As a vital part of life for a person growing up in the LDS
culture, I have heard innumerable speeches; most of which, I have no
remembrance. It is really difficult for
me to recall spoken information, seeing that I am mostly a visual learner. But occasionally, one spoken gem will shine
like a lighthouse into the mysterious, foggy depths of my memory. My mission
president delivered one such speech to me.
He first called my attention by referring to ancient
hieroglyphs, which had to be deciphered and analyzed in order to be completely
understood. As the son of an
archaeologist, I had a vivid mental image of this concept in my mind. As he
explained that the scriptures also have these hidden meanings and messages inside
of them, he analyzed those meanings by asking us about each key word in one
verse of scripture; D&C 18:10.
He asked us what “worth” was, and what things were precious
to us in our lives. I learned about the
importance of a “soul,” or a child of God.
I was brought to ponder the things that are “great” to me. Everything
important, special, large, or extensive to me was pulled into my memory. A large turning point for me was when his
delivery method of effective questions brought me to realize that the scripture
does not ask what is great to us, but what is great to God. In my mind’s eye I
was whisked away from the earth, out through the solar system, to the edges of
the galaxy. But when I came to a halt, and beheld the greatness of the
universe, I realized that to Him, that was not something extensive, or great;
but I was.
That was something that Heavenly Father wanted me to
“remember.”
I have read or heard this verse of scripture hundreds of
times, but when the speaker used such an effective topical structure, and
delivered the message in a way that I had time in between questions to decipher
and imagine the messages, it became a lesson, that I will never forget.
