This is pretty close to what I said this morning -- although I try not to read word for word from my written page. I added links to President Benson's talk (by the way - I say in my talk that he gave this address the same month of the Ensign - not true - he gave the devotional in Sept 86, published in Sept 87 Ensign - my bad) and for the DVD I mentioned. Thanks to everyone who said they enjoyed it.
Good Morning,
I was asked to speak about our country and what it means to me – especially in regards to having served as a military family and how that ties into my testimony.
I thought I knew exactly what I was going to say when I was given this opportunity to talk – and then I was looking for a couple of quotes to use and became so inspired by a talk I found that I totally scrapped my original talk. I pray that my inspiration wasn’t just for my benefit but also for a friend or two here in the congregation.
I love July – I love that we celebrate Independence Day and honor our Pioneer forefathers – both those that founded this country and those that crossed the plains to find a place free of religious persecution. And these two important groups are so intertwined that it is simply impossible for me to celebrate the one without celebrating the other.
As most of you know my husband served in the Air Force for 20 years and retired here at Dover Air Force base. I have been blessed to come from a military family – my dad served for 26 years in the Air Force and was part of the Berlin Air Lift – My brother is Active Duty, my sister and sister-in-law both served in the Air Force, my husband and brother–in-law are both retired Air Force and my mother and father both served and retired from the Department of Defense. So I have a lot of pride when it comes to the Armed Forces. We were blessed with some pretty amazing opportunities both state-side and overseas while Active Duty and like so many missionaries who serve foreign missions our eyes were opened to many things we take for granted in this country and how precious our freedoms are.
We are blessed to have a sacred document in this country that establishes the government and by amendment our freedoms – I’m speaking of the constitution. I want to give a quick history lesson – because I know that I often think – ok, so they signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, a couple of years of fighting happened and then “ ta da” we had the United State of America. But when you get down to the facts it’s really very interesting – and a lot more complicated – and it’s in that complexity that we really see the workings of the Lord in the bringing forth of this great nation. So I’m going to give you a little more detail – but I urge you to read some good books on the subject and check out this movie: “A More Perfect Union” – I bought it through Deseret, it was produced by BYU to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Constitution.
Link to DVD on Deseret Here.
The colonies began their rebellion in 1775, declared their independence in 1776 and the fighting ended in 1781 --- that’s 6 years of fighting to be recognized as a nation. But the treaty ending the war wasn’t signed until 1783 due in part to the form of government that had been established under the articles of confederation.
It wasn’t until 1787 that Constitutional convention was held – so for 11 years the we had a different form of government – that was very decentralized – with most rights residing within the states for self-government (interesting tidbit – Delaware was 11th to sign this document) – so many issues arose during that time that it became evident that a new form of government was needed. Doesn’t it always seem like we gloss over these events? …and yet they are so important to know if we truly want to understand what a divinely inspired document the Constitution is!
President Ezra Taft Benson gave an amazing devotional at BYU in September of 1987 that was published in the Ensign that same month – this is the address that changed my whole talk. It is called: The Constitution – A Glorious Standard. As many of you may know President Benson held high government office – he had a deep love and understanding of the Constitution, he spoke on the topic and wrote a book on the subject, he understood the times he lived in, the dangers our government faces and he was a Prophet of God. So when I read these words I was so struck at how they relate 25 years later – if they were true then they are true now. I promised Brother Menasco I wouldn’t just read someone else’s talk – so I urge you to look this up on lds.org – Sept 1987 Ensign – read all of it because I’m only going to share a few things with you here.
Link to President Benson's talk here.
President Benson says:
To understand the significance of the Constitution, we must first understand some basic, eternal principles. These principles have their beginning in the premortal councils of heaven.
The first basic principle is agency.
The war that began in heaven over this issue is not yet over. The conflict continues on the battlefield of mortality.
And one of Lucifer’s primary strategies has been to restrict our agency through the power of earthly governments.
Look back in retrospect on almost six thousand years of human history! Freedom’s moments have been infrequent and exceptional. We must appreciate that we live in one of history’s most exceptional moments—in a nation and a time of unprecedented freedom. Freedom as we know it has been experienced by perhaps less than 1 percent of the human family.
The second basic principle concerns the function and proper role of government.
…the most important single function of government is to secure the rights and freedoms of individual citizens.
The third important principle pertains to the source of basic human rights.
I’m going to paraphrase here in the interest of time – but President Benson puts forth the argument that you can either believe that your rights are given to you by God or by the government – and if given by the government then the government has the right to take them away – OR are certain right unalienable – a word that hard to say – but means inseparable from our very beings.
The fourth basic principle we must understand is that people are superior to the governments they form.
Since God created people with certain inalienable rights, and they, in turn, created government to help secure and safeguard those rights, it follows that the people are superior to the creature they created.
The fifth and final principle that is basic to our understanding of the Constitution is that governments should have only limited powers.
By deriving its just powers from the governed, government becomes primarily a mechanism for defense against bodily harm, theft, and involuntary servitude.
It cannot claim the power to redistribute money or property nor to force reluctant citizens to perform acts of charity against their will. Government is created by the people. The creature cannot exceed the creator.
****Have you heard the term “redistribution of wealth” in our politics today – how does this paragraph written 25 years ago, by a prophet fit into that way of thinking??
President Benson goes on to say some wonderful things about the founding fathers -- but for time’s sake I won’t share that today. But I do want to share some of the things he says regarding the need for loyalty and support of the Constitution.
At this bicentennial celebration we must, with sadness, say that we have not been wise in keeping the trust of our Founding Fathers. For the past two centuries, those who do not prize freedom have chipped away at our Constitution until today we face a crisis of great dimensions. We are fast approaching that moment prophesied by Joseph Smith when he said:
“Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction.”
…If we desire to be numbered among those who will [bear the Constitution away], here are some things we must do:
1. We must be righteous and moral. We must live the gospel principles—all of them. We have no right to expect a higher degree of morality from those who represent us than what we ourselves exhibit.
To live a higher law means we will not seek to receive what we have not earned by our own labor. It means we will remember that government owes us nothing. It means we will keep the laws of the land. It means we will look to God as our Lawgiver and the Source of our liberty.
2. We must learn the principles of the Constitution and then abide by its precepts. Have we read the Constitution and pondered it? Are we aware of its principles? Could we defend it? Can we recognize when a law is constitutionally unsound?
President Benson quotes Abraham Lincoln:
“Let [the Constitution] be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in primers, spelling-books, and in almanacs; let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation.”
3. We must become involved in civic affairs. As citizens of this republic, we cannot do our duty and be idle spectators.
4. We must make our influence felt by our vote, our letters, and our advice. We must be wisely informed and let others know how we feel.
As I pondered these words I was struck with the realization that the Oath of Enlistment my husband took when he joined the Air Force was to protect and defend this document – as is the Oath of Office Congress and the President take – in defending the Constitution they defend the Nation.
But it doesn’t take an Oath of Office, Enlistment or Commission to defend the Constitution – if we follow the steps President Benson has outlined here we too will be Defenders of the Nation.
You don’t need to wear a uniform to love your country or be called a patriot – but it does take more than flying a flag on the 4th of July.
President Benson ended his talk with these words:
I reverence the Constitution of the United States as a sacred document. To me its words are akin to the revelations of God, for God has placed His stamp of approval on the Constitution of this land. I testify that the God of heaven sent some of His choicest spirits to lay the foundation of this government, and He has sent other choice spirits to preserve it.
We, the blessed beneficiaries, face difficult days in this beloved land, “a land which is choice above all other lands.”
(Ether 2:10.) It may also cost us blood before we are through. It is my conviction, however, that when the Lord comes, the Stars and Stripes will be floating on the breeze over this people. May it be so, and may God give us the faith and the courage exhibited by those patriots who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor that we might be free, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen
I would like to add my testimony to his. I love this country – I love that it was a land specifically prepared for the restoration of the gospel and that if you learn history you can clearly see the Lord’s hand in that wonderful event that has so richly blessed my life. I love the men and women in the Armed Forces – and those in Government Office who are valiant in their defense of the Constitution – this is a very political time being an election year – I urge you to read and listen and be aware.
I don’t believe in voting for or against anyone based on religion or race. We are better as a people than that – but I do believe it is a sacred duty to do our level best to cast an educated vote – to pray for good, honest and wise people to come forward and be willing to serve and then support them in all the ways we are capable. There is so much at stake.
Brothers and Sisters, our time in the Smyrna Ward is drawing to a close. This has been an incredibly difficult decision to leave – we’ve never lived anywhere longer than 4 years – and here we’ve been in Smyrna 9!!! I know Heavenly Father has a plan for us – He wants in Ohio closer to our extended family – we’ve seen His Hand in these events even though they’ve been difficult. We love you and will miss you. We ask for your help in continuing to love and care for Tori as she is staying here (at least for the time being). So we’ll definitely be back for visits.
I leave you my testimony – that Jesus Christ lives – that this is His Church and He is the Head of it. I’m so grateful for this knowledge.
In the name of Jesus Christ - Amen.
