TG Mortality 25 - 2 Nephi 2 (IX)

President Uchtdorf illustrates the “two ways” of approaching obedience with a couple of concrete examples.  The first is hypothetical:

“….those who see attendance at Church meetings as a personal way to increase their love of God, find peace, uplift others, seek the Spirit, and renew their commitment to follow Jesus Christ will find a far richer experience than those who simply put in their time sitting in a pew. Sisters, it is very important that we attend our Sunday meetings, but I’m fairly certain our Heavenly Father is even more concerned about our faith and repentance than about attendance statistics.”

The second one is an actual account of two sisters doing their visiting teaching:

 

“A single mother of two small children recently came down with chicken pox. Of course, it wasn’t long before her children got sick as well. The task of caring for herself and her little ones alone was almost too much for the young mother. And, as a result, the normally spotless house became cluttered and messy. Dirty dishes piled up in the sink, and laundry piled up everywhere else.”

“While she was struggling with crying children—and wanting to cry herself—a knock came at the door. It was her visiting teachers. They could see the young mother’s distress. They could see her house, her kitchen. They could hear the cries of the children.”

“Now, if these sisters had been concerned only with completing their assigned monthly visits, they might have handed the mother a plate of cookies, mentioned that they had missed her at Relief Society last week, and said something like, “Let us know if there is anything we can do!” Then they would have cheerfully been on their way, thankful that they had 100 percent for another month.”

“Fortunately, these sisters were true disciples of Christ. They noticed their sister’s needs and put their many talents and their experience to work. They cleared up the chaos, brought light and clarity into the home, and called a friend to bring over some much-needed groceries. When they at last finished their work and said their good-byes, they left that young mother in tears—tears of gratitude and love.”

“From that moment on, the young mother’s opinion of visiting teaching changed. “I know,” she said, “that I am not just a check mark on someone else’s to-do list.””

“Yes, visiting teachers need to be faithful in making their monthly visits, all without missing the most important why behind this commandment: to love God and fellowmen.”

“When we treat God’s commandments and our part in building His kingdom like something to check off on a to-do list, we miss the heart of discipleship. We miss the growth that comes from joyfully living the commandments of our Father in Heaven.”

In both of these examples President Uchtdorf presents what we might characterize as
“two ways” of approaching obedience.  The first way is dry, impersonal and legalistic, focused on outward observances—“put in their time sitting in pews;” “attendance statistics;” “only concerned with completing their assigned monthly visits;” “100 percent for another month;” “something to check off on a to-do list.”  When Lehi speaks of “the law” which cannot save us, might he be referring to this very attitude?

In contrast, the words President Uchtdorf uses to describe the second way are saturated with the language of the atonement, the first four principles of the gospel by which we come unto Christ—“Our Heavenly father is even more concerned about our faith and repentence;” “commitment to follow Jesus Christ;” “true disciples of Jesus Christ;” and “seek the spirit.”  His words are also words of relationships, both with each other, as we reach out in love and compassion, and with God, as we strive to keep alive that connection to the vine that the atonement has created—“ to increase their love of God, find peace, uplift others, seek the Spirit, and renew their commitment to follow Jesus Christ.”