Area Presidency Message
Being True to Ourselves, God and Others
One of the greatest accomplishments of our lives is promoting an honest, earnest integrity within ourselves.
Our Saviour invites us all to follow Him. His paths are straight and clean, upright and honest. This is the only way for us to find joy, peace, and happiness in our lives.
One day, during our Saviour’s mortal ministry, a lawyer chose to challenge Him on a point of doctrine. Attempting to entrap Jesus, he asked, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus responded with a question of his own: “What is written in the law? How readest thou?”
The lawyer answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
“And He said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live” (see Luke 10:25–28).
This invitation of the Saviour to live according to the truths of the gospel is extended to all, because He loves us and His love can help us overcome the world that tries to confuse us, blind us, weaken us, and stop us from achieving our divine potential. “The voices and pressures of the world are engaging and numerous. But too many voices are deceptive, seductive, and can pull us off the covenant path.”1
The Anti-Nephi-Lehies demonstrated the power of change that comes upon individuals who accept the gospel and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ. They provided an example of profound, full conversion that comes from a sincere effort to emulate the Saviour in every aspect of life. The Book of Mormon teaches: “And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among the people who were of the church of God. And they were also distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end” (Alma 27:27).
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we should not negotiate the principles and truths that have made us free. We should choose as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies did to be perfectly honest and upright in all things no matter what the consequences might be.
In August of last year, we studied Job in Come, Follow Me. He was protected and overcame temptations because of his faith and particularly because of his honesty and his own integrity.
“As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
“All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
“My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. . . .
“My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live” (Job 27:2–4, 6).
How inspiring Job’s life is. God was delighted with Job and said about him: “There is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil … and still he holdeth fast his integrity” (Job 2:3).
These great qualities of honesty and integrity are fully available to us. If we apply them effectively, they will solve all the problems in our lives, our marriages, our families, our communities, the Church and in our countries. It will wipe out the scourge of conflict, dishonesty, and misery (see 2 Nephi 2:27).
One of the greatest accomplishments of our lives as converted disciples of Jesus Christ is promoting an honest, earnest integrity within ourselves. This means that we become spiritually sound, intellectually sincere, morally honest, and always personally responsible to God.
Honesty and integrity are the keys that will unlock the doors to any successes in our lives.
We should always remember that we are never alone. There is no act that goes unobserved; there is no word spoken that goes unheard, there is no thought conceived that is unknown to God. There is no darkness that can conceal the things we do. We have been given the power to think, ponder and choose.
Be honest with yourself, with others and with God. Do not lie, steal, cheat or deceive in any way.
“Honesty brings peace and self-respect. When your words and action align with truth, you show that you can be trusted—by other people and by the Lord.”2
The Book of Mormon teaches: “Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). This joy comes from being honest and living the principle of integrity before men and before God.
I read this wonderful story about an experience President Howard W. Hunter (1907–1995) had in a small store in California. He paid the clerk 10 pennies for 10 pieces of liquorice. Upon counting the pieces later on, he realised that he had ended up with 11 pieces instead of the 10 that he paid for. While he could have overlooked the error—after all, it was just a penny, and who would know the difference—he didn’t think twice and went back to the store. He explained the problem to the clerk, apologised and paid for the extra piece of liquorice, much to the surprise of the clerk3.
My dear brothers and sisters, dear young men and young women, dear children, if we are not honest in small things, it will be very hard for us to be honest in great things.
If we live according to the truths, are honest and upright in all things and heed not the pressure, the distraction, tradition and culture of the fallen world, the Saviour promises to you:
“Blessed are ye, when shall men revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
“Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:11–12).
I know that our lives will be joyful and exceedingly glad if we do these things.