Salt Lake City | Tuesday, 14 February 2023 |

Sister Tracy Y. Browning was struck recently by the word “preserve” while studying her scriptures.

“A small seed was planted in my mind,” related Sister Browning, Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency, during the Tuesday, February 14, Brigham Young University devotional. “Subsequently, I felt like I was encountering this word everywhere.”

She noticed it when reading other things, heard it in casual conversations and even found it when walking down an aisle at the grocery store. Feeling impressed to study the word, Sister Browning learned that “to preserve” means: to keep safe from injury or harm; to protect, to keep alive or intact; and to safeguard, secure, defend, shelter, shield and give sanctuary.

As she pondered those definitions, she thought about what she was trying to preserve or defend or keep alive in her own life and from this exercise came a few observations.

“First, our desire to preserve something indicates itsvaluein our lives,” she said. “Second, we want to preserve these precious things because we know they are susceptible to harm, decay, erosion or even destruction. And third, just wanting to preserve something isn’t enough. We have to take observable steps to protect the things we value and prevent any harmful corruption.”

With this understanding, she said she was able to discern what the Spirit was trying to teach her: “He wanted me to assess, before all else, how can I preserve my faith in Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ and my relationship with Them?”

Considering the observable steps God takes to preserve His relationship with her, Sister Browning said she can discern a pattern teaching her how to preserve her relationship reciprocally with Him.

She shared four ways God works to preserve His relationship with His children — and included questions to prompt listeners in their efforts of preserving reciprocal relationships.

1. ‘God Sent Us His Son, Jesus Christ, to Atone for Us

“A loving and wise Father sent us Jesus Christ to redeem us from the effects of sin, ensuring that we would not be left in a perpetual state of estrangement from God,” Sister Browning said. “Instead, through our Savior’s gift of divine mercy, we are all unconditionally granted immortality and a return to the presence of God to be judged.”

Her questions:

• “Will we more fully be His devoted disciples?
• “Will we more fully take His name upon us?
• “Will we be more accountable and repent when we fall short?
• “Will we nourish our testimony of Him, His gospel, and His Church, so that they will not be subject to ‘wither[ing] away’ (see Alma 32:38)?
• “And when our Savior asks us, ‘Do you love me?’ will our answer be reflected in a life of loyalty to His love?”
   

2. God Has Sent His Word Through Scriptures and Modern-day Prophets and Apostles

“Another clear sign of how much God values us is that He gives us the preserving, protecting power of His word,” said Sister Browning, then quoting Nephi’s promise “Whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, … would never perish; neither could the temptations … of the adversary overpower them …, to lead them away to destruction” (1 Nephi 15:24).

Her questions:

• “Will we more intentionally ‘hearken’ to their teachings, allowing them to have greater influence in our thoughts, actions, and decisions?
• “Will we ‘hold fast’ to God’s word when temptations, trials, or challenges come, so that we aren’t overpowered?
• “Will we consider the following promise given to us by God’s prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, and trust that God will honor it in our life?”

In October 2017 general conference, he said: “I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions — every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day.”

 
3. God Has Offered a Deepened Relationship and Salvation Through Covenants With Him

“The most important promises we make with God are the ones we make through covenant,” said Sister Browning, adding that great and precious promises “are associated with ordinances and covenants we make with God the Father, through His Son, Jesus Christ. And God asks us to partake in them so that He can preserve us from the corruption of the world.”

Her questions:

• “Will we try to seek more joy in being unified with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through covenant?
• “Will we return each week to our meetinghouses to partake of the Lord’s sacrament in remembrance and renewal of our covenants?
• “Will we prepare ourselves to enter the house of the Lord and enjoy the covenants offered there?
• “Will we then return to the temple — ‘mak[ing] an appointment regularly with the Lord — to be in His holy house — then keep[ing] that appointment with exactness and joy?’” (Russell M. Nelson, “Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints,” October 2018 general conference).

4. God Sent His Spirit to Be With Us

“The Holy Ghost is the source of personal testimony and revelation,” Sister Browning said. “He can guide us in our decisions and protect us from physical and spiritual danger. Through His power, we are sanctified — or set apart, or made holy — as we repent, receive saving ordinances and keep our covenants.”

Her questions:

• “As covenant makers and keepers, will we try to ‘always remember’ the Savior and keep His commandments, so that we ‘may always have his Spirit to be with [us]’ (Moroni 4:3)?
• “Will we pray for the inspiration to know what God wants us to do, and for the power and capacity to do it?
• “Will we ‘put [our] trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good — yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously’ (Doctrine and Covenants 11:12)?
• “Will we better follow the spiritual promptings we receive in a way that will allow God’s voice to prevail in our life?
• “Will we, with increasing sincerity and intention, seek the Spirit’s confirming witness of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, of the truths of the gospel, and of the saving ordinances found only in the Savior’s Church?”“Let us joyfully return [God’s] love by making Him the prevailing priority in our life.”

Sister Browning concluded, testifying that God is always trying to talk to His children and communicate His love. “You are His priority. He has and will continue to provide many countless ways to demonstrate our value and priority,” she said.

“Let us joyfully return His love by making Him the prevailing priority in our life. And then, let us preserve that relationship by following Him faithfully as His disciples, holding fast to His word, making and keeping covenants with Him, and seeking the constant companionship of His Spirit.”