Monday, April 11, 2011

The Greatest Test

I've been hearing a lot from the youth in our ward about this standardized test they have to take this week. Their teachers have been cramming all the material in their classes to prepare them for it. The purpose of this test and any test for that matter is to measure how much students have been learning. A good student prepares dilligently through study and paying close attention in class. A poor student will neglect any work and will show up to the test unprepared. You can guess who will score higher. This is because one put the time in and the other did not. The scores of the tests would thus measure who prepared and learned more.

However, if each student was allowed to have their teacher there with them to help them answer each question things would be a little different. Both would pass with flying colors. Would the scores of this type of test show which student learned and prepared more? This would not be an adequate measure and the purpose of the test would be null and void.

This life is like a test. It is a time given for men to prepare to meet God (Alma 34:32). In this life we are separated from the presence of God. We do not remember our life with Him before we came to Earth nor do we remember our purpose here. We are meant to walk by faith. This is necessary for our growth. This allows for us to learn and progress. A righteous person prepares and studies in order to be ready for the next life. He searches for truth and does all he can to know the will of his Heavenly Father and to understand his purpose here. A wicked person on the other hand chooses not to prepare. They spend their time on worldly pursuit where "moth and rust doth corrupt" (Matthew 6:19). Those who prepare will be happier in this life and will recieve eternal life in the life to come (John 17:3). Those who do not prepare however will forfeit those blessings because they put off the spirit of God (Alma 30:42). If it were any other way the test would be null and void. God would cease to be God (Alma 42).

I know that God has a perfect plan. I testify that this life is the time for men to perform their labors. We are here for a reason. Truth is at our fingertips. There is no excuse for not knowing the things of the Lord. The scriptures are laid before us. We have a prophet for our day. The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored. We know what is at stake and we know what Christ expects of us. No one is blameless. With Alma I caution: "And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world (Alma 34:33-34)" Let us be like the good student who does all he can to prepare rather than the poor student who doesn't study. It will be worth it when we all stand before Christ to be judged. We will then recieve an accounting of what we did while on our mortal probation.

Good luck on the tests this week Vanden!! I hope ya'll score high. You're all such great students and good examples to me. Thank you.

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