November 23-29, 2020
This week was a lot of fun but it was busy meeting deadlines at work and getting stockings mailed in the first half of the week. Paul went into lab every day this week except for Thanksgiving. He's feeling very motivated to work on his project.
Good morning brothers and sisters. My name is Sarah Roberts. My husband, Paul, and I recently moved to Dallas over the summer. We are originally from Salt Lake City, Utah where we both grew up but we did not meet until after our missions. We both went to Utah State and met at work. We dated and after a year got married. We both graduated and moved to Dallas so that Paul could pursue his PhD in chemistry from UT Southwestern Medical Center. I am currently working in a patent law firm as a practice assistant. We are both enjoying our time here in Dallas so far and are excited to get to know the ward better.
I am grateful for the Bishops call for Paul and me to speak today and we are glad for the opportunity to stand up and introduce ourselves. I was asked to speak on Elder Rasbands’ talk given this past April entitled, “Fulfillment of Prophecy.” In his talk, Elder Rasband recounts examples of various Old and New Testament prophecies and how the latter-day work currently underway is a direct fulfillment of such prophecies.
The first example he gave was Daniel in saying that the gospel will roll forth as a stone “cut out of the mountain without hands” meaning that the Lord will intervene to ensure His work is done. It is a blessing to assist in God’s work because it helps us grow and become more like our Savior and prepare us for the life to come. I was able to assist in the Lord’s work while serving in my mission and Elder Rasbands words remind me of the scripture I chose when beginning that experience, 1 Nephi 13:37, which reads:
And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
This scripture promises that as we seek to bring forth Zion, we will be blessed with the Holy Ghost and as we publish peace, we will be beautiful in the eyes of God.
The second example Elder Rasband gives is how the temple dedication in Rome is another fulfillment of ancient prophecy. He notes that the Apostle Paul wrote that in the fulness of times, God would “gather … in one all things in Christ.” In discussing his unique experience in the temple in Rome, Elder Rasband noted how special it was to be in the same place where Peter and Paul bore testimony of the Savior and of latter day work all those years ago.
The third example was how the Book of Mormon is a fulfillment of prophecy in that it has been translated into many different languages. It has been made possible for more people than ever before to be taught in their own language and receive the blessings of the gospel in a way that they can understand and embrace. I know that there is nothing that makes me feel closer to God than reading in the Book of Mormon and living the principles that are contained in it. I am grateful that this book is made available to people throughout the world and that God is no respecter of persons, He wants all people to come to Him regardless of their language or background.
The final example Elder Rasband recounts is that of Elijah promising that the hearts of the children will turn to their fathers. Temple work is definitely an ongoing project as more temples are built worldwide and as work for the dead is performed. It is a fulfillment of the scripture: “and it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, … and all nations shall flow unto it.” I love temples because they have inspired a love of family history in my family. Through family history research with my dad, I have learned of my ancestors in England who originally accepted the gospel and through that were able to bless their families for generations. I actually had the opportunity to serve in the very town in England where these ancestors lived before they heeded the call to gather in the United States. Temples draw us to our heritage, and I felt my heart turn to them and find strength in their stories of faith and sacrifice.
Listening and reading this talk made me think of one of my personal favorite talks that was given by Elder Uchtdorf’s in April of 2014 entitled, “Are you Sleeping through the restoration?” Elder Uchtdorf discusses how we often think of the Restoration as an event that is done and over. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, restored the priesthood, and established the church. That was all done by 1830. He goes on to say that the restoration is an ongoing event that we need to choose once and for all to be a part of. Elder Rasbands talk is a testimony to that in showing many examples that have happened as recently as this year to show that the restoration is still ongoing.
So, the question is, what are we doing now to be a part of the restoration, to help the fulfilling of prophecy continue and ultimately to prepare for the second coming of Christ? Where do we start? Elder Uchtdorf gives the following suggestions:
First, he warns against being selfish and suggests we become more service oriented. We can start with our spouses and families. Next, he warns against addictions and bad habits and advises to prevent falling into temptation. We can go to our family members, church leaders, the Savior and professionals when needed to overcome addiction. We need to learn to eliminate these distractions from the Spirit. Lastly, he warns against being too busy. We need to prioritize our families and the gospel and not get lost in being busy for business sake or for recognition.
I would like to end with a quote from Elder Uchtdorf in which he says, “I testify that the cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the transformative power of the Holy Ghost can heal and rescue mankind.”
I just want to bear my testimony that the restoration is ongoing, and we are invited by our Savior to be a part of it. As we do, we will receive the Spirit and it will heal us and help us with our own ills and those we love.
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