President H. Ross Workman, the President of the Laie temple, began his devotional address with the story of a young man preparing to graduate. President Workman’s August 16th devotional was entitled, “They Rejected the Heavenly Gift, Would You?’ The young man wanted a sports car for his graduation present. When his graduation day came, he was expecting the present because of his father’s wealth. He opened a small box and saw a bible. He rejected the gift from his father and was angry with him because he did not get what he wanted. He had not seen his father for many years and had a family of his own. His father passed away and he went back to the house. He saw the Bible that he had been given and noticed that Matthew 7:11 had been highlighted. A key to the sports car he had asked for then fell out of the Bible. He had rejected the gift that he had wanted without knowing it. He had felt a tremendous amount of regret because he had also rejected his father.
President Workman explained that God has proposed a plan in which His children can become like him. The plan had risks, because some of His children would not become like Him. Satan rejected the plan and wanted everyone to become like him but have no agency. Satan with a third of the hosts of heaven chose to leave because they did not want to participate in God’s plan.
God gave Adam and Even gifts when they were married. He gave them the inheritance of the earth, Dominion over the earth (Priesthood), and the power to multiply. He also gave examples throughout the Bible, when the Lord’s gifts were rejected. For example, the children of Israel rejected His gift by worshipping a golden calf.
Satan wishes to deprive everyone of his or her inheritance. Workman asked the audience, what occupies your thoughts? What is your idol? Some sports of leisure activities take people away from the Lord, according to President Workman. He gave the example of one retired couple that did not want to serve a mission because they wanted to have some leisure time. He also gave the example of one couple that had to endure a lot of hardships to serve on Christmas Island. On this Island the couple had to have their own well for water, build a small home, have limited medicines and health care, and other hardships.
President Workman described that Heathen religions were popular because they institutionalized promiscuity. He read a poem by Alexander Pope about vice and how people begin to accept it.
"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace."
President Workman described how Satan controls the media. He said that violence is often portrayed as satisfying revenge in television and often the media shows happiness solely from wealth. He explained that virtue is extremely importance and told the story of Joseph, who refused Potiphar’s wife. By refusing her, Joseph was able to prove to Heavenly Father that he could be trusted. Heavenly Father gives the gift that families can be together forever and that families can continue to be created. Satan can never have this power and wishes for others to reject it. Workman told how infant sacrifice is one way that this gift was rejected. Today, with abortions the gift of eternal families is rejected. In one year there were 3,700 abortions everyday in the United States and 42 million worldwide. Another way this gift can be rejected is by preventing children from being created. He talked about how same sex marriage is a way that this gift is rejected.
He talked about the early saints in Nauvoo, who dedicated certain places in the temple so that they could get their work done. Even though there was a fear of mobs, these saints understood the importance of accepting the gifts that are received in the temple. In one day 295 people received temple ordinances. He told about his relative, James Blake from the Martin Handcart company. Blake never wavered in his faith even though he went through a lot of loss. He accepted the gift that the Lord offered and never wavered. Workman ended with his testimony that everyone is offered the gift to become as our Heavenly Father is. He said, “He promised you the gift. Never reject the gift.”
To read or watch the full devotional, click here.
Photo by Mei Yin.