Learning About Obedience

We observed an interesting thing today. It involved Elders A, B, C, D, E, and F. Elders A and B are zone leaders with cars. Elders C and D are their companions, and Elders E, and F are another companionship. The Ogden Temple is closed for its' regular cleaning maintenance. The three couples of Elders talked together and decided that 1) it was their P day and they wanted to go to the temple, 2)they had not used all of their miles for the month 3)they had never been to the Logan Temple and 4) all the above sounded like something good to do. The only problem was, the Elders were in South Davis county or Layton and the Logan Temple was WA--A-A-A-A-Y out of their area. If they asked, they knew someone would tell them No. So instead, they just decided to go. All of them, that is, except Elder F. He knew it was wrong, so the other elders (A, B, C, D, and E) left him behind with another companionship (G and H). This companionship (G and H) knew it was wrong also and convinced him (Elder F) to call and tell the AP's what was happening. Reluctantly, Elder F called. The AP's texted  Elders A, B, C, D, and E, and told them to come back and return home. Their reply was No, they were going to the Logan temple. The AP's contacted President Olson who had the AP's text the Elder,s A, B, C, D, and E the message that he would meet with them at 4:00pm.

When the elders A, B, C,D, and E, arrived at the office, some of them were very flippant. Elder A, a zone leader has only 17 more days of serving before he returns home. Pres. Olson met with each elder individually. He appeared to be a stern, yet loving, Father. When it was all over, the elders have now become walking elders, the zone leaders have become junior companions, and the faithful Elder F, is now a ZL with a car. Another Elder is now a District Leader AND Zone Leader to two zones until transfer day in two weeks.

Pres. Olson said to Elder Lund and I, this is a hard lesson to learn about obedience, but the ends don't justify the means. Although they wanted to go to the temple, leaving their areas, their companion, and not following the rules just don't justify the trip.

I wonder how many times we too try to "justify" seemingly "righteous decisions" when we really are not being obedient and giving our Savior our total consecrated efforts? Just a lesson both Elder Lund and I were reminded of today. Watching Pres. Olson handle this situation, we could understand how Heavenly Father will lovingly work with us.

By the way, look in the newest Ensign, page 9, and you will see a picture of Pres. and Sister Olson.

As a post script to learning about obedience, Almost all of the missionaries are hard working, righteous missionaries. As a result of their humble efforts, last year the Utah Ogden Mission had almost 2,200 new baptisms! That is incredible to me. I have found the missionaries to be strong in spirit and hard working, even if sometimes they do act like 19 and 20 year olds.