Treasure in Heaven

In the most recent general conference, Elder Allan F. Walker spoke about treasure. He said this: “As we study the scriptures, we encounter the word treasure dozens of times—most often as a warning not to set our hearts upon riches or upon the fleeting things of the world. Yet among all those warnings about earthly treasure, there is one passage that reveals something astonishing: the Lord Himself speaks of us as His treasure. I speak of the moment when the Lord addressed the prophet Moses upon Mount Sinai and declared that His people would be a peculiar treasure unto Him if they would obey His voice and keep His covenant.” The passage he was referring to is this one: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine” (Exodus 19:5). It is interesting to consider that in connection with what the Savior taught in the Sermon on the Mount: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). For Him, if we are His treasure, then that means that His heart is turned towards us. And He hopes that for us, He will be our treasure. Jacob warned us in these words: “But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also” (2 Nephi 9:30). We must not let our physical treasure or the things of the world be our god, but He should be our most important treasure. He taught, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:20). The greatest treasure we can lay up in heaven is our relationship with Him who makes heaven what it is.

            To lay up treasure in heaven we must make and keep our covenants with the Lord. Elder Walker taught, “In His benevolent teaching to Moses, the Lord established a pattern of application not only to the ancient children of Israel but to all those who desire to become His treasure—the Lord’s covenant people. That pattern includes two simple but powerful conditions: to obey His voice and to keep our covenants with Him. Then we will be a peculiar, or special, treasure; and as such we will be blessed, strengthened, and favored through the Savior’s atoning sacrifice.” This reminds me of the words of what I consider to be one of the most important verses in the whole Book of Mormon: “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14). If we want God’s power upon us, then we must be His covenant people, meaning that we keep our covenants with Him. I love these words of President Nelson that Elder Walker quoted, “Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. He has high hopes for us.” Elder Walker commented, “The same God who called the children of Israel calls us now—to become His covenant people, to rise above the ways of the world, and to receive blessings that only He can bestow.” Keeping our covenants with Him must mean more to us than being accepted of the world.

            Elder Walker also quoted these words of the Lord from modern revelation: “Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me” (Doctrine and Covenants 97:8). That verse contain a powerful litmus test for us to know how we are doing as it relates to our covenants: Are we willing to sacrifice to observe them? When it is not convenient, do we still do everything we can to keep His commandments? If we have to give up things of the world to be His people, are we still willing to do it? Of course we will all fall short to some degree, but this verse reminds us that our willingness, our broken heart, and our sacrifices to keep covenant with Him are what matter most. In short, when our connection to the Lord is our greatest treasure, we will indeed be His people and be accepted of Him.