Elder Kenneth Johnson, Seventy and President of the Australia-New Zealand Area, admonished university faculty, staff and students at the devotional held on September 23, 2004, to live according to covenants made with the Lord.
Before he spoke, Elder Johnson's wife, Pamela, related a story from their life that exemplified Elder Johnson's personal commitment to covenants made with the Lord.
The birth of their only son came with complications that threatened the little boy's life. In a heartfelt prayer only a parent could offer, Elder Johnson pleaded with the Lord to spare his son's life. In return, Elder Johnson covenanted that he would turn his life over to the Lord.
The boy lived and grew to do "most everything boys and men do," Sister Johnson said, and Elder Johnson has faithfully served the Lord ever since in his personal life and in a variety of Church callings around the world.
To teach the importance of commitment to covenants, Elder Johnson compared the lives of two great men from the Old Testament - King David and Joseph sold into Egypt.
David displayed remarkable courage and commitment to the cause of Israel when he stood to face Goliath, the giant Philistine, on the field of battle. However, he was not strong enough to subdue his carnal desires when he looked upon Bethsheba.
"It appears that he was willing to sacrifice his life for the honour of his nation and yet lose his honour by yielding to temptation," Elder Johnson said. "There is, it seems, a difference between courageous behaviour and sustainable moral courage."
Joseph also demonstrated great courage and faith when he was sold into slavery by his brothers. He maintained his dignity and displayed great faith to gain the respect and trust of his master, Potiphar. His real strength, however, was displayed when he resisted the advances of Potiphar's wife.
"I wondered what it was that separated such great men at their moment of decision," Elder Johnson said. "Could it be that the answer is found in these words from the Book of Mormon?
"In 2 Nephi 3:4, when referring to Joseph who was sold into Egypt, it states, 'And great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph.' From studying the Biblical account it becomes apparent that Joseph remembered his covenants, and honoured them at the time of temptation, whereas David did not.
"There is, I believe, a significant difference between a commitment to live the Gospel and a covenant with the Lord to do so," Elder Johnson continued. "A covenant includes an extra dimension of spiritual power with the potential of supernal sanction. There is a binding power associated with making sacred covenants with the Lord, exceeding that which is possible in the promises of men."
Elder Johnson went on to debunk the selfish belief that happiness results from having things our way. In reality, he said, the very opposite is true.
He quoted Samuel Johnson, "one of the great minds of his day," who made the following observation:
"The fountain of content must spring up in the mind, and he who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts and multiply the griefs which he purposes to remove."
Elder Johnson added, "When we live according to the covenants, we see things from a different perspective. What were once believed to be insurmountable difficulties can become opportunities for personal growth and spiritual development."
Elder Johnson also taught that as we draw closer to the Lord, we become more sensitive to that which is "virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy," as stated in the thirteenth Article of Faith.
To illustrate this principle, he related a story from the life of Elder David B. Haight.
Elder and Sister Haight were on a boat returning from Scotland, where he had presided over the Scotland Edinburgh Mission, and decided to take in a movie. The movie was one they had enjoyed many years before and had esteemed as wholesome entertainment.
After seeing the movie again, they were led to believe that the movie was changed, including some scenes that they did not approve of. Upon further reflection, they concluded that the movie had not been changed, but they had changed.
"Such experiences provide an excellent indicator of our progress toward true discipleship," taught Elder Johnson.
However, he warned, if we do not act according to such sensitivities, we can be rendered "past feeling," as was the case of Laman and Lemuel.
"The more often a person feels without acting, the less he will be able to act, and in the long run, the less he will be able to feel," he said, quoting C.S. Lewis.
Elder Johnson shared many more principles from the scriptures and lessons he learned in his own personal life. Read his complete address.