A little while ago I was asked to speak in church on personal righteousness. As excited as I was to speak, (I know I know, I'm one of the few, I always am ha ha) it was a hard topic for me to grasp. I thought I would share my thoughts on personal righteousness for those of you contemplating the topic yourselves or for maybe those of you who never have. No matter your religion, everyone has their own personal righteousness :)
PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS
By Sheena LaRose
While
searching for personal righteousness online I couldn't find much.
Possibly because it took me at least a good half an hour of searching
before I figured out how to spell righteousness.
With
not much luck in my search, I asked Kyle what he thought the
definition of personal righteousness was. He replied with, "it's
p e r s o n a l righteousness sheena , it's what You think it is".
Not quite the reply I was hoping for, but true nonetheless. It
wouldn't be very personal if someone told me what my personal
righteousness was.
As
beautiful as the words and the meaning behind it, (personal
meaning: belonging to a particular person rather than to anyone else.
And Righteousness: adhering to moral principles
However,
when I hear it I cant help but think of the context i most often hear
it used in such as, "that person is so self righteous!"
This was somewhat of a struggle for me because I had to get
passed the negativity that I always hear going along with it.
Personal
means that what may be your morals, might not be another's.
That doesn't make you wrong, you have just been given a different
plan. My sweet neighbor Carrie Peterson described it somewhat like a
rubber band. Most rubber bands look the same but each individual are
going to stretch and manipulate them differently. While you might
have a certain stance on a matter, another might not have the same
testimony of it. We progress at different speeds and while we most
definitely cross paths, we don't always come across the same
stumbling blocks.
For
example, one might personally feel it okay to exercise without
garments, while the other might feel that we need to only look for
excuses TO wear them, rather than not to. At then end of the day as
long as you are obeying the covenants and you personally feel good
about the choices you've made, that is what matters. As long as you
are making sure to be still and hear the confirmations of the holy
spirt that you are indeed choosing the right.
It
is never our place to make judgement on anothers personal
righteousness. Because it is just that, Personal.
For
all those Ensign horders out there, ' (Ensign, Jan. 1979, p. 61.)"
"The
gift of the Holy Ghost is conferred on both men and women. So are
spiritual gifts. As Elder Bruce R. McConkie declared in Nauvoo at the
dedication of the Monument to Women: 'Where spiritual things are
concerned, as pertaining to all of the gifts of the Spirit, with
reference to the receipt of revelation, the gaining of testimonies,
and the seeing of visions, in all matters that pertain to godliness
and holiness and which are brought to pass as a result of personal
righteousness -- in all these things men and women stand in a
position of absolute equality before the Lord. He is no respector of
persons nor of sexes, and he blesses those men and those women who
seek him and serve him and keep his commandments.
Let
us not focus on the personal choice of morals of others. Rather
let us work diligently on our own. What type of person do you want to
be? What are your morals? Ultimately we all have he same goal of
being righteous just like our heavenly father. There are
many people striving for this. All at different paces and different
paths. But ultimately our destination is the same. The commandments
are the same. Let us support one another in that goal and instead of
looking down on those who's decisions we can't quite understand, but
to look up. Look to our heavenly father for understanding and
knowledge to either being open and considerate to others views,
educate, or simply be an example. Not only did I have to research
what personal righteousness meant, I needed to search within myself
to find what exactly my own personal righteousness meant.
I
know that for me my path to find personal righteousness Started
somewhat later in life. As a young woman who craved a relationship
with God I found myself desperate. I had no religious upbringing,
just a somewhat spiritual one. It wasn't until I was 20 that I
finally accepted the first piece of moral compass from my Heavenly
Father. It was in the form of someone you might know, my husband
Kyle. Living in the state of Utah you might find this hard to believe
but he was the first person to ever offer me missionary discussions.
From that point on I finally knew what direction to turn. All of a
sudden I had a multitude of pieces of that compass flying at me
in all directions in forms of a new found gospel, a modern day
prophet, a blanket for comfort, a patriarchal blessing, just to
name a few. I finally had all of the tools I needed to develop
personal righteousness. At this point I can't help but reflect
on the long lonely path behind me and smile at the distance. I'm sure
some of you can relate when I say it's been a long road.
In
3 Nephi chapter 22 verse 14 it says:
"In
righteousness shalt thou be established."
Straight
to the point right?
In
ELDER ROBERT D. HALES talk he gave at conference this last April
titled Coming To Ourselves he said:
Beloved
brothers and sisters, the young man spoken about by the Savior, the
one we refer to as the prodigal son, did come home. His father had
not forgotten him; his father was waiting. And “when [the son] was
yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran,
and … kissed him.” In honor of his son’s return, he called for
a robe, a ring, and a celebration with a fatted calf. These are
reminders that no blessings will be withheld if we faithfully endure
in walking the path back to our Heavenly Father.
We
become converted and spiritually self-reliant as we prayerfully live
our covenants.
A
few ways we can work on our personal righteousness are
1.
Reading our scriptures, seeking counsel of our prophet, and listening
to the spirit to find out how we truly feel on a matter
Bishop
Smith once counseled me on a different meaning for the acronym GPS-
instead of using it as global positioning system, think of it
standing for Gospel>Prophet>Spirit
Whatever
the matter, Search the scriptures, what does the prophet say about
this?, and how does it make you feel? Those three things will always
reaffirm each other and you will know exactly where you stand.
2.
Partaking of the Sacrament, to remember the covenants we we have made
and to be forgiven of our sins to start with a clean slate. Try
preparing yourself just as you would for the temple. Ridding yourself
of worldly things to make room for the Holy Ghost.
3.
Attending the Temple
In
Psalms 24:3-4 it says
"Who
shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his
holy place?
He
that hath clean hands and a pure heart"
The
temple is a wonderful place to strengthen your personal
righteousness. What better a feeling to be able to walk in the house
of the lord and know you are worthy.
4.
Personal Revelations- sometimes it takes a smack upside the head to
really make something stick. When times are tough, it's a remarkable
relief to have confirmation from your Heavenly Father letting you
know that it's ok, you are doing great, you are on the right path.
Sometimes I find myself relying too heavily on personal revelations
to keep me going. It is those times I need to blow the dust off my
compass.
Your
personal righteousness is ever changing as you grow and gain a
greater testimony. Our Heavenly Father is more merciful and patient
than we can understand. So brothers and Sisters please grant yourself
the same kindness. It is a long road to Zion but with faith in our
Father in Heaven it is very much obtainable. imagine how much easier
it might be if we have that same kind of compassion faith in each
other.
I
have a testimony of my Heavenly Father that he has been there to
guide me along my path of righteousness with the help of my
lord and savior Jesus Christ and The Holy Ghost. The most difficult
part was allowing them to. I testify that we have an amazing ward.
Full of potential at its highest. Full of a love for thy neighbor and
service that inspires me each day. They say it takes a village to
raise a child. Well, Aren't we all still children of our Heavenly
Father.
I
testify that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God and he restored
the Gospel. I have such a love for him and his knowledge to simply
ask and then receive.
I
am grateful for personal revelations and our leaders that acton them.
I
am grateful for my family and their never ending support. My
children and their sweet spirits and my husband that has held my hand
on this path every step of the way.
Last
but not least, I am thankful for my Heavenly Father who gave me this
plan and who loved me so much he gave me the tools to return home to
his loving arms.
I
say these things in the name of thy son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
