We enjoyed a wonderful experience at the St. George Temple on Saturday as we joined the Little family and several other members of the Bermuda Ward in support of Kylie Little, who went through for the first time in anticipation of reporting to the MTC tomorrow as she embarks on her journey to the Ukraine Kiev Mission. The temple is always special - but that feeling of eternity always feels a little deeper when the experience is shared with loved ones. I watched Kylie throughout the session, the dinner afterwards, and the following day, noticing the brightness of her countenance. She had a perpetual smile and glow about her. Kylie came to the Mission Preparation Class for the last time, along with her entire family. She opened the class by concluding her lesson on the Plan of Salvation. And, since she speaks some German and little (if any) Russian (yet), I asked her to share her testimony in German. Kylie, ever willing to give her best, jumped in with both hands and feet - on the fly. She did a wonderful job. At the conclusion of the class, Ben Little stood and presented some comments related to the lesson at my request, and ended with some expressions of love to Kylie. Immediately after the class, we gathered in the High Council room of the stake center for Kylie to be set apart. Again, there were many members of the Bermuda Ward there in support of Kylie, along with her family. As she sat in a chair at the end of the long conference table, her face glowed. She looked so beautiful and pure. The spirit was present and strong, as President Davie set Kylie apart, and thereafter asked Kylie to share her feelings to the group. Kylie spoke of her experience in the temple the preceding day, where she felt the peace and comfort of Heavenly Father’s love, assuring her that she was worthy to be there, that He is pleased with her willingness to serve Him. I was just struck with the love and peace so evidence in her countenance. Maralea, likewise struck with the same observations, later asked me if I noticed Kylie’s bright countenance. We talked about the gradual change we noticed in Kylie in the weeks and months leading up to her mission call and departure. Something Kylie said at her setting apart impressed me. While attending school in Boston, MA, she was surrounded by highly intelligent LDS people who knew the gospel exceptionally well and regularly added great insights during gospel related discussions. She said (paraphrasing): “My calling was to handle the bulletin. And one day I decided that I wanted to be the kind of person that could have that kind of gospel knowledge and conviction.” Kylie knew this would not happen over night. It would be a gradual process that would occur over time, beginning with making commitments and changes in her life, exercising discipline to keep commitments and make changes, and having the patience and faith that her desired lifestyle changes would bring her closer to Heavenly Father and His peace, comfort and love. This weekend, we were witnesses to the realization of those blessings having been showered down upon Kylie. They were blessings she desired, blessings for which she was willing to sacrifice, blessings that were more than evident to all who love her.
Kylie’s experience and example got me thinking about our countenance and how we have complete control of it. It takes daily care, like a gardener caring for his plants: such as preparation of the soil, planting of the seeds, feeding with nutrients and water, protection from threats such as weeds and bugs. A careful gardener thinks of the plants often, checks on them. Without this daily care, enemies to the garden appear almost overnight. They threaten to takeover and spoil the harvest. A wonderful, fruitful garden does not happen over night, but the fruit comes in due time, in the season of harvest. The gardener, then, works with a vision of harvest ever present in mind. In Alma’s beautiful analogy of the seed (Christ), he taught:
“if ye give place, that a seed [Christ] may be planted in your heart . . . if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.” (Alma 32:28.)
As the carefully planted seed (Christ) is nourished in our hearts (which must be carefully prepared with good soil, meaning that our heart is pure, soft - good ground), it “sprouteth up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.” (Alma 32:34.) And“as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.” (Alma 32:37.) This is the state of the faithful. Alma then warns: “if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.” (Alma 32:38.) Kylie demonstrated, by example, the process by which this process takes place - and it is beautiful to behold! I can only imagine how beautiful her countenance will be when she returns home in 18 months with so many rich spiritual experiences in her service of the Lord.
The Prophet Daniel demonstrated like faithfulness as a youth. When he and his young brethren (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) were favored in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar, they were ordered to partake of the king’s table, including rich meats and wine. (Daniel 1:4-15.) Daniel prevailed upon the prince on the king’s errand to allow him and his brethren to have a different diet, “that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8.) In other words, Daniel and his brethren had a spiritual code of health under the Law of Moses to which they were committed. They agreed to a 10 day experiment with the diet. (Daniel 1:12.) Daniel said: “Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.” (Daniel 1:13.) What happened? “And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.” (Daniel 1:14-15.) This was more than a physical blessing. It was a spiritual blessing for their obedience and love for the Lord. This kind of faith nurtured the seed of faith in their hearts that would enable them to perform great miracles and serve as wonderful instruments in the hands of God.
We are given a beautiful account of the Savior’s visit to the Nephites in the Americas, when the people collectively prayed in His presence at His command.
“And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof.” (3 Nephi 19:25.)
As we follow the Savior, and plant His seed in our hearts, nourish the seed, and live daily to become more like Him, our countenance begins to shine. It is tangible. It is real. The gladness and power of the gospel illuminates from our eyes, our smile, and our thoughts and desires become aligned with the Savior. It then becomes natural (second hand) to live in but apart from the world. I am grateful for the reminder I received this weekend of the kind of countenance I desire to have. Kylie will serve well. There is no doubt about that. Her countenance tells me all I will ever need to know in that regard. May we be ever faithful, to do and be likewise.
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