Concern for the One

My thoughts on Elder Wirthlin’s talk “Concern for the One”

“Some are lost….” This was a different talk for me. I’m not sure what it was, but there was something different about it as it was one that spoke to the heart without words just feelings and I can’t put those feeling into words. I know that makes sense to someone out there.

Elder Writhlin points out that Jesus was always concerned about the one. He spoke to multitudes and blessed multitudes but his concer was always for the one. The lost sheep, the prodigal son, the leaper, the blind, the dead, the little child and on and one. I think the greatest example if in the Book of Mormon when Christ visit the Americas. “And he took their children and blessed them one by one.” If ever there was a time and place I would want to go back in time to this would be the place. When I was a child I desperately wanted to go back then and now that I’m an adult I would still love to go back to that day if only to observe how he treated the children.

Some are lost because they are different. I know what “different” Elder Writhlin is talking about, but I too am different. I’m a stay at home mom who homeschools her children. In my ward the stay at home isn’t too different, but the homeschool is. Because of that the sisters who are my peers and I don’t share too much in common. It is hard to strike up conversations with them. In fact when people bring up the socialization issue with homeschooling, I think they have the wrong humans in mind. It isn’t the children who are sheltered, it is us moms!

Some are lost because they are weary. I think this is me. I’m so very weary. I feel very overwhelmed right now. There are days that my plate is so full that I’m scared to even sit down to look at it. I’ve been known to just call it a veg day and “give up.” I know it is wrong to do that, but there are some days I can’t face that long to-do list. Nothing will get marked off, but the projects and obligations on it are just too much. I truly need to lessen my plate, but when I go to the Lord and ask what to remove, he never lets me remove the hard stuff and reminds me of all the time wasters that I put on that plate making it harder to do the important ones. Thankfully I don’t feel very lost—just sometimes forgotten.

Some are lost because they have strayed. “Except for the Lord, we have all made mistakes. The question is not whether we will trip and fall but, rather, how will we respond?” I hope I’m never in this category. I hope that my testimony is always strong enough to withstand the onslaught of Satan telling me I’m not worthy because I’m not perfect. “To those who have strayed because of doctrinal concerns, we cannot apologize for the truth. We cannot deny doctrine given to us by the lord Himself. On this principle we cannot compromise.” I think we need to internalize this so that when we make mistakes we understand that the standard of conduct and testimony are set and they are not moving. The kids and I just had a discussion about the standards of the church. One of my kids said that I had it easier in my day because the standards were so low. I told them that the commandments have not changed! They are truly the same. The bar may seem higher but only because the world has dug the dirt out from under it and sunk to new levels. We couldn’t commit sexual sins when I was a kid. We couldn’t murder. We couldn’t lie, steal, or cheat. We paid 10% tithing. We paid a generous fast offering. We had to read our scriptures (family and personal), hold family home evening, attend our meetings, say our prayers (family and personal), attend seminary, be good citizens, etc. etc. The only place the bar was raised was in qualifying for a mission. The same bar is there for a temple recommend. The Lord’s doctrine hasn’t changed, see Article of Faith #4 and then 3 Nephi 22:32-35 “And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; … And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; … for he will bisit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost.” Hebrew 6:1-2 “Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, … Of the doctrine of baptism, and of laying on of hands, …” and I could go on (do your own search). Faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end is what will save us and the Church will never apologize for this doctrine for it truly is the doctrine of Christ.

I know that the Lord is always concerned for the one and I have to remember that I am that ONE!