Here are some thoughts from my lesson Sunday:
Elder L. Tom Perry gave a great talk entitled “In the World” in April Conference 1988 (Ensign, May 1988, 13). He talks about how we use the term “to be in the world, but not of the world” so often. He focused on the “in the world” part. Our prophets have told us that we are “to be mindful of our obligations while we are here in the world.” He tells us that we have a responsibility to show the world through our lives and actions what the gospel is about. We need to show them that obedience to the gospel principles brings blessings and solutions to problems.
He said, “The Lord help us to be able to prove to the world that we possess just what the world today is longing for, and when they see it, may they know, as you know, as I know, that the everlasting gospel is a light to the world…If we make the claim to hold the truth, it is obligatory upon every latter-day Saint so to live, that when the people of the world come, in answer to the call, to test the fruit of the tree, they will find it wholesome and good.”
He says that we do this by righteous living and by being distinctly different in the world which will have a great influence on those around us. In his talk, Elder Perry shares with us a way in which he avoided looking like the world and influenced other in the process.
Push play to hear in his own words (from an interview by Sheri Dew on Conversations http://radio.lds.org/eng/):
Sheri Dew, when she was a counselor of the Relief Society General Presidency said:
“Women of God who honor their covenants look differently, dress differently, and act and speak differently from women who have not made the same covenants. Thus women of God who know who they are have unusual and sometimes unexpected influence (Knowing Who You Are—and Who You Have Always Been, Sheri Dew, BYU Women’s Conference May 4, 2001).”
I have had many other similar experiences recently when I have been noticed or have noticed other people because they have been different in some way. Last summer we took a family vacation to Virginia Beach. One day we went down to the beach and played as a family. There was a family next to us that watched and smiled to us occasionally. That evening when we were at the hotel pool, the man sitting next to us at the beach came up to us and asked, “So, what ward are you in?” Not sure we heard him correctly, Phil said, “Did you just ask us what ward we are in?” The man told us that they had been watching us during the day and knew that we must be members of the church. His wife walked up and asked, “Was I right?” We told them we were LDS and she said, “I knew it. We watched you at the beach and knew you were different.” I am so glad they pointed it out to us because it has encouraged me to continue to try to be different and stand out and not try to blend in with the world.
In April this year we were in Miami at a conference for Phil’s company. At the opening dinner two couples we did not know were seated at our table. They were about our age and seemed like really nice people. They seemed “different” to me. I noticed the two women and how they were dressed. They had nice shirts on with cardigan sweaters over top. I quickly wondered if they were members of the church since, one, we were in Miami where it is warm, and two, no one else in the room (besides me) was modestly covered. They looked different than everyone else. As we continued to talk we found out that they were LDS and had wondered if we might have been also because they noticed we only had ice water at our place settings.
President Spencer W. Kimball has said:
“Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world. (Spencer W. Kimball, “The Role of Righteous Women,” Ensign, Nov 1979, 102)”
I know people are watching us to see if we are “different.” We have so many opportunities to be “different.” I also know that our friends, children, and our Heavenly Father are watching us. We do have influence and people will see if we are women (or people) who are different in happy ways and if we honor or covenants, or not. We should not shrink from or be ashamed of being different from the world. We should look for those opportunities to be different from the world so we can share a little bit about who we are and what we believe.
Here is a song from the 2009 EFY album by Hilary Weeks. It is entitiled "I Will" and sums up everything from my lesson.
Mindy Zeigler
Elder L. Tom Perry gave a great talk entitled “In the World” in April Conference 1988 (Ensign, May 1988, 13). He talks about how we use the term “to be in the world, but not of the world” so often. He focused on the “in the world” part. Our prophets have told us that we are “to be mindful of our obligations while we are here in the world.” He tells us that we have a responsibility to show the world through our lives and actions what the gospel is about. We need to show them that obedience to the gospel principles brings blessings and solutions to problems.
He said, “The Lord help us to be able to prove to the world that we possess just what the world today is longing for, and when they see it, may they know, as you know, as I know, that the everlasting gospel is a light to the world…If we make the claim to hold the truth, it is obligatory upon every latter-day Saint so to live, that when the people of the world come, in answer to the call, to test the fruit of the tree, they will find it wholesome and good.”
He says that we do this by righteous living and by being distinctly different in the world which will have a great influence on those around us. In his talk, Elder Perry shares with us a way in which he avoided looking like the world and influenced other in the process.
Push play to hear in his own words (from an interview by Sheri Dew on Conversations http://radio.lds.org/eng/):
Sheri Dew, when she was a counselor of the Relief Society General Presidency said:
“Women of God who honor their covenants look differently, dress differently, and act and speak differently from women who have not made the same covenants. Thus women of God who know who they are have unusual and sometimes unexpected influence (Knowing Who You Are—and Who You Have Always Been, Sheri Dew, BYU Women’s Conference May 4, 2001).”
I have had many other similar experiences recently when I have been noticed or have noticed other people because they have been different in some way. Last summer we took a family vacation to Virginia Beach. One day we went down to the beach and played as a family. There was a family next to us that watched and smiled to us occasionally. That evening when we were at the hotel pool, the man sitting next to us at the beach came up to us and asked, “So, what ward are you in?” Not sure we heard him correctly, Phil said, “Did you just ask us what ward we are in?” The man told us that they had been watching us during the day and knew that we must be members of the church. His wife walked up and asked, “Was I right?” We told them we were LDS and she said, “I knew it. We watched you at the beach and knew you were different.” I am so glad they pointed it out to us because it has encouraged me to continue to try to be different and stand out and not try to blend in with the world.
In April this year we were in Miami at a conference for Phil’s company. At the opening dinner two couples we did not know were seated at our table. They were about our age and seemed like really nice people. They seemed “different” to me. I noticed the two women and how they were dressed. They had nice shirts on with cardigan sweaters over top. I quickly wondered if they were members of the church since, one, we were in Miami where it is warm, and two, no one else in the room (besides me) was modestly covered. They looked different than everyone else. As we continued to talk we found out that they were LDS and had wondered if we might have been also because they noticed we only had ice water at our place settings.
President Spencer W. Kimball has said:
“Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world. (Spencer W. Kimball, “The Role of Righteous Women,” Ensign, Nov 1979, 102)”
I know people are watching us to see if we are “different.” We have so many opportunities to be “different.” I also know that our friends, children, and our Heavenly Father are watching us. We do have influence and people will see if we are women (or people) who are different in happy ways and if we honor or covenants, or not. We should not shrink from or be ashamed of being different from the world. We should look for those opportunities to be different from the world so we can share a little bit about who we are and what we believe.
Here is a song from the 2009 EFY album by Hilary Weeks. It is entitiled "I Will" and sums up everything from my lesson.
Mindy Zeigler
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