Question
Gramps,
What do you think Elder Bednar meant in his talk last conference when he said focusing upon CHECK LISTS can divert us from drawing closer to the Lord? (Saturday morning session/October 6, 2018)
Karen
Answer
Karen,
If you have the opportunity to read Elder Bednar’s three books: Increase in Learning, Power to Become, and Act in Doctrine you will understand more of what Elder Bednar was sharing, or at least from my minds eye what he was sharing.
If you take a moment to think about “check lists” what scripture history comes to your mind? I first think about the Law of Moses and all the checks that were required during that time. If you take the opportunity to review the changes the Church has made regarding Home Teaching to Ministering we are able to further recognize what Elder Bednar is mentioning. The desire of the Church is for us to “become” like our Savior. We will become like our Savior as we act in doctrine, and as we act in doctrine we will feel the grace of our Savior enabling us to become stronger and stronger (Helaman 3:35).
This doesn’t mean having a check list is bad. It is when the “check list” becomes more important than people, this is when a check list is bad. So a check list can divert or prevent us from drawing closer to Christ if the check list is our end goal. Think about home teaching, and how some members were more interested in marking home teaching as done, rather than truly serving their families.
Does this mean we shouldn’t have goals, or we shouldn’t have check lists? I don’t believe this is what Elder Bednar’s desire was either. Without a goal or vision, accompanied by hard work, there is no destiny. This is better said by President Hinckley though,
“Work without vision is drudgery. Vision without work is dreaming. Work plus vision-this is destiny.”
In our Bible, book of Proverbs we can also read, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” We just need to be cautious and careful that our goal or our check list doesn’t become more important than becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ, and we are not able to become a disciple of Jesus Christ without yielding to the enticing from the Holy Spirit.
So, while we go about our daily lives, as we look forward with an eye of faith seeking to achieve our goals. Remember, remember, to always be listening to that still small voice that may tell us to do something, although we have something else “checked” for today. My wife had such an experience, and thankfully she set aside the check list and said to herself, “Yes, this is more important. I can get back to this later or some other day.” As a result, she was there at the right time and at the right moment to minister to someone in need.
Gramps
