What Lack I Yet?

 I have been asked by our Relief Society presidency to prepare an article for each month's Relief Society newsletter on spiritual preparedness.   I thought I might just as well publish those articles here as well. Some, including this one, I have published on this blog before in my mantra section.  Though slightly altered, it is about the same as what I published before.

In three of the four gospels, we can read the story of the rich, young man who came to Jesus for advice.  A poignant question that he asked is found only in the book of Matthew.  In chapter 19, verse 20, we read this question: "What lack I yet?"  That is a question worth pondering and maybe could be at least a weekly mantra- perhaps as we partake of the sacrament.  It takes courage to ask that question.

The answer may be as hard for us as the answer was for the rich, young man.  But it also may not be.  In a recent conference talk by Larry R Lawrence (October, 2015), he suggested that sometimes the answer to this question may be something simple.  Examples he cited: Stop complaining, clean up your language, don't interrupt people when they are talking, improve your observance of the Sabbath Day, get up and clean your room, etc.
These four little words have the potential to change us and transform our lives- if we just have the courage to ask: What lack I yet?