Making and Keeping Covenants

According to lds.org, "A covenant is a sacred agreement between God and a person or group of people. God sets specific conditions, and He promises to bless us as we obey those conditions. When we choose not to keep covenants, we cannot receive the blessings, and in some instances we suffer a penalty as a consequence of our disobedience."

 I loaned my sister some money to buy a car several months ago. It is interesting to be on the giving side of a covenant. It gives me a tiny view into how Heavenly Father must feel about us in some ways. Tonight as I think about how Heavenly Father makes covenants with us I keep thinking of the deal I struck with my sister.

Before I sent her any money, I asked her to prepare a budget. She seemed to think that she could pay me $100/week. I knew she lived paycheck to paycheck so I wanted to see if it was even possible for her to make such large payments. She didn't jump right on her assignment. If I were in her shoes I would have gotten her my budget ASAP especially if I needed a car as desperately as she did. To get her budget I had to call her on the phone and ask her several questions about her income and expenses to get the information I needed.

Heavenly Father wants us to show him we are ready and capable of making covenants. He wants us to show him and maybe ourselves that we are capable of keeping commitments. Converts need to take the discussions, they need to have faith, they need to repent. If they can't take these basic steps then how could we be expected to keep bigger commitments? He also doesn't want us to fail in our commitments and feel like failures so he will not have us make commitments that we cannot keep.

Sometimes I am not sure why I had a moment of pure generosity. I think I was just tired of watching her get $2,000 cars that she would end up paying $8,000 for after all of her interest payments. Part of the reason I did it is because I am naive. I didn't foresee all the problems that would arise in the process. I didn't understand what a low priority I would be to my sister, how many times I would have to follow up and remind her to make payments, the effort it would take to track her weekly payments or the lack of respect I would be given at times.

I think about Heavenly Father and the ways he wants to bless our lives. Sometimes we completely forget about him and what he is trying to do for us. we forget about the covenants we have made with him. We at times make him a very low priority and even go so far as disrespecting him.

I want so much for my sister to be responsible, proactive, dependable, reliable, and grateful. Sometimes I have to remind her to make her payments and have these other characteristics. It can be a lot of work. More work than I was anticipating. I just assumed that she would be so grateful for the loan that she would automatically have all the other characteristics I was expecting.

Heavenly Father wants us to develop these characteristics also. It makes me think of the parable of the talents. He will bless us with so much if we develop the aforementioned characteristics. He also tells us that we need to acknowledge his hand in all things D&C 59:21 and if we don't his wrath will be kindled.

When I went home to visit, I got to see the car she purchased, a Honda Civic. It looked like she lived out of it and that it doubled as a trash can for her. There was so much in the car that she had a hard time fitting me and my carry on bags in it. It was a nicer car than any she had ever owned and yet she had no respect for it. I told her that I still owned three fifths of the car and I wanted my car to be clean.

Heavenly Father is trying to give us Eternal Life. How do we treat that gift. Do we remember that and try to keep our lives free of sin? Do we remember the promises we have made to him? Mosiah 18:8-10 tells us that we have covenanted to mourn with those that mourn and comfort those in need of comfort. It also tells us that we promise to serve God and keep the commandments. That is all we have to do and then he will bless us with the greatest gift we can receive. Seems like a no brainer, right? Why do we make it so hard?

Perhaps I didn't fully understand what I was promising at my baptism when I was eight years old, but I was wise enough then to know that it was the right thing for me to do and that it would bless my life. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that is patient with my short comings, probably much more patient than I am inclined to be with my sister. I am grateful that he has allowed me to make my covenants even though he knew at times I would break them and break his heart in the process. I am grateful for the ways the gospel and my covenants have changed me and made me a better person. I may have a long road to go but I am grateful to be on the path.