Remembrance of the Oath

After King Benjamin gave his teachings to his people, he made a record of those who had made a covenant with the Lord: “And now, king Benjamin thought it was expedient, after having finished speaking to the people, that he should take the names of all those who had entered into a covenant with God to keep his commandments.” Then, as he was giving up the kingdom to his son Mosiah, he “appointed priests to teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the oath which they had made” (Mosiah 6:1, 3). This highlights the fact that one of the main responsibilities of those who are called to serve as teachers and leaders in the Lord’s church is to record those who enter into covenants with the Savior and then continually remind them of those covenants. It is not enough to accept the Savior and make a covenant with him; we must then remember what we have promised to do and live it day to day. We know that the Lord will remember his covenant with us. For example, He promised the Nephites, “And I will remember the covenant which I have made with my people” (3 Nephi 20:29). Mormon also affirmed, “And ye need not imagine in your hearts that the words which have been spoken are vain, for behold, the Lord will remember his covenant which he hath made unto his people of the house of Israel” (3 Nephi 29:3). His son Moroni was very strong in his language about how the Lord will remember His covenants: “ And he that shall breathe out wrath and strifes against the work of the Lord, and against the covenant people of the Lord who are the house of Israel, and shall say: We will destroy the work of the Lord, and the Lord will not remember his covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel—the same is in danger to be hewn down and cast into the fire” (Mormon 8:21). And so, the question is not whether the Lord will remember what He has promised us but rather whether we will remember those covenants we have made with Him.

               President Nelson has certainly fulfilled that responsibility like King Benjamin in reminding us over and over of the covenants that we have made. In his very first message to the Church, President Nelson invited us, “Keep on the covenant path. Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere.” More recently, he encouraged us with these words, “And to each of you who has made temple covenants, I plead with you to seek—prayerfully and consistently—to understand temple covenants and ordinances…. The safest place to be spiritually is living inside your temple covenants!... When your spiritual foundation is built solidly upon Jesus Christ, you have no need to fear. As you are true to your covenants made in the temple, you will be strengthened by His power.” In another message he also said, “Dear brothers and sisters, I grieve for those who leave the Church because they feel membership requires too much of them. They have not yet discovered that making and keeping covenants actually makes life easier! Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ. Please ponder that stunning truth! The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power…. Cherish and honor your covenants above all other commitments. As you let God prevail in your life, I promise you greater peace, confidence, joy, and yes, rest.” Like King Benjamin did with his people, President Nelson has sought to stir us up in remembrance of the oath which we have made to the through our covenants. I love this promise from the Lord: “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:24). Everything will work out for our good, if we remember and keep our covenants with the Lord.