In a spirit of love and mutual respect, President and Sister Wheelwright stood together before the student body and addressed the important issue of moral purity at the first devotional of the year for BYU-Hawaii January 13. Their optimistic opening remarks set the stage for a spiritual and touching message,
At the opening of their devotional, President Wheelwright said, "Our young brothers and sisters, there is such great power in purity! Its value is priceless! As illustrated in the account of the Stripling Warriors, purity has the power to save. By trusting in God continually, and by staying morally clean, we can have the power to overcome our most dangerous enemy and win the war that rages around us."
President Wheelwright then went on to discuss the ideas he and Sister Wheelwright hoped to convey:
"We hope you will leave with a personal testimony of the incredible blessings promised to those who maintain their virtue. We believe that this topic merits a team approach and thus both of us will share the pulpit throughout this devotional today. We also feel strongly that the nature of this topic merits the use of video footage from many of our prophets, so that you can sense and feel their conviction and spirit as they discuss the power of moral purity."
Sister Wheelwright shared the importance of modern day revelation and read from The Family: A Proclamation to the World, speaking of the importance of Heavenly Father's plan of happiness, including marriage, parenthood and eternal families. A video clip of President Gordon B. Hinckley was shown, emphasizing the Wheelwright's message. Those in attendance were touched to see and hear our beloved prophet speaking of the sanctity of marriage, divine nature, and the sacred powers of procreation.
President Wheelwright continued, explaining that our sexual identities and procreative powers are an integral part of our Father in Heaven’s plan. A video clip of Boyd K. Packer reiterated this point:
“There was provided in our bodies—and this is sacred—a power of creation, a light, so to speak, that has the power to kindle other lights. This gift was to be used only within the sacred bonds of marriage. Through the exercise of this power of creation, a mortal body may be conceived, a spirit enter into it, and a new soul born into this life.
“This power is good. It can create and sustain family life, and it is in family life that we find the fountains of happiness. It is given to virtually every individual who is born into mortality. It is a sacred and significant power, and I repeat, my young friends, that this power is good.
“The power of creation—or may we say procreation—is not just an incidental part of the plan: it is essential to it. Without it the plan could not proceed. The misuse of it may disrupt the plan.”
President Wheelwright emphasized the importance of staying morally clean and that happiness later in life will depend largely on the decisions we make now. “Contrary to what the world would have you believe, moral purity is not a sliding scale.” The commandments are the same now as they were in biblical times.
In another video clip shared by the Wheelwrights, President Kimball said, “I would have you lovely sisters understand that there is no new morality. That the Church’s stand on morality may be understood, we declare firmly and unalterably that morality is not an outworn garment, faded, old-fashioned, or threadbare. The law of chastity requires total abstinence before marriage and full fidelity afterward. It is the same for men and women. It is the cornerstone of trust so necessary to the precious happiness of the marriage relationship and family solidarity.”
Sister Wheelwright then added her testimony to those words. "I know that purity provides power and is a source of happiness in marriage and family life," she said.
The Wheelwrights went on to describe the importance of wearing our spiritual armor. They said that Satan's influence is real and our only hope of staying morally clean relies on constant vigilance, keeping away from anything even the slightest bit questionable. "Satan's only desire is the destruction of each one of our souls," said President Wheelwright.
But what can we do to keep our spiritual armor strong? Elder Scott was quoted as saying there is wisdom in not even "lifting the cover" of anything salacious or inappropriate. President Wheelwright added, "That would be like knowingly creating a chink in your armor; even the smallest opening creates a place of vulnerability, and not even the strongest warrior would be safe."
Sister Wheelwright introduced the idea that the armor of God is not just strong defense; it can be an offensive weapon, too. Heavenly Father blesses those who remain morally clean, she said. "The Savior’s promise to each of us who make moral purity a part of who we are is given in the 121st section of the Doctrine and Covenants: “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God."
President Wheelwright added to his wife's comments, speaking of another kind of power found in purity: unifying power. “When obediently reserved for marriage, as commanded, intimacy strengthens our ability to become one, as the Lord has commanded us to do," he said.
A video clip of Elder Jeffery R. Holland was shown, reminding us that we are not our own to give. He compared sexual sin to the game of Russian roulette; there is no way to win or find happiness. He stated that the best gift one could give their eternal companion is purity.
Sister Wheelwright offered some suggestions for ways to keep our armor strong: 1) Immersing ourselves in the scriptures on a daily basis. 2) Daily heartfelt prayer 3) Seeking the Lord's guidance in all we do 4) Fasting to gain strength and power beyond our ability 5) renewing our covenants weekly through sacrament 6) When endowed, through regular temple attendance.
President Wheelwright then spoke to those already married, urging them to avoid extra-marital flirtations of any kind, and to ensure all activities work to strengthen the marriage and family.
Ezra Taft Benson provided this advice: “Sometimes we hear of a married man going to lunch with his secretary or other women in the office. Men and women who are married sometimes flirt and tease with members of the opposite sex. So-called harmless meetings are arranged, or inordinate amounts of time are spent together. In all of these cases, people rationalize by saying that these are natural expressions of friendship. But what may appear to be harmless teasing or simply having a little fun with someone of the opposite sex can easily lead to more serious involvement and eventual infidelity. If you are married, avoid being alone with members of the opposite sex whenever possible.”
Even through our best efforts, we all make mistakes, Sister Wheelwright reminded the student body. We must utilize our Savior's atonement to become clean again. She said, "Following such repentance, we can move forward to strengthen ourselves and gain the greater power he has promised all those who humble themselves and follow Him.”
Tears were shed and tender emotion felt as a video clip of President Hinckley speaking to BYUI graduating class was shown:
Said President Hinkley, “I want to tell you that I love you. I love you kids, you wonderful young people of this Church. I love you. … I thank you for your strength; for your willingness to do the right thing; for your desire to serve the Lord; for your capacity to help build the kingdom; for the fact that you get on your knees and say your prayers, as I know you do; for the fact that you pray to the Lord to help you, to guide you in the things you do, as I know you do. God bless you for what you are and who you are.
“Now, don't ever do a cheap or a tawdry or a mean or an evil thing, my dear young friends. You don't have to engage in these things. The world is on a slippery slide, it is going downhill and it is going fast. And you are as a beacon on a hill young people of rectitude and virtue and decency and goodness. Remain that way. Do not destroy your effectiveness. Do not become involved in any kind of behavior, which would destroy you, injure you, hurt you, debilitate you in any way whatever. You don't have to do those things. You can stand above them. You must stand above them! The world will look to you as the years pass, of that I have no doubt whatever.
“… Educate your minds and your spirits and never lose sight of the fact that you are a child of God with a divine destiny and capability of doing great and good and wonderful things. Don't sell yourselves short. Don't cheapen yourselves. You know who you are. Each of you knows that you are a child of God and that your Heavenly Father expects something great and noble and good of you.”
President Wheelwright concluded: “Our dear young brothers and sisters, please know that we love you and pray for you. Together we testify of the wonderful truths that we have reviewed here today. We hope that you have felt the love that our chosen leaders have for each of you and that has been manifest in their direct and forthright manner on this most challenging and important subject. We testify that Satan is real, that he desires only your unhappiness and destruction, whereas your loving Father in Heaven and His Son desire only your happiness and exaltation. We know and testify that the doctrine of moral purity and virtue is one of power and of eternal importance. May each of us increase in our ability and commitment to exercise this power, thereby gaining the blessings of Heaven for ourselves and for all of those around us, and this we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
—Photo by Monique Saenz
:: For a complete transcript of the Wheelwrights' devotional...