In the 2011 October General Conference address Elder Russel M. Ballard gave a talk entitled "The Importance of a Name". In it he talks about the importance of calling our church by its real title, that is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Elder Ballard says "Let us develop the habit ... of of making it clear that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the name by which the Lord himself has directed that we be known." While Mormons is a nickname that we are often called, it is not how we should refer to ourselves. When we are baptized, we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, not Mormon's or Moses's or Joseph Smith's nor anybody else's name. We are followers of Jesus Christ.
Anyways, that got me thinking about names. When we are all born, we receive a name. That name is shiny and new, polished and clean. As we grow up, we make mistakes, sometimes putting a smudge, a scuff, a scratch, or even a dent in our names. Sometimes those smudges can be cleaned off, however some of the scratches are there to stay. In the end though, there is only one name that was dragged through this world without getting a scratch on it. That is the name that we take upon ourselves when we are baptized; the name of the Jesus Christ. Baptism into the true church of God on earth is the way that we take the Lord's name upon us. Keep your name bright, that we may be counted worthy to be baptized in His perfect name, in the name of Jesus Christ. 
No comments:
Post a Comment