Humility

Today I have been asked to speak on humility, referencing the talk by Elder Cook in this last General Conference entitled, “The Eternal Everyday.”

There are many interpretations of what humility is as a characteristic.  One definition I found states that humility is a modest or low view of one's own importance.  Another stated, that humility is the freedom from pride or arrogance.  Synonyms for humility range from shyness, abasement, and timidity to meekness and unpretentiousness.  Antonyms range from confidence and assertiveness to pride, self-importance and egoism.  The Huffington Post describe people with humility as having the following charactericstics:  They are conscientious, they use their moral compass as guides for decision making, they see hapiness as a journey, they excel as leaders, they know good things lie ahead and are okay waiting for them, and they have strong relationships.  When I googled famous humble people the search brought up names varying from George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Neil Armstrong, Tim Tebow to Princess Diana and Mother Theresa. 

After reading Elder Cook’s talk, and using my definitions of humility, I believe that the humility that our leaders want us to develop is a humility that 1. Sees ourselves as we truly are and others are they truly are.  2.  Understands our relationship with God and is willing to take directions from him, knowing that yes, good things lie ahead

 Definition #1 When we are humble we see ourselves and others as they truly are,

Elder Cook began his talk relating the experience of Moses when the Lord, preparing Moses for his prophetic calling, showed him the world and all the children of men.  Elder Cook states, “Moses’s somewhat surprising reaction was, “Now … I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.”  Elder Cook continues, "Subsequently, God, in what amounts to a rebuttal to any feelings of unimportance that Moses may have felt, proclaimed His true purpose: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

After this revelation from God that moses had, Moses saw himself and his true relationship to God and God’s children.  The humility Moses had was not a humility were he abased or put down himself, but neither did he elevate himself above others.  

Elder Cook further explained, "We are all equal before God. His doctrine is clear. In the Book of Mormon, we read, “All are alike unto God,” including “black and white, bond and free, male and female.” Accordingly, all are invited to come to the Lord.Anyone who claims superiority under the Father’s plan because of characteristics like race, sex, nationality, language, or economic circumstances is morally wrong and does not understand the Lord’s true purpose for all of our Father’s children."

As we see ourselves, and others, as they truly are, understanding our own relationship with God,  we are able to make changes in our own lives and affect changes in the lives of others.  A beautiful example of this can be found in the book Les Miserable in the character of Bishop Beinvenue.  This Bishop is a rather minor character in the story but one who has a long lasting affect.  This Bishop is the man who offers Jean Valjean, a convict and the main character in the story, shelter for a night.  At this time Jean Valjean is destitute and discouraged unable to find honest labor having recently been released from prison.  After being fed and given a bed for resting, Jean Valjean awakes in the early morning hours, steals most of the bishops’s silver and runs away.  He is soon caught by the police and returned to the bishop.  They ask the bishop to verify that this was his silver and that Jean Valjean had stolen it.  The bishop, seeing himself as he truly was…imperfect…. and understanding his own relationship with God and the redeeming power of the savior in his own life, was also able to see Jean Valjean as he truly was, a son of God, and as what he could become.  He extends this mercy to Jean valjean stating that the silver was a gift and giving him the two silver candlesticks he left behind.  From this mercy given and the humility this Bishop had, Jean Valjean was able to change and affect great changes for good in the lives of others.  Remember, as Victor Hugo put it, “To love another person (and I would add here including yourself) is to see the face of God.”

Elder Cook voiced his concern about pride, the internet and the uncivil discourse that exists in our day stating, “In our quest for humility, the modern internet creates challenges to avoiding pride. Two examples are the self-indulgent “look at me” approach or attacking others by ranting on social media. One more example is the “humblebrag.” It is defined as “an ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement [or picture] whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud.”³⁰ The prophets have always warned about pride and emphasizing the vain things of the world.³¹

The widespread deterioration of civil discourse is also a concern. The eternal principle of agency requires that we respect many choices with which we do not agree. Conflict and contention now often breach “the boundaries of common decency.”³² We need more modesty and humility.”

When I read  what Elder Cook said, it resonated with me.  In our society today there is so much back and forth accusing and hating for another’s belief it is disheartening.

Elder Stevenson’s talk, Spiritual Eclipse, for me further clarified  why there is this deterioration of civil discourse in our day.  He speaks of pride, the opposite of humility, and says, “When prideful, we tend to take honor to ourselves rather than giving it to others, including the Lord. Pride is often competitive; it is a tendency to seek to obtain more and presume we are better than others. Pride often results in feelings of anger and hatred; it causes one to hold grudges or to withhold forgiveness.” Then Elder Stevenson states, "Pride, however, can be swallowed in the Christlike attribute of humility."

A great example of humility swallowing pride comes from the book of Mormon during the wars in the book of Alma.  In this story, Moroni  receives a letter from Helaman stating the victory of his small armies over the Lamanites.  In this letter he states that he has asked for more men and provisions for his army from the governor but has not heard anything back.  Moroni then writes to the governor, Pahoran, asking for reinforcements and supplies and waits for Pahorans response.  During this waiting period, they lose the city of Nephihah which really upsets Moroni and he again takes to letter to request supplies and in this letter censures the governor severely. He calls him thoughtless, neglectful, and slothful.  He says that Pahoran is only hungry for power and is a traitor.  This epistle can be read in Alma 60.  Little does Moroni know that there has been an insurrection in the capital and Pahoran is unable to send provisions because of the kingmen who are seeking to overthrow him as a governor.  Instead of replying to Moroni’s letter with contempt, Pahoran humbly says  ,  And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek for power, save only to retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God hath made us free.”  When Moroni receives Pahoran’s epistle, he immediately rides to his aid.

How many fights, arguments and hurt feelings could be avoided if we all responded as Pahoran did? Humility is a catalyst for unity.

Definition #2  Humility understands our relationship with God and is willing to take directions from him, knowing that yes, good things lie ahead.  When we are humble in this way we are able to further the kingdom of God and preserve our testimonies in crisis of faith that we all experience at one time or another.

Elder Cook states, “Sometimes humility is accepting callings when we do not feel adequate. Sometimes humility is serving faithfully when we feel capable of a more high-profile assignment. Humble leaders have verbally and by example established that it is not where we serve but how we faithfully serve”

I can tell you that I have experienced being called to serve in positions where I do not feel adequate and I can testify that as I have accepted those callings in humility and doing my best, my best has been amplified to be enough. 

Anyone that knew me when I was younger knows that I was a head-strong young woman.  When I made a goal, I almost always accomplished it.  I knew what I wanted in life and I went for it.  As far as the church went, I had all my goals set by the time I was 14.  I was going to BYU where I would meet a wonderful boy, complete my education and begin my family.  I would not serve a mission.  I had no interest in it.  That wasn’t for me.  So, I did what I set out to do.  I went to BYU.  I dated several nice boys.  However, in my third year of college, when I was about to turn 21, I was still unmarried.  One day, in my college ward, a returned missionary got up and bore their testimony about their mission and the experiences they had there.  I felt the spirit whisper to me that I should serve a mission…what?!!! A mission?  That was not in my plan and I ignored the prompting.  A month later our Sunday School teacher was teaching a lesson about missionary work and again, I felt the whisperings of the spirit tell me that I, Chelsey, needed to serve a mission.  Again, I was not receptive to the prompting and went right along with my usual plans.  That Christmas, one month before my birthday, my grandparents had come and visited us.  I was very close to my Grandma and Grandpa and was so happy to have them there.  One night, as I was talking with my Grandpa, he said totally out of the blue, “You know Chelsey.  You would make a great missionary.”  I still did not want to go, but I had felt the spirit so much about this that I decided I needed to pray about it.  In private and feeling very humble, I knelt down and poured out my feelings to Heavenly Father and told him how I didn’t want to serve a mission but I felt like that is what he was prompting me to do and that if this is what he wanted to let me know and I would do it.  The spiritual confirmation from that is one of my three anchors to my testimony that I cannot deny of knowing that the Lord knows me and knows what is best for me.   The Lord definitely sent me an answer to my prayer and that answer was yes, you should serve a mission.  And I did.  Many were the times I felt inadequate in my Spanish and in my teaching and even in my ability to love but I was humble and obedient and the Lord magnified my abilities hopefully to the bettering of others lives.  It definitely bettered my own life in so many ways.

Elder Cook said, “Humility isn’t some grand identifiable achievement or even overcoming some major challenge. It is a sign of spiritual strength. It is having the quiet confidence that day by day and hour by hour we can rely on the Lord, serve Him, and achieve His purposes."

Let me repeat the important points there "Humility is a sign of spiritual strength…it is having quiet confidence….we can rely on the Lord."

In our time and day it is inevitable that we will all face, are facing or have faced a trial of faith.  Whether it be divorce, the death of a child, same sex attraction, addiction, loss of faith in a leader, or lack of understanding, there comes a time in our life where we are up against the wall of doubt causing us to question our beliefs.  Humility leads to a faith that can absorb these doubts.  Humility says I do not understand all things but I am willing to hold on until I do.  If I am honest with you all, many are the times in my own prayers where I just ask the Lord to help me hold on to the testimony I have.

I recently read a BYU speech given by Eva Witesman, entitled “Women and Education: A Future only God could see for you.”  In this speech she narrated her own story of how she ended up being a professor at BYU.  She said that many were the times that she received promptings from the Lord and though she could not see how they would work out at the time, when she followed the inspiration she received from the Lord all things did work to the benefit of her, her family and the Lord’s work.  She stated, “I am grateful for a Father in Heaven who knows me—who knows my potential and who wants me to become like Him. I can’t wait to someday see like He does—to know everything and to see the future and not just the past. But for now I will stand like a little girl on my Father’s feet, holding His hands and trusting Him as He guides me through the dance of this life. As His daughter, I hope someday to grow up to be just like Him. I am trying to become more like Him now by learning as much as I can and by working to refine the spiritual gifts He has given me.”

Elder Cook taught, The Savior’s example of humility and sacrifice for all mankind is the most profound event in history. The Savior, even as a member of the Godhead, was willing to come to earth as a lowly infant and begin an existence that included teaching and healing His brothers and sisters and ultimately suffering indescribable pain in Gethsemane and on the cross in order to perfect His Atonement. This act of love and humility on the part of Christ is known as His condescension.¹³ He did this for every man and woman God has created or will create.

He knows us.  He loves us.  Let us humbly trust in his plan for us.

In the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.