Eyring 2
“Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous
to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s
burdens, that they may be light;
“Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need
of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that
ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of
the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
“Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in
the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that
ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly
upon you?
“And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and
exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.”
2
This is also the desire of our hearts, and I have noticed how frequently the service Latter-day
Saints extend to those who mourn or stand in need of comfort takes tangible forms. I have been
blessed to see kindnesses extended to people I love: homemade meals, thoughtful cards,
shoveled walks, or flower arrangements that dispel a haze of loneliness and pain. These signs of
kindness vanish, but they leave something vital in their place. Long after the casserole has been
eaten, the driveway is snowed over, and the flowers have wilted, the bonds of love between
God’s covenant children remain. There is nothing magic or transcendent about a meal, or a
handwritten card, or a quilt—until it has been infused with the love of someone who extends in
faith the kindness Christ would offer to the weary or the brokenhearted. Things are only things
until they become tokens of covenant hearts. Then, when we offer them to others, things that
don’t keep can meet someone’s immediate needs, and the light of faith and love those offerings
generate can burn forever.
It is a remarkable feature of Christ’s parable of the ten virgins that the wise virgins were those
with less oil in their lamps than their foolish counterparts at the end of the story. Less oil, but
more light. The parable, in Matthew, is as simple as it is profound:
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went
forth to meet the bridegroom.
“And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
“They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
“But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
“Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
“And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
“But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather
to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him
to the marriage: and the door was shut.
“Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
“But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.