Oaks - Always Remember Him - April 1988

President Oaks speaks about what it means to "always remember Him" as we reflect on the renewal of our baptismal covenants each week.

• To remember means to keep in memory. In the scriptures, it often means to keep a person in memory, together with associated emotions like love, loyalty, or gratitude. The stronger the emotion, the more vivid and influential the memory.

He gives us three specific roles that the Savior plays and describes each one.

• He is our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Teacher.

CREATOR

• Under the direction and according to the plan of God the Father, his Son Jehovah “created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.” He gave us life in the beginning of this world, and through the power of his resurrection he will give each of us life again after we have died in mortality. Jesus Christ is the life of the world.

REDEEMER

• He is our Redeemer. According to the Father’s plan, he provided the atoning sacrifice that can rescue us from the extremity of spiritual death. As a free-will offering, the Only Begotten Son of God came to earth and shed his blood for the remission of our sins.

TEACHER

• Our Creator and our Redeemer is also our teacher. He taught us how to live. He gave us commandments, and if we follow them, we will receive blessings and happiness in this world and eternal life in the world to come.

President Oaks then describes various ways we can "always remember Him" in our everyday lives.  He uses a series of examples to demonstrate how we can keep the Savior in our thoughts.

SERVE AS CALLED

• Those who always remember him will straightway assume and faithfully fulfill the responsibilities to which they are called by his servants.

FORGIVE OTHERS

• Among the things we should remember about the Savior is that there are things we should forget about our fellowmen—the wrongs they have done us.

RECEIVE ORDINANCES

• As we always remember him, we should strive to assure that we and our family members and, indeed, all the sons and daughters of God everywhere follow our Savior into the waters of baptism. This reminds each of us of our duties to proclaim the gospel, perfect the Saints, and redeem the dead.

ENDURE AFFLICTIONS

• Remembering the Savior can also help us understand and endure the inevitable afflictions of this life.

MINISTER TO THE SICK AND THE AFFLICTED

• When the Risen Lord appeared to the people on this continent, he taught them and called leaders and gave them the authority of his priesthood. Next he healed the sick, the lame, the blind, and all others who were afflicted in any manner. Then “he commanded that their little children should be brought.” And he “blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.”

LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS

• Our Savior gave us the parable of the good shepherd who left the multitude and went out in search of a single sheep who was lost. Doesn’t that same principle require couples who enjoy loving companionship to go out of their way to include in their social circles brothers and sisters who have been deprived of that companionship?

MUCH GIVEN, MUCH REQUIRED

• As we remember our Lord and Savior, we should contemplate the great blessings we have as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have been taught by the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been led by his prophets. We have received the sealing ordinances of his gospel. He has blessed us bounteously.

I appreciate the reminder that we can "always remember Him" in our everyday lives.  The things that we do normally should bring us closer to the Savior because we are trying to do the things that He would have us do.  As we do the things the prophets have taught us, we are blessed with the spirit more in our lives.  The weekly participation in the sacrament brings our minds closer to the things of God and encourages us to find peace in the things of the spirit.  I am grateful for the reminder from this talk to serve where I am called, forgive others, and love my neighbors.  When I do the things the Savior would do if he were here, I am on track to continue to "always remember Him."