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