The Book of Brooksby, Chapter 13

As we strive to improve and apply the things we have learned in order to become better people, we have to remember who we do it for. It cannot be only for ourselves, or it's not truly improvement.

1 This morning I would like to teach of another divine attribute--a quality which, when it becomes part of our lives, produces as an outgrowth individuals who are happy in their relationships with others and at peace with themselves and those around them: siblings who enjoy each other more; married couples who cherish their relationships; those who are alone, for whatever reason, who find a fuller and more abundant life. You see, there are those among us today who are completely selfless--as was he.

A selfless person is one who is more concerned about the happiness and well-being of another than about his or her own convenience or comfort, one who is willing to serve another when it is neither sought for nor appreciated, or one who is willing to serve even those whom he or she dislikes. A selfless person displays a willingness to sacrifice, a willingness to purge from his or her mind and heart personal wants, and needs, and feelings. Instead of reaching for and requiring praise and recognition for himself, or gratification of his or her own wants, the selfless person will meet these very human needs for others. Remember the words of the Savior as he taught his disciples on an occasion when personal recognition was being sought: “But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, … whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42–45.)

2 When the magnificent ocean liner Lusitania plunged to the bottom of the Atlantic, many lives were lost with the vessel. Unknown are many deeds of valor performed by those who perished. One man who went down with the Lusitania gave his life preserver to a woman, though he could not swim a stroke. It didn’t really matter that he was Alfred Vanderbilt, the American multimillionaire. He did not give of worldly treasure; he gave his life. Said Emerson, “Rings and other jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself.” (“Gifts,” in The Complete Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, New York: Wm. H. Wise and Co., 1929, p. 286.)

3 François de la Rochefoucauld observed, “One of the reasons why so few people are to be found who seem sensible and pleasant in conversation is that almost everybody is thinking about what he wants to say himself, rather than about answering clearly what is said to him.”

4 To do the special things given to this generation, you will need to guard against selfishness. One of the tendencies most individuals have which simply must be overcome is the tendency to be selfish. All that you can do now while you are young and are more pliant to become less selfish and more selfless will be an important and lasting contribution to the quality of your life in the years, and in the eternity, to come. You will be a much better wife or a much better husband, a better mother or a better father, if you can change the tendency to be selfish. Your children whom you will not know for a few years yet have an interest in your conquest of selfishness.

5 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.

6 Selfishness is actually the detonator of all the cardinal sins. It is the hammer for the breaking of the Ten Commandments, whether by neglecting parents, the Sabbath, or by inducing false witness, murder, and envy. No wonder the selfish individual is often willing to break a covenant in order to fix an appetite. No wonder those who will later comprise the telestial kingdom, after they have paid a price, were once unrepentant adulterers, whoremongers, and those who both loved and made lies.

The early and familiar forms of selfishness are: building up self at the expense of others, claiming or puffing credit, being glad when others go wrong, resenting the genuine successes of others, preferring public vindication to private reconciliation, and taking “advantage of one because of his words” (2 Ne. 28:8).

7 Selfishness, viewed in its true sense, is the absence of empathy and compassion, the abandonment of brotherhood, the rejection of God’s plan, the isolation of one’s soul.

8 To quote a sentence from Cromwell: “I beseech you, … Think it possible that you may be mistaken.”

9 In one degree or another we all struggle with selfishness. Since it is so common, why worry about selfishness anyway? Because selfishness is really self-destruction in slow motion. No wonder the Prophet Joseph Smith urged, “Let every selfish feeling be not only buried, but annihilated” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 178). Hence annihilation--not moderation--is the destination!

10 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

11 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

12 Selflessness is righteousness. It embraces the true spirit of companionship. It is the very essence of friendship. It is the portrayer of true love and oneness in humanity. Its reward is the freeing of the soul, a nearness to divinity, a worthiness for the companionship of the Spirit. Every requirement that God’s plan for our salvation places upon us is based on the giving of one’s self.

13 The Latter-day Saints have got to learn that the interest of their brethren is their own interest, or they never can be saved in the celestial kingdom of God (DBY, 271).

14 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

15 Naturally, we all have a desire for recognition, and there is nothing wrong with relaxing and enjoying ourselves. But when seeking the “gain and praise of the world" is a central part of our motivation, we will miss the redemptive and joyful experiences that come when we give generously of ourselves to the work of the Lord.

What is the remedy? The answer, as always, lies in the words of Christ: “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”

Those who wholeheartedly turn their lives over to our Savior and serve God and fellowman discover a richness and fulness to life that the selfish or egotistic will never experience. The unselfish give of themselves. These may be small gifts of charity that have a grand impact for good: a smile, a handshake, a hug, time spent in listening, a soft word of encouragement, or a gesture of caring. All these acts of kindness can change hearts and lives. When we take advantage of the unlimited opportunities to love and serve our fellowmen, including our spouse and family, our capacity to love God and to serve others will greatly increase.

16 “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, … [and] goodness.” (Gal. 5:22.) Everyone who belongs to His church wants to reach out--not because he is directed in an institutional or organizational way--to serve, love, aid, succor, and care for others with kindness and genuine concern. In humble, selfless ways each of us can be a light to others who may secretly or silently be longing or even praying to find that sense of belonging. My brothers and sisters, this type of caring, of nurturing, can never be accomplished by mandate or calendar, but comes because one has within himself that sense of belonging--feels its power, joy, goodness, and becomes concerned about all of God’s children.

17 Selflessness is a beautifully expressive word. It is a divine word expressing a divine pattern of living. I testify of the selflessness of the Savior. I testify that through his life, his atoning sacrifice, and his resurrection, he has made possible resurrection for all mankind, and eternal life for the obedient. I know that he lives! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Younger Elder Brooksby

1-Selflessness: A Pattern for Happiness by H. Burke Peterson, April 1985 General Conference

2-"Anonymous” by Thomas S. Monson, April 1983 General Conference

3-Your Eternal Home by Thomas S. Monson, April 2000 General Conference

4-President Kimball Speaks Out on Planning Your Life by Spencer W. Kimball, June 1982 Liahona

5-Mosiah 2:17

6-“Repent of Our Selfishness” by Neal A. Maxwell, April 1999 General Conference

7-Selfless Service by William R. Bradford, October 1987 General Conference

8-Should the Commandments Be Rewritten? by Richard L. Evans, October 1971 General Conference

9-“Repent of Our Selfishness” by Neal A. Maxwell, April 1999 General Conference

10-Matthew 6:25

11-Matthew 16:25-26

12-Selfless Service by William R. Bradford, October 1987 General Conference

13-Teachings of Presidents: Brigham Young-Chapter 30: Developing Christlike Attitudes toward Others

14-Romans 12:3

15-Are You Sleeping through the Restoration? by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2014 General Conference

16-The Gospel of Jesus Christ and Basic Needs of People by James E. Paramore, April 1983 General Conference

17-Selflessness: A Pattern for Happiness by H. Burke Peterson, April 1985 General Conference

The Book of Brooksby, Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

We stand as lights on a hill, an example of those who know, trust and believe in Christ. This is our great responsibility as ones who have a knowledge of the truth.

1 In Timothy, we are admonished to be an example of the believers. (See 1 Tim. 4:12.) A believer is someone who follows and knows the teachings of Christ not only in his mind but also in his heart and whose actions are a witness of that belief. It isn’t easy to be an example of the believers. We don’t usually wake up in the morning and say, “Today I’m going to be an example of the believers!” Yet we can say, “Today I will be kind and thoughtful, or considerate, or honest, or whatever quality I need to work on.” And then we will try hard all day to make a conscious effort to do so. That we can do! We can live in such a way that people can look to us as their examples. To be a good example of a principle, we must not only understand it but we must live that principle. It should become such a part of our everyday living that without consciously thinking about it, the principle is reflected in the way we live.

2 Each member can be an example of the believers. As followers of Jesus Christ, each of you can live in accord with His teachings. You can have “a pure heart and clean hands”; you can have “the image of God engraven upon your [countenance].” Your good works will be evident to others. The light of the Lord can beam from your eyes. With that radiance, you had better prepare for questions. The Apostle Peter so counseled, “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you.”

3 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

4 Standing as a witness in all things means all things--big things, little things, in all conversations, in jokes, in games played and books read and music listened to, in causes supported, in service rendered, in clothes worn, in friends made.

5 For each of us, our righteous examples may seem small, but by influence they are great. To all within your sphere of influence, “be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12). Let others feel the peace and joy that gospel living brings you. Invite your friends not of our faith or less-active members over for family home evening. Bring them to church and set an example of reverence for them. Let them see that you avoid movies or television shows or Internet sites that would drive the Spirit away and thus make us less-effective instruments.

6 “Feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Ne. 32:3) by consistently studying the scriptures every day and by following the counsel of the living prophets. Particularly make the study of the Book of Mormon a lifetime pursuit and daily sup from its pages. Be an example in your Church activity--honor the Sabbath day, attend your meetings, observe the Word of Wisdom, pay your tithes and offerings, support your leaders, and otherwise keep the commandments. Serve cheerfully and gratefully in every calling you receive. Live worthy of a temple recommend and enjoy the sweet, sacred spirit that comes from frequent temple attendance. Dress and groom yourself in a way that reflects your lifelong commitment to share the gospel with others.

7 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

8 We must have patience in order to withstand pain and grief without complaint or discouragement, which detract from the Spirit. It’s necessary to have patience in the face of tribulation and persecution for the cause of truth, which sets an example because the manner in which we bear our cross will be an influence to others to help lighten their load.

9 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

10 Then we have a mission in the world: each man, each woman, each child who has grown to understanding or to the years of accountability, ought to be an example to the world. They ought not only to be qualified to preach the truth, to bear testimony of the truth, but ought to live so that the very life they live, the very words they speak, their every action in life will be a sermon to the unwary and to the ignorant, teaching them goodness, purity, uprightness, faith in God and love for the human family. Let every man’s life be so that his character will bear the closest inspection, and that it may be seen as an open book, so that he will have nothing to shrink from or be ashamed of. Let all men who are elevated to positions of trust in the Church live so that no man can point to their faults, because they will have no faults; so that no man can justly accuse them of wrongdoing, because they do no wrong; that no man can point out their defects as ‘human’ and as ‘weak mortals,’ because they are living up to the principles of the gospel, and are not merely ‘weak human creatures,’ devoid of the Spirit of God and the power to live above sin. That is the way for all men to live in the kingdom of God.

11 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.

12 Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations;

13 The instructions are clear. We must teach, and we must be an example of those teachings; but many times in our zeal to persuade others to righteousness we begin to use force, which results in rebellion. Attempting to force others to accept our way of thinking will cause them to close their minds to our teachings and ultimately reject our words. They have their free agency.

14 It is interesting to note that we choose the examples we follow. We exercise our own agency through our choices. Examples are not forced upon us. We choose which ones we want to emulate and which ones we want to ignore or disregard. The choice is ours, and so is the burden of the consequence.

15 Ammon, the Nephite missionary, provided an example for us. He had chosen to serve the Lamanite king and was sent to watch the flocks of Lamoni. When a band of renegades attacked and scattered the sheep, Ammon’s fellow servants had fear and began to weep. What did Ammon say? “Be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water” (Alma 17:31).

Now, we may read this as a story about some shepherds trying to round up some missing sheep, but the message is much more powerful and significant than that. Ammon was a missionary with noble intentions to bring the king and his kingdom back to the fold of righteousness, to the well of living water. The challenge looked daunting to those who could see only, in everyday terms, sheep strung out on hillsides and not enough manpower to round them up. They were discouraged and fearful that the king would discover their loss.

Ammon not only led the force to recapture the sheep, he drove away the evil men who caused the problems; and his heroic efforts persuaded the king to follow him and to follow the Savior. Ammon teaches us that no matter our circumstances, we can be an example to others, we can lift them, we can inspire them to seek righteousness, and we can bear testimony to all of the power of Jesus Christ.

16 May we have that testimony, that desire in our hearts, to teach others, to explain what we believe, and to live lives of righteousness, to live the good life, to be an example to mankind, and to be able to spread this work not only by what we say but by the way we act, the way we live, the way we represent the Church, and the type of example we are to mankind.

Younger Elder Brooksby

1-Be Thou an Example by Ruth B. Wright, October 1991 General Conference

2-Be Thou an Example of the Believers by Russell M. Nelson, October 2010 General Conference-Edited

3-Matthew 5:14-16

4-Stand as a Witness by Margaret D. Nadauld, April 2000 General Conference

5-We Are Instruments in the Hands of God by Mary Ellen Smoot, October 2000 General Conference

6-To the Single Adult Brethren of the Church by Ezra Taft Benson, April 1988 General Conference

7-Philippians 2:14-15-Edited

8-Patience in Affliction by Angel Abrea, April 1992 General Conference

9-1 Peter 2:20-21

10-The Meaning of Morality by Victor L. Brown, April 1971 General Conference

11-2 Nephi 31:16

12-D&C 115:5

13-“Born of Goodly Parents” by Dallas N. Archibald, October 1992 General Conference

14-Be Thou an Example by Ruth B. Wright, October 1991 General Conference

15-“When Thou Art Converted, Strengthen Thy Brethren” by Robert D. Hales, April 1997 General Conference

16-Faith, Devotion, and Gratitude by David B. Haight, April 2000 General Conference