Elder Andersen references a talk by President Gordon B. Hinckley in 1973 where he relates a story of meeting a young Asian man who had recently joined the church in the military and was getting ready to return to his home country. He was asked how his family and friends would take his conversion to Christianity and especially a "Mormon Christian." The man said his family would be unhappy and his career would suffer. President Hinckley asked him if all these trials would be worth it. The young man replied "It's true isn't it? Then what else matters?"
What a profound way of looking at our trials in life. Elder Andersen gives us some guidance on how we get through our many tasks in life.
He reminds us that our commitment to the gospel is important and that our faith in the gospel is something we have by choice.
Elder Andersen gives many examples of faithful members of the church that have put the gospel as their top priority. He concludes with this detail final comment about faithful members of the church:
This talk made a big impact on me in 2007. As my daughter went to girls camp for the first time, I wrote her a letter and I shared with her this talk and the feelings I had about the truthfulness of the gospel. The gospel is the reason I act the way I act. It is the reason I think the way I think. My testimony is the reason I do what I do. Without the gospel, I ask myself "what else matters?" For me the answer is simple, the things in my life are because of the gospel. Without the gospel, I would have nothing. Nothing else would matter in my life.
What a profound way of looking at our trials in life. Elder Andersen gives us some guidance on how we get through our many tasks in life.
- How do we find our way through the many things that matter? We simplify and purify our perspective.
He reminds us that our commitment to the gospel is important and that our faith in the gospel is something we have by choice.
- Faith is not only a feeling; it is a decision. With prayer, study, obedience, and covenants, we build and fortify our faith. Our conviction of the Savior and His latter-day work becomes the powerful lens through which we judge all else.
Elder Andersen gives many examples of faithful members of the church that have put the gospel as their top priority. He concludes with this detail final comment about faithful members of the church:
- Many of the quiet acts of deep faith are known only to God.
This talk made a big impact on me in 2007. As my daughter went to girls camp for the first time, I wrote her a letter and I shared with her this talk and the feelings I had about the truthfulness of the gospel. The gospel is the reason I act the way I act. It is the reason I think the way I think. My testimony is the reason I do what I do. Without the gospel, I ask myself "what else matters?" For me the answer is simple, the things in my life are because of the gospel. Without the gospel, I would have nothing. Nothing else would matter in my life.
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