3.281 Bringeth Good Tidings of Good

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 is a new day with new opportunities. Choose ye this day whom you will serve.

Am I a weird person because I hope that my friends actually ask me questions about the Church and the gospel? Just me? Or do you enjoy that as well?

If not, perhaps our verse for today may help you on either case. We are reading this week Isaiah chapters 50 through 57. And inside of it, I mentioned yesterday, we're going to stay inside of Isaiah 52.

There are some awesome verses in 52. I basically could do the whole week of Savory Salt just on Isaiah 52. But instead of doing that, we're just going to pick a couple and then we'll move on.

Our verse for today is Isaiah chapter 52, verse 7. This one's interesting because it is quoted several times in the Book of Mormon—I think it four times, if I'm not mistaken. Four separate times this one's quoted in the Book of Mormon.

In fact, if you go to Savory Salt Season One, I probably picked this verse inside of there. I should have done some research on that. I'm duplicating a little bit, but now I'm digressing.

Let's get focused. Isaiah 52, verse 7, says this. What does this have to do with friends asking me questions about the gospel?

Well, I've had the blessing and opportunity of working in different areas that don't necessarily have a lot of members of the Church. I came across that in Houston, Texas, when I was teaching, but I've also come across it here as I've returned back to Utah and just been in industries that don't naturally have a heavy Church presence necessarily. And so I have found in this verse that I like to be the one that bringeth good tidings of good.

I like to be that guy. I like to be the one that helps publish peace. I like to be the one that can explain these concepts.

And so, for my friends, the encounter that kind of happened is I become kind of the token member of the Church—I'm the person that they know that they can go to. And in fact, there have been several times in my life when I get a text message from a friend that maybe... I love that.

I love that because I don't have to be the one with the answers. I just love that I get an opportunity to present the Church and the perspective as best as I can. I don't want to make up answers by any means, but I do want to be able to have the conversations.

A little bit about the new issue in this podcast: we are going to talk about the new "Sons of David" series. Opening of the Salt Lake Temple. In April of 2027, the Salt Lake Temple will open for the first time since the 1800s to the public.

It's an opportunity across the world, literally across the world, for anyone who wants to know what members of the Church believe and have believed since pioneer days. It's a wonderful experience to start a conversation with friends. My friends, I am grateful for the blessing and opportunity to share these good tidings.

I love answering questions about the Church, even difficult ones where I get to wrestle with my friends around them. I hope that you find these tidings good and that you can share those good tidings with your friends and family as well. That's all for today, my friends.

You and I have come here for such a time as this. Step forward in faith, and let's be Savory Salt. We will be here tomorrow, and we hope you are too.