A Test

In the early days of the Restoration when persecution against Joseph Smith was strong, the Lord said to Oliver, “Therefore be diligent; stand by my servant Joseph, faithfully, in whatsoever difficult circumstances he may be for the word’s sake” (D&C 6:18).  I think that this is as important counsel to us as it was to Oliver in that day.  There has been no end to the persecution against Joseph since the day of the First Vision and it is just as out of style with the world to stand by him today as it was in 1829.  And today we likewise are asked to stand by the apostles and prophets in our day, especially in a time when the world’s views move further and further from their teachings.  The prophet Malachi spoke of the Second Coming and asked this piercing question: “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?”  If we cannot stand by his servants before He comes, certainly we will not be able to stand when the Savior appears.  Whether or not we can stand will depend largely upon whether we can keep ourselves unspotted from the world that is trying to engulf us with its hedonistic philosophies. 

           I recently came across a quote that I think should cause each of us who are members of the Church to pause for reflection.  Elder Heber C. Kimball said this, “I want to say to you, my brethren, the time is coming when we will be mixed up in these now peaceful valleys to that extent that it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy to the people of God. Then, brethren, look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and many will fall; for I say unto you there is a test, a Test, a TEST coming, and who will be able to stand?” (Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball Bookcraft, 1945, page 446).  While this statement was made in 1856, it has been repeated numerous times by Church leaders in our generation.  President Benson referred to it in a general conference talk in 1963, Elder Harold B. Lee spoke of it in general conference in 1965, President Hinckley in general conference in 1974, and Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone in 1983 in a BYU devotional. President Hinckley’s talk that used the quote was reprinted in the Liahona in 1990, a member of the Seventy quoted it in a BYU devotional in 1991, and I’m sure that there are other references to it as well that I haven’t found yet.  In the same talk referenced above, President Hinckley said after quoting Heber C Kimball that he thought “the test lies in our capacity to live the gospel rather than adopt the ways of the world.”  That is the continuous challenge—as we live and work in the world can we stop ourselves from adopting its ways?  As Elder Bednar would put it, can we be in the fire that is the world but not let even “the smell of fire” come upon us? (Daniel 3:27)  To do so we will need to more and more stand by the Lord’s servants and their teachings.