Two young brothers stood atop a small cliff that overlooked the pristine waters of a blue lake. This was a popular diving spot, and the brothers had often talked about making the jump—something they had seen others do.
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| "Brother," he said as he jumped, "I'm committed." |
Although they both wanted to make the jump, neither one wanted to be first. The height of the cliff wasn’t that great, but to the two young boys, it seemed the distance increased whenever they started to lean forward—and their courage was fading fast.
Finally, one brother put one foot at the edge of the cliff and moved decisively forward. At that moment his brother whispered, “Maybe we should wait until next summer.”
The first brother’s momentum, however, was already pulling him forward. “Brother,” he responded, “I’m committed!”
He splashed into the water and surfaced quickly with a victorious shout. The second brother followed instantly. Afterward, they both laughed about the first boy’s final words before plunging into the water: “Brother, I’m committed.”
President Uchtdorf related this story to our commitment to Jesus Christ. He continues:
Commitment is a little like diving into the water. Either you are committed or you are not. Either you are moving forward or you are standing still. There’s no halfway. We all face moments of decision that change the rest of our lives. As members of the Church, we must ask ourselves, “Will I dive in or just stand at the edge? Will I step forward or merely test the temperature of the water with my toes?”
Do we study the scriptures every day, or just every now and then? Do we offer thanks in our prayers, or do we just ask for things we need? Do we keep the commandments always or only when it is convenient to? An attitude of simply "getting by" in the gospel will bring sorrow and despair. We must be committed. President Uchtdorf continues:
Being only sort of committed to the gospel can lead to frustration, unhappiness, and guilt. This should not apply to us because we are a covenant people. We make covenants with the Lord when we are baptized and when we enter the house of the Lord. Men make covenants with the Lord when they are ordained to the priesthood. Nothing can be more important than keeping a commitment we have made with the Lord.
Those who are only sort of committed may expect to only sort of receive the blessings of testimony, joy, and peace. The windows of heaven might only be sort of open to them.
Commitment requires lasting faith. We must have faith to make and stick to our decisions. When we make and keep commitments, the Lord blesses us. When we refuse to make or only halfheartedly keep commitments, we cannot receive those blessings.
I stand with President Uchtdorf in saying let us all have a firmer commitment to Christ. Miracles happen when we exercise faith in the Savior.
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