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“ExamplesofCovenantKeepersintheScriptures”

Camille Fronk Olson

______________________________________________________________________

This address was given Friday, May 1, 2015 at the BYU Women’s Conference

For further information write:

BYU Women’s Conference

161 Harman Continuing Education Building

Provo, Utah 84602

801-422-7692

E-mail: womens_conference@byu.edu

Home page: http://womensconference.byu.edu

______________________________________________________________________

Whenwetalkaboutcovenants,we’retalkingaboutfamily.Whenwetalkaboutsistersandbrothersas

wemeetheretogetherintheChurch,we’retalkingaboutcovenantsthataremadepossiblethroughthe

messengerofthecovenant,JesusChrist.



ThispastweekI’velearnedabitmoreabouthowreal

theconnectionbetweenfamilyandcovenantis.

Mybrothertoldmeaboutthisnewprogramthattheyaretryinginhiswardwhereyoucanhaveyour

wardfamilyhistoryspecialistloginasyouandseewhatworkhasbeendoneandwhatstillneedstobe

done.So

sheloggedinformybrotheranddroppedbytheirhousetoannounce,“Ican’tbelie veit.

You’reright.It’salldone.”(Nocontributionfrommypart,Imightadd.)



AtabouttheverysametimethatIlearnedthatthesavingordinancesformyancestorsbackseveral

generationshavebeen

completed,IreceivedanemailfromamannamedAlbertinCanadawhowas

reachingouttoseeifwearerelated.Hefoundmebecauseofmyuniquelastname,Fronk,whichwas

written“Vruggink”beforemyancestorsemigratedfromHolland.SoIbecameespeciallyexcitedwhenI

read

thathismotherwasaVrugginkfromthesamecityasmyancestorswholeftwhentheyjoinedthe

Church.AlbertalsogrewupinthatsamecityintheNetherlandsandremembershearinghisgrandfather

speakofagreat‐unclewholefttheirDutchhomelandin1869tocometo

Utahbecauseofreligion.



WhenAlbertimmigratedtoCanadain1964,hisunclemadehimpromisetodiscoverwhathappenedto

hisgrand‐uncle’sdescendantswho hadcometoUtah.Iliketoimaginemygreat‐great‐grandfatherin

thespiritworldtalkingwithhisolderbrotherabouthowthey’re

goingtogetthosekidsoftheirstalking

toeachotherwhentheydon’tknowabouteachotheratall.Andsomehowthisdistantcousinwhois

notamemberofourfaithgotthemessageandreachedout.Suddenlymyfamilytreehasexpanded.In

truthIcanneversay,

“Checkoff,we’vegoneasfaraswecangoinfamilyhistory.”Therearepeoplealive

hereontheearthrightnowwhoarepartofthatfamily.Asadaughterofthecovenant,Ihavepromised

toreachoutandfindwaystoincludeandinvitethemtoreceive

thesameblessings.Ofnote,hereached

outtome,nottheotherwayaround.



Anotherlittleexchangehappenedthisweekthathasshapedmypreparationforthissession.An

acquaintanceapproachedmetocommentthatshesawmynamelistedforspeakingatWomen’s

Conference.Shetoldmethatshenote d fromtheprogramthatIwassaidtobeamother.Shetook

exceptiontoitbysaying,“Areyoureallyamother?”becausesheknewIhadmarriedlaterinlifeanddid

notbearachild.Actually,Iinheritedtwochildrenwhen

Imarriedtheirfather,andallIcantellyouis

thatEmilyandDavearefamily.Icallthosetwo“ourchildren,”not“mine.”Idon’tknowhowIcouldlove

themmoreifIhadgivenbirthtothem.Perhapsweworrytoomuchaboutwhateternalfamilies

look

likeinthehereafter,andsoweextrapolatetoomuchaboutlittledetailswithoutunderstandinghow

Godplanstoworkitout.



Anyway,thesetwoexperienceshelpedmesee“family”moreinclusively,broadly,anddeeply,inlightof

theLord’scovenantwithus.Whydowetrytobe

soliteralwhenascribingfamilyrolestoothersorto

ourselves?Weknowthatsecondmarriagesafterdeathordivorce,andadoptions,whethertheybe

formalorinformal,areinvirtuallyeveryfamilynow.Familytreesarerarelyasimplediagramofbirth

parentsandchildren.Soifsomeonetriesto

warnyouagainstadoptionormarriagebecauseitwill“mess

upthefamilytree,”tellhimorhertogetoverit.



Covenantsbindpeopletogetherinwaysbeyondwhatbloodcando.ThisistheplanofourFatherin

Heaven.Hewantsallofustocomeinto

thefoldandbetogether.Itwasdefinitelythecaseofour

forefathersandforemothersintheancientworldthatwereadaboutintheBible.Ratherthanfollowing

adirectbloodlineintheeraofthebiblicalpatriarchsandmatriarchs,faithinJehovahandHiscovenants

constituted“family.”



Covenantsmeant

everythingtoAdamandEve.Succinctlyandclearly,SamueltheLamaniteexplained

thereasonwhy:“Allmankind,bythefallofAdambeingcutofffromthepresenceoftheLord,are

consideredasdead,bothastothingstemporalandtothingsspiritual.”

BecauseoftheFall,humankind

wasconsidereddeadtoGod.Weliketosing“IAmaChildofGod”

andwithourYoungWomenstand

andsay,“WearedaughtersofourHeavenlyFather,wholovesus,”

whichbothmakereferencetoour

premortalrelationshiptotheFatherofourspirits.Bydoingalittleresearchinscripture,howe ver,you

willfindthathumankindismoreoftencalledchildrenofmen,orchildrenofAdam,ratherthanchi l dren

ofGod.Specifically,wearecalled“childrenofmen”

orarelateddescriptormorethan270timesin

scripture,andcalled“childrenofGod”only62times,56ofwhichrefertoourabilitytobecomethe

childrenofGod,ratherthantoourbeingspiritoffspringoftheFather.



Letmeillustrate.WhenKingBenjamin’speoplefelt“no

moredispositiontodoevil,buttodogood

continually,”

theywerereadytomakeacovenantwiththeLordandtherebybecomeHisspiritually

adoptedchildren.KingBenjaminexplained,“Andnow,becauseofthecovenantwhichyehavemadeye

shallbecalledthechildrenofChrist,hissons,andhisdaughters;forbehold,thisdayhehathspiritually

begottenyou;foryesaythatyourheartsarechangedthroughfaithonhisname.”

Thatcovenantwas

possiblebecauseofJesusChristandbecauseofthepeople’sheartsthatchangedthroughfaithinChrist.

Likewise,whenwearebaptized,wemakeacovenanttobecomepartofGod’sfamily,asadopted

childrenofChrist.



NotewhatwefindintheGospelofJoh n:“But

asmanyasreceivedhim,tothemgavehepowerto

becomethesons[anddau ghters] ofGod,eventothemthatbelieveonhisname.”

Onconditionofus

receivingHim,theRedeemergrantsuspowertobecomehischildren.TheApostlePaulwrote,“Godsent

forthhisSon,madeofawoman...toredeemthemthatwereunderthelaw,thatwemightreceivethe

adoptionofsons[orsonsand

daughters].”

Paultestifiedthatwecouldbe“adopted”intoGod’sfamily.

HewrotesomethingsimilartotheRomans:“ForasmanyasareledbytheSpiritofGod,theyarethe

sons[anddaughters]ofGod.”

Doyounoticetheconditionagain?Becauseofthecondition,weknow

thatthisisnotreferringtoourrelationshipwiththeFatherinpremortality.Paulcontinued,“Yehave

receivedthespiritofadoption...Andifchildren,thenheirs;heirsofGod,andjointheirswithChrist.”



NoticethatPaulisteachingofarelationshipthatsurpassesusbeingchildrenofChrist;wecanbe

adoptedtobecome“childrenofGod.”

IntheDoctrineandCovenants,JosephSmithlearnedthat

throughbelievingobediencewebecomebegottensonsanddaughtersofGod,orjointheirswith

Christ.

TheseandmultipleadditionalpassagesofscripturealludetoadoptionintoGod’sfamily

throughfaithinJesusChrist.



BecauseoftheFall,weareasdead,cutoff,andneedtobebornagain,orspirituallybegotten.President

JosephF.Smithtaughtthissamedoctrinethisway:“Theobjectof

ourearthlyexistenceis...thatwe

maybecomethesonsanddaughtersofGod,inthefullestsenseoftheword,beingheirsofGodand

jointheirswithJesusChrist,tobekingsandpriestsuntoGod,toinheritglory,dominion,exaltation,

thrones,andeverypower

andattributedevelopedandpossessedbyourHeavenlyFather.”Webecome

likeHimasaresult.“Thisistheobjectofourbeingonthisearth.”





AdamandEvewerethefirsttomakethatcovenantandthenteachittotheirchildren.Thecovenant

wasthenhandeddownfromgenerationtogenerationandreestablishedinAbraham’sday.Abraham

desiredtohavetheblessingsofthefathers,notonlyforhimself,buttogivetoothers,

toinviteothersto

receivethoseunparalleledblessings.Hisownfatherwasnotoneabletointroducethesetruthstohim,

sohehadtoseekelsewhereforthem.Whomdidhefindtohelphim?Melchizedek.



AsJehovahmadethecovenantwithAbraham,HeexplainedwhatHepromisedtodo

forhimandhis

family.“Iwillleadtheebymyhand,andIwilltakethee,toputupontheemyname,eventhePriesthood

ofthyfather,andmypowershallbeoverthee.”

FromtheGenesisaccount,weread,“Iwillestablish

mycovenantbetweenmeandtheeandthyseedaftertheeintheirgenerations foraneverlasting

covenant,tobeaGoduntothee,andtothyseedafterthee.”



Abraham’swife,Sarah,wasalsoincludedinthecovenant,aswereallwhofollowedGod’sword,which

JehovahmadeveryclearwhenHechangedhername.Isaiahknewthattruthwhenhewrote,“Yethat

followafterrighteousness:...lookuntotherockwhenceyearehewn.

..LookuntoAbrahamyour

father,anduntoSarahthatbareyou.”

ThenIsaiahreiteratedJehovah’spromise:“FortheLordshall

comfortZion:hewillcomfortallherwasteplaces;andhewillmakeherwildernesslikeEden.”Doyou

seethereversalthat’spromisedwiththecovenant?Wheretherewasdesert,itbecomesEden.“Her

desertlikethegardenofthe

Lord;joyandgladnessshallbefoundtherein,thanksgiving,andthevoiceof

melody.”

OrasIsaiahsaiditlater,“beautyforashes.”

Sowhatisrequiredofus?“Hearkenuntome,

mypeople,andgiveearuntome,Omynation.”

Hispeople,Hisnation,arethereforethosewho

hearken,thosewhohear,andthosethatdowhatHecommands.



IfyoumapoutAbraham’slineage,youfindthisisnotaneasy,simple,unclutteredfamilytree.Iwantto

reviewpartofthatfamilytree.Abrahamreceivesthecovenant. He’smarriedtoSarah,wholikewise

makesthecovenant,butSarahiscommandedbytheLordtoalsogiveAbraham

anotherwife.So

AbrahamandHagarhaveasonnamedIshmael.WhenIshmaelis13yearsold,theLordmakesthe

covenantwithhim.RememberthatIshmaelwascircumcised,whichisthesignofthecovenant,aswere

alltheothermenthatbelongedtoAbraham’shousehold.

WhenHagarandIshmaelwerelatersent

away,Goddidnotforgetthem,partofwhatHepromisesinthecovenant.Hefollowsthemandspeaks

toHagartogiveherapromisethatIshmaelwillbethefatherofagreatnation

from12sons.Iwill

returntoIshmael’sdescendantsinaminute;theyarepartofthecovenant.



Meanwhile,backtoSarahandAbraham.Intheiroldagetheyhadason,Isaac.AndIsaacmarried

Rebekah,andIsaacandRebekahgavebirthtothetwins,EsauandJacob.GodspoketoRebekahto

informherthattheyoungertwin,Jacob,wouldbeleaderofthecovenantinhis

generation,butEsau

couldalsoreceivethecovenant.BecauseEsaudespisedthecovenantandthebirthright,hemarriedout

ofthecovenant.Afterreceivinghisfather’sblessingtobethestewardoverthecovenant,Jacobissent

awaytogofindhimselfawifewhowo uldhelp himsafeguardthe

covenant.Oh,hesucceedsverywell.

Youknow,notjustone,butwhynotfourgoodwives?Andtheyhave12sonsandatleastonedaughter.



Jacob’sfamilyformsthebasisforwhatiscalledthenationofIsrael.ButthatnationofIsraelisnotjust

thosewho

arethedirectlineageofthesetwelvetribes.Abrahamlatermarriedathirdwife,Keturah,

whogavebirthtosixsons,oneofwhomwasMidian.

OneofMidian’sdescendantswasJethro,who

ordainedMoseswithpowerandauthorityintheHolyPriesthood.

MoseswasadescendantofLevi,

Leah’sthirdsonbyJacob,andJethrohasadaughterZipporah—andwhomdoesshemarry?Moses.

So

clearlywenowhaveMidianites inthefamilyofIsrael.



TherewillsoonbeCanaanitesinthefamilytree,including Rahabtheharlot.

Shehasatestimonyofthe

HebrewGod,joinswiththeIsraelites,andbecomesanancestressofJesusChrist.

Moabitesarealsoin

theIsraelitefamilytreebecauseweknowaboutRuth.TherecouldhavebeenotherMoabitestoo,as

wellasmanyotherpeopleswhojoinedwiththepeopleofJehovahbecausetheybelievedthatHewas

theonetrueGod.



Butwait!There’smore.RememberEsau?When

hesawthathismarryingoutofthecovenant

disappointedhisparents,hemarriedadaughterofIshmael.

Ifwehaven’tallowedIshmaelandHagar

tobeblessedandenabledby God’scovenant,thefactthat Esau marriedoneofhisdaughterscouldbe

insignificant.ThedescendantsofthedaughterofIshmaelandEsauarecalledtheEdomi tesorthe

IdumeansinNewTestamenttimes.Talkabouta

complicatedand“messy”familytree!



IncludedinAbrahamandSarah’sfamilytree,Iseeevidencethatmorethanthestewardsor

generationalleadersofthiscovenantreceivedtheblessingsofthecovenant.Consider section132ofthe

DoctrineandCovenants:“Abrahamreceivedconcubines,andtheyborehimchildren;andit

was

accounteduntohimforrighteousness”—canyouseeHagarinthere?—“becausetheyweregivenunto

him,andheabodeinmylaw;asIsaacalsoandJacobdidnoneotherthingsthanthatwhichtheywere

commanded;andbecausetheydidnoneotherthingsthanthatwhichtheywerecommanded,they

have

enteredintotheirexaltation,accordingtothepromi s es, andsituponthrones,andarenotangelsbut

aregods.”

DoAbraham,Isaac,andJacobbecomegod s alone? Marriageisanessentialpartofthe“new

andeverlastingcovenant.”

Inotherwords,accordingtotheserevelations,ifAbraham,Isaac,andJacob

havebeengrantedGod’sgiftofexaltation,sohavetheirwives.



Next,comewithmetoNewTestamenttimeswherewefindpeoplewhoassumetheyhavebecome

childrenofGodbecausetheyaredirectdescendantsofAbraham.

WhensomeoftheJewishleaderssaid

toJesus,“Abrahamisourfather[,]Jesussaithuntothem,IfyewereAbraham’schildren,yewoulddo

theworksofAbraham.”

Inessence,JesustoldthemthatbeingnumberedinGod’sfamilyisnot

necessarilyconnectedtobloodrelationshipsbutrathertoobedience.TheDoctrineandCovenants

relaysagreatdefinitionofwhatitmeanstobe“theelect”ofGodaccordingtothecovenant.Theelect

arethosewho“hear

myvoiceandhardennottheirhearts.”

Isn’tthatgood?That’swhatcovenant

keepersdo.



Nowlet’slookatoneortwoNewTestamentexamplesofcovenantkeepers.Myfavoriteexampleof

suchisMary,themotherofJesus.Certainlyshecould talkaboutherbloodrelationshipwithJesusand

herroyallineage.ShewouldpacktheMarriottCentertimeandtimeagainastheexpert

onwhatit

meanstobethefamilyofGod.ButIdon’tthinkshewouldbetoutingherfamilytree.Whenthea ngel

firstvisitedhertoannouncethatshewouldbethemotheroftheSonofGod,shereferredtoherselfas

“thehandmaidoftheLord,”

andthenpromised,“beituntomeaccordingtothyword.”

She

committedherwilltothewillofGod.



WhenshewascarryingtheSonofGodandshemetElisabeth,andshediscoveredthatElisabethknew

throughtheSpiritthatMarywasalsowithchild,MarysangthiswonderfulMagnificat:“Mysouldoth

magnifytheLord,andmyspirit

hathrejoicedinGodmySaviour....Andhisme rcyisonthemthatfear

himfromgenerationtogeneration.”Sheissingingofthecovenantthatenduresfromgenerationto

generation.Marycontinued,“Hehathputdownthemightyfromtheirseats,andexaltedthemoflow

degree.Hehathfilledthehungrywithgoodthings,andtherichhehathsentemptyaway.”Herewesee

signsofthecovenantexpressedasreversalsagain,likebeautyforashes.Andthenshesang,“Hehath

holpen...”ThewordtranslatedbyKingJames’sscholarsas“holpen”

meansmorethan“helped.”It

suggeststakingbythehand,supporting,sustaining,andsuccoring.“HehathholpenhisservantIsrael,in

remembranceofhismercy;ashespaketoourfathers,toAbraham,andtohisseedforever.”

Yes,she

sangofthepromisesofthecovenant.



TheGospelslaterimplythatMary’sothersonsdidnotsupportJesusandHisministryandwould

thereforenothonorthecovenant.

OncewhenJesuswasinGalilee,hismotherandhisbrotherscame

toseehim.ThecrowdnotifiedJesusthathisfamilywasamongthemultitude.Theyappearedtohave

expectedthatJesuswouldaskthemtogiveway,letthemcomeup,becausetheyhaveaspecialplaceas

Hisfamily.Butthatisn’twhathappens.Instead,Jesussaid,“Mymotherandmybrethrenarethese

whichhearthewordofGod,anddoit.”

Hisfamily,thecovenantpeople,arethosewhohearanddo

God’swill.



JustafewchapterslaterintheGospelofLuke,awomanofthecompanywaslikelythinkingthesame

thingaboutMarywhenshesaidtoJesus,“Blessedisthewombthatbaretheeandthe

papswhichthou

hastsucked.”Inotherwords,blessedbeyourmother.Shemustbethemostblessedofall.However,

whatdoesJesusanswer?“Yearather,blessedaretheythathearthewordofGod,andkeepit.”

He

offeredthiswomanthesameexplanationasHegavethemultitudeearlier.ObediencetoGod

constituteswhoarethechildrenofGod.



AtthetimeoftheCrucifixionwhensomanyofthedisciplesscatteredassheepwithoutashepherd,

beingconfusedandoffended,

weseeMary,themotherofJesus,andafewotherwomenarestanding

bythecrossofJesus.

Wedon’thearhervoiceinthisscene,butherstancespeaksvolumes.Ifyouwant

animageofwhatitmeansto“standfortruthandrighteousness,”

lookatMaryonthisoccasion.She

doesn’tcarewhatpeoplewillthinkofherbecauseoftheshameassociatedwithcrucifixion.Without

flinching,shestoicallyexemplifies themeaningofhearkeningtothevoiceoftheLordbystandingasa

disciple,acovenantkeepe r,forherSavior.



Iwish

weknewmoreofthesegreatwomenandmenintheBible,butwereceiveonlythislittleglimpse.

Afterthe40‐dayministryoftheresurrectedChrist,some120saintscamebacktoJerusalemtomeet

withtheapostles.AmongthoseSaintswere“women,andMarythemotherof

Jesus,and...his

brethren.

WithoutknowingthebackgroundstoryofMary’syoungersons,weglimpseevidenceofthe

blessingsofthecovenant.Somethinghappenedtothosebrothersduringthose40daysbecausethey

arethere,numberedwiththeotherbelievers,aswitnessesoftheresurrectionanddivinityofJesus

Christ.



OnequicklookataBookofMormonexample.Youknowaboutthefaiththatthestriplingwarriors

learnedfromtheirmothers.Butwheredidthesemotherslearnfaith?Theyhad madecovenants

with

GodwhentheirheartswerechangedtobelieveinHim.Andoncethosemothersandfathersmade

covenants,theyknewthetruthandwerefirm,andtheyneverturnedawayfromit.



Sohere’smyconclusion,myfriends—mayIsay,myfamily?Iwill summarizebylistingfourblessingsthat

aremanifestbycovenantkeepersinscripturethatwemayfindinourownlives:



1) TheyrecognizeGod’shan dintheirlives,dayafterday.LamanandLemuelreactedto

challengesintheirdaywithsentimentssuchas,“Areyoukidding?It’snotfair.Whyisthis

happeningtome?EveryoneelseisbackinJerusalemhavingawonderfultime,andhereI

amwithnever‐endingworktodo.Whycan’tIbehavingfunbackinJerusalem?”

Meanwhile,Nephi

facedthesamechallengeswithsentimentsakinto,“Wow,checkitout.

Wegettoeatrawmeatandittastessweet.Whendoesthateverha ppen?”AndifNephi’s

sayingthat,I’lltellyouwhoelseissayingitevenmore:Sariahandtheotherwomenwhono

longer

needtocookthatmeat.Ican’thelpbutthinktheywerepraisingGodforHishandin

theirlives.



2) TheyreceivepowertodrawotherstoChristandHiscovenant.Becausethere’samagnetism

inherentinGod’swork,manywillcometousandaskusfordirection

tofindHim.Familyis

notrestrictedtobloodlineagewhenwearespeakingofthecovenant.



3) Theydevelopedanawarenessandloveforeternalfamily.Blessedbytheperfectloveof

Christ,wecanseefamilywhereverwelook.Withmetodayarethreenieceswhoretur ned

from

missionsduringthelastyear.ThroughChristlikeservice,theydiscoveredeternalfamily

inFinland,inAlabama,andinthePhilippines.



4) WebecomechildrenofGod,Hisfamily,bymakingandkeepingHiscovenants.Westandas

witnessesforHimatalltimes,andinallthings,andinall

places.

Wefinditapleasureto

serveHimandshowcompassiontothosearoundus.



Ipraythatwemaybetruetowhatwehavecovenantedtodo.Mayweprayforstrengthtohardennot

ourheartsandhearkentoHisvoice.MaywerememberHimwhomade

itallpossible.Wearefamily.

Maywetreateachotherassuch.





1.Helaman14:16.

2.Children’sSongbook,2.

3.YoungWomenTheme(https://www.lds.org/young‐women/personal‐progress/young‐

women‐theme?lang=eng)

4.Mosiah5:2.

5.Mosiah5:7.

6.John1:12;emphasisadded.

7.Galatians4:4–5.



8.Romans8:14.

9.Romans8:15–17.

10.Romans8:16.

11.D&C76:24.

12.TeachingsofPresidentsoftheChurch:JosephF.Smith[1998],100.

13.Abraham1:18.

14.Genesis17:7.

15.Isaiah51:1–2.

16.Isaiah51:3.

17.Isaiah61:3.

18.Isaiah51:4.

18.SeeIsaiah51:7.

20.Genesis17:23–27.

21.Genesis21:17–21.

22.Genesis25:1–4.

23.D&C84:6.

24.Exodus2:16–22.

25.Joshua2;6:25.

26.Matthew1:5.

27.Genesis28:6–9.

28.D&C132:37.

29.D&C131:1–4.

30.John8:39.

31.D&C29:7.

32.Luke1:38.

33.Luke1:38,46–55.

34.SeeMark3:21(“friends”hereisbettertranslated“thoseofhishousehold”)andJohn7:5.

35.Luke8:21.

36.Luke11:27–28.

37.SeeMatthew26:31.

38.John19:25.

39.ArdethG.Kapp,Ensign,Nov.1988.

40.Acts1:14,emphasisadded.

41.Alma23:6;24:11–19;53:16–22;56:46–48.

42.Mosiah18:9.