The Question

In this morning’s session of general conference, Elder Lawrence spoke about continually improving ourselves and seeking to understand what God would have us do to change.  He spoke about the story of the rich young man who had kept the commandments from his youth and came to the Savior with this question: “What lack I yet?” (Matt. 19:20).  The Savior told him to sell what he had, give it to the poor, and follow Him.  Elder Lawrence’s comment about the man was, “He was humble enough to ask the Lord, but not faithful enough to follow the divine counsel he was given.” 

His encouragement to us was that we need to be humble enough both to ask the Lord and to follow what the Spirit tells us to do.  He suggested that our answers will be custom to each of us as the Lord instructs us on what we should be working on to improve.  It really is the golden question, and surely for each of us the Lord will have an answer waiting for us that requires action on our part.  Are we ready to ask the question?

                Another instance in the New Testament that I think shows this same kind of personal introspection was when the apostles heard the Lord prophesy the betrayal of one of them.  Matthew’s text tells us, “And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?”  They easily could have started saying, “I think it’s him”—and surely they must have had some inkling that Judas was up to something.  It’s much easier to point to others and suggest their need for improvement, but it was a testament to their own humility as each of them pondered the possibility that maybe they would betray the Lord.  Ultimately the spirit of the question is the same as the rich young man’s.  They were willing to concede to the Lord that they had improvements to be made. 

                I think the great test them for us is to have the humility to ask the question.  Elder Lawrence testified that to this question we would get an answer; the Lord will tell us through His Spirit how we need to improve our lives if we ask with “real intent” as Moroni instructed (Moroni 10:4).  In reality I think we have to have the faith of the Brother of Jared who when asked by the Lord “Believest thou the words which I shall speak?” responded with great trust in God: “Yeah, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth” (Ether 3:12).  In other words, he trusted not just what the Lord had said but what he would tell him in the future.  Ask we have the humility and faith to ask the question, we must have the trust to believe what the Lord would speak to us.