The Weak and the Simple of the Church

Grandpa Robison's Experience Teaching Deacons

A number of years ago, just after moving to Provo, Utah, I was called to be the Deacons Quorum Advisor of the Sherwood Hills Ward. The month prior, I had been serving as the Bishop of the Burlington Ward in Ontario, Canada and then we moved to Utah.

Every Sunday, I would muster up my courage and go into that quorum of three boys and try to touch their hearts with something that would excite them about the gospel. I would follow the approved course of study, but sought for ways to reach the group, including our own son Jamie.

Each Sunday, the boys would lean back on their chairs, chew gum, and give me that "I dare you to teach me something I don't already know look." About six months later, I was called to be a Stake President. During my first week in that calling, I marveled at how the exact message I was giving to the high council and to the bishops of the Stake had been delivered to those deacons just a week prior. Only this time, rather than lean back on their chairs and chew gum, they leaned forward, took notes, and were reverently attentive. What a difference 40 more years makes added to the life of a deacon!

Well, those three boys all went on to serve valiant missions and it did not take 40 more years to produce wonderful servants of the Lord....it just took 7 more years (grin). This story came to my mind as I pondered the words of President Packer in the last General Conference. President Packer reminded us of these principles:

1) We sustain leaders and teachers in the Church whenever others are released. "It shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is know to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church. "(D&C 42:11)

2) All positions to teach and to lead are filled by members of the Church. "Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him form heave, and gave him commandments...the weak things of teh world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones." (D&C 1:17, 19-24)

To Every Member of the Church:

President J. Rueben Clark taught that it does not matter where you serve in the Church, but how. He also taught that one neither seeks nor declines a calling. Everything that is done in the Church, is done by ordinary people, just like you and me, "the weak things of the world."

Once a person receives the Holy Ghost, He will teach and comfort them and then they are prepared to receive whatever guidance, teaching, instruction or assignment the Lord would have them receive.

So this is another principle that distinguishes us from all other Churches: "No one of us is to consider himself of more value than the other." (D&C 38:24-25)

Little Girl at Parade in Brigham City, Utah

The story was told about a young girl in Brigham City named Janie Steed. I had a friend at BYU named John Steed. This could be his great grandmother. Anyway, she kicked a rock in front of a wagon carrying the prophet Brigham Young, during a parade and muttered, "He ain't no better than my grandpa!" All of the other children had been tossing out flower petals in front of the wagon as it passed. Well, you can imagine the shock of everyone around her and the older people quickly tried to correct young Janie.

President Packer continued, however, by saying that he is sure that Brigham Young would agree had he heard the comment. He would never consider himself of more worth than anyone else.

Will a frog jump high? Picture it!

When President Packer was first called to be a general authority, one of his high school teachers said "That just proves that you can't tell by looking at a frog, how high he is going to jump!"
Think of this image in your mind, as President Packer did. Make sure you picture that in such a way that you would never feel better than someone else.

As a final lesson by President Packer, he related the experience of when after this call to be a general authority, the First Presidency of the Church invited him in their office and asked him to bear his testimony. He was overwhelmed. What should he say? Well, he just bore the same testimony that he would bear any Fast Sunday in his home ward....plain and simple...and in the same words. The Brethren were pleased and proceeded then to set him apart.

He learned that he had, as you and I have "an abiding testimony in his heart of the Restoration of the fullness of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, that we have a Heavenly Father, and that Jesus Christ is our redeemer."

"It doesn't matter where you serve, but how"

This is what I knew when I taught those deacons and wondered if they were listening. These are the same words I used when a week later I counseled with bishops and stake presidents. It is the same message. None of us are more important in Heavenly Father eyes and as President J. Reuben Clark said "it doesn't matter where you serve, but how."