To BYU–Pathway Worldwide students pursuing higher education, Elder Ricardo P. Giménez reminded them they will receive divine help through any challenge — from studying and exams to the demands of working and providing for a family.
In a BYU–Pathway Worldwide devotional on Tuesday, Feb. 13, that was broadcast originating from Salt Lake City, the General Authority Seventy and native of Chile expressed his love, encouragement and confidence to students viewing from across the globe.
He quoted King Benjamin, “All that [the Lord] requires of you is to maintain his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper within the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; subsequently, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you (Mosiah 2:22).”
Said Elder Giménez: “Through the covenants that we make and our sincere efforts to honor them, we’ve received guarantees that may also help us to maintain moving forward, to learn, and even to earn a level.”
Prospering will not be just temporal
King Benjamin’s promise of prosperity to those that keep the commandments of God applies to greater than just the comforts of this world.
“Everything we discover on this world belongs to our Creator,” said Elder Giménez, “and He may also help us with all these items in keeping with our needs and His will because they belong to Him.”
Elder Giménez recalled an experience by which he and his wife, Sister Catherine Giménez, sacrificed much to purchase a recent automotive. After parking it on the road at some point, the automotive was hit.
Their first response was confusion, as they felt they were keeping the commandments. However, the actual lesson Elder and Sister Giménez learned was that they were already “having fun with the blessings of excellent health, beautiful children and, most significantly, the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.”
Constant companionship of the Holy Ghost
According to Elder Giménez, the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost is a very important aspect of prospering because “we’ll have the option to make higher decisions, understand what we will do to maintain progressing here on earth and receive extra assist in our studies.”
Having the guidance of the Holy Ghost doesn’t necessarily make life easier. Instead, Latter-day Saints will receive strength to beat challenges and keep moving forward through adversity.
Glorious blessings can be found to “all members of the Lord’s restored Church who modestly, humbly and meekly desire to ‘lay hold upon every good gift’ (Moroni 10:30) and strive to ‘be perfected in [Christ]’ (Moroni 10:32),” Elder Giménez said.
‘Show Him our love by keeping His commandments’
Elder Giménez once more highlighted the universal truth behind keeping the commandments and prospering within the land, saying, “Regardless of our country, nation, culture or language, all the time keep in mind that prospering means greater than just receiving material things.”
Listeners were invited to check the primary 4 chapters of the book of Mosiah within the Book of Mormon and “learn the way persistently King Benjamin reminds us to maintain the commandments.”
Elder Giménez’s voice crackled with emotion as he ended the address along with his testimony: “I bear witness that Heavenly Father loves you, and He is in the main points of your life. He knows you. He knows who you might be and where you might be. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and Savior, and He desires to bless you and allow you to. We just need to indicate Him our love by keeping His commandments.”
