Of Great Worth

A couple years ago I witnessed the sweetest elderly couple be sealed to their deceased parents, he to his parents, and she to hers. I’ll never forget it! As I sat there, the thought occurred to me: nobody could ever pay me any amount of money to say that nothing was happening in that room. I couldn’t do it. Something happened in there, something incredible. Something that reached beyond this earthly experience & sent me reeling at the power of it all, reminding me that temples are SO much more than beautiful buildings.

We read in Mormon 8:14, “The plates thereof are of no worth... but the record thereof is of great worth”

Joseph Smith’s life was in danger many times as his enemies tried to steal the plates. What they saw was RICHES. Gold! Definitely worth something! But if only they knew!! If only they knew the gold was nothing compared to what was written on it! If only they knew “the truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console, and cheer our souls.” (Pres. Nelson) Yes! I personally know this!

What is our gold, the shallow things we give worth to that actually mean nothing in the scheme of things? What distracts us from true purpose and divine reason?

I think of being caught up in the administration of things rather than people,

stressing about the fun social traditions around baptisms, mission calls, weddings, almost forgetting the true reasons behind it all, 

judging people based on outward appearances instead of the heart, 

worrying about likes on social media, 

oh, and politics?! Ha. The madness...

"Sometimes we take the beautiful lily of God’s truth and gild it with layer upon layer of man-made good ideas, programs, and expectations. Each one, by itself, might be helpful and appropriate for a certain time and circumstance, but... we risk losing sight of that precious flower we once loved so dearly.” (Elder Uchtdorf)

Don’t sell your birthright over bread & pottage. (Gen. 25:34)

Don’t be “careful and troubled” about things that don’t really matter- choose the “good part.” (Luke 10:41-42)

Don’t fantasize over gold and miss the real treasure. Remember what is truly “of great worth.”