Reading 1 – Joshua 1:1-9
1 Nephi 3:7
Reading 2 - Elder Neal A. Maxwell wrote: "When we are humble enough to have basic
faith, we can, like Nephi, trust the Lord when he gives us an errand, for he
will also give us the necessary spiritual and logistical support."
(Wherefore Ye Must Press Forward, p48)
Reading 3 – Elder W. Grant Bangerter wrote: The story really
begins on the 26th of December, 1973. President Harold B. Lee passed away
suddenly on that day. His death was completely unexpected. It is necessary to
remember that over a period of twenty-five years, members of the Church had
awaited the time when Harold B. Lee would become the president. There had been
every reason to think that this would eventually happen, due to his relative
youthfulness and because he occupied a position in seniority following Joseph
Fielding Smith and David O. McKay, both of whom were of advanced age. In
addition, Harold B. Lee had gained more than average prominence. His leadership
in the welfare and priesthood programs of the Church, his forceful nature, and
his sound judgment had made him one of the apostles most listened to and one
whose influence and advice were most respected. He had an evident spiritual
stature which commended him to the members of the Church as one of the great
men of our time. He possessed an unusual ability to relate as a personal friend
to countless people. It was expected that when he became president he would
preside for twenty years or more.
Suddenly he was gone!—called
elsewhere after only 1 1/2 years. It was the first time since the death of the
Prophet Joseph Smith when the president had died before it was time for him to
die. In deep sorrow and concern the surging questions arose in the minds of the
people, much as they did at the time when Joseph Smith was killed in Carthage,
Illinois. “What will we do now? How can we carry on without the prophet? Our
great leader has gone. Can the Church survive this emergency?”
Of course we knew that the Church
would survive, but it could not possibly be the same. We had never expected
Spencer W. Kimball to become the president, and we had not looked to him for
the same leadership evident in the life of Harold B. Lee. We knew, of course,
that he would manage somehow, until the next great leader arose, but it would
not be easy for him, and things would not be the same. “O Lord,” we prayed,
“please bless President Kimball. He needs all the help you can give him.” Such
seemed to be the attitude in the hearts of the Latter-day Saints during those
days of mourning.
We return to the 4th of April,
1974. There were gathered that morning in the Church Office Building, all of
the General Authorities as well as the Regional Representatives and other
leaders from around the world. We were to be instructed once again, as we had
been periodically during the past seven years. On each preceding occasion
Harold B. Lee had given us our direction and sounded the trump of leadership.
Now he was no longer there, and we all felt his absence deeply. Again came the
questions: “How can we proceed without our great leader?” “How can President
Kimball fill the empty space?” And again the prayers went forth: “Please bless
President Kimball.”
The moment came when President
Kimball arose to address the assembled leadership. He noted that he also had
never expected to occupy this position and that he missed President Lee equally
with the rest of us. Then he reviewed much of the instruction which President
Lee had given over the past years, and our prayers in behalf of President
Kimball continued.
As he proceeded with his address,
however, he had not spoken very long when a new awareness seemed suddenly to
fall on the congregation. We became alert to an astonishing spiritual presence,
and we realized that we were listening to something unusual, powerful,
different from any of our previous meetings. It was as if, spiritually
speaking, our hair began to stand on end. Our minds were suddenly vibrant and
marveling at the transcendent message that was coming to our ears. With a new
perceptiveness we realized that President Kimball was opening spiritual windows
and beckoning to us to come and gaze with him on the plans of eternity. It was
as if he were drawing back the curtains which covered the purpose of the
Almighty and inviting us to view with him the destiny of the gospel and the
vision of its ministry.
I doubt that any person present
that day will ever forget the occasion. I, myself, have scarcely reread
President Kimball’s address since, but the substance of what he said was so
vividly impressed upon my mind that I could repeat most of it at this moment
from memory.
The Spirit of the Lord was upon
President Kimball and it proceeded from him to us as a tangible presence, which
was at once both moving and shocking. He unrolled to our view a glorious vision
(W. Grant Bangerter, “ Special Moment in
Church History,” Ensign, Nov. 1977, pp. 26,27).
Reading 4 – The Bible Dictionary describes the Ark of the
Covenant as follows: The Ark of the Covenant, also known as the Ark of Jehovah
and the Ark of the Testimony [was] an oblong chest of acacia or shittim wood
overlaid with gold, 2½ cubits long, 1½ broad and high, made by Moses at God’s
command. It was the oldest and most sacred of the religious symbols of the
Israelites, and the Mercy Seat which formed its covering was regarded as the earthly
dwelling place of Jehovah. The Ark was fitted with rings and staves, by which
it was carried. Prayers were recited before it moved or rested and during its
progress it was treated with the greatest reverence. [It] contained the Tables
of the Law, [and] it is said to have contained the “pot of manna” and “Aaron’s
rod that budded.” . . . .The usual resting place of the Ark was in the Holy of
Holies. (Ark of the Covenant, Bible Dictionary, scripture references omitted)
Reading 5 – Joshua 3:5-17
Reading 6: Elder Boyd K. Packer said: “Shortly after I was
called as a General Authority, I went to Elder Harold B. Lee for counsel. He
listened very carefully to my problem and suggested that I see President David
O. McKay. President McKay counseled me as to the direction I should go. I was very
willing to be obedient but saw no way possible for me to do as he counseled me
to do.
“I returned to Elder Lee and told
him that I saw no way to move in the direction I was counseled to go. He said,
‘The trouble with you is you want to see the end from the beginning.’ I replied
that I would like to see at least a step or two ahead. Then came the lesson of
a lifetime: ‘You must learn to walk to the edge of the light, and then a few
steps into the darkness; then the light will appear and show the way before
you’” (“The Edge of the Light,” BYU Today, Mar. 1991, 22–23).
1 Nephi 7:12
Reading 7 – Joshua 4:1-9
Reading 8 – Joshua 6:1-5
Hebrews 11:30
Reading 9 – Joshua 24:13-16
Reading 10 - Elder Marvin J. Ashton said: “Joshua reminds us
of the importance of making decisions promptly: ‘Choose you this day whom ye
will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’ (Joshua
24:15). Not tomorrow, not when we get ready, not when it is convenient—but
‘this day,’ straightway, choose whom you will serve. He who invites us to
follow will always be out in front of us with His Spirit and influence setting
the pace. He has charted and marked the course, opened the gates, and shown the
way. He has invited us to come unto Him, and the best time to enjoy His
companionship is straightway. We can best get on the course and stay on the
course by doing as Jesus did—make a total commitment to do the will of His
Father” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1983, 41; or Ensign, May 1983, 30–31)
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