3.219 A Recipe for Times Such as These

In Matthew 5, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth and the light of the world, reminding us that our lives are meant to preserve, illuminate, and point others to Him. This season on Savory Salt, we'll walk through the Old Testament, one verse and one thought each day. Perhaps these moments will add greater savor and brighter light to our lives as we seek to truly live as Savory Salt.

Hello, my friends. It's a new day with new opportunities. Choose ye this day whom you will serve.

I think sometimes in the middle of our heroic stories that we read in the scriptures, there may be a tendency for some of us to kind of get lost and think, well, that's great for that hero, but I'm not sure I could ever become something like that in my life. Today's episode is perhaps a recipe to consider for times such as these. A recipe that may just give you some of the faith and courage you need to go forward.

And it comes straight from Esther chapter 4. Yesterday we focused on divine design. You clearly are part of that design whether you know it or not.

Then she's called to action by Mordecai, and she responds to Mordecai with this. Here our verse for today, Esther chapter 4, verse 16. She says to Mordecai, or at least sends Mordecai this answer: "Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day.

I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish." My friends, did you catch the recipe in there that Esther's going to use? This one's a cool one. It's not often that we get, when I use General Conference talks and quotes and such, it's not often that we get a couple that are back to back from the same General Conference.

We just talked just a couple of days ago about President Uchtdorf's talk in April of 2009, and then I came across this one from President Monson specifically to the young women. This was in the General Young Women's Session. This is a phenomenal talk: "May You Have Courage." I hope you take an opportunity to follow the link and spend some time in that talk for yourself.

But here's a couple of pieces that President Monson said here about this recipe if you're catching it. He says: "My final plea tonight is that you have the courage to stand firm for truth and righteousness. Because the trend in society today is away from the values and principles the Lord has given us, you will almost certainly...

The Adversary would like nothing better than for you to allow derisive comments and criticism of the Church to cause you to question and doubt. Your testimony, when constantly nourished, will keep you safe." And then we fast forward just a little bit as he actually gets into the story of Esther here. He says this: "Physically, emotionally, and spiritually prepared, Esther stood in the inner court of the king's house.

When the king saw her, he held out his golden scepter, telling her that he would grant whatever request she had." Then he finishes up this idea. He keeps telling a little bit more, but he finishes up with this: "Esther, through fasting, faith, and courage." The Bible says that the Lord God, who was courage, had saved a nation. My friends, if you're not feeling like you have the strength or the faith or the courage of the heroes that we read about in the scriptures, perhaps it's an opportunity for us to apply the recipes that they applied for the outcomes in their lives.

Here we have a very strong testimony of the power of fasting collectively, turning to the Lord in faith, and seeking courage to do that which was not necessarily in the law—according to the law, as it mentions in that verse. I'm not saying go break the law, everyone. I'm saying that when times call for it, fasting, faith, and courage give us opportunities to save our nation as well, wherever in the world that is for you.

My friends, I hope that you and I have an opportunity to fast, to share our faith in the Lord, to find the courage to stand, to do as Mordecai and Esther have done here. Thank you for watching. Thank you.