Stillness and the Iron Rod: Remembering Who We Are

We chase after knowledge, seeking to understand the intricacies of covenants and the nuances of prophetic counsel. We dissect Doctrine and Covenants verses and pore over the Book of Mormon, striving to build a fortress of understanding. Yet, in our relentless pursuit of intellectual grasp, do we risk overlooking the bedrock principle that sustains all true knowledge: remembrance?

Thomas Wirthlin McConkie, grandson of Joseph B. Wirthlin and nephew of Bruce R. McConkie, offers a compelling perspective in a recent podcast episode. His own journey, marked by a teenage rebellion against church attendance and a subsequent twenty-year exploration of Buddhist meditation, ultimately led him back to the faith of his youth. This wasn't a rejection of truth, but a wandering in the wilderness, seeking something he couldn't articulate—a deeper connection to the divine. He discovered, as he puts it, that meditation, properly understood, is simply remembrance.

This isn't a call to adopt Eastern practices wholesale. McConkie’s emphasis isn’t on the techniques themselves, but on the *purpose* they serve. What is it that we are remembering when we strive for stillness? The answer, he suggests, is fundamental: we are remembering that we are sons and daughters of a living God. We are remembering our divine lineage, our potential, our inherent worth.

Consider the parable of the foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). They held lamps, they professed faith, but lacked the oil of remembrance – the constant awareness of their covenant relationship with the Bridegroom. The oil wasn't a separate commodity; it was the product of consistent remembrance, of being continually nourished by the Spirit.

The prophets have consistently warned against the perils of a knowledge-seeking faith devoid of spiritual experience. Nephi, after receiving profound revelations, was commanded to write so that his descendants might “remember” (2 Nephi 11:5). Remember what? The very things we strive to understand through intellectual study! The remembrance is the engine that drives true understanding.

How easily we can become like the elder son in Luke 15, laboring diligently in the vineyard, adhering to every commandment, yet blind to the joy of the Father’s presence. It is in the stillness, in the quiet moments of remembrance, that the Spirit can truly penetrate our understanding and illuminate the path before us.

McConkie’s observation regarding a new generation’s faith crisis resonates deeply. In an age of relentless stimulation and constant distraction, the ability to cultivate stillness is becoming increasingly rare, and therefore, increasingly vital. It isn't about escaping the world, but about entering into a deeper relationship with the divine amidst the chaos. It’s about remembering, even when the iron rod seems distant.

Listen to the full episode. Consider how you might incorporate moments of deliberate stillness—of remembrance—into your daily scripture study and personal devotion. Perhaps a few moments of quiet reflection before family scripture study, or a conscious effort to pause and acknowledge the Spirit during temple ordinances.

Let us not merely accumulate knowledge, but cultivate remembrance. Let us strive to know *whom* we are, before we attempt to understand *everything*.

What moments of stillness have strengthened your testimony? Share your experiences and insights with the community.