Scarabin Blog

OBEDIENCE, SACRIFICE & SERVICE Talk given by Jason L. Scarabin at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 27 September 1992 (originally inspired on December 31, 1989, Syracuse, NY)

Much to the dismay of Jeff Putnam and maybe others, my message will not be one filled with deep doctrine, but rather one of simplicity, and perhaps, repetition. I gave a remarkably similar talk three semesters ago to this very ward.

"Build a better world," said God.
And I answered,
"How? The world is such a vast place,
and so complicated now,
I’m small and useless;
there’s nothing I can do."
But God, in all His wisdom said,
"Just build a better you!"

Brothers and Sisters, I am going to suggest three ways in which we can build better "you’s" and better "me’s". They are OBEDIENCE, SACRIFICE, and SERVICE. Take note that all three of these require unselfishness. We must put the wants and needs of others above our own.

OBEDIENCE

Let me share with you a dream I had while on my mission: I was a missionary who was visiting a high school somewhere in the United States. As I walked down the halls of this high school, I noticed that students were arguing, fighting, backbiting, and some were even destroying school property. A voice came to me and said, "As long as people are acting this way, you won’t touch them." As the dream progressed–or should I say digressed–students became more and more violent and more and more disobedient. The voice came again, "As long as people are acting this way, you won’t touch them." By the end of the dream, the campus had turned into a battlefield. Students were armed with guns and knives. They were killing one another. I tried to talk to them but no one would listen to me nor recognize my presence. Then the voice said a final time, "As long as people are acting this way, you won’t touch them." These students had become so cold-blooded and hard-hearted by disobedience that they would not listen to the message I carried. Likewise, our disobedience can drive away the Spirit of the Lord. When we are obedient, we leave ourselves open for the Holy Ghost to strengthen us. In my dream, I could not help but think of the Lord’s words to the Nephites, "Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land," but "Inasmuch as ye shall not keep my commandments, ye shall be cut off from my presence." Bruce R. McConkie stated, "Obedience is the first Law of Heaven, the cornerstone upon which all righteousness and progression rest. It consists in compliance with divine law, in conformity to the mind and will of deity, in complete subjection to God and His commands." Paul H. Dunn has said, "No one has the right to do wrong, just the opportunity to do wrong." In the summer of 1991, I had the opportunity to portray the prophet Nephi in the Hill Cumorah Pageant. This was one of the most incredible spiritual growth periods for me. Each night I prayed to Heavenly Father concerning my performance. I would ask Him to help me to portray this great prophet in a manner that would be pleasing to Him and the audience–as well as Nephi himself. One night in particular, I added something to my prayer: "Heavenly Father, if it would not be too much trouble–and if he is not too busy right now–would you mind if Nephi were here with me tonight?Well, the most incredible thing happened that night. As soon as the spotlight was put on me, it was though I had stepped back and just watched Nephi play his part. I could actually feel him right there with me. It was a powerful experience! I also had a dream while at the pageant: I was working on an offshore drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico when an intense hurricane came upon us without warning. I was thrown off of the platform into the rough waters. I tried to swim–with no success. Eventually, I felt my life at stake. I finally lost strength to stay atop the rough seas and I began to sink. My eyes were open. I could see that I was leaving this precious world behind me. Then, suddenly I felt the strong arms of someone scoop me up. I looked at His face and into His eyes. It was the Savior Jesus Christ. He said to me, "Jason, I have come to take you home." I truly know that these experiences happened as a direct result of my obedience to the commandments and the pageant rules. Let us pledge to God and to ourselves that we will be obedient to God’s laws as well as man’s righteous laws. Let us receive the Lord’s blessing he promises us in D&C 82:10, which says, "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."

SACRIFICE

Here is a story many of you may have heard dozens of times. However, listen carefully to the words of this beautiful illustration of sacrifice: ["The Bridge" (attached)] Mormon Doctrine states, "Sacrifice is the crowning test of the gospel. Men are tried and tested in this mortal probation to see if they will put first in their lives the things of the kingdom of God. To gain eternal life, they must be willing if called upon, to sacrifice all things for the gospel." I spent two months this summer in Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Most of the time was spent in Indonesia–a third world country with many humbling attractions. I learned much while there, but there is one particular story I would like to share with you to teach the principle of sacrifice. The man’s name I cannot recall, but these are his circumstances: He has two jobs. He is a "becuk" driver by day. A becuk is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi. He is a security guard by night. He is home only three to four hours per twenty-four hour period all week except Sundays. On Sundays, he magnifies his church calling of branch president beyond the call of duty. He has six children and a beautiful wife. One thing that amazes me is that he does all of this for the equivalent of $20 US per month. Now, most of us would think that this man would be a very uptight yet depressed man. Wrong! I cannot say I have heard of a happier family. This man is always happy and would give anyone the shirt off of his back. To me, this is a classic example of the kind of sacrifice the Lord requires of each of us.

SERVICE

Gospel service means dedication to oneself to righteousness to the extent that a person accepts the gospel, obeys its laws, and works in the church organization. King Benjamin put it this way as recorded in Mosiah 2:17. "And Behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." When I think of service, I think of my parents. Here is a poem I wrote to my mother: ["I Love You, Mother" (not attached)] I believe one of the greatest ways we can serve God and our fellowmen is to share the gospel. Sharing the gospel with our brothers and sisters is not merely an option, but a commandment from the Lord: "Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor." (D&C 88:81). The best way to share the gospel is to live it! It is not tough. While working at a nightclub this summer, I met a girl who saw that there was something different about me. After telling her she should not be in a place like that, I told her about my beliefs and gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon. She watched every church video at our home. Shortly thereafter, our family went overseas. Upon our return, we discovered that Tammy had been baptized four weeks earlier and had already spoken in three different wards. Well, my dear brothers and sisters, I hope that we will stand tall in this difficult world in which we live. Sometimes we may feel we are alone. Charles Sumner has said, "I honor any man who, in the conscious discharge of his duty, dares to stand alone." So when we feel aloneness–as opposed to loneliness–remember that there is power in this if we are choosing the right. However, we are not alone! We are a part of the royal army of God and have legions of angels beside us. Jesus is the Christ. He is our Savior. He is our Redeemer. He is our Friend. He loves us. Let us love Him! Joseph Smith was and is a true prophet of the Living God. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only Church on earth with the keys and authority to lead us unto salvation. It is God’s church! Remember that people matter most! The best way to measure where we are on the pathway back to our eternal home is how we treat other people. Remember King Benjamin’s words: "…I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them. But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not." (Mosiah 4:29-30). I love each of you. I hope and pray that we will all work on building ourselves to build a better world by obedience, sacrifice, and service.

"Build a better world," said God.
And I answered,
"How? The world is such a vast place,
and so complicated now,
I’m small and useless;
there’s nothing I can do."
But God, in all His wisdom said,
"Just build a better you!"

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Jason L. Scarabin
Communications 255
Frank Seeley
24 September 1992
Report #1

WHAT DO I THINK OF TELEVISION?

The question, “What do I think of television?”, is a difficult one to answer in only a few short words. It is a rather broad question. However, I will write what I think of television.
Television is the most influential piece of technology we have today in terms of reaching the masses. It has changed the way people think, act, talk and walk. For many, it has truly shaped their lives; particularly those behind the scenes of television. It has become the driver of these people’s buses of life.
For many others, television has become an obsession, an addiction or a drug. It has become so much a part of their lives that they live from show to show. The actors/actresses become real to them. They seem to get somewhat romantically involved with the characters whether that character is a soap opera star, a news commentator, or a cartoon character.
In my own personal life, I turn to television for quick, accurate, and dependable news. Nowadays, no matter what the news may be, it is on television during the event or immediately following the event. I turn to the tube for entertainment as well. There is always something on one of the many stations available that will tap the interest of just about anyone. Although I must admit, there are many times when I am unable to find something that appeals to me. Those times are very rare. In response to the preceding statement, I do not want to give the impression that I spend endless hours watching television because I do not; but rather I want to give the impression that there are good programs on television if one is willing to search.
In closing, I want to suggest to all that television is a great asset to the world in which we live. We can use it to our advantage in furthering our education and broadening our perspective in many areas. If nothing else, television can perhaps teach us to “lighten up a bit” or “laugh a little”.
Professor Seeley,
I just want you to know how much I appreciate and enjoy your class. It is to our tremendous advantage to have a professor who has so much experience and has basically seen it all. Thanks!

There once was a big turntable bridge that spanned a large river. For most of the day, the bridge sat with its length running up and down the river parallel with the banks, allowing ships to pass through on both sides of the bridge. But at certain times each day, a train would come along, and the bridge would be turned sideways across the river to allow it to cross. A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river operating the controls to turn the bridge to lock it into place as the train crossed. One evening, as the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he looked off into the dimming twilight and caught sight of the train’s light. He stepped to the controls and waited until the train was within a prescribed distance, when he was to turn the bridge. He turned the bridge into position, but to his horror, he found the locking control did not work. If the bridge was not locked securely into place, it would wobble back and forth at the ends when the train came on it, causing the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river. This would be a passenger train with many people aboard.

He left the bridge turned across the river and hurried across the bridge to the other side of the river where there was a lever that he could use to operate the lock manually. He would have to hold the lever back firmly as the train passed. He could hear the rumble of the train now, and took hold of the lever and leaned backward to apply his weight to it, locking the bridge. He kept applying the pressure to keep the mechanism locked. Many lives depended on this man’s strength.

Then, coming across the bridge from the direction of his control shack, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold. “Daddy, where are you?” His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him. His first impulse was to cry out to the child, “Run! Run!” But the train was too close; the tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. The man almost left the lever to run and snatch up his son and carry him to safety, but he realized he could not get back to the lever. Either the people on the train or his little son must die.

He took just a moment to make his decision. The train sped swiftly and safely on its way, and no one aboard was even aware of the tiny, broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the rushing train. Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of a sobbing man, still clinging tightly to the locking lever long after the train had passed. They did not see him walking home more slowly than he had ever walked–to tell his wife how he had sacrificed her son.

Now, if you can comprehend the emotions that went through this man’s heart, you can begin to understand the feelings of our Heavenly Father when he sacrificed His son to bridge the gap between eternal life and us. Can there be any wonder that he caused the earth to tremble and the skies to darken when His son died? And how does he feel when we speed along through life without giving a thought to what was done for us through Jesus Christ? When was the last time you thanked Him for the sacrifice of His Son? -Author Unknown