Elder Richard L. Evans, Part Five: Marcus Aurelius Probably Had Great Teeth...

For Part One, Part Two, Part Three, or Part Four of this talk, follow the appropriate link.  

Finally, the end to the culturally-rich talk from Elder Richard L. Evans at the April 1971 Conference, "Where Are You Really Going?".

The talk concerns the common, often unanswerable questions of 'Where did we come from?", "Why am I here?" and "Where am I going after I die?" 

These questions do actually have answers, and those answers lead to lots of other questions about how to best live so to be prepared for what comes after life. The final cultural quote comes from one of the great Stoic masters - Marcus Aurelius:

 

The Quote

O let us think and live and teach the power of prevention. 

“If it is not right,” 

said Marcus Aurelius, 

“do not do it; 

if it is not true, do not say it.” 

 

Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius

Dear Elder Evans points us right to the source of this one - Book 12, Section 17, line 68.

But it wasn't.

Finding these quotes in the wild turns out to be not such an easy task - nor is every book translated in the same way - but I found it in an older translation than the one given, because the language is more antiquated.

But still, the same idea is there.

In Section 12, Section 13 of this translation, I found this:

 

"If it be not fitting, 

do it not. 

If it be not true, 

speak it not. 

Ever maintain thine own purpose and resolution 

free from all compulsion and necessity"

 

And there we go! 

 

Can you imagine what life would be like if we never did anything that wasn't right, or said anything that wasn't truth?

The world has explored the possibility of this, and always assumes that it would be impossible, or even dangerous to life and limb.  At least, maybe in the physical world. 

Sometimes the world creates those circumstances, where physical survival requires deception and lowering our personal standards. 

For those of us who assume a spiritual world, there is no question that cultivating honesty (delivered as kindly as possible) and doing what's right is always the best course to take, if for no other reason than to become more like Christ. Those who make themselves over in this way are in the best position to progress in the next world, and to live comfortably with God again - a period of time that will last much, much longer than mortal life. 

But since we are all imperfect creatures, repentance will always be necessary. 

 I think of repentance, not as whipping and castigating myself for sinning, but like brushing my teeth. If I catch cavities when they're small, they never grow to be a big problem. If I'm diligent in daily taking care of my teeth, the future result grows into a great blessing to me.  

 Not right? Don't do it.

Not true? Don't say it.

Oh, if it were only that easy...but the freedom that comes with daily, small repentance has always been worth it in my life.

Elder Richard L. Evans, Part Four: The Ever-Epic Cecil B. DeMille

For Part One, Part Two, Part Three, or Part Five of this talk, follow the appropriate link. 

Still reeling a little bit from the news of this week. Despite my best intentions, I ended up going down one or two disturbing rabbit holes on September 11th. So I'm glad to be back into Elder Richard L. Evans' talk, and on to the next cultural reference that's been canonized, so to speak, into the doctrine of my faith.

Fun fact - did you know that Elder Evans, my eighth cousin three times removed, used to be the voice of Music and the Spoken Word for the Tabernacle Choir, years and years ago, when I was young? Also, the same year he gave this talk was the same year he passed away.

Oh man, there it is again...death. 

Can't escape it. 

Can only prepare for it - as we're reminded in the following quote of the day:

 

The Quote 

Why run against the laws of life? 

Why run headlong into ill health and unhappiness? 

Why live contrary to conscience? 

Think of the heartbreak and waste and regret 

that could be prevented by living as we ought to live. 

No one can set aside consequences. 

As Cecil B. DeMille said: 

“We cannot break the … Commandments. We can only break ourselves against them.”

 

And speaking of the Ten Commandments...

Cecil B. DeMille directed the classic Hollywood epic, "The Ten Commandments". For years as a little girl, going to church, I thought Moses was actually Charlton Heston, who played Moses in the movie. We still break it out and watch every Easter or so. It's aged remarkably well.

But I digress...

The quote comes from a speech Mr. DeMille gave at BYU in 1957. He and our current prophet at the time, David McKay, were great friends, as he mentions in his classic talk. BYU keeps a record of their devotional speeches from way back, and fortunately I was able to find this one. 

He gives some interesting autobiographical details of himself, and talks more about the Ten Commandments. The expanded quote is below:

 

"If man will not be ruled by God, 

he will certainly be ruled by tyrants—

and there is no tyranny more imperious or more devastating 

than man’s own selfishness, without the law.

We cannot break the Ten Commandments. 

We can only break ourselves against them—

or else, by keeping them, 

rise through them to the fullness of freedom under God. 

God means us to be free. 

With divine daring, He gave us the power of choice."

 

As epic a quote as the man himself! :-) 

 

 

9/11 and the Bells - When Tragedy Strikes

 The world is on a certain trajectory.

I think most of us feel it.

Charlie Kirk died yesterday. I wasn't one of his devotees, but he died in a place that was supposed to be a safe place, where a lot of my family lives. I still haven't heard from my youngest son, who was hoping to interview at UVU for some jobs. Was he there? Was he in the middle of all that? Or is he just sleeping in and not calling his mother like he should? 

He's a good boy - he'll call.

Today is the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

It's become a day of regular reflection for me, and a day of deliberately turning away from looking at certain things - falling people, fire, buildings falling - and trying to help people instead.

But I can't help but remember sometimes - mostly, I remember the bells.

 

My oldest son had just started kindergarten a few days before - he's nearing 30 now, with a toddler son of his own.

My mother called. Something had happened to the Pentagon, and she was stuck on the subway, trying to get home.

We turned on the TV - and everything unfolded as it did, in front of all of us.

For three weeks, the media couldn't seem to talk about anything else. Everyday, I watched fire and buildings falling. The feeling of dread and fear in the air kept a tight fist around my heart.

Then our prophet at the time, President Hinckley, called a special session for all members.

We went to the church under a deep grey rain. He talked of prophecy, of the world unfolding in a certain way. It's no great surprise that bad things happen to good people now. That's what happens in the world.

But there's something more to it than that.

The prophet pronounced a blessing upon all of us - I don't remember the words now. All I remember was the feeling - the dissipation of the iron fist of sadness around my heart, and the lightness and relief that came. And the last moment of the broadcast, where they rang the bells at the Nauvoo temple - an ancient symbol of calling to prayer, calling to come to Christ, in my faith's history.

When we walked out of the church after the service, the sky shone bright blue with bright fluffy clouds. My mood was the same.

Despair always comes. But despair doesn't have to last. Jesus Christ provides healing and meaning and strength to continue on.

I will always be grateful for that moment, as well as so many other moments where He lifts and carries my burdens for me, and gives me space to heal. For giving me my soft heart back after taking away the heart of stone.

The world will go where it goes. I don't have to go with it. I'm glad. 

 Listen for the bells.