exactness in obedience

 On my mission I heard one phrase repeated probably more that any other phrase (well, except for "I know that...", "It's in the Lord's hands", and "Dear Heavenly Father..."). That phrase is, "Obedience brings blessings. Exact obedience brings miracles." While this is a concept I trusted in and practiced full-heartedly during my mission days, it's one that I have not really thought about in normal life until recently. I became a temple worker late last year and have had several experiences that have taught me about the importance of obedience in my life. There are promised blessings great and small that I want dearly in my life. Obedience will open doors and make me worthy of those blessings, and probably make me a happier person anyway.

I won't talk about the experiences mentioned above in detail because of their sacredness, but I want to discuss a couple general ideas that have been swimming around my head recently. The first is the importance of being obedient simply because we are in the service of God, a perfect being, and we want to be worthy of His blessings. Whether we are currently called as a full-time missionary, a temple worker, or just a small calling in a ward, we are still participating in the work of God. Each calling, great or small, has an effect in the eternities in the lives that calling touches. The Lord has the canny ability to use imperfect, weak people to bring about amazing things, but I have found in my life that the closer I am to the Lord, the more opportunities I am given in my life to serve and be the Lord's hands. As a visiting teacher, I have two sisters and my companion who might be touched by my warm smile on a hard day, a friendly moment of random chatter at a lonely time,  or my testimony on a principle that they are struggling with. Yet, if I am not doing what I need to have the Spirit with me, would I give that smile, take the moment to reach out of myself and talk with that sister, or give the right message during a visit? Similarly, in the temple, VERY sacred ordinances are performed there in which I get to participate. My personal worthiness and way of living affects how well I can perform my duties and what type of Spirit I am able to feel and share in the house of the Lord. The way I dress, how I use my time, and what media I watch/listen to affects me in ways I didn't always realize before. When we are obedient to the Lord, He can trust us with the children He loves so dearly, and He can trust us to be His hands.

Obedience, perfect obedience is not easy. I have my favorite transgressions just like the next person, and it takes a lot of humility, and sometimes heartbreak, to give those stumbling blocks up and hand them over to Jesus Christ. Sometimes its a TV show, a song, or a favorite pass time. Sometimes its laziness, holding onto a past sin and guilt, or withholding love from yourself. Sometimes its giving up without even trying, denying someone else love, or not magnifying a calling. As I typed this, several of these were revelations to myself too. What are we not giving up? What are we not doing? We have a Savior who took everything onto Himself so that we wouldn't have to suffer as He did. He took on Him our pains, our sins, our weaknesses, our mistakes, etc. and His invitation is for us to let Him into our lives so that we can taste of that Atonement, of the peace and cleansing and strengthening. How do we receive that power in our lives? Obedience to God's commandments--those of commission (actively doing something wrong) and omission (not doing something right).

This is all fine and dandy, but does obedience really work? Is it really worth it to watch what I wear or what media I choose? Is it worth it to take time to think about what I'm praying or actually study my scriptures? Is it worth it to attend FHE or go to the temple often? The answer is simple: yes. Following the commandments and guidance of God brings meaning to life, peace in hard times, an added measure of the Holy Ghost to answer questions and guide our steps, more true love and joy, and many other blessings we couldn't even imagine. So next time you think you want to slip on your study that day, think twice. What blessings are you passing up?

There is a small picture in our hallway that my roommate put up. It is a simple sketch of a little girl holding on tightly to a small teddy bear. Christ is standing in front of her with one hand held out to her and one holding a huge teddy bear behind His back. Written above the little girl are the words, "But I love it God," and above Christ, "Just trust me,.." The little girl didn't realize that God wanted to give her an even greater blessing than what she had, but she had to give up what she had in order to have the other. Faith means taking a step into the dark and watching God light the next step in front of you. "Exact obedience brings miracles."