The Story of Jim

Jim was raised as a member of the church from birth. His family were not noteworthy and experienced a great many struggles both physically and spiritually.

Jim was an avid reader and studied and pondered a great many religious texts and writings from ancient and modern prophets. He learned a great deal about a wide variety of gospel topics, and he was converted to Christ as a young man.

One of his life’s goals was to make his calling and election sure. He read and studied everything he could on the topic.

One day, prompted by the spirit, his daughter and her husband shared their experience with making their calling and election sure, and of seeing Christ and bore witness to the same. He was floored and found it difficult to believe and accept. They were in their early twenties and he was more than twice their age. 

He thought to himself and sometimes remarked, “I’ve studied all there is to read about calling and election. I’ve worked for and prayed for it my whole life. I’ve gone to church since I was a baby, received all the ordinances in and out of the temple, served in the church in every capacity they’ve asked and met every criteria the church has given as a measure of righteousness. If anyone deserves to have their calling and election made sure it’s me. He felt it was something more reserved for the elderly, more “seasoned” individuals. 

Who are you! Why do you think you are so good and worthy? What have you done to earn this blessing? You’ve just started out your life. You haven’t studied this topic like I have. You know nothing and you’ve done nothing!”

Over the next two and a half years he would bring up challenges based on his study and learning, attempting to show that we neither qualified nor experienced the blessings the way it was supposed to come. At the end of that time, he was finally convinced that we had, and struggled to understand why he hadn’t.

About two years later he was diagnosed with lymphoma, (cancer). He eventually traveled with his wife from Utah to Houston Texas to be treated. He stayed there for about a month while receiving treatments. 

About a week and a half before he left Texas to return home he saw a couple in the cancer treatment center while waiting for his own appointment. They were a young married couple in their early twenties. She had brain cancer and no insurance. Jim watched as they begged and pleaded to see a doctor hoping to save her life. They were refused treatment and sent away knowing that her fate was sure. She was being sent home to die. Jim saw the young husband try everything he could to take care of his beloved wife but fail. With tears in his eyes, Jim’s heart broke for them and he cried. He wanted to die in her place. “She is so young,” he said. “If only I could take her place and she could live out her life, have children and raise them and her husband could be with his beautiful bride for a lifetime. But instead, she will die and he will be alone. Such a waste.” For the first time in his life, he had a soul penetrating empathy. He was changed from the inside out and decided to dedicate the rest of his life to helping others in similar need.

He planned to start a charity to help people like this young couple. He planned to donate the little money he had to get it started. He wanted her and others like her to have a chance at life.

It was immediately following this experience and his decision to start the charity that he finally received the witness that his calling and election was made sure. He had an experience that left him no doubt regarding the blessing and promises.

He never got to start the charity. He never had the opportunity to take action or do the work that he hoped with all his heart to do. He died of sepsis while traveling home a week later.

He didn’t receive his promises and blessings based on doing good works, but on who he had become within.

So it is with all of us. There are no good works we can do or actions that we can take to earn our way into heaven or earn the rewards of eternal life. We must make the real and essential changes within our hearts that make us righteous.

The Lord promised that if we offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit we would receive the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. That’s the only work we need to do, that’s what is required for salvation.

Likewise, we must become just and godly to gain eternal life. The works follow the change of heart. The works alone are not required or sufficient enough to be accepted by God.