This little piggy goes to the market ...

D&C 84:109-110 "Therefore, let every man stand in his own office, and labor in his own calling; and let not the head say unto the feet it hath no need of the feet; for without the feet how shall the body be able to stand? Also the body hath need of every member, that all may be edified together, that the system may be kept perfect."

I had always appreciated the value of this metaphor as it pertained to priesthood callings. I recognize that every calling, whether its the ward magazine chairperson or the Bishop plays a part in keep the church running properly. But I had never considered the implications of this metaphor breaking into the realm of reality until yesterday.

I tripped on a blanket in the hallway, and stumbled forward into the doorway of my bedroom. The door was wide open, so only the 1.5 inch wide section of the door was exposed to the hallway. As I lunged forward, my fourth and fifth toes jammed into the door, separating the first two "piggies" from their loving compatriots. The end result was a pair of toes that pointed east instead of north.

These two toes probably represent less than .1% of my body's mass, yet I am unable to walk properly without their aide. I now have taped toes, a wooden shoe, and a cane to help me perform my daily labors. I look forward to tomorrow morning when I will attempt to drive to work.

The moral of the story is that every calling in the church is important, and you're life will be immensely more difficult if you slam your toes into a doorway!

The Quickening

I have noticed a change in a number of my brothers in the gospel lately. More of us seem to be doing our home teaching. I know of many of you who diligently attend the temple every week as a group of brethren. Topics of a spiritual nature are creeping into conversations regarding football and pop culture. It feels like the level of spirituality is increasing in many members of our ward.

Why is this the case? Nephi prophesied of a time when the power of the Lamb of God "descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory." Robert Millet, author of "Men of Valor", suggests that that day and time prophesied by Nephi are upon us.

The recent changes I've noticed are evidence of that fact. As we become converted to the Lord, we naturally desire to be in his temples. As we become converted, we desire to serve the Lord and gain a relationship with Him. We can't afford to be complacent. The stakes are too high for us and for our families.

It is not enough to merely have a testimony of the gospel. A testimony is a necessary but insufficient condition for salvation. Even the devils "believe and tremble" (James 2:19). It is time for us to "awake from a deep sleep, arise from the dust and be men." It is time for us to "put on the armor of righteousness", for we are truly at war against the adversary and his minions.

"We have a world to awaken, a society to save, an ensign to erect, a message to deliver - a message containing glad tidings of great joy." (Men of Valor)

If you have not felt the Spirit working on your heart, I ask you if you can feel it now? It is time to ask yourself, "What kind of man have I become." Even more important, it is time to ask yourself, "What kind of man do I want to be?" Perhaps most important, "What kind of the man does Heavenly Father and the Savior need me to be?"

Truly, as the revelations attest, "the enemy is combined" (D&C 38:12), and modern Israel's righteous force will be successful in deflecting the fiery darts of the adversary only to the extent that the men of God take their rightful place as "mighty men of valor."

The priesthood is the power and authority of God, delegated to men on earth, to act in all things pertaining to the salvation of the human family. It is God's power, loaned for a season to you and me, to make a difference in a world that desperately needs it. It is the Almighty's authorization, a divine investiture of authority, to bless people and preserve goodness and decency in our society.

If ever there was a time, if ever there was a season, if ever there was a cause that cried out for men of purpose and men of purity to step forward and draw upon the powers of heaven, it is today.

The God of us all expects those who have been ordained to stand in the office to which they have been called; to take up their cross daily - to deny themselves of ungodliness and every worldly lust; to occupy their minds with uplifting thoughts, to ponder upon that which is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and worthy of praise; to avoid places and influences and even people that would degrade or dilute the power of the priesthood; to rise up and reach out to make a difference; and to allow the holy priesthood to be felt and enjoyed by every member of the family, thereby creating within the home a bit of heaven on earth.

It is time for us to awake, to nudge our consciences, to educate our desires, to call us to higher ground, and to provoke us to glimpse and grasp the power with which we have been endowed.

If we will let Him, Jesus Christ will shine his kindly and Kingly light upon us and through us. The time to step forward and be counted is now.

It is my hope that each of us can strive to follow the counsel of President Hinckley and strive to "Stand a little taller" each and every day. Thank you for your examples and inspiration that you have provided me. I highly encourage everyone to read "Men of Valor" by Robert Millet. It will surely inspire you and help you on your quest to become more like the Savior. I look forward to His glorious Second Coming and pray that we all might be ready.

Owen Mecham

The Peacegiver

I have to thank Jason Christensen for a great book recommendation. "The Peacegiver" provides a totally unique view of the Atonement and the power it has in our lives. The story is compelling and the examples from the scriptures shed a perspective on the Atonement that I had not read before. Without giving it all away, here is a summary of some of the insights I gleaned from this book.

1. We are each of us sinners, entitled to nothing but hell and therefore utterly and equally dependent upon the mercies of the Lord.



2. I can receive of the Lord's mercy - and the happiness, healing, and peace that attend it - only to the extent I extend the same to others.



3. The Lord mercifully removes any justification for failing to extend mercy to others. For the Lord has taken the sins of others upon his own head and personally atoned for them. What possible justification could there be for demanding more for others' sins than the Lord has given?



4. I can recover mercy by remembering Abigail's offering, the Lord's question to Jonah, and my own sins, the memory of which brings me to the Lord and invites me to rediscover his mercy and peace.

This book is a quick read but I promise that it will provide insights into the Atonement that will make you think more about the Lord's sacrifice on your behalf.

Our Beloved Prophet

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the impact that President Hinckley has had on my life. When I heard the news, my first reaction was sadness, because I had lost such a great leader. Those feelings quickly turned to joy as I imagined the sweet reunion of the Prophet and his eternal companion. I have no doubt where our prophet is and who he is with.

One of my favorite things about President Hinckley is his upbeat and positive attitude. He was always the optimist amidst a world of chaos and turmoil. His message was always one of encouragement, to "stand a little taller". That's what I want to focus on this year. To do a little bit better tomorrow than I did today.

I had the opportunity to teach in Elder's quorum today, and the discussion centered on President Hinckley and on the restoration of the gospel. During the prophet's funeral services, I couldn't help but notice that the first thing that was mentioned in the opening prayer was thankfulness for the restoration. The restoration was mentioned numerous times throughout the service. Having a testimony of the first vision and the prophet Joseph Smith is central to being a member of this faith.

In his last two addresses, the prophet bore strong testimony of the restoration. The prophet said "To you, this day, I affirm my witness of the calling of the Prophet Joseph, of his works, of the sealing of his testimony with his blood as a martyr to the eternal truth. Each of you can bear witness of the same thing. You and I are faced with the stark question of accepting the truth of the First Vision and that which followed it. On the question of its reality lies the very validity of this Church. If it is the truth, and I testify that it is, then the work in which we are engaged is the most important work on the earth."

Thank you President Hinckley for your life, for your tireless work in building the kingdom of God. I have come to know more of the Savior by listening to your council and applying it to my life. God be with you til we meet again!