Monday, April 6, 2009

"A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Action Please"


Elvis' "A little less conversation, a little more action please" would have made a nice theme song for General Conference! Naturally we all end up taking away different messages which are customized by the Spirit and made significant for us personally. But the theme that keeps coming back to me is that all our faith is in vain unless we actually do something with it.

"Discipleship is not a spectator sport", taught President Dieter F. Uchdorf. "We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes." Moreover, discipleship is a race of endurance--not a sprint, he said. "Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do. We need to get off the sidelines and practice what we preach." ("The Way of the Disciple").

President Eyring quoted Alma 34:28: "Do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith."

I guess this is my "phone call" (hat tip Bishop Edgley) to repent, and make sure I'm walking the walk and not just talking the talk; perhaps starting with my home teaching record.

...."Discipleship is not a spectator sport."

1 Corinthians 13: 1-3:
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

John 13:17:

"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

3 comments:

Tom said...

Pres. Uchtdorf's talk was pretty amazing. I think it also needs to be on my list of instant classics.

I am the Clay said...

Hi! I just wanted to drop you a note and respond to your question you left on my blog -- Yes, I have read believing Christ by Robinson. I have a copy, and I also have the book he wrote for children.
Kind regards,
Gloria

Clean Cut said...

Hi Gloria. I've blogged about Believing Christ here--great book. Probably my favorite book about the gospel of Jesus Christ outside of the cannon of scripture itself. I also highly recommend the sequel: "Following Christ". (And my daughter loves the children's book: "You are Priceless".)