Based on the talk given by Elder Ronald M. Barcellos
I was thinking about what I would write this morning as I showered and the song “A Great Work” by Strive to Be and Nik Day came on. It was originally written for youth. One line struck me.
“If you give Him your heart He’ll show you who you are, and all His hopes and dreams for you.”
We talk a lot about turning to Him, and changing our heart. This talk in particular gives some very good ways that we will talk about shortly. However, giving our hearts, that to me is a bit different. That is a whole-hearted effort. It is not a slight turn or a minor change. No, giving our heart is an act of ultimate trust and love. It is not done lightly or without thought.
I think the fact that it is such a weighty matter is why the song lyric mentions the second part. “He’ll show you who you are, and all His hopes and dreams for you.”
We each as individuals have hopes and dreams. Our Savior has hopes and dreams as well. His center around each of us individually. Around what He knows we can become, and the things we can do that we don’t even realize that we are capable of.
The line that immediately follows is, “And when you follow Him the great work will begin.” You are His great work. Each of us individually is His great work. Helping us see ourselves as He sees us. Helping us see what He knows we are capable of both doing and becoming. Helping us come home to Him and our Heavenly Parents.
In 1 Samuel 16:7, it states, “…for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”
The Lord looks at our hearts because it is our hearts that matter. Our hearts tell Him about our desires – the things we want to do and become, the focus of our time and energy, and our intentions – why we do the things we do. The heart goes to the reasons for our actions, words, and decisions.
If we give our heart to Him, wholly and without reservation, He will show us not only what His hopes and dreams for us are, but that ours are often far too small for who we really are.
Elder Barcellos gave us a way to assess where our heart is and how to improve its condition.
For Assessing our Heart
“First, Our Focus, Priorities, and Motives”
Where we choose to spend our time and what we choose to spend it on tells us a lot about our focus, priorities, and motivations. This, in turn, can tell us a lot about our hearts.
“Do I make the Savior a priority in my life? Is my eye single to His glory in all I do?” Is what I am doing in alignment with the direction He has given me?
“Second, Our Willingness to Obey God’s Commandments”
Often throughout the scriptures, disobedience to commandments is associated with having a hard heart and being turned away from God.
“While the Savior does not expect perfection in keeping His commandments, He does ask that we desire to strive to keep them with all our hearts.”
Additionally, He asks that we try. If we are not to the point that we can keep the commandments with all our hearts yet, we should still try. The Savior loves us and greatly appreciates the effort we put in. He will always be there to help us along the way. Remember the father in Mark 9:24 who said, “…help thou my unbelief”. He will help us. We are not expected to do it all on our own.
Are there commandments that I am struggling with? How am I doing living the covenants that I have made? Where could I improve? What can I do personally to improve? Where can the Lord help me with this?
“Third, Our Diligence in Studying the Scriptures and Seeking Revelation”
In D&C 6:20, Oliver Cowdry was told to “treasure up these words in thy heart”
Do we treasure studying the scriptures, or is it a task that we check off that we must do? If it is the latter, we have lost the heart of the matter. This is something I myself am guilty of from time to time. The scriptures were meant as a guide, but they were also meant to nourish our souls and give us strength and comfort in hard times. They were never meant to be just a task to be performed.
Seeking revelation is a deeply personal matter. It is something that I do consistently when times are hard. It is however also something I do regularly as questions come up that do not seem to have answers.
Unfortunately, I seem to be very good at asking questions of people that they don’t really have answers for. So I learned to take those and seek my own personal revelation.
Personal revelation can be not only enlightening but also a way that we come to know our Heavenly Parents and our Savior on a much more personal basis. It is in part why I have the relationship with them that I do.
I have learned that there is no question too personal or too small to ask them. All of them matter to them because they matter to me.
I have learned that if I record what I am given, not only do I have it to refer back to later, but I am often given much more than I was initially. When I record revelation the flood gates open and heaven is not withheld.
“Am I making a sincere effort to study the scriptures daily and to apply my heart to understand them through prayer?”
Am I seeking my own revelation from my Heavenly Parents and my Savior on the matters that weigh on my heart and my mind? Do I record the things that I receive? Am I following the directions that I have received by revelation?
“Fourth, Our Thoughts and Words”
“The quality of our thoughts and words is a good indicator of the purity of our hearts. Am I fostering too many negative thoughts about others’ actions or motives, or even myself?”
In Mosiah 4:30, we are told to watch our thoughts, our words and our deeds. The focus on our thoughts is not because some thoughts are bad and others are good. It is because our thoughts turn into words and our words torn into actions and our actions create who we choose to become. So watching what we think is watching and nurturing from the beginning of the process, so we can get where we want to go at the end.
Watching our words is another level. In the world we live in words are often what people remember and what they make judgements of us on. So in watching what we say we will to a certain degree determine how others see us.
If we think where will this thought take me, what is the possible end destination? Then it is easier to change the thought at its inception. We don’t always choose what pops into our heads, but we do choose what we allow to stay there. We always choose where we dwell, whether that is our thoughts or our emotions.
How do I think about myself? How do I think about others? How do I talk about myself and others? Do I speak positively or negatively? Am I self-deprecating in the way I speak about myself? Do I make myself smaller around others? Do I make others feel smaller in my presence? Do I try to lift and inspire those around me? Are the words I speak honest? Do the words I speak create conflict and resentment? Do I admit my mistakes and try to make them right?
“Improving Your Heart’s Spiritual Health”
“First, Strengthen Your Relationship with Christ”
Seeking a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ changes you. It changes your heart, your desires, your thoughts, your actions. It changes how you see yourself and how you see others. It changes what you want. Jesus Christ’s mission in mortality was to show us how to change.
On a personal level, you come to know your elder brother who loves you dearly. You get to know someone who has a great sense of humor and a depth of empathy that knows no bounds (at least that I have found).
Like any relationship, it takes time and effort to build. Mostly this comes through scripture study, learning about His life, and prayer. My prayers now aren’t always formal or structured. Sometimes I just talk to Him. Then I listen. Listening is important.
The more I do, the closer I become. In his talk Elder Barcellos speaks of the sanctification of the hearts of the Nephites: “They did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.”
Is my Savior a part of my day? Have I made time to really come to know Him? How can I strengthen my relationship with Him?
“Second, Align Your Will with His”
The Savior has given us several ways in which we can start doing this. In John 14:15, he stated, “ If you love me keep my commandments.” He has also told us to love thy neighbor as thyself (Matt 22:39), and if you love me, feed my sheep ( John 21:16). Those are all place we can start to align our will with His.
In a more personal way, we can seek revelation on how He would have us do this. What individual ways would we have us align to His will? What would He have us change to be in alignment with His will? What are we doing that we need to stop? What aren’t we doing that we need to be doing?
These are hard questions to ask. They are deeply personal questions. You have to be ready not only to ask them but to have them answered. Because when they are asked sincerely, they will be answered. Whether we are ready for the answer is a different discussion.
With faith and trust, if you choose to not only ask but listen to and act on the answer, expect miracles to follow. Large or small, they will come. Look for them. Recognize them for what they are, and be grateful.
“Last, Serve God and Others with All Your Heart”
“The Savior invites all to “serve him with all your heart.” When we choose to do each thing the Lord has asked us to do – …. with a sincere heart and real intent, each act of service and worship becomes a powerful spiritual experience that strengthens our faith and testimony and fills our hearts with joy and love for God and our fellow man.”
Serving the Lord is serving others. What we do for others we do for Him. There will be times we are asked to do specific things for Him or to serve in a particular way. Even if it is not something you have done before, if you do your best. If you put your heart into it. Your effort, your service will be appreciated by the Lord.
We all serve differently. It doesn’t have to be organized or structured. Serving others can be a kind smile, helping a neighbor with their groceries, chatting with the person in line. The small things matter.
I have a sign in my home that says “Because Nice Matters”. It does. Kindness matters. It makes others feel good, feel loved and appreciated. They are often little things that we don’t think about later. To those receiving it they often don’t stop thinking about it for a while. So be kind. Serve others with the love you have to give and wish to receive. In doing so you will come closer to your Savior and He will give you more opportunities to serve.
Remember you are His great work. Your life, your heart, your path back home. So come to know Him. Trust Him with your heart, and let Him show you who you can become.
