Five Minutes With Moroni

A conversation yesterday with a good brother in my ward reminded me of this quote that I love by Hugh Nibley: “We are commanded not to ask for or seek for office. Yet nobody seems particularly interested in asking or seeking for gifts, while men constantly plan, scheme, and aspire to office. Martin Harris and others actually left the Church because their services were not recognized by high office—Martin Harris, who had the privilege of standing in the presence of an angel and turning over the plates, wanted an office in the Church, something which would only be temporary and a nuisance. Why, let me talk to Moroni for five minutes and I’ll give you the pleasure of sitting on the stand for evermore!” (see here) This also reminds me of a story I heard recently about Hugh Nibley. He was asked once by his stake president if he would serve on the high council. This was his reply: “Oh that would be fun. Provided that you don’t just sit around and talk about problems and sit around and talk about things that could be improved and changed and provided that you [don’t] sit and waste my time that I could be using elsewhere to talk about the government of the church. I’m not interested in those kinds of things. That’s just a waste of my time. If you don’t do that then I would be happy to be on the high council.” Of course, that’s exactly what high councils do, and his humorous reply underscores his devotion to the gospel instead of the government. He thirsted for knowledge and revelation; most of the rest of us search for prominence and recognition.   

The conversation I had with my friend was about aspiring to leadership in the church, something he said he had previously struggled with because of the way he was raised. Indeed I believe we have a problem in general in the church in which we focus on what it noticeably outwardly in others—their calling—instead of those items in ourselves that really matter: faith, gifts, and spiritual power. I distinctly remember a conversation with my mission president in which he challenged me with a question something like this: “Elder, would you rather go out in the field and baptize people or be an assistant to the president?” When I responded the former he raised his eyes and questioned me further: “Really? Are you sure?” In other words, he was asking whether it was my desire to change lives through the gospel of Jesus Christ or to be seen of men as a leader in the mission. I hope and pray that indeed I have no such aspirations of leadership. The direction of the Lord for us is clear: “Seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given” (Doctrine and Covenants 46:8). And the direction of our prophet is similarly clear: it is not position or popularity we should seek but rather joy and spiritual power and revelation. Even the titles these recent talks make it clear what we should be thirsting for: The Price of Priesthood Power; Joy and Spiritual Survival; Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives; Ministering with the Power and Authority of God; Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives; We Can Do Better and Be Better; Spiritual Treasures; Hear Him; and Opening the Heavens for Help. He wants us to have the power of God in our lives no matter what our position or calling is. That gift is available to all who seek it and is of far greater worth than any temporary position of leadership.

I once attended a priesthood leadership meeting associated with our stake conference, and Elder Allan Packer spoke about the temporary nature of the Church. He compared it to the scaffolding we have on buildings that is used in construction. He called out the stake executive secretary who worked in construction and asked this question: “Do you ever leave the scaffolding up when the building is complete?” Of course the answer was no—the scaffolding is only needed during construction. Its purpose is to complete the building, and then it is always removed. Elder Packer’s point was that the Church, though very important to us here in mortality, will not continue to exist into the eternities. Its purpose is to help us be sealed in families and return to our Father in Heaven to receive our exaltation. That good man who answered this question—he was an incredibly faithful man—unexpectedly passed away soon after this. He surely learned indeed that the particular position he had held in the Church was of little importance compared to the covenants he had made and knowledge he had gained. This  statement of scripture should be constantly at the forefront of our minds as we consider what really matters most in our lives: “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:18-19). It does not say, “Whatever calling/position/leadership role we attain in this life, it will rise with us.” No, what truly matters is the knowledge and intelligence and spiritual gifts through Jesus Christ that we have obtained. With Hugh Nibley I say, give me five minutes with Moroni and I’d be glad to let others sit on the stand forevermore!