Recently, while attending Snow College, I’ve had the privilege of associating with many young single adults in the church, many of whom are just out of high school, but ultimately are all in different phases of life.
Many times in the last year, I’ve listened to them talk about living commandments. All of us are at that point where parents are no longer bringing us to church, giving us a curfew, making sure we’re not drinking, or monitoring our text messages. They’re not there to remind us to pay tithing, go to the temple, or date people with the same standards.
We’re all adults out here, and we’re choosing to live the commandments on our own! So why, when I hear you talk about your standards, do I hear you say…
You “can’t”? You can’t drink tea? You can’t drink coffee? You can’t go to the store because it’s Sunday? You can’t have sex until you're married? You can’t watch that R-rated movie? You can’t wear that dress? You can’t stay out past midnight on that date? You can’t, you can’t, you can’t??
What the heck can you do? It’s no wonder that the rest of the world thinks we’re brain-washed!
Everyone, newsflash: You actually can because you were given agency when you came down here. If Satan had his way, then maybe you could use nonsense words like “can’t”.
But in this Gospel, we don’t teach people that we can’t do things. We teach them that we don’t do them. So...what is the difference?
You see, I can skip church on Sunday to sleep in and watch Netflix, but I don’t because I want to go to church. I can decline my calling in the ward, but I don’t because I like the feeling I get when I serve.
I can drink coffee at the coffee house across the street, but I don’t because I have faith that the Lord has asked me not to, and I know I’ll lose the Spirit if I do. (Plus I flat out think it smells gross.)
I can listen to explicit music about drugs and sex, but I don’t because I don’t feel uplifted by it.
I can watch pornographic movies with my buddies, but I don’t because it’s demeaning to what I believe God intended our bodies to be, and mocks the two greatest commandments to love.
Ultimately, I can do anything I want to do, but I don’t; I follow the teachings of Christ because I’ve learned that doing so allows me to have the Holy Ghost as my companion, and I wouldn’t sacrifice that for a cup of coffee or some movie.
Prophets and church leaders don’t issue standards to regulate our behavior to make us “old fashioned”; they issue standards because they’re a revealed formula that brings us closer to Christ by having the Spirit. They also bring us happiness!
We shouldn’t live commandments because we can’t do the alternative…we should live commandments because we choose to of our own free will and choice; because they are what make us happy; because we should want to live them.
So if you feel like commandments and the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet are lists of things you can’t do, I invite you to think again. If you feel like you only do things to avoid criticism and “judgment” from leaders and friends, I invite you to start truly seeking answers.
Consider why you live the standards you do. Seek to find the joy in living them, because that’s what they’re really there for.
“When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.” ― Ezra Taft Benson
“And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.” Mosiah 2:41
Thanks for reading!
God be with you till we meet again.
Sincerely,
Taylor, a dead missionary
