Deepening Discipleship | Scott D. Whiting | 2020

Elder Scott D. Whiting, General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teaches how to deepen discipleship through obedience, endurance, and service to God and our fellowmen and women.

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/scott-d-whiting/deepening-discipleship/

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"My dear brothers and sisters, it is indeed an honor to speak to you today. As a young boy I watched basketball games played at the Marriott Center and often dreamed of suiting up and running out onto that storied floor. Sadly, my basketball skills never elevated to the level needed for such an opportunity, so predictably that dream faded and then died.

You can imagine my excitement several months ago when I received the assignment to speak at this devotional. While I knew that I would be “suited up” in a different way than I had once imagined and that I likely would stroll and not run out onto the floor, at least I would be in the dreamed-of location.

Alas, that brief dream also evaporated under current conditions, and so I come to you from a small, empty auditorium located on the ground floor of the Church Office Building. Nevertheless, I am humbled by this opportunity to speak to you and recognize your goodness, your academic achievements, your honor and integrity, and your so very bright futures.

Learners Walking the Path of Discipleship
How can one speak at a BYU devotional in December and not focus on our Savior, Jesus Christ? He must be our focus not just in December but throughout every month, every week, and every day. Indeed, He will be the focus of my remarks as we explore what it means to be His disciples and what we can do to deepen our discipleship.

The Bible Dictionary defines a disciple as “a pupil or learner,” explaining that the term also refers to “all followers of Jesus Christ.”1 Other dictionaries also add to this explanation, helping us to understand that a disciple is one who is under the care of a teacher. I like that concept. I like the thought of being under the care of Jesus Christ. You might note that the definition of disciple requires action by those desiring to be so defined. For example, a pupil, by definition, is a student who is enrolled, who is engaged, and who carries a certain status.

Similarly, learner is not a passive designation or role. A learner is someone who is still, frankly, learning—someone who has not yet arrived at full knowledge and understanding but who recognizes that additional effort is required to gain the desired knowledge. Important for all of us to understand is that a learner is someone who still has questions that are unanswered yet hopes to find answers as he or she continues to learn. Sadly, some desire all answers without expending the required patience, effort, and diligence. When they don’t have the answers or understanding of some of life’s questions, they fall into what some call a crisis of faith.

However, as a friend once told me, the path of discipleship is not a linear path stretching in a straight line from point A to point B. Rather, the path of discipleship has both its high and low points. Instead of seeing the low points as crises, we can instead consider them as part of the journey that we all must travel. Even the original twelve disciples had their high and low moments—moments that were part of their journey. However, that journey solidified their ­discipleship as they continued as learners under the care of their Master Teacher.

From these definitions and examples—and the reality of the ups and downs we personally experience as we are tried and tested on the road of discipleship—we see that a disciple of Jesus Christ must be actively engaged, patient in the process, sufficiently humble, dedicated to the Savior, and filled with faith that the Master Teacher is leading us in the right direction.

As we walk the path of discipleship, it is important to remember that disciples are to learn as God intended, “line upon line, precept upon precept; and [that He] will try you and prove you herewith.”2 No one ever said that discipleship would be an easy or brief journey with no obstacles. If it were, there would be little growth or development of the disciple.

While a disciple is undergoing that development, the most important thing he or she can do is to continue on the path of discipleship rather than leave the care of the teacher. Leaving the care of the Master Teacher renders us vulnerable to the philosophies of men and of those who teach:..."

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