The Words We Use

Every day we are inundated with words. Words are analyzed and a determination is made whether the words correlate with our beliefs or go against them. In “Words Matter“, Elder Ronald A. Rasband states, “[Words] are the bedrock of how we connect; they represent our beliefs, morals, and perspectives. Sometimes we speak words; other times we listen. Words set a tone. They voice our thoughts, feelings, and experiences, for good or bad.”

As I look back on my life, there are times when the words I used helped, and times when they have caused harm. I remember hearing words that stoked a fire in me, and others that calmed me. I have learned to be careful when I hear words, snippets if you will, as the context in which they were said wasn’t given or clear. We must be careful in both the words we use and the words we listen to.

Life Lessons

There are three examples in my life where the words of a loved one have taught me an important lesson.

The first was when I was in high school. My next-door neighbor was a year older than me and there was sometimes tension. One day, I had had enough of whatever he was doing that bothered me. We got off the bus and I punched him in the face. He was bigger than me, so I turned and ran towards my house. My mom must have seen what happened. When I got to the door, she was standing there. I must have had an “I’m saved” look. However, my mother, being wise, looked at me and said, “I’m not fighting this battle for you.” My neighbor was right behind me. The conflict continued. I don’t remember how it ended, but my mom taught me that I had to stand up for myself.

The second example comes from my dad. I was probably 14, outside before a baseball game. I usually was outside tossing a ball in the air and catching it, getting the nerves out before heading to the game. Dad said it was time to go, and I think I responded with something like, “We still have five minutes before we have to leave.” He looked at me and said, “I am on time and punctual and that means we leave now.” Or something to that effect. I learned that it was important to show up on time or early, even for a recreational baseball game. It’s something I have tried to live by.

My final example comes from my maternal grandfather. He is one of my heroes, along with my dad. I learned many life lessons from him. We were at Grandpa and Grandma’s house visiting. They had a miniature pool table in the family room and I was playing on it. My mom announced it was time to leave, but I still had most of the balls on the table. I told her five minutes. My grandpa was next to me. Faster than I had ever seen him move, he gripped my wrist and in a voice I had never heard, said, “When your mother says it’s time to leave, you leave.” I realized I had disrespected my mom, and disappointed my grandfather. I was ashamed, but I learned that respecting my mom, and all women was important.

Words That Matter Most

“First and foremost, the Lord’s words matter.” God is the source of all truth. His words are the ones that allow us to know the path we should travel to return to Him. We have the record of His words in the scriptures. They are key to helping us understand what He wants us to know and how to live. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

“Believing and heeding the word of God will draw us closer to Him.” One way that we can do this is through prayer. The beauty of prayer is that we can use our words to talk with Him. Likewise, He can use “words”, through the Holy Ghost, to speak with us. “We believe all that God has revealed all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (Articles of Faith 1:9). Through prayer God reveals His word to us in the context of our lives.

Words of a Prophet

Today, we do not have God, nor Christ physically amongst us. Someday, we will have that association. What God has given us is a living prophet. We read in Amos 3:7, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

The words of a prophet are the words of God. The title of this blog is “Whether By Mine Own Voice”, it is a quote from Doctrine and Covenants 1:38 where the Lord affirms that His chosen prophet speaks for Himself.

Here are some of the words our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson has spoken:

• “Keep on the covenant path”
• “Gather Israel”
• “Let God Prevail”
• “Build bridges of understanding”
• “Give thanks”
• “Increase your faith in Jesus Christ”
• “Take charge of your testimony”
• “Become a peacemaker”

The list above are words that God wants us to have. They are instructions on how God wants us to live. If we, in prayer, ask God about them, He will confirm that they are His words. The words of a prophet are the words of God.

Conclusion

The words we use, and the words we listen to affect our everyday lives. Our words can be helpful or hurtful. The words of others can influence what we do. We must understand the context of those words before acting on them. God and Christ’s words are the words that matter most in our lives. God’s prophets speak His words and we can verify that through prayer. May we all use words to benefit others. May we all examine the words we hear. Finally, may we all trust the words of God, and His prophets.