Area Presidency Message
What It Means to Be a Covenant Keeper
Being a covenant keeper does not mean being perfect. It means when we fall short, we repent and improve.
Prophets throughout time have taught us about God’s plan of salvation. Knowing God’s plan for us helps us to understand who we are, and what is expected of us, so we can act in harmony with our eternal nature and destiny. Accordingly, there are vital decisions we must make during our existence—decisions that determine our eternal future in this wonderful plan of happiness. Fortunately, our Heavenly Father has a plan to bring us back to Him, and He has already put things in motion to help each person. As soon as we are ready to open our hearts to Him, we can make promises with Him, which will change our lives and the lives of our families for generations.
In the book of Alma, the Lamanites repented of their sins and covenanted to lay down their weapons after they heard the teachings of the missionaries. When they did, they took upon themselves a new name. They called themselves the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and later, the people of Ammon (see Alma 24). The fact that they changed their names upon making covenants with God is not incidental to their story. When we make our covenants, we also are willing to be called by a new name as well: the name of Christ. We become the sons and daughters of Christ (see Mosiah 5:7–9).
The covenant that the people of Ammon made with God was that they, who had been a violent, bloodthirsty people, would lay down their weapons no matter the cost to themselves. For a short time, the people of Ammon hoped to live in peace, worshiping God. Unfortunately, the chance they had for peace was short-lived because others were angry at their conversion and the peace they had made with the Nephites. Their enemies soon came to war against them, testing the resolve of their promise.
When faced with the choice between defending themselves and mortal death, they said, “And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we shall go to our God and shall be saved” (Alma 24:16).
As they were being attacked, they kneeled and allowed themselves to be killed, thanking God that they had the opportunity to die with clean souls. After a thousand of them were slain without resistance, the attacking Lamanites began to view with horror the atrocities of their crimes. Many threw down their swords and repented. The faith with which the people of Ammon treated their covenants went on to shape the future of thousands.
We ought to be like the people of Ammon with how seriously we take our covenants. They are not worth giving up for anything. The reward is not only in the eternities, but also for the here and now, and will impact our families for generations.
For most people, we will never face the decision between losing our lives or keeping our covenants. However, even if we feel as strongly about our covenants as the people of Ammon, it can be difficult to know how to always remain faithful to them. For instance, at baptism, we promise to take upon ourselves the name of Christ. But, as anyone who has taken that covenant knows, sometimes we fail. We forget to always remember Him, we forget to act as He would, we fail to judge righteously, or to treat others with charity and so on. These failures can feel discouraging, but remember, God has a plan for us.
In the temple, we make further covenants with our Father in Heaven, and in exchange, God promises to make more of us than we can on our own. Being a covenant keeper does not mean being perfect. It means loving God and being committed to the covenants that we have made. It means that when we fall short, we repent and improve.
We could sacrifice our mistaken mindsets and believe that God’s thoughts for us are better. We should trust in them. We could sacrifice our personal desires, because God’s gifts are greater than we can imagine (see Doctrine & Covenants 14:7). We could sacrifice our anger and ask Christ to help us to become more like Him. Because we have made covenants, we are Christ’s disciples, and He asks that we sacrifice the way we see the world for the way He sees it.
Developing an attitude of humility and intense devotion to admitting when we are mistaken is very important as we strive for developing Christ’s attributes. God seeks people who are committed to always improving. If we keep trying, our weaknesses will be corrected through the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
As we make these fundamental covenants, and remember them, and gain further understanding of them, we will strengthen in our resolve and capacity to keep them. Attending sacrament meetings regularly and going to the temple as often as circumstances permit is indispensable to accomplishing both. Revelation will come as we ponder the words of the covenants. Wearing our temple garment, which is part of the covenant, also serves us as a constant reminder of it. Obedience to this portion of the covenant strengthens us in divine ways and sends a message to God of our resolve to be faithful.
No wonder President Russell M. Nelson proclaimed the following in his closing remarks of the October 2022 general conference: “I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can. . . .
“May you focus on the temple in ways you never have before.”1