by David E Bay, High Councilor

It was a dark and cold December morning in the hills of New Jersey. Sunrise was still another hour away. I was in the middle of a group of 32 men walking rhythmically down the road. Each one of us was carrying a rucksack on our backs and we had boots on our feet. We had already been on the road for an hour and a half. We still had a long way to walk before we could rest. There certainly could be easier ways to spend a Wednesday morning. What was I doing here? This was part of my Army Basic Training. 

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Veterans Day and my mind turned to my memories of serving my nation. I am so grateful for the blessing of this nation, the establishment of which allowed for the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I felt enough of an obligation to do something with my gratitude that I enlisted in the United States Army in 1982, a time without the draft or a foreign conflict. I went to the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) in Salt Lake City and signed a contract and then I raised my right arm to the square and made the oath of enlistment. “I, David Earl Bay, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

I was sent immediately to Fort Dix, New Jersey for Basic Training. Raising my arm to the square and saying the words was relatively easy compared to what I was asked to do as a follow-up. For me Basic Training was in December and January with cold weather. We were outside in the cold for most of every day. There were long hard marches, pushing our bodies to the physical limit. We learned to march and respond to commands instantly. There was crawling in the mud and pushing our bodies and emotions to the breaking point. Words of the oath seemed easy. But following up with the commitment was harder. In my years of active duty, I had successes and failures. However, everything I did hearkened back to that commitment that I made with an oath as a new recruit in the MEPS station in Salt Lake City.

In November, each year, perhaps like you, I seem to reflect on all that I am thankful for more than I do in other months. I feel I should be more thankful to my Heavenly Father throughout the year both in my good times and my struggles.

When I think about the blessings all of us share, I recognize that I enjoy this beautiful earth. Heavenly Father created it for us through his Son, Jesus Christ. I am pleased to be able to have a mortal body, even when I have physical pain and struggles. I am glad that our parents Eve and Adam made a difficult choice to allow us to have this mortal existence. I am indebted to my Savior, Jesus Christ who is the way. Through Him, I can return to be with Him and my Heavenly Father again.

I am certainly grateful for the life experiences that led me to meet and marry my eternal sweetheart, Coleen. I am very thankful for each of our children and the rest of our posterity. I recognize that each is a blessing, but in their own way, each one is a challenge as well. I feel a responsibility to do what I can to bless each member of my family.

I feel thankfulness and gratitude, but it does not end there. Like my desire to do something to serve my country, I feel a need to serve because of the many, many blessings I have received from Jesus Christ, my Savior.  Jesus declared, “Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine. And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me. And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost. And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one. And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things. And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.” (3 Nephi 11:31-38) I feel much like the king, the father of Lamoni, who asked, “Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.” (Alma 22:15) 

I am willing to obey the laws and commandments that God has given me, I want to change my heart to where I become humble and contrite and am willing to give away all my sins. I desire to follow the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I want to follow the law of chastity which goes against the trend of the world. I am willing to give all that I have to support Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father and Their work on the earth. I sealed those desires with sacred covenants made in a Holy Temple, The House of the Lord. Just like my military oath needed work, the promises I made to God require lots of work and effort to fully fulfill. But I feel divine acceptance of my meager efforts. My efforts are magnified by powers beyond what I personally can do and I am blessed.

May you feel thankfulness this Thanksgiving season, and also feel the related need to make and keep your sacred covenants and commitments to really make a difference. There is a great work to be accomplished which we may be allowed to help with in preparing for that time when the Savior comes to earth to rule and reign.  I hope you and I will be able to see these events through eyes of love and gratitude to our great God.