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Discovering and Defining Discipleship

The true nature of a disciple is forgetting one's self and serving our Heavenly Father, explained Elder Ross Cole, Non-denominational Chaplain and Religion Professor at BYU–Hawaii, during his devotional address in the Cannon Activities Center on May 26.

"I have chosen to speak of becoming better disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ," said Cole. "My hope is that you will be helped in your understanding and encouraged to take the next step in your discipleship."

Cole began his address by defining the term 'self': "Today, as I use the word 'self,' I mean the nature, desires and will of our own hearts. Self includes the natural disposition of the mortal man or woman—whose heart is set upon his or her own interests and concerns or upon riches, the vain things of the world or worldly cares."

Cole provided this definition as a way to show that he who thinks about the 'self' is the opposite of a disciple. "In the Savior's instructions to his apostles about discipleship he taught that one must be willing to deny 'self.' Jesus said, If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me," shared Cole.

He continued by teaching that to deny one's self of all ungodliness and every worldly lust helps us learn to control our desires, and thus our hearts. "In the motives of our hearts is found the true measure of discipleship," taught Cole. "As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, each of us must be willing to surrender our heart to the Father."

Cole also taught how this principle is tied into the sacrament: "When replacing the law of sacrifice by introducing the sacrament, Jesus emphasized that the new sacrifice was to be our heart. He taught, And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. A broken heart is the opposite of 'self.' A broken heart is one that is humble, meek, or pure and without guile; it is a heart that is submissive to and dependent upon God."

To personalize discipleship, he shared some lessons that he has learned from his own experiences about forgetting the 'self' and becoming a better disciple:

1. Making Heavenly Father a partner in your education will increase your level of discipleship.
Cole served a mission after earning a two-year degree from college, as his father had required. He learned many things about being a disciple while a missionary, especially that "my chief goal in life was to please Heavenly Father first, and to labor to know that the course of life I was pursuing was pleasing to Him," said Cole. His post-mission studies helped him focus more on his purpose, and this, he said, made him more accountable to God, and thus more focused on planning and scheduling, as well as his attitude, so he "could no longer feel good about 'just getting by' as [he] had done previously." Cole eventually went on to receive both a master's and doctorate degrees.

2. While preparing to find an eternal companion, devoted discipleship works better than anything else.
His outgoing and very personable daughter was interested in a returned missionary, but concerned that she would not meet his spiritual expectations. His counsel to her was about being a better disciple of the Lord first:

"First of all, you need to have the Holy Ghost to help you and to help him if it is well for each of you to marry each other. You need to be as focused upon spirituality as you have ever been in your life… Don't get self-conscious–anything 'self' obstructs the work of the Holy Ghost; think of him and how he can be lifted and complimented (praised)…. Don't try to GET him--don't prostitute the reasons for seeking his attentions with SELF–you always want him to righteously notice you if he is inclined."

3. You will make better grades and have a richer education if you worship the Lord on the Sabbath and don't study.
When he first started studying at BYU, on his first Sunday there his bishop, Bishop Pearson, taught them to keep the Sabbath day holy, and not to study or do schoolwork on that day. Said Cole, "He made a promise: If you look at the Sabbath Day as a day to focus upon the Lord and worship Him, and offer your sacraments and oblations, and not do things for yourself or study–then you will have better grades and a richer education experience than if you studied on the Sabbath."

4. Most correction and reproof from leaders of the church are really invitations to eliminate self from the motives of our hearts and increase our discipleship.
He shared an experience that was embarrassing; he received reproof from a stake president who was told something out of context about a comment he had made. He was told by the Spirit not to object to the counsel given by the stake president, but to sit and listen. After 20 minutes, he left the stake president's office hurt and upset about the unfair lecture he had just received about pride. When he arrived home, he asked his wife a simple question: "Do you think I am proud?" Her response was, "Yes."

With that, a 13-month course of study he embarked on taught him the true nature of pride. "I have ever been grateful to a wonderful, loving stake president who took the opportunity to teach a young man about discipleship," he said.

He then counseled, "As you pursue your academic and vocational education, please remember that the greatest goal is your preparation for eternal life. Also please remember that you have your agency; you are the only one responsible for the desires of your heart, the refinement of your will and the motives of your soul. You are the steward of your discipleship of the Master. Each of us is at a different location along that path towards developing the divine nature. But we can each take the next step to improve our discipleship by overcoming self."

--Photo by Monique Saenz