The Life and Teachings of Elder Richard Gordon Scott

The Biography of Elder Richard Gordon Scott

            The first thing that really stuck out to me about Elder Scott was that he played in a jazz band. I love jazz music; I love listening to it, but I love singing jazz even more. The second thing that stuck out to me was that Elder Scott hadn’t given a lot of thought to serving a mission prior to meeting his wife. It proves just how much influence a young woman can have of the life of a young man. The next thing that stuck out to me about Elder Scott was that in spite of being told that a mission was a waste of time by one of his professors, that same professor later worked under him. I also loved how in his interview with Captain Rickover, he had stated that he thought the interview was going horribly, but in actuality, it was Captain Rickover testing him to see how he would respond and to see what his level of confidence was. I also found it interesting that it wasn’t just his first mission that he was told he should go on, but also his call to be a mission president. The last thing that stuck out to me about Elder Scott was the fact that when he was born his father wasn’t a member of the church and his mother was inactive. To be able to maintain your standards and later accomplish all the things he has, really says a lot about how he has used his agency for good.

The Testimony of Elder Richard Gordon Scott

            I loved that Elder Scott bore his testimony on baptism. I remember my baptism and the days and weeks leading up to my baptism very vividly. At the time I was baptized, my view of my baptism was very limited, and I saw it only as something that I did when I was eight years old just like every other child I knew from church. Over the years, through different events and trials that I have been through, I have come to a better understanding of just how important my baptism really is. In an essay that I had to write for an English class, I stated that “Each day has led to a deeper understanding and realization of the importance of my baptism.  It is no longer something I just did when I was eight years old, but it has become the most important thing to me. It has become the prominent defining point in my life on my journey to become the person who He would have me be.”

Recent Teachings

Elder Richard Gordon Scott, “I Have Given You an Example”, April 2014 General Conference, Saturday Afternoon Session

Key Doctrine and Principles:

·         Being an Example

·         Love

·         Service and Missionary Work

Favorite Quotes and Why They Matter to Me:                   

·         “How can each of us become such a significant influence? We must be sure to sincerely love those we want to help in righteousness so they can begin to develop confidence in God’s love. For so many in the world, the first challenge in accepting the gospel is to develop faith in a Father in Heaven, who loves them perfectly. It is easier to develop that faith when they have friends or family members who love them in a similar way. Giving them confidence in your love can help them develop faith in God’s love. Then through your loving, thoughtful communication, their lives will be blessed by your sharing lessons you have learned, experiences you have had, and principles you have followed to find solutions to your own struggles. Show your sincere interest in their well-being; then share your testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

o    I loved this quote because it reminds me of just how much of an influence I still have on the kids I taught in Primary, particularly the Sunbeams. Just a few days ago I was talking to the mother of one of my Sunbeams. We had been talking about family history, and I mentioned that her husband was related to my mom’s missionary companion. I then followed this by saying that my mom’s missionary companion’s sister’s son was married to my mom’s cousin. It was at this point that my Sunbeam and his little sister overheard me basically saying that I was related to their dad, and they both tugged on my arm and asked me if that meant that I was related to them. I told them I was distantly related to them and that we were distant cousins and that was followed by my Sunbeam saying that I was his new favorite cousin. How much of an influence I still have on this little boy, and I haven’t been his Primary Teacher since December 2012. Being an example “at all times, and in all things, and in all places” has once again taken on a completely new meaning for me.

·         “You can help in ways that are grounded in principle and doctrine. Encourage those you love to seek to understand what the Lord would have them do. One way to do this is to ask them questions that make them think and then allow them sufficient time—whether hours, days, months, or more—to ponder and seek to work out the answers for themselves. You may need to help them know how to pray and how to recognize answers to their prayers. Help them to know that the scriptures are a vital source of receiving and recognizing answers. In that way you will help them prepare for future opportunities and challenges.”

o    I loved this quote because at the present time, I am trying to turn my life over to our Savior, but I still feel apprehensive. I know He will not lead me astray, but the thought of not being able to control the outcome is frightening for me. I know that I must go to my Father in Heaven in prayer and ask Him to help me be more comfortable with not having control of my life. This is something I will have to do constantly, and I will have to continually seek to understand what the Lord would have me do, otherwise any progress I might make will be for naught.

Past Teachings

Elder Richard Gordon Scott, The Joy of Redeeming the Dead, Ensign and General Conference (through the LDS Gospel Library App), November 2012 (General Conference October 2012, Sunday Afternoon Session)

Key Doctrine and Principles:

·         Family History

·         Temple Work

·         Temple Attendance

Favorite Quotes and Why They Matter to Me:

·         “Any work you do in the temple is time well spent, but receiving ordinances vicariously for one of your own ancestors will make the time in the temple more sacred, and even greater blessings will be received. The First Presidency has declared, ‘Our preeminent obligation is to seek out and identify our own ancestors.’”

o    Being that I have done work for countless people that I have never met, but have also done work for those that I have, as well as family members who I haven’t met, this quote mean a great deal to me. When I was younger, I thought my mom was insane to always be doing family history. To me it was boring, annoying, and she was always on the computer when I wanted to get on and play games.

·         “Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life.”

o    I loved this quote because as I have done family history work, I have felt an immeasurable amount of peace in my life. I have also felt as if I am being guided to my ancestors who are waiting to have their work done. I have also found that I am able to get more done in my life if I do a little family history every day.

·          “Many faithful Saints have done the work of researching their family lines and are using the reserve feature of FamilySearch to hold the ordinances for their own family members to serve as proxy. The intent of reserving names is to allow a reasonable period of time for individuals to perform ordinances for ancestors and collateral lines. There are currently 12 million names and millions of corresponding ordinances that are reserved. Many names have been reserved for years. Ancestors who have been found are no doubt anxious and thrilled when their names are cleared for ordinances. They, however, may not be very happy when they have to continue to wait for their ordinances to be performed.”

o    This quote really means a lot to me because at the time this talk was given, I had just ordered an iPad, and one of the first apps I had installed onto my iPad when I got it was the Ancestry.com app. Over the last year and a half, I have been compiling names, but I keep forgetting to input the information onto FamilySearch. Recently when I went through ten generations of names, I began to realize just how many names I had been compiling. I currently and in the process of getting those names ready for temple work, and when my friends come down from Utah this month, I hope to have everything ready so that we can all go to the temple and get the work started for these family members. It’s going to be awesome.

·         “We encourage those of you who have a large reservation of names to share them so that members of your extended family or ward and stake can help you in completing that work. You can do this by distributing temple cards to ward and stake members willing to help or by using the FamilySearch computer system to submit the names directly to the temple.”

o    Being that my dad is the only member in his family, giving names to extended family members on his side isn’t an option. Also because my older sister is inactive, and my older brother isn’t speaking to my family, they aren’t options either. I hope that with what little free time I will have in the next few weeks, I will be able to go to FamilySearch, input the information that I have, and have the temple cards read for when my friends come down next month. This is something I have wanted to do for a while, and I feel Elder Scott is giving me the little push I need to get the ball rolling.