https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/if-you-will-be-responsible?lang=eng
This talk starts with a great anecdote. Personally, I love a good story to illustrate a point or to impress the message on me. He talks about when he was a child in a non member family. He went to church everyday for six months with no family support or anything. When he was asked whether he was ready to be baptized, he was a minor and had to receive permission from his father. His father, having seen his commitment, tells him he can be baptized" if he will be responsible for his choice." This speaks to me personally, because of Kyle. Kyle was raised in an inactive home, but with parents who supported him. I love the idea of a father who says, "If this is your commitment, just follow through." That is a lot of trust to place in a child, especially when it is a big commitment like religion. I am grateful that my husband has followed through on his commitment, even going on a mission with support that perhaps didn't understand the need for it. That's a whole other post though. I could write an epic on all the ways I am grateful for Kyle.
Elder Zeballos gives us four principles to be responsible for our choice to come unto Christ. If you will be responsible: you will learn your duty, make a decision, act accordingly, and accept the Father's will. But I really think his talk is a lot simpler than that. It seems to me that his talk is really just telling us to be men or women of our word. If you make a choice to be a disciple, follow through. End of talk. Easy peasy.
Well, except accepting the Father's will. That one calls for a second look, for me. Sure it should come naturally to a disciple, but does it? I often find myself praying like this, "Heavenly Father, please help me so and so, but don't give me any trials, thank you. I don't want to grow right now. I am happy right where I am, I will humble myself, just please please in the name of all that is holy don't change anything in my life or take anything away from me." Perhaps that is because I constantly live in fear that I am too happy. My trials tend to be knock down, drag me through the mud ones, and I just don't want more. But isn't that why we are here? If I am a true disciple, wouldn't I just float along with peace in my heart knowing that if everything was taken away I'd just be all that closer to Jesus, who suffered so much? You know... I really don't think so. Even Jesus asked Heavenly Father to remove the bitter cup. But when the trial came he didn't shrink. He talks about a couple on the verge of losing a child and the peace they had. That to me is craziness. If I am given the trial of losing a child, I will accept it only after it is over. I would not be bedside calm and submissive. I would be fighting and praying and bargaining. Say what you want, I'm pretty sure our Heavenly Father takes the bribes occasionally.
All in all, a good talk, though I do have one criticism. (If anyone cares of my lowly opinion of conference talks.) When writing, you are supposed to keep it simple, don't use overly flowery words and complicate a simple message. That is what I feel Elder Zeballos did. By giving us four steps, he took away the simplicity and beauty of the lesson that his father taught him. To sum up a talk that wanders (in my opinion), I would just give this thought: If you will be a disciple, be one. If you want to come unto Christ, do it. We know where He is and how to go about finding Him. Be a true disciple. Period.
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