President Oaks and you wonderful studentsand faculty, it is a great experience for me

to be here with you today and with my dearhusband and three of the four children thatwere mentioned in the introduction. Thismorning as I approached this beautifulcampus, nestled at the base of these majesticmountains, and caught the grandeur of God’screations, myriads of warm, shiny experiencesin and around this campus were recalled:There were weekends spent with a belovedaunt, Alice Louise Reynolds, a faculty memberfor many years. Our home in Salt Lake was herhome. My room was her room. We shared somuch—so much that she was determined tohave a hand in selecting my husband. Shedidn’t, but she highly approved of this won-derful man whom I sit by today and whoreceived part of his college education under themammoth trees of the lower campus. AlthoughI graduated from the University of Utah, myfavorite and most exciting dates were withBYU men at your fabulous socials, spiritualevents, dances, picnics, and many exchangeperformances in which I was a participant.My mother was a graduate of Brigham YoungAcademy. Another aunt was the wife of oneof your former Presidents, Benjamin Cluff. Adaughter, Allyson, received her degree from

this University four years ago. A son, Judd,found his eternal companion, Elizabeth, inyour A Capella Choir last year and took herto the house of the Lord just two months ago,and they’re here today. Another daughter heretoday, Jenny Jo, hopes to enroll as a freshmanand swell your ranks by one in the fall of 1975.

I salute many of your faculty who havehelped shape and mold my thinking: ReedBradford, Antone Romney, Virginia Cutler,Leon Hartshorn, Jim Barton, and others. Iextend deepest appreciation to President Oaksfor providing great teachers with whom weserve in the Aaronic Priesthood MIA. I feeldeeply honored and grateful to occupy thisspot, which is a mere speck in this awesomeand glorious edifice, and pray that the Spiritof the Lord will allow us to communicate thesenext few minutes on our needs to be ready toreceive.

The Challenge of Missionary WorkThe Lord must love us deeply and feel

that we are ready to receive the inspiration,

© INTELLECTUAL RESERVE, INC 1

Ready to Receive

RUTH H. FUNK

Ruth H. Funk was general president of the YoungWomen of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints when this devotional address was given atBrigham Young University on 28 May 1974.

confidence, and trust our beloved prophetextended to us at general conference asPresident Kimball literally opened the heavensand enlarged our vision and understanding.Many of the Brethren subsequently referred tothe powerful address on missionary workgiven by President Kimball at the seminar ofthe Regional Representatives of the Twelve. Atthat time, using successive section and verse,he gave the Lord’s directives relative to takingthe gospel to the uttermost parts of the earthand unto every creature that all might hear andreceive his word. And we were admonished toteach all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peo-ple. President Kimball brought to our attentionpromises, commandments, directions, and theabsolute faith that the Lord can do all thingsand will make it possible for his kingdom toroll forth to bring to pass his work and hisglory—the immortality and eternal life of man.Are we ready to receive such vision, suchdirection, such commandment, that this is thetime and this is the generation who have beenprepared for this period of divine design inGod’s timetable? I am persuaded that God pre-pares the way and quickens the souls of menthat they are ready to receive his word if theykeep his commandments and are sensitive tohis promptings.

To President David O. McKay’s admonitionseveral years ago that every member be a mis-sionary, a new dimension, a new understand-ing has been given. President Kimball spokeof men in ages past opening doors and gettinginto places that were impregnable because theydid as the Lord told them. God continues toopen doors. President Kimball reminded theBrethren that the Lehites got into the promisedland, that the early Americans won a triumphin the Revolutionary War, that the children ofIsrael were set free and made an exodus outof Egypt. Then in reference to the doors to thenations of the world we must open to mission-ary work, he said:

But I can see no good reason why the Lord wouldopen doors that we are not prepared to enter. Whyshould he break down the Iron Curtain or theBamboo Curtain or any other curtain if we are stillunprepared to enter?

I believe we have men who could help theApostles to open these doors—statesmen, able andtrustworthy—but, when we are ready for them.[Regional Representatives seminar, 4 April1974]

President Kimball mentioned the fact thatBrother David Kennedy would help specifi-cally in this tremendous challenge and oppor-tunity. Now, there is a perfect example ofpreparation. The Lord has given BrotherKennedy a training that few other man in theworld will ever receive, and he has preparedhim for this very delicate work of opening thedoors of the nations to the gospel, which shallnow go forth unto every nation. It will happenas we are ready to receive.

Again I quote from President Kimball:

The question is frequently asked: Should everyyoung man fill a mission? And the answer has beengiven by the Lord. It is “Yes.” Every young manshould fill a mission. He [the Lord] said:

“Send forth the elders of my Church unto thenations which are afar off; [He said elders. Wehave been talking about elders.] unto the islandsof the sea; send forth unto foreign lands; call uponall nations—first upon the Gentiles, and then uponthe Jews.” (D&C 133:8.)

He did not limit it.We now ordain young men at nineteen years

of age to be elders. The answer is “yes.” Every manshould also pay his tithing. Every man should alsoobserve the Sabbath. Every man should attend hismeetings. Every man should consummate his mar-riage in the temple and properly train his children,and do many other mighty works. Of course heshould. He does not always do it.

We realize that while all men definitely should,all men are not prepared to teach the gospel abroad.

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Far too many young men arrive at missionary agequite unprepared to go on a mission, and of coursethey should not be sent. But they should all beprepared. [Regional Representatives seminar,4 April 1974]

And thereon hangs one of our greatest chal-lenges—to keep these young boys worthy.

The Role of WomenPerhaps this is where the women—the

wives, the mothers, the girlfriends—fit in.They can prepare themselves to help create theatmosphere whereby these young men maydevelop and magnify their priesthood andrealize their potential. One of BYU’s most tal-ented and loved writers, Carol Lynn Pearson,put this concept in such an eloquent languagethat I would like to quote one of her poems,called “On Nest Building”:

Mud is not bad for nest building.Mud and stick and a fallen feather or two will doAnd require no reaching.I could rest there with my little ones, Sound for the season at least.But if I may fly awhile,If I may cut through a sunset going outAnd a rainbow coming back—Color upon color sealed in my eyes—If I may have the unboundaried skies for my study,Clouds, cities, rivers for my rooms,If I may search the centuries for melody and

meaning,If I may try for the sun, I shall come backBearing such beauties gleaned from God’s and man’s

very best,I shall come filled and then, oh the nest that I can

build.

To you young women, while the emphasis isnot so much on leaving home to fill a calling inthe Church, still there is a great emphasis con-cerning this preparation period for your specialmission.

As you meet the challenges of each day andseek divine direction, you will develop a rela-tionship with your Father in heaven. You willbecome acquainted with the whisperings of theSpirit. You will grow spiritually during yourpreparation time. You will be in readiness to bereceived in due time, to be the eternal compan-ion of whom God spoke when he said, “Theytwain shall become one.” Father Adam andMother Eve were the prototypes of every cou-ple who ever hoped to attain exaltation. Youwill seek to follow their example and to see intheir relationship a priesthood courtship. Asyou seek to understand priesthood, its powerand purpose, you will acquire an understand-ing and testimony of the order and govern-ment of God’s kingdom here on the earth. Andas you further develop and become ready toenter into the house of the Lord with one of hisservants, a returned missionary, you will beready to have a priesthood courtship of yourown—one where God is the third party.

With permission, may I read a letter fromour new daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, whom Imentioned before. This was written in the SaltLake Tabernacle just four months ago, followingthe beginning of their priesthood courtship.It reads:

Dear Judd,We are now just two minutes to broadcast time.

There are a few more people here than usual becauseof Easter. This morning is so beautiful. I think thatthe morning is the most beautiful time of the wholeday because it is new and full of hope—like a littleresurrection every twenty-four hours.

Sitting here listening to this glorious music andthought-provoking words is a wonderful blessing,but there is another gift not everyone is aware of.This is the gift of atonement and resurrection.They are singing a chorale from the St. MatthewPassion. If only the whole world could hear it andunderstand its significance! We are like the rest ofthe world if we do not sink our roots deep into theearth. A tree without roots is called a prop. Its

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leaves exist without purpose or growth. This kindof tree can look exactly like a growing tree, but itspurpose is not for growing and producing. What Iam saying is that, even though we laugh or joke orhold hands and smile, it is meaningless if we arewithout roots. Our roots have got to be so com-pletely anchored that nothing can blow us over.These roots must be firmly anchored in Jesus Christ.We must receive that gift without pause and stead-fastly. This relationship cannot exist or functionunless we anchor it in this good earth of the gospel.

I love you for all I am when I am with you andfor all you are even when I’m not around. Let’s keepbuilding as dynamically and enthusiastically as wecan.

Remember that, even though you have a scar inthe middle of your eyebrow, I love you a lot.

E.C.

That is a beautiful love letter within the bondsof a priesthood courtship.

In your own preparation and in your ownpriesthood courtship, you will discover thatlike spirits attract. You will be in readiness toreceive, in due time, the eternal companionshipof which God spoke: “For intelligence cleavethunto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom;truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue;light cleaveth unto light” (D&C 88:40). Whatyou prepare to be is what you will attract. As ayoung woman more fully begins to understandher relationship to the priesthood of God hereon earth, she begins to comprehend thestrength, the power, the protection, the direc-tion, yes, and the ultimate opportunities ofexaltation that can come to her only within thispriesthood structure and in no other way.

Preparation During YouthI fondly reflect on games of my childhood

such as “Kick the Can” and “Run, Sheepie,Run,” when the captain or the starter wouldsay, “Ready; set; go!” or “Ready; run.” Whenit was time to come to find us, he would call,

“Ready or not, you shall be caught.” Will webe ready when we shall be caught, when thismortal life is ended, when we have finishedthis second estate?

Last year, standing in the wings behind thecurtain moments before a magnificently inspir-ing young artists’ music festival, I witnessed aperformance that touched my heart—maybeeven more than the performance on stage,certainly as much. A prayer had been offeredin behalf of each of the young performers thattheir hard weeks—yes, even years of conscien-tious preparation—might be drawn from atthis moment to ensure a masterful perfor-mance. Eyes were moist; hearts were touchedas the strength and unity of family memberslent confidence and encouragement to eachperformer. At that moment, a father, appearingproud and grateful, quickly leaned forward,gave his beautiful young daughter a tenderkiss on the cheek, and whispered, “You’reready, my dear.” And her next step was onstage, alone—a solo flight.

Oh, that our preparation at each step in ourlives might be such that, as we approach thathour of challenge (and there are many), wemight have that quiet whispering of the Spiritin our ears: “You’re ready, my dear.” Readinessimplies so much and demands much more.The requirements are discipline, teachableness,understanding, humility, faith, and practice.These are just a few of the ingredients. Toreceive means to own, to accept, to have itbecome a part of you. When it is yours, youcan share it.

Obedient Servants of the LordHow generously the Lord has given us

models and accounts of his chosen servantswho have been ready to receive his command-ments, his signs, and his direction. Noah wasready to receive the instructions for the ark thatwould carry him and all forms of life across theseas and perpetuate the human race and otherforms of life. The brother of Jared was made

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ready to receive his instructions to build thebarges and then, through the Spirit of God,beheld the finger of the Lord: “And it came topass that when the brother of Jared had saidthese words, behold, the Lord stretched forthhis hand and touched the stones one by onewith his finger” (Ether 3:6). Daniel was madeready to receive interpretive powers that hemight decipher and translate the words ofprophecy in the royal court of Balshazzar, theking of Babylon, and was later protected whencast into the den of lions as God sent his angelto shut the lion’s mouth.

How carefully the Lord prepared Abrahamto be ready to receive one of the greatest testsof faith in holy writ! I weep and feel the great-est compassion when I read the account of hispreparation for the sacrifice of his only son,Isaac, as written by Brother Melvin J. Ballard:

I think as I read the story of Abraham’s sacrificesof his son Isaac that our Father is trying to tell uswhat it cost him to give his Son as a gift to theworld. You remember the story of how Abraham’sson came after long years of waiting and was lookedupon by his worthy sire, Abraham, as more preciousthan all his other possessions; yet, in the midst of hisrejoicing, Abraham was told to take this only sonand offer him as a sacrifice to the Lord. Heresponded. Can you feel what was in the heart ofAbraham on that occasion? You love your son justas Abraham did [or will love a son as he did]; per-haps not quite so much, because of the peculiar cir-cumstances, but what do you think was in his heartwhen he started away from Mother Sarah, and theybade her goodbye? What do you think was in hisheart when he saw Isaac bidding farewell to hismother to take that three days’ journey to theappointed place where the sacrifice was to be made? Iimagine it was about all Father Abraham could do tokeep from showing his great grief and sorrow at thatparting, but he and his son trudged along three daystoward the appointed place, Isaac carrying the fagotsthat were to consume the sacrifice. The two travelersrested, finally, at the mountainside, and the men

who had accompanied them were told to remainwhile Abraham and his son started up the hill.

The boy then said to his father: “Why, Father,we have the fagots; we have the fire to burn thesacrifice; but where is the sacrifice?”

It must have pierced the heart of FatherAbraham to hear the trusting and confiding sonsay: “You have forgotten the sacrifice.” Looking atthe youth, his son of promise, the poor father couldonly say: “The Lord will provide.”

They ascended the mountain, gathered thestones together, and placed the fagots upon them.Then Isaac was bound, hand and foot, kneelingupon the altar. I presume Abraham, like a truefather, must have given his son his farewell kiss,his blessing, his love, and his soul must have beendrawn out in that hour of agony toward his son whowas to die by the hand of his own father. Every stepproceeded until the cold steel was drawn, and thehand raised that was to strike the blow to let out thelife’s blood when the angel of the Lord said: “It isenough.” [Bryant S. Hinckley, Sermons andMissionary Services of Melvin Joseph Ballard (SaltLake City: Deseret Book Co., 1949), pp. 152–53]

The love, the pain, the faith and compassionwe feel, perhaps bring us one small step closerto understanding the sacrifice of our Fatherin heaven in giving his Only Begotten Sonas a ransom that we might have eternal life.Abraham was ready to receive this ultimatetest from God.

King Benjamin’s exhortation to his sons as heprepared them and made Mosiah ready toreceive the keys and powers of the kingdom isanother vivid example of a people made readyto hear the word of the Lord. You will rememberMosiah was directed to make a proclamationthat all should gather themselves together to goup to the temple to hear the words of the Lord:

And it came to pass that when they came upto the temple, they pitched their tents round about,every man according to his family, consisting of hiswife, and his sons, and his daughters, . . . from the

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eldest down to the youngest, every family beingseparate one from another.

And they pitched their tents round about thetemple, every man having his tent with the doorthereof towards the temple, that thereby they mightremain in their tents and hear the words whichKing Benjamin should speak unto them. [Mosiah2:5–6]

Families prepared and ready to receiveinstruction today from a prophet of the Lordin a comparable way, we come together twicea year to see and hear God’s chosen servants.Saints in the United States and Canada,Central and South America, Mexico, Australia,countries in Europe—including Great Britain,Austria, France, Switzerland, Belgium, and theNetherlands—Hawaii, and the United StatesArmed Forces in the Pacific heard our prophetspeak this spring. In 890 buildings 190,000priesthood bearers were instructed in theirduties at the general priesthood meeting.Through electronic media the Lord hasprovided a way that all may hear.

We all know the miracle of preparing a landwhere the gospel could be restored in such aclimate that Joseph Smith was ready to receivedivine revelation. As a boy, he saw Satan’s buf-feting, and surely this is a method of preparingus to be steadfast in the gospel. He was visitedby angels and was made to wait and learnpatience and be prepared to receive the gospelin its fullness. Joseph Smith, just as all of theprophets of God were, was foreordained andmade ready to come to this earth at this timeand was appointed by God to restore thegospel of Jesus Christ here on earth. In section35 of the Doctrine and Covenants, in responseto an inquiry of Sidney Rigdon, the Lord said,“And there are none that doeth good exceptthose who are ready to receive the fulness ofmy gospel, which I have sent forth unto thisgeneration” (D&C 35:12). This means you, me,all of God’s children. This generation mayreceive the fullness of the Lord’s gospel when

we are ready to receive it. What greaterpromise could we be given?

We have thus far spoken of men who weremade ready to receive direct revelation fromthe Lord and to become instruments in hishands in furthering his work. Great amongsuch children of God was Mary, a woman, themother of Jesus. What greater privilege andcalling could come than that of being madeready to become the mother of the Son of God?We know she was prepared to be the mother ofJesus for centuries before this event took place,as recorded in the writings of King Benjamin,Nephi, and Isaiah, who prophesied, “A virginshall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call hisname Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

We know little about Mary’s early life—only that she was living in Nazareth andespoused to Joseph, which was the customthat was often followed by a girl early in herlife. She must have been very young whenthe angel Gabriel appeared to her, and afteraddressing her as “blessed among women,” hesaid, “Thou hast found favor with God. And,behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, andbring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.He shall be great, and shall be called the Sonof the Highest” (Luke 1:30–32). Imagine theimpact of this announcement from a heavenlymessenger to one young girl, probably youngerthan any girl in this building! But after theangel had explained how this would take placeand told her about the son of Elizabeth, Johnthe Baptist, who would be born to prepare theway for the Lord Jesus Christ, the angel said,“For with God nothing shall be impossible”(Luke 1:37).

Mary’s response was “Behold the hand-maid of the Lord; be it unto me according tothy word” (Luke 1:38). Oh, that each of uscould have such unquestioning faith, suchcommitment, such absolute trust in the Lord,and be so prepared that we could say toanything he asked of us, “Be it unto me accord-ing to thy word.”

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Inspired by this passage, one of yourown faculty members, Eloise Bell, along withanother beautiful woman, Dorothy Neilson—both of the Aaronic Priesthood MIA generalboard—wrote the following verses:

Behold thy handmaiden, Lord.Ready now am I,To live thy word, to teach thy word,To praise thy name on high.

Behold my hands, O Lord,Consecrated to thee,To serve thy daughters, to serve thy sons,To comfort each one tenderly.

Behold mine eyes, O Lord, Windows to my soul,To see thy light, to love thy light,To know and shape my role.

Behold the handmaiden of the Lord;Be it unto me according to thy word.As Mary spoke, so speak I.Heavenly Father, I will tryTo do thy will,Thy laws fulfill,In service to magnify thee,In humility to seek thee,Always to speak of thee,And thine,As mine.Behold thy handmaiden.

Behold my heart, O Lord,Waiting here before thee,To feel thy love, to share thy love;Ever thy child I will be.

Of course, the celestial example of prepara-tion and readiness is that of the Lord JesusChrist, who was prepared in the preexistenceto receive the greatest of all assignments fromour Heavenly Father—to sacrifice his life thatwe might all live eternally.

Speaking of the life of our late prophetHarold B. Lee, President Spencer W. Kimballdescribed him as “a high peak in a mightyrange of impregnable mountains” (“Guidelinesto Carry Forth the Work of God in Cleanliness,”Ensign 4 [May 1974]: 4). He was prepared bythe Lord to be the prophet of the Church andthe mighty architect of correlation, throughwhich process the Lord will work in preparingus for the second coming of the Lord andSavior, Jesus Christ.

Through President Lee, the Lord called meto my position. I love him. I will ever reverehim throughout all eternity. My constantprayer is that I will be an adequate instrumentin the Lord’s hands and merit his trust andconfidence.

Our beloved President Kimball is as greatan example as any of the prophets of old. Hewas foreordained, prepared, preserved, tested,challenged, refined, and made ready to beour prophet today—our prophet, seer, andrevelator. One senses the power, vision, andsense of urgency he has in extending theblessings of the gospel to all mankind. He wasprepared and made ready even before thefoundations of the earth. He was one of thenoble and great ones whom Abraham saw.You, as baptized members of the Church, werethere, too. You were prepared to come forth inthis day and age to partake of and share in thegospel.

The Purpose of Life on EarthThe delightful musical Saturday’s Warrior

that I enjoyed at your Mormon Arts Festivaltold a profound story. The characters wereliving in the preexistence with one another—children of our Heavenly Father, a family ofbrothers and sisters with gifts and talents andwants and challenges and all the things thatchildren have as potential grownups. Fathermay have said to us one day, “Are you readynow? I’m going to send you down to earth toprove you, to give you a mortal body, that you

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may prove you are worthy for me to prepareyou for life eternal.” Isn’t it a comforting knowl-edge to know we kept our first estate? If we didso once, maybe we can do it a second time.

We came down and forgot all, but the Lorddid not leave us without assistance. He sent thegospel among us and bestowed upon his sonsthe holy priesthood, which is the power to act inhis name. He even made provision that his sonscould be prepared for this holy priesthood bygiving the younger men the Aaronic Priesthood.Our beloved Bishop Victor L. Brown is the presi-dent of this Aaronic Priesthood today. God hastold us that this is the preparatory priesthood.He does not expect a man to be ordained intothe Holy Melchizedek Priesthood without beingprepared, not only spiritually, but also mentally,socially, and temporally. Part of and nestled inthe arms of this wonderful preparatory priest-hood is the MIA function. Therein you will findgreat programs for the development and prepa-ration of young men and young women to ful-fill their destinies as the promised children ofGod: men for the governorship of worlds,women for the motherhood of nations. Each oneof us, then, is preparing just by virtue of the factthat we live. Each one of us is preparing forgood or evil, and that which we prepare for wewill receive.

Each one of us has a specific destiny, whichGod intends we shall receive according to ourfaithfulness. He has a place for each of us andprepares us each day to receive it if we are wor-thy. Everything in our lives is there for a pur-pose, and that purpose is to prepare us.Preparation precedeth all readiness. Are weready to receive the sacrament, the companion-ship of the Holy Ghost, a comprehension of theLord’s atoning sacrifice? Our Father in heaven isanxious to open the windows of heaven to usjust as soon as we are prepared and ready.

I am reminded of Enos, a young manthoroughly taught in the words of God by hisfather. One day when Enos went into the forestto hunt, which we understand was not

uncommon, something very uncommon hap-pened. Enos was different when he returned.There had been a turning point in his life. Hewas not the same. Enos spoke concerning thisexperience in these words: “And my soul hun-gered; and I kneeled down before my Maker,and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and sup-plication for mine own soul; and all the daylong did I cry unto him; yea, and when the nightcame I did still raise my voice high that itreached the heavens” (Enos 4). Enos heard thevoice of the Lord and he had a spiritual experi-ence that made a difference because he wasready. He was prepared. That day when hewent to hunt beasts in the forest, the wordswhich he had so often heard his father speak,we are told, sank deep into his heart and hereceived a remission of his sins and becamespiritually in tune.

My dear young friends, may I challenge youthis day to prepare yourselves to be in readinessand to ask the Lord, as did Enos, for a remissionof your sins. This very day, some of you mightgo into your forests, so to speak. As your soulshunger for a readiness to receive, it is my testi-mony, through his Spirit, that he will speak toyou concerning the yearnings of your heart. Beye ready to receive, and the Lord will pourdown his blessings upon you, making it possi-ble for you to realize your divine destiny.

I know that God lives. I know that his son isJesus the Christ, our Redeemer. I know that aprophet speaks for the Lord today. I love myHeavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ihave every confidence in all this world that youare a choice generation, saved and prepared andhere because of what you did in the preexis-tence. I pray with all my heart that we willunderstand the great power of the priesthood,that girls will understand their roles, that boyswill magnify their priesthood, that we womenmay stand at the side of you men and togetherreceive the celestial blessings that I know are instore for us. I say this in the name of JesusChrist. Amen.

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