At our two-hour block during our Sunday meetings there were smiles all around, and nobody made the usual jabs at each other. Everyone had a smile on their face, and the games were openly discussed with eager anticipation now of the upcoming rivalry game in two weeks.
I reflected this morning on what has happened to me over the years. I used to be much more invested in sports than I am right now. Frankly, the interruptions with ads now prolong the games of all sorts to a point that it’s almost unwatchable. I’m admitting it here and now - I’m now content to just look up the scores after it’s all said and done.
My interest is now mostly tangential at best. I thought it was instructive to have called on a good brother in the ward for a prayer in Sunday School, only to be turned down because he had lost his voice after attending the BYU-Notre Dame game in person and yelling so much his voice had disappeared come Sunday morning. (I won’t name names).
That prompts this thought in me today:
“What is it that you are so passionate about these days that you could shout your voice into oblivion?”
Here’s some food for thought. When Moses went to the mountain to talk to the Lord, he was gone for 40 days (see Exodus 24:18). The Israelites, who had seen wonderful miracles but were still growing their faith, feared Moses was never coming back. They rebelled against God and asked Aaron to make them a golden calf so they could worship that instead of the Lord (see Exodus 32).
In other words, when things got tough, they panicked, turned away from God, and reverted to their sinful ways.
We all have moments of uncertainty. Sometimes it may not seem clear what the Lord wants us to do. Sometimes we pray for answers and get impatient when they don’t come right away.
What do we do then? We hold onto our faith. We cling to what we already know while waiting to learn more.
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| The Golden Calf |
You might not be tempted to build an idol to worship when you get discouraged. But what about the temptation to do things that bring more immediate gratification instead of lasting joy?
Don’t fall into that trap! Wait on the Lord for as long as it takes. Choose to trust Him. He will always deliver on His promises.
Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reigneth! As the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them! (D&C 128:19, emphasis mine).
Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. (2 Nephi 2:25).
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12).
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| Lindon Temple |
Each time I attend a temple endowment session these days, I am reminded how we all shouted for joy in our premortal life when we heard God’s plan of happiness, and we continue to shout for joy here as we live according to His plan. These simple truths, it seems to me, easily trump our sports addiction, whichever choice we embrace, whether BLUE or RED here in Utah.
I know, I know, Grandpa, it just isn’t fair to pit the gospel plan against our enthusiasm for sports teams. I get it, and I still love the Yankees too, regardless of their long-lasting dearth in recent years from appearances in the World Series. However, as I come closer to the veil between this life and the next, I must admit my predilection for gospel truths as my enthusiasm for sports fandom wanes proportionately.
Don’t let me dissuade you in any way from your own wild and perhaps irrational love of sports today. Just be prepared for a shift in priorities that may or may not occur for each of you too. I admit it freely here on this page today.
Because God considered these eternal truths to be among His highest and holiest blessings, He instructed that sacred buildings be erected where He could confer these precious gifts upon His children. These buildings would be His home on our planet Earth. These buildings would be temples where that which was sealed or bound on earth in His name, by His word, and with His authority would be bound in the heavens.
As members of the Church today, some of us may find it easy to take these glorious eternal truths for granted. They have become second nature to us. We mistakenly think we can somehow win the world over with our enthusiastic fandom in Provo, Utah, at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Sometimes it is helpful when we see them through the eyes of those who learn about them for the very first time.
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| LaVell Edwards |
President Russell M. Nelson has taught: “The time is coming when those who do not obey the Lord will be separated from those who do. Our safest insurance is to continue to be worthy of admission to His holy house.”
All it takes to get into LaVell Edwards Stadium is a purchased ticket. Our admission to the temple is secured by a “ticket” with three signatures - ours and two additional witnesses. No money exchanges hands for a temple recommend.
President Nelson also taught: “The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ. His essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants. Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power. And oh, how we will need His power in the days ahead.” (Emphasis mine).
Hands were laid on the heads of our new Woodland Ward Elders Quorum Presidency on Sunday by our stake presidency. They were told it was being done in the “power and authority” of the Holy Priesthood. I have written in years past about the differences between those two words “power” and “authority.” They are NOT synonymous. I refer you to those writings rather than laying it all out again here this morning. What do you think the difference might be? Do a search on these pages to learn more.
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| Kirtland Temple |
How fitting is it that on Palm Sunday of 1836, the Kirtland Temple was being dedicated. We do something called the “Hosanna Shout” at temple dedications, waving white handkerchiefs overhead. We’re symbolically shouting for joy. On that occasion the disciples of Jesus Christ were rejoicing as well. In that dedicatory prayer, the Prophet Joseph Smith declared these words of praise:
“O Lord God Almighty, hear us … and answer us from heaven, … where thou sittest enthroned, with glory, honor, power, majesty, [and] might. …
“… Help us by the power of thy Spirit, that we may mingle our voices with those bright, shining seraphs around thy throne, with acclamations of praise, singing Hosanna to God and the Lamb!
“And let these … thy saints shout aloud for joy.” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:77, 79–80, emphasis mine).
That’s enough to make the point, isn’t it? Someday our true shouts of acclamation will transcend sports enthusiasm. I pray we may not always be riveted in the chains of our favorite sports teams, that may have even descended into betting on our favorite teams. President D. Todd Christofferson recently counseled against gambling in all its forms in General Conference.
Ty Detmer and the 1984 national football championship at BYU are now long gone in a distant memory. Even if 2026 sees a repeat of that glorious championship we must still seek to bring willing souls to Christ and THAT eventuality will happen more probably through the instrumentality of our 18-year-old missionaries now flooding the Earth today. I pray constantly for our current crop of seven missionary grandchildren, Jonny, Bryson, Noah, Chloe, Aleyah, Matthew and Amelia.
Their labors among truth seekers “out there” are REALLY worth shouting about!
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