'Come follow me'
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The Lord's beckoning plea was "Follow thou me," President Thomas S. Monson declared to members gathered for stake and district conference throughout Argentina.
"This then is our responsibility, to follow the Savior of the world, the Son of God, even Jesus Christ. You must respond; I must respond to that plea, 'Come, follow me."'
President Monson addressed members via a satellite broadcast that originated in a studio in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City and was transmitted to gatherings held on June 10 in Argentina. Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Seventy and Silvia H. Allred, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, also addressed the conference.
President Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, reflected on his first visit to Argentina, when the Buenos Aires Stake was the only stake in all of Argentina. "Now, in Argentina, there are 70 stakes, 10 missions and a temple. What wonderful growth has come to Argentina, this great country," he said.
Members from those 70 stakes, along with 38 districts, were in the congregations President Monson addressed via satellite.
He quoted Doctrine and Covenants 88:119, in which the Lord gives the admonition to establish "a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."
Calling this a "blueprint for you and for me," President Monson, speaking with his customary warmth, commented on each "house."
"Let's ask ourselves, 'Are we making of our house a house of prayer?"' He then referred to some of the "great prayers given by the Lord," including the Lord's prayer, the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and the prayers on "that terrible day" at Golgotha.
After speaking of the prayer of the Prophet Joseph in the Sacred Grove, President Monson focused on family prayers. "Include the children. Let them be a part of that prayer."
Continuing, President Monson said, "Let's make our house also a house of fasting. Jesus fasted. We're taught to fast, and when we fast let us let our thoughts be upon our Heavenly Father and what He would have us do. I've learned many lessons in life from watching the example of those who observed the fast and trusted in the Lord for the blessing."
Speaking of "a house of faith," President Monson spoke of an experience he had as he attended a conference in Grand Junction, Colo. He met with parents who were concerned for a son serving a mission in Germany who wanted to quit and come home. They felt their prayers were not heard.
He informed the family that out of all the General Authorities, he would be the only one flying that week to Dusseldorf, Germany. "Do you realize the Lord answered your prayer before I even came here?" he asked the worried parents.
Traveling to Germany on his assignment, he met with the elder. "He stayed on the mission and served well and faithfully until his mission was completed."
President Monson spoke of a "house of learning. I like to think of learning as essential. The Lord wants us to study the scriptures."
There is other good literature available, he added, including instructions from the Brethren found in the Church News and other Church publications. President Monson admonished members to "not neglect the training of your children."
He spoke of a "house of glory," and used the account of the character created by Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn, who wanted to do the right things but couldn't find the courage, then realized he couldn't "pray a lie."
Concluding his blueprint, President Monson referred to "a house of order. We need to make time for our families, time for our employees and our employers, time for the Lord, time for ourselves to meditate privately. We must allocate our time, for it is fleeting, and we have only so much of it; let's use it wisely."
This conference, President Monson declared, "is a good time to take a little inventory of our blueprint and see if we're on track, and then we'll know whether or not we're just listening or whether we're believing and acting as well. And then we'll find that the Lord will look upon our efforts and say, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant."'
Addressing the topic of discipleship, Elder Perry encouraged members to study the scriptures so that their faith and knowledge of the Lord's great plan for His children will be "an ever-growing part of your lives."
He quoted extensively from the 27th chapter of Mosiah, and said that while Alma had been an unbeliever and a wicked and idolatrous man, he became a very different man after his conversion, even a great missionary who "from this time forward" taught the people.
"Once conversion comes, we have an obligation and responsibility to carry on this great work and build our Father in Heaven's kingdom," Elder Perry declared. "This was a defining moment in the life of Alma. So powerful was the testimony of the Savior, he changed from a man of the world to a disciple of Christ.
"To become a disciple of the Lord usually requires a change in our lifestyle. Seeking after material possessions produces junk that is eventually discarded. Following the Lord's plan brings happiness and joy to those who will adhere and are obedient to the will of the Lord. The heritage of those who follow the gospel of Jesus Christ is a glorious plan for us to follow."
Elder Perry said, "We live in this important period in the history of the world when so much has been revealed to us. We have been partakers of the great Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, having accepted it and the ordinances required for our eternal salvation. Now, as Alma after his conversion, we need to proceed after our conversion, with the same spirit to truly become disciples of our Lord and Savior."
Elder Nash compared seeing with one's natural eyes with seeing with one's spiritual eyes.
"If we are spiritually blind, we cannot see the way to joy in this life and eternal life in the world to come," he said.
In order to improve spiritual vision, Elder Nash suggested members:
1. Remember the Savior, the restored Church and gospel of Jesus Christ, and your family.
2. Choose to keep the commandments, especially the law of tithing, which contributes greatly to faith and knowledge of God.
3. Follow the Lord's admonition to "obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man, and all this for the salvation of Zion" (Doctrine and Covenants 93:53).
4. Hold steadily to the gospel standards, avoiding evil and the misery it brings.
Elder Nash promised, "You will see more clearly the beauty and purpose of life and make wise decisions that will bring the power of God into your life and bless you and your family and the Church for generations."
Through personal stories of her time living in Costa Rica, Sister Allred spoke of the great lengths some communities go to obtain life-sustaining water. Then she said, "In the same way in which water is essential to sustain life, the Savior and His teachings, which are the living water, are essential for our spiritual life, and therefore essential for eternal life.
"The same effort we would exert to daily obtain the water that would nourish our body should also be exerted to obtain that living water that will nourish our spirit."
Sister Allred suggested daily reading of the scriptures and obedience to the Lord's commandments as ways members may expect to remain close to the fountain of living water.
