The Power, Joy and Love of Covenant Keeping

 

 

Good afternoon sisters,
I wanted you to have the opportunity to see this talk delivered first, before I comment on anything from its content and Relief Society . Sister Kirk presented this video today and it was inspiring to  listen. I was wondering if others, besides myself, look at the word covenant and think of how we could use it outside the temple. Covenant is a word that has fallen out of popularity as have certain standards and morals. To make a covenant is to make a promise. That word we still use, if only to a friend who needs to share a confidence. "I promise I will honor you with secrecy." As you can tell from having watched the video, to make a covenant has many aspects to it, more than just making a promise.
" Making and keeping covenants means choosing to bind ourselves to our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. It is committing to follow the Savior. It is trusting Him and desiring to show our gratitude for the price He paid to set us free through the infinite gift of the Atonement."
"Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained that “a covenant is a binding spiritual contract, a solemn promise to God our Father that we will live and think and act in a certain way—the way of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In return, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost promise us the full splendor of eternal life." Wow! Think on that for a while! I think I am liking "full splendor" and "eternal life"  whole lot.
There are things we should consider when thinking about covenants.
1. Why make covenants?  Covenant keeping strengthens, empowers and protects us. If we do what the Lord wants, He will guide and protect us. Will there still be growth opportunities? Of course there will. There are countless stories in the scriptures where even the most obedient people had challenges, but they remained true to their covenants and received the meted out blessings.
We are strengthened when we keep these promises but we also are called  upon to help and above all, love one another. If we work to share each other's burdens, how great will be the love when we "all sit down together in heaven?" This sharing of burdens and increasing in love also includes those children our father has let us borrow from Him.
2. Keeping covenants is essential for true happiness. Not only will we be blessed in keeping the commandments, but how much greater will be our joy if we keep these promises cheerfully, with joy. We lose out on a great prize if we have to grumble our way to the finish. I am fairly certain I am not the only one who has to have a talk with myself about being of good cheer when there is something to do that isn't on my personal agenda of joy that day. It is certainly about attitude sometimes.
3. Keeping covenants demonstrates our love for the Savior and our Father in Heaven. Yes, it is about love. Look at our Savior and what he did just for us! I dare say we wouldn't do what He did for someone we hadn't met. The Father even sacrificed for love of us when he allow mankind to crucify his only begotten son.  As Sister Burton asked us to evaluate how much we love the Savior, we can give Him our answer through our actions and through our cheerful countenances, in faith.
Your cheerful right now bloggess,
Janice