Counsel from on High
As one chapter of my life closes, another begins. I was released from the Bishopric last Sunday and called to the High Council. Two days ago was my first High Council meeting and as you may expect, the Stake Presidency put me right to work. I was given responsibility to oversee missionary work within the stake, among a few other things. The Stake President explained that this assignment is unique from many of the other High Council assignments. He counseled me to take initiative and be actively engaged in moving the work forward. Sure, there are some things like arranging meals for the full-time missionaries, that will simply come to me and need to be done, but in most other aspects I was given authority and encouragement to make it my own.
Shortly after High Council meeting ended, I went with the rest of the Stake leadership to a ward conference for one of the wards in our stake. I didn't have any specific assignments or responsibilities, so I simply attended as a representative of the stake. I found myself sitting in sacrament meeting pondering my new calling. As I thought about ways that I might have a positive impact on missionary work within our stake, I realized that I would need Heaven's help if I was to know how to proceed and what to do.
During sacrament meeting in ward conferences, it's customary that the Bishop of the ward speaks first, followed by the Stake President. I took out my notebook as the Bishop stood to speak, and within the first few words, I received inspiration on what should be my focus going forward. The specifics of that inspiration aren't important (mostly because I'm struggling to remember them exactly, which, incidentally, is why I wrote them down), but what is important is that I received them.
Now, I use the word inspiration, but what it was, in fact, was revelation. Communication and direction from on high. There are certain cases where the words inspiration and revelation can be used interchangeably, but understanding the difference between the two is important. As the famous, fictional Spaniard Inigo Montoya once said: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." So, let's talk about what it means.
There are two ways to use the word inspiration. One is as an adjective to describe how you feel. When someone says they feel inspired, they are most likely feeling energized and motivated toward a particular action. The other way is as a noun to indicate something real that can be received or obtained. In my case, I got both. I was inspired by the receipt of inspiration. The fact that the Lord chose to share with me the information I would need to engage in this work motivates me to go out and act.
Getting both isn't always the case. In the Book of Mormon, Nephi describes his efforts to carry out an assignment from the Lord by saying that he would "go and do" and that he knew the Lord would not have given the assignment unless it was possible to accomplish. So he felt inspired, but he later goes on to describe how he had to begin the task "not knowing beforehand" what he should do. Nephi was inspired without being inspired. In other words, he was motivated to do something without knowing the specifics.
In the Old Testament, Moses describes the opposite problem. The Lord very clearly gave him inspiration on how free the Children of Israel from Egypt, but Moses was reluctant. Instead of giving a whole-hearted commitment, as did Nephi, Moses described to the Lord all of his shortcomings and obstacles. Moses was inspired without being inspired. In other words, he had the knowledge but lacked the motivation.
The one thing these two examples have in common is that both required an act of faith to accomplish the task at hand. Nephi went forth with the motivation, hoping the knowledge would come when it was needed. Moses went forth with the knowledge, hoping the Lord would make up the difference in his desire.
When the time was right, Nephi received counsel from on high to accomplish his task. When the time was right, Moses received the confidence to speak the Lord's words to Pharaoh and free His people. And when the time is right, you and I can receive whichever inspiration we need to accomplish what the Lord has in store for us.
Shortly after High Council meeting ended, I went with the rest of the Stake leadership to a ward conference for one of the wards in our stake. I didn't have any specific assignments or responsibilities, so I simply attended as a representative of the stake. I found myself sitting in sacrament meeting pondering my new calling. As I thought about ways that I might have a positive impact on missionary work within our stake, I realized that I would need Heaven's help if I was to know how to proceed and what to do.
During sacrament meeting in ward conferences, it's customary that the Bishop of the ward speaks first, followed by the Stake President. I took out my notebook as the Bishop stood to speak, and within the first few words, I received inspiration on what should be my focus going forward. The specifics of that inspiration aren't important (mostly because I'm struggling to remember them exactly, which, incidentally, is why I wrote them down), but what is important is that I received them.
Now, I use the word inspiration, but what it was, in fact, was revelation. Communication and direction from on high. There are certain cases where the words inspiration and revelation can be used interchangeably, but understanding the difference between the two is important. As the famous, fictional Spaniard Inigo Montoya once said: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." So, let's talk about what it means.
There are two ways to use the word inspiration. One is as an adjective to describe how you feel. When someone says they feel inspired, they are most likely feeling energized and motivated toward a particular action. The other way is as a noun to indicate something real that can be received or obtained. In my case, I got both. I was inspired by the receipt of inspiration. The fact that the Lord chose to share with me the information I would need to engage in this work motivates me to go out and act.
Getting both isn't always the case. In the Book of Mormon, Nephi describes his efforts to carry out an assignment from the Lord by saying that he would "go and do" and that he knew the Lord would not have given the assignment unless it was possible to accomplish. So he felt inspired, but he later goes on to describe how he had to begin the task "not knowing beforehand" what he should do. Nephi was inspired without being inspired. In other words, he was motivated to do something without knowing the specifics.
In the Old Testament, Moses describes the opposite problem. The Lord very clearly gave him inspiration on how free the Children of Israel from Egypt, but Moses was reluctant. Instead of giving a whole-hearted commitment, as did Nephi, Moses described to the Lord all of his shortcomings and obstacles. Moses was inspired without being inspired. In other words, he had the knowledge but lacked the motivation.
The one thing these two examples have in common is that both required an act of faith to accomplish the task at hand. Nephi went forth with the motivation, hoping the knowledge would come when it was needed. Moses went forth with the knowledge, hoping the Lord would make up the difference in his desire.
When the time was right, Nephi received counsel from on high to accomplish his task. When the time was right, Moses received the confidence to speak the Lord's words to Pharaoh and free His people. And when the time is right, you and I can receive whichever inspiration we need to accomplish what the Lord has in store for us.
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