July 2004 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

44
YOU CAN OVERCOME TEMPTATION
“You can be obedient.
You can defeat Satan
and overcome temptation.
God ‘will not suffer you to
be tempted above that ye are
able; but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape, that ye may be
able to bear it’ [1 Corinthians 10:13]. The Lord does
not expect anything of you that you cannot do.”
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
“Live in Obedience,” Ensign, May 1994, 40.
ease” (Mosiah 24:15). In other words, the Lord gave me
the strength I needed not to act on my feelings.
Virtuous Thoughts
The scriptures teach us to “let virtue garnish [our]
thoughts unceasingly” (D&C 121:45). Because of my
strong feelings, the temptation was great to entertain
romantic thoughts about my coworker. Yet I did everything
I could to avoid this. As we have been counseled
by various General Authorities, I mentally sang hymns,
recited memorized scriptures, and taught myself sermons
to keep my mind where it was supposed to be,
not where I was tempted to let it wander.
The Scriptures
Each day the scriptures were an integral part of my life.
I discovered the truth of these words by Elder Merrill J.
Bateman of the Seventy: “As a person studies the words
of the Lord and obeys them, . . . the power to resist
temptation increases, and spiritual weaknesses are overcome.”
2 While the scriptures I studied were not always
directly related to the problem I was dealing with, the
spirit that accompanied my daily scripture study gave
me great strength.
The Temple
Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles wrote: “Temple work is not an escape from
the world. . . . Being in the Lord’s house can help us
to be different from the world in order to make more
difference in the world.” 3 The world teaches—through
romance novels, television programs, and movies—that
a person in my situation can act on any romantic feelings
regardless of the consequences. In the temple, as I pondered
sacred covenants I had made, I was reminded that
I needed to hold myself to a higher standard.
Priesthood Blessings
One of my greatest comforts was the counsel and
direction of a priesthood blessing. In a sacred, confidential
setting, a faithful Melchizedek Priesthood holder laid
his hands on my head and uttered inspired words. Some
things I expected to hear; some I did not. From this
blessing I received the comfort and guidance I needed
to press forward, to learn from the experience, and to
continue to work to overcome the temptation.
Lessons Learned
I learned valuable lessons as I tried to deal righteously
with this temptation. First, “the natural man is an enemy
to God” (Mosiah 3:19; emphasis added). Anyone—male
or female, married or single—can find themselves in a
situation similar to mine, but through diligence, the natural
man can be put off “through the atonement of Christ”
(Mosiah 3:19). Prayer, the scriptures, the temple, and
many other resources helped me take hold of the power
of the Atonement and deal appropriately with my “natural
man” feelings.
Another important thing I learned was to be more
vigilant. While it is certainly appropriate for men and