Eyring - O Ye That Embark - October 2008

President Eyring speaks to the priesthood brethren of the church.  He discusses the feelings of inadequacy and the time commitments that great priesthood service requires.  He shares with us two basic truths of priesthood service.

• The more faithful service you give, the more the Lord asks of you.
  
• He increases our power to carry the heavier load.

This doesn't happen up front though with the Lord.  We have to serve and then the Lord blesses us with the increased capacity to carry that burden.

• The tough part of that reality, however, is that for Him to give you that increased power you must go in service and faith to your outer limits. It is like building muscle strength. You must break down your muscles to build them up. You push muscles to the point of exhaustion. Then they repair themselves, and they develop greater strength. Increased spiritual strength is a gift from God which He can give when we push in His service to our limits. Through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our natures can be changed. Then our power to carry burdens can be increased more than enough to compensate for the increased service we will be asked to give.
  

Priesthood callings are give to those that can handle this heavy burden.

• In His kindness and in great trust, Heavenly Father, with the Savior, allowed a selected few of His sons on earth to hold the priesthood. We have the authority and the power to act in God’s name, to offer the true gospel of Jesus Christ and its ordinances to as many of Heavenly Father’s children as we can. So you can sense the magnitude of our trust from God. And you can sense its supreme importance and the opposition we face.
  

When feelings of inadequacy come, he offers some quick bits of advice that we can all appreciate.

• When those feelings of inadequacy strike us, it is the time to remember the Savior. He assures us that we don’t do this work alone.
  
• I know that the promise of angels to bear us up is real.
• Recognize and welcome those whom the Lord sends to help us.
  
• See in every assignment the opportunity to strengthen another.

We can count on the Lord to provide us assistance when He knows it is needed.  We are not alone in this work and He is mindful of the sacrifices we are making.

• We can expect in our service to have help sent to us at the right time who will see strength in us and lift us up. And we can look forward to being the one sent by the Lord to encourage another.
  

President Eyring shares a personal account of a discussion he had with President Faust shortly after his call to the apostleship.  We would be wise to accept this advice into our personal lives.

• I can tell you from experience something about how to help if you are the one sent. Shortly after I was called to the Quorum of the Twelve, I got a phone call from President Faust, counselor in the First Presidency. He asked me to come to his office. I went with some concern as to why he would take the time to visit with me. After some pleasantries, he looked at me and said, “Has it happened yet?” When I looked puzzled he went on to say, “I’ve been watching you in meetings. It seems to me that you have been feeling that your calling is beyond you and that you are not qualified.” I said that doubt had come to me, as if I had hit a wall. I expected that he was going to reassure me. I told him that I appreciated his being aware of my doubts and asked for his help. But I was surprised by his kind, firm reply. He said, “Don’t ask me. Go to Him.” Then he pointed up to heaven. Now years later I sit in that same office. When I walk into it I look up and remember him and how he taught me by example how to help those who are feeling overwhelmed in the Lord’s service. Find a way to send them with confidence to Him. If they will follow your counsel, they will gain the strength they need and to spare.
  

Finally, President Eyring ends with this reminder.

• We will find joy in going wherever the Lord would have us serve. We will be given the revelation to speak His words to invite Heavenly Father’s children to become changed by the Atonement and fit to go home and live with Him.

With a recent calling given to me, I am at a point that I am feeling very overwhelmed with the assignments that I have been given.  I know there are better people to do the calling I have but for some reason, that Lord wants me there.  I am sure he recognizes the things I need to change in my life and this calling will help me turn some of my weaknesses into strengths.  I am comforted by this talk to see that I am not alone in my calling and that I have the Lord there to support me, go before me, and to inspire me to help those that I come in contact with.  I also recognize that he has given me a greater capacity and desire to reach out and love those that I am called to serve.  This support is real and we can be assured that if we do our part, the Lord will make up for our inadequacies.