Grace

One of my all time favorite parables is that of the prodigal son. You remember the story of the wealthy man whose son asked for his inheritance from his father, and then the young man took this money and spent it all on riotous living and returned broken, forlorn, and penniless to his father’s home. You can read about this in Luke 15. There are many reasons why this is a favorite of mine, but just a couple I want to mention follow:

At the beginning of the chapter the Pharisees and scribes ridicule the Savior because He was receiving sinners unto Himself and eating with them. So the Lord spake a parable to them about the lost sheep (Luke 15:4-6)

Then He explained to them the real meaning “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”

But not wanting them to misunderstand, He also shared the parable of the lost coin to make His point. (Luke 15:8-9)

Again He emphasized “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Alas, to reiterate His point, He then finished with the parable of the prodigal son. This boy willfully rebelled against his father. He was forewarned but did not heed the warning and everything happened just as he was told it would—but he was still forgiven and though he felt unworthy to return to his home, the father placed his finest robe on his son, and shoes on his feet, and a ring on his finger, and killed the fatted calf and made merry. (Luke 15:11-24)

“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” And that’s my favorite part because each one of us is that misguided boy. We have all made mistakes and are unworthy of the blessings in store for us, but we don’t receive these blessings because we deserve them. We receive them because our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us despite our shortcomings.

The Lord suffered for our infirmities that we might be healed and reunited as families with Him. He offers us salvation and freedom from the effects of every barrier to our return.

That’s what it means to be saved by grace.

Ephesians 2:8

More reading about Salvation: By Grace or Works?

Cheating Oneself

Fam,

We had a inspiring sacrament meeting today. One young man shared the following witness by Gordon B. Hinckley:

"In the Church we sing a stirring hymn, 'We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet.' It is distinctive with us. As a people we sing some hymns that have come from other churches, and others sing some of ours. But only we can properly sing, 'We thank thee, O God, for a prophet to guide us in these latter days.'

It was written more than a century ago by a man of humble circumstances who lived in Sheffield, England. He worked in the steel mills and was discharged because he joined the Mormon Church. But there burned in his heart a great and fervent testimony; and out of an overflowing spirit of gratitude, he penned these moving lines. They have become a grateful expression of appreciation for millions over the earth. I have heard them sung in many different languages as a reverent prayer of thanksgiving for divine revelation.

How thankful we ought to be, how thankful we are, for a prophet to counsel us in words of divine wisdom as we walk our paths in these complex and difficult times. The solid assurance we carry in our hearts, the conviction that God will make His will known to His children through His recognized servants, is the real basis of our faith and activity. We either have a prophet or we have nothing; and having a prophet, we have everything."

You have all heard the story of Naaman. He was a “captain of the host of the king of Syria.” He was a “great man with his master [the king], and honourable [and] a mighty man in valour” (2 Kgs. 5:1). The problem was that Naaman also had leprosy. He sought intervention from God's prophet, Elisha. But when Elisha said through his servant, Gehazi, “Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean” (2 Kgs. 5:10), the mighty Naaman was taken aback and confused. He had anticipated that the Israelite prophet would work a miracle on the spot—calling on the name of the Lord and in a sweeping demonstration of great power, “strike his hand over the place” to cure his leprosy (2 Kgs. 5:11). He became upset and in a fit of anger stormed away from Elisha’s house.

But then Naaman's servants approached him and said in essence if he had commanded you to do "some great thing" wouldn't you have done it? How much easier it would be to do a small or simple thing, like bathing in the river Jordan? The now humbled Naaman accepted his enlightened servants’ advice and, in an act of great faith, chose to obey. “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Kgs. 5:14).

Of course, Naaman was delighted, and he returned to the house of Elisha and tried to give him a gift, but Elisha would receive none, and Naaman departed. Well, Gehazi followed Naaman and told him a lie that Elisha had sent him to get money and resources. Naaman happily consented. But it wasn't long before Gehazi's deceptions were discovered, and he was cursed with the leprosy that had been Naaman's.

How close Naaman came to not receiving this great blessing. To be dishonest is cheating yourself. Follow the prophet. Be true to his words, for they speak the will of God. And our Deliverer waits to give us bounteous blessings in return for our obedience.

A Contrast in Obedience

In closing, I want to share with you the story of Conrad N. Hilton of the Hilton Hotel chain who said "I have been taught that there is one person in the world you never want to fool, and that is yourself, because that is plain stupidity."

Mr. Hilton told about a plain bar of iron being worth about five dollars. But that same iron, if made into horseshoes, would be worth $10.50. If it were made into needles, it would be worth $3,285. And if turned into balance springs for watches, its worth would be over $250,000.

On Cheating Yourself (take time to read this article by President Spencer W. Kimball)

You have been promised wealth untold if you are obedient.

Obedience will make you happier, stronger, and better--just like it did Naaman.

Your blessings await you.

I love you, dad

More reading:
Obedience--the Path to Freedom (James E. Faust)

Covered

Mom and I have been working in the Primary for some time. We recently accepted a new assignment to serve in the nursery. These little children are tender, kind, and sweet. They love their parents and look to them for support and comfort. Being separated from them for even a short time can be daunting. Mom comforts them by singing softly in the background. I was holding a little tyke this morning and swaying with him when Melanie peered into the room. She just smiled. When we came home after church, she continued.

"That was so funny to see you guys in there. When I came up, dad was holding a small boy and dancing. I was surprised. Most guys cannot multi-task."

That gave me a good laugh. I start with that funny little experience because it leads right into the topic I want to address. Family is so important. The joy and happiness in life is directly related. Our lives and happiness revolve around our families. We have many examples of that.

Moroni, chief commander of the Nephite armies, promoted the Title of Liberty. Moroni prepared this banner to inspire the Nephite people to defend their religion, freedom, peace, and families. We, too, can raise a banner to which we can grasp in times of difficulty. When Jesus Christ visited the Nephites following his resurrection, He commanded them "to hold up your light that it may shine to the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up." 3 Nephi 18:24

We don't know what will happen tomorrow. The future can seem unsure. The effects of our choices may not be felt immediately, but even in the uncertainty of today's ups-and-downs, our decisions will certainly play a significant role within our lives. Every choice we make has a consequence. Every blessing we receive is through obedience to law upon which it is predicated. Doctrine & Covenants 130:20,21

Rich meaning is found in the word atonement in the Semitic languages of Old Testament times. In Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar, a verb that means “to cover” or “to forgive.” Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning “a close embrace”—no doubt related to the Egyptian ritual embrace. References to that embrace are evident in the Book of Mormon. One states that “the Lord hath redeemed my soul … ; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.” Another proffers the glorious hope of our being “clasped in the arms of Jesus.”

We love our Heavenly Father, as well. During difficult times, we look to Him for support and comfort. Being separated from our family for even a short time can be daunting. The Lord comforts us by sending His angels (on both sides of the veil) to bear us up. Doctrine & Covenants 84:88

And so it is in your life. There will be hard times and difficult circumstances we will be called to face. Yet we may all receive the blessings available to us if we will but follow Jesus Christ and keep His commandments. Because of the Atonement, we are covered.

I love you, dad

Onward Christian Soldiers

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!
Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.
Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.
Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.
More reading: Richard M. Nelson discusses the Atonement

Just keep gettin' up

What's the difference between success and failure? There are a lot of insightful answers out there on the Web.

I have enjoyed reading many of them. I appreciate people's perspectives and experience. My favorite? "Getting up one more time than you fall down."

Unfortunately, I have been unable to find out who coined that definition. I keep getting unknown for the author.

When I was a boy, I used to play baseball on a team sponsored by United Fence. This was back in the day when baseball was the talk of young boys everywhere, and what was especially neat is that it was the same team as my brother Gregg was on. Of course, I admired Gregg and his friends since they were older and much better at baseball. But Gregg in particular took on the task of helping mentor me and welcomed me into his circle of friends. That meant the world to me then and is still a source of strength to this very day. He boosted my confidence when I needed encouragement. In my mind, Gregg could have been the one that came up with that saying.

There were others I admired then too like Babe Ruth who incredibly hit 714 home runs back in 1914-1935. What's so cool about that to me is his achievement was back when nobody else was even close. But it is also interesting to note that he had 1330 strikeouts, way more than his peers. He could have been the one to author that thought.

Or it could have been Albert Einstein. He is well-known for his accomplishments right? Well even Einstein had his challenges. He did not speak until he was 4-years-old and did not read until he was 7. His parents thought he was "sub-normal," and one of his teachers described him as "mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams." He was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. He did eventually learn to speak and read. We are still trying even today to comprehend his accomplishments in math. Einstein could have been the person behind the adage.

As a young man, Abraham Lincoln went to war a captain and returned a private. Afterwards, he was a failure as a businessman. As a lawyer in Springfield, he was too impractical and temperamental to be a success. He turned to politics and was defeated in his first try for the legislature, again defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for congress, defeated in his application to be commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his efforts for the vice-presidency in 1856, and defeated in the senatorial election of 1858. At about that time, he wrote in a letter to a friend, "I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth." President Lincoln has been remembered as one of the greatest Presidents of our country. But he faced tremendous challenges before he ever achieved that status. He too could have authored the thought about getting up one more time after a fall.

Of course, the obstacles these men faced didn't prevent them from rebounding and accomplishing great tasks. But these hurdles helped make them the great men they became. They are well-known and respected for their achievements even today.

And so it is with you. You, too, can overcome the obstacles you face in life. The Lord has provided the great plan of happiness. Confronting your struggles with faith will help you become stronger and better. I am so proud of all of you and admire your courage.

Well, I may never know who actually authored that wise saying, but for me now, it just as well could have been my family. Because they're often the ones I think of for courageously facing challenges.

Privilege

I have been fortunate to rub shoulders with some really fine people. Certainly among these are grandparents, friends and acquaintances from Salt Lake, Castle Valley and Moab, people I have been privileged to work with side-by-side in the business world, mission field, and at school. I am especially grateful for family members. A sweet wife, beautiful daughters, and a fine son--all of whom I respect and admire for their amazing talents, friendships, and good qualities. But at this time, I am particularly mindful of my father. It is Grandpa's birthday today. He would be 83-years-old today. So this week, I am going to tell you a little bit more about my dad.

First, of course, he is known by many names: Grandpa, Father, uncle, President Stucki, and many other titles. But today I am going to refer to him affectionately as my dad. That was the most common term I used as a boy when referring to my father. Other boys would use terms like my old man or other speech that made the speaker sound cool, using the vernacular of my day. But I could never do that. I had too much love and respect for my father than to refer to him in such base, ungrateful, or disrespectful terms--it was something I could never do.

I have told some of you about the occasions in Salt Lake when Grandpa was serving as scout master. I had the chance to go with him on various camp outs, including East Fork of the Bear, the Grand Canyon, and other memorable outings. But what I may not have told you is that Grandpa always was on the look out for the lonely, the forgotten, or someone who just needed a boost. He had a special way of lifting others spirits and bringing joy to the downhearted. That was Grandpa's calling card--he always found the lonely, friendless, or otherwise needy, recognized them, and made sure they felt included. We have all felt lonely at one time or another, and many just like us have been comforted by my dad.

He was always happy, friendly, and available, even during difficult times. My friends and other acquaintances would ask me "Does your father always smile?" To which I would respond "Yeah. Pretty much always." I asked him once how he was always able to smile. He said "I just think of all my blessings, and I can't help but smile in appreciation."

We all felt we were Grandpa's favorite son, daughter, or grandchild. He had the ability to make each of us feel as though we were his favorite. That's because we are his favorite. He made sure each one of us understood we were dearly loved, and we knew it.

Everyday with dad was a privilege. I share the following anecdote from my journal from February 16, 1998:

"We had a fun outing this week I shall always remember with fondness. Dad & Mom came up to go with us out to dinner and then to the play Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Donny Osmond at Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah. We went to dinner together at Market Street Grill, then we drove to University of Utah. Mom and Dad pointed out sites such as the sorority and fraternity houses, things that had changed and things that were the same, and they shared experiences with us of how and when they first met. I remembered the stories vaguely, but it was good to hear them again. Dad told how he had first seen Mom, or rather a picture of Mom, while he was serving on his mission. His missionary companion had her picture. He later met her briefly at a skating party, but they were both with other dates on that particular evening. So it wasn’t until after this that Dad actually dated Mom. On his first date with Mom, she had invited him to her home for Thanksgiving dinner. That was the time the turkey hadn’t been fully cooked. Mom remembers it with abhorrence. Dad just smiles."

Dad also told me about an experience going to market to shop the clothing vendors for LaRies with his mother. Grandma always reserved her hotel accommodations several weeks prior to her trip, and although she usually went alone, this time she took my dad with her. Like usual, she received the confirmation from the Biltmore Hotel, where she regularly stayed, well before they left on the trip. When the time for the trip came, they flew to California and went to get their room at the hotel. The woman at the desk could not find their confirmation for a room. She called upon a supervisor to help find the reservation, but they simply had no record of the booking. Grandma showed them the confirmation the hotel had sent her verifying she had reserved a room, but tonight the rooms were full and regrettably the hotel could not accommodate them. This was upsetting particularly in light of Grandma’s thorough preparation. Trying to be helpful, the woman at the counter said that she had a friend in the lodging business, and she gave Dad and Grandma the address. So they followed this suggestion and rented a room from this other person and soon went to sleep for the night. In the middle of the night, they were awakened by lots of fire engines. They came across a bridge over a river and headed down the same street as they were on. They marveled at how many fire engines came one after the other and wondered where the fire was. In the morning when Grandma and my dad awoke, they saw on TV and heard news reports that the Biltmore hotel where they were supposed to have stayed had burned down that previous night. Many people had been killed or injured, and it was a dreadful scene, but one that had not involved Grandma and Dad because the Lord had caused their confirmation to be misplaced for the room in the hotel which tragically burned.

The Lord had great plans for Dad and Granny and our family. He protected him from harm and gratefully intervened when necessary to prolong his days. You, my loved ones, are one of the reasons that the Lord protected my dad and extended his life.

One of my most genuine memories of dad is how he loved and revered the Savior, Jesus Christ. He recognized and taught the importance of including the Savior in all testimonies, lessons, and prayers of thanksgiving even before the general Church leadership began to emphasize this. When the words "Another Testament of Christ" were added to the name of the Book of Mormon (1982), it was an answer to his prayers. He expounded on this principle in a letter written nearly ten years before he passed away. You have all heard his testimony:

"As sweet to me and powerful in my life as these things have been (he was referring to the numerous blessings received in his life), nothing brought more peace, and hope, and joy than has come from discovering the marvelous qualities of the Savior and all the gracious, loving and merciful things He has done for me and my loved ones. I cannot in any way repay Him, or properly thank Him. But this I can do, and seek with all my heart to do, and that is stand as a witness of the goodness of the Father in giving us such a leader and friend as the Savior” and "I think about the great sacrifices my parents and fore bearers made for me, and the great example they set of complete faithfulness to the Savior and His teachings in their lives. Now it's my turn. I would surely feel amiss to pass on to my posterity something less. (I will) stand as a witness that Christ is divine, has risen from the dead, and out of his love for us has overcome every barrier to our return to Heavenly Father, and enjoyment of the unspeakable joys of eternal life. I know that His teachings are the only way to happiness and peace in this life, for individuals and nations, and to joy in the life to come. All I do and say is in the hope that I might help His cause and help others come to Him for the right guidance in life, and the strength to do what's right. I know that through Christ sins can be overcome and forgiven, and lives changed, and hope restored."

That's what I remember about my father the most...that he loved and honored the Savior in word and deed and was anxiously engaged in His cause. And to be able to be part of that experience, for me, was a privilege.

How grateful I am for our Lord and Savior! Because of Him, we will see Grandpa again. The Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ will reunite us once again if we but follow Him. He has paid the price for our salvation and beckons us that we will follow Him, so that he can bless us and we, together, can receive a fullness of joy.

Grandpa knew that, and I know it, too.

I love you, dad

What I remember most about my dad

The prevailing memory I have of my father is that he loved the Savior Jesus Christ and gratefully served Him throughout his life. He was kind, patient, hard working, thoughtful, and loved by all who met him. He sought out the lonely and lifted the downtrodden, because he tried to emulate the qualities of the Redeemer. Of course, I have many fond memories of him and our experiences together to which I have written and will continue to write at great length. But to me the defining characteristic of my father is his love for the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In his own words:
Our Moab seminary teacher and his wife spoke in the Castle Valley branch some time ago. Her talk was on a matter I have long been concerned about. The problem comes into perspective at a sacrament meeting: Adults as well as children give tender loving praise for bishops, teachers, neighbors, and the prophet etc. But too few feel and express it for the Savior. We are not achieving our most important goal until we have established in the hearts of our children and the saints, an even greater love for Him. Friends may betray us, spouses may leave us, health may fail, and our possessions burn up. But Christ, His promises, understanding, and love will never fail us. With some trials and most tragedies, only this can get us through. When we can take a thankless, demanding calling; give up something we wanted greatly, so we can pay our tithing; or help out someone who has badly hurt us ... and say "I wouldn't do that for anyone, except I'll do it for Christ!" ... then the power for good He can have in our lives is becoming a reality. He must be the foundation of our lives.

"I think about the great sacrifices my parents and fore bearers made for me, and the great example they set of complete faithfulness to the Savior and His teachings in their lives. Now it's my turn. I would surely feel amiss to pass on to my posterity something less.

"As sweet to me and powerful in my life as the numerous blessings I have received, nothing brought more peace, and hope, and joy than has come from discovering the marvelous qualities of the Savior and all the gracious, loving and merciful things He has done for me and my loved ones. I cannot in any way repay Him, or properly thank Him. But this I can do, and seek with all my heart to do, and that is stand as a witness of the goodness of the Father in giving us such a leader and friend as the Savior”

(I will) stand as a witness that Christ is divine, has risen from the dead, and out of his love for us has overcome every barrier to our return to Heavenly Father, and enjoyment of the unspeakable joys of eternal life.

I know that His teachings are the only way to happiness and peace in this life, for individuals and nations, and to joy in the life to come.

All I do and say is in the hope that I might help His cause and help others come to Him for the right guidance in life, and the strength to do what's right.

I know that through Christ, sins can be overcome and forgiven, and lives changed, and hope restored."