, we had dinner together and this was a, this was a great event. 561 00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:07,520 And to hear a prophet of God, right? 562 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:08,520 So excited. 563 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:16,560 And I'm sitting on this stand and kind of, you know, close by and, and he says, I have 564 00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:20,120 a message, an important message that I've prepared for you tonight. 565 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:32,160 And he turns on a video and he plays the opera singer from Europe singing, be still and know 566 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:35,000 that I'm God. 567 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:36,160 And he plays this message. 568 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:38,920 Now she had, Cissel, is that her name? 569 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:39,920 I don't, Cissel. 570 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:40,920 I don't remember. 571 00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:41,920 Cissel. 572 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:42,920 Okay. 573 00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:45,240 And as I think she goes by that. 574 00:39:45,240 --> 00:39:47,720 And anyway, she sings beautifully. 575 00:39:47,720 --> 00:39:48,600 It's one of my favorites. 576 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:50,760 It's him, definitely my favorites. 577 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:53,400 She does it with the choir. 578 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:58,240 She does it with the Tabernacle Choir and, or the choir on Temple Square. 579 00:39:58,240 --> 00:39:59,600 What's their name now, Scott? 580 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:00,600 That's it. 581 00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:02,680 The choir, Temple Square. 582 00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:08,640 And anyway, she sings this and everybody should download it. 583 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:14,280 And he, he, after everybody listens to that, he says, that's my message to you tonight. 584 00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:18,760 Be still, be still and know God. 585 00:40:18,760 --> 00:40:21,680 That's my message to you tonight. 586 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:28,400 Now he said some more things, beautiful, wonderful counsel and testimony. 587 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:35,800 But I would, that was impressive that he came with a singular message to the young adults 588 00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:38,320 and thousands were there. 589 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:41,720 And he said, you, you need to be still. 590 00:40:41,720 --> 00:40:44,560 You need, you need to slow down. 591 00:40:44,560 --> 00:40:47,040 Just slow down and be still. 592 00:40:47,040 --> 00:40:48,400 I'll never forget that. 593 00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:57,360 And I just think sometimes we just get so busy and our minds just race and so much of it 594 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:00,560 is on things that aren't, aren't even appropriate. 595 00:41:00,560 --> 00:41:07,560 A prophet of God speaking to thousands of young adults and he says to them, this, this 596 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:10,360 is not just my message to you. 597 00:41:10,360 --> 00:41:13,000 This is the Lord's message to you. 598 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:16,960 Slow down and be still. 599 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:19,520 Let's read 98 verse one. 600 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:21,360 Oh, yeah. 601 00:41:21,360 --> 00:41:22,360 I almost forgot. 602 00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:23,360 Okay. 603 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:25,300 So this is Doctrine and Covenants section 98. 604 00:41:25,300 --> 00:41:30,080 And this is a time of where the church is going through terrible persecution in Missouri. 605 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:36,080 And this is a revelation to them in the midst of all of their persecution and all of their 606 00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:39,360 tribulation and listen to what the Lord says in verse one. 607 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:44,360 Barely I say unto you, my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted. 608 00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:48,360 Ye rejoice evermore and in everything give thanks. 609 00:41:48,360 --> 00:41:49,880 Keep going. 610 00:41:49,880 --> 00:41:54,520 Waiting patiently on the Lord for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of 611 00:41:54,520 --> 00:42:00,200 Sabaath of Sabaath and are recorded with this seal and Testament. 612 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:03,840 The Lord has sworn and decreed that they shall be granted. 613 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:05,400 All right. 614 00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:06,400 And the next verse. 615 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:07,400 Good. 616 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:08,400 Therefore, we'll read that. 617 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:12,680 He gives this promise unto you with an immutable covenant. 618 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:13,760 Immutable covenant. 619 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:19,080 That they shall be fulfilled and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work 620 00:42:19,080 --> 00:42:21,080 together for your good. 621 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:23,640 And to my name's glory sayeth the Lord. 622 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:24,640 Okay. 623 00:42:24,640 --> 00:42:26,560 So look at verse two. 624 00:42:26,560 --> 00:42:29,080 Waiting patiently. 625 00:42:29,080 --> 00:42:31,400 Waiting patiently upon the Lord. 626 00:42:31,400 --> 00:42:36,440 Now I don't think that means sitting around doing nothing. 627 00:42:36,440 --> 00:42:38,480 I don't believe that. 628 00:42:38,480 --> 00:42:42,640 I think slowing down doesn't mean you do nothing. 629 00:42:42,640 --> 00:42:50,000 I don't think that means you sit down or sit down under a tree somewhere and wait for 630 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:54,480 God to move you or to answer you. 631 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:57,560 Maybe it is, but that's not how I picture it. 632 00:42:57,560 --> 00:43:06,360 I picture waiting upon the Lord as a server waiting upon me at a restaurant. 633 00:43:06,360 --> 00:43:12,360 I think it's a, how can I be a better waiter upon the Lord? 634 00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:16,000 That waiting upon the Lord means serving him. 635 00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:19,480 It means being where he wants me to be. 636 00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:25,880 And I believe that in that process, Scott, so when I, when I think of waiting upon the 637 00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:31,560 Lord and being still, it may be in the middle of doing service. 638 00:43:31,560 --> 00:43:37,160 In fact, I learned a powerful principle years ago in priesthood leadership when I was in 639 00:43:37,160 --> 00:43:47,080 Minnesota, when search was being made for a location for the St. Paul Minnesota temple. 640 00:43:47,080 --> 00:43:52,040 We were looking for pieces of real estate, all the stake presidencies were, and we had 641 00:43:52,040 --> 00:43:57,720 a powerful area, 70 there who I, who I love, you would have loved him too. 642 00:43:57,720 --> 00:44:01,440 He was just so down to earth and he liked to play basketball. 643 00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:13,360 And anyway, I loved him and he, he was trying to find a place and he was told by one of 644 00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:18,880 the, one of the brethren, you, you can't find it in the newspaper. 645 00:44:18,880 --> 00:44:20,440 You can't find it in ads. 646 00:44:20,440 --> 00:44:23,720 You're not going to find it in a real estate office. 647 00:44:23,720 --> 00:44:26,840 You have to go stand on the property. 648 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:31,400 You can only receive the revelation standing on the property. 649 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:37,640 So he, he, he found the, he found a place and he went and stood on the property and 650 00:44:37,640 --> 00:44:44,360 he heard a voice and the voice said, this is where I will build my house. 651 00:44:44,360 --> 00:44:48,440 That's where the temple is today. 652 00:44:48,440 --> 00:44:54,400 You have to stand there and that takes effort and that takes work to be in the right place 653 00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:55,400 at the right time. 654 00:44:55,400 --> 00:45:00,520 And one of the things President Nelson has told us is that one of the best things we 655 00:45:00,520 --> 00:45:06,760 can do to receive revelation is by waiting upon the Lord in the house of the Lord, by 656 00:45:06,760 --> 00:45:09,960 serving him in his holy temple. 657 00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:14,280 And we can go there for revelation, but we should go there to serve. 658 00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:15,760 We can receive revelation. 659 00:45:15,760 --> 00:45:19,680 Maybe the best place to receive revelation is in fulfilling our callings. 660 00:45:19,680 --> 00:45:23,880 Maybe the best place to receive revelation is serving our families, not getting what 661 00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:30,440 we want again, but what the Lord wants for others and to serve, to be his hands, to be 662 00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:33,600 his arms, to be his feet, to be his voice. 663 00:45:33,600 --> 00:45:40,680 That's, that's how in my life, Scott, I have received probably the most important significant 664 00:45:40,680 --> 00:45:48,080 revelations is in the process of serving the Lord in callings or in ministering or in just 665 00:45:48,080 --> 00:45:50,240 being a good neighbor. 666 00:45:50,240 --> 00:45:56,280 So I hope that our listeners will take this, this last step, number eight that we'll talk 667 00:45:56,280 --> 00:46:02,760 about today, wait, wait upon the Lord means to go serve the Lord. 668 00:46:02,760 --> 00:46:04,260 Go serve him. 669 00:46:04,260 --> 00:46:12,000 Just set around to do nothing, but wait upon him and serve him and in the process, standing 670 00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:20,160 on the property, standing in the home, standing in holy places where you're serving others, 671 00:46:20,160 --> 00:46:22,800 that's where you will receive revelation. 672 00:46:22,800 --> 00:46:28,520 And that may mean doing dishes for the family or washing somebody's clothes or cleaning 673 00:46:28,520 --> 00:46:29,520 the house. 674 00:46:29,520 --> 00:46:37,880 Honestly, you can receive really powerful revelation doing those things that are serving 675 00:46:37,880 --> 00:46:42,040 the Lord and helping the Lord to serve others. 676 00:46:42,040 --> 00:46:47,960 I hope that we'll take serious this last, not final, but this last step that we've talked 677 00:46:47,960 --> 00:46:50,920 about today, step eight, be still and wait upon the Lord. 678 00:46:50,920 --> 00:46:54,760 Dave, you provided us with some great insights around waiting upon the Lord. 679 00:46:54,760 --> 00:47:02,200 And maybe just as an invitation for this week, let's just take a look at how is our meditation, 680 00:47:02,200 --> 00:47:07,760 how is our mindfulness around our relationship with our Heavenly Father, how do we listen 681 00:47:07,760 --> 00:47:14,840 to him through his Spirit and are we able to achieve a state of stillness? 682 00:47:14,840 --> 00:47:20,040 And do we understand and really make an effort to wait upon the Lord? 683 00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:21,040 A lot today. 684 00:47:21,040 --> 00:47:25,320 A lot of take away, a lot of us to consider and ponder, but it's a good thing because 685 00:47:25,320 --> 00:47:27,080 we've just talked about meditation. 686 00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:30,560 So you should have plenty of time and plenty of opportunity to do that as you're doing 687 00:47:30,560 --> 00:47:31,560 that today. 688 00:47:31,560 --> 00:47:34,280 Hey, everybody, thanks so much for being with us. 689 00:47:34,280 --> 00:47:35,280 We're grateful for you. 690 00:47:35,280 --> 00:47:40,480 We're grateful for your listening and ask you to just go ahead and put in an email, any 691 00:47:40,480 --> 00:47:43,640 questions you may have or thoughts, etc. 692 00:47:43,640 --> 00:47:47,360 You can do that at he redeemsus.com. 693 00:47:47,360 --> 00:47:48,360 Thanks for being with us. 694 00:47:48,360 --> 00:47:49,920 We look forward to being with you again next time. 695 00:47:49,920 --> 00:47:50,920 Until then, be well.