It seems like struggles with pornography get most the airtime these days since it is so available in modern times. However, drug abuse and substance addiction is growing at shocking rates. As a church leader, you need to be prepared. We have a library full of resources focused on this topic. The presentation I would recommend you start with is Joseph Gran presentation about what we can learn from cap Moron to help our loved ones overcome struggles
with drugs and alcohol. His story of how he loved his son through his addiction is powerful and red. Can listen to this presentation in the recovering Saints library by going to deleting Saints dot org slash 14. Put your information in there, and that will give you 14 days at no cost. I made it easier for you put the in the show notes or you can go to leading saints dot org slash 1 4. So you're checking us out as maybe a
potential podcast you could start listening to? I know many of you have been listening for a long time, but let me just talk to the newbies for a minute. What is leading saints. What are we trying to do here with this podcast, let me explain. Leading saints as a profit organization, a 05:01 c 3 is what they call it. And we have a mission to help Latter saints be better prepared to lead.
Now, of course, often means in the context of a calling, it may mean in your local community, your work assignments, We've heard about our content influencing all sorts of leaders in all sorts of different context. We invite you to listen to this episode to maybe a few others of our 500 plus episodes that we have out there, jump in and begin to learn and begin to consider some of these principles we talked about on the leading saints podcast. Here we go. The leading Saints pod gas back again for
another episode. And today, we welcome in Todd Mc clock to this episode. And if you've heard Todd speaker interviewed before, like, put your your spiritual Sc gear on. We're going deep folks, but such a rewarding episode. So many concepts to sit with. I mean, really thinking about, like, okay. I'm called as a bishop, an El Quorum President Study president. Yeah. Happy to serve. Happy to do all the things, plan the activities, run the meetings. But what about the temple? What about the
order of the priest? What about these rich theological principles? Like, where does that meet? This world of leadership? And what should we consider when we're really wanting to serve the people we've been asked to lead. And So we... I mean, Todd, mainly, I just try to hang on for the ride here, but we go into these concepts of really understanding the order of the priest stood. The covenants we make sacrifices that we put forward?
Word does Jesus Christ enter all of this, Man just This would be 1 too, you know, if you're doing the dishes, mow the lawn, passively listening, go ahead and keep listening, but you may have to start over a few more times on this. These are principles worth considering sort of giving past the superficial level of these calling that we do. These leadership roles really going deep to not only leading people, but being san through Jesus Christ.
Understanding the relationship with Jesus christ more Anyways... The more Talk about it more I feel like I'm out there. But this is 1 to sit with, So let's get into it. Here's my interview with Todd Mc. Alright, Todd Mc and welcome to the leading Saints podcast. Hey. Thanks for having me on. Yeah. You know, I've heard you interviewed on various podcasts, and I've always just been intrigued by your approach and your perspective of the gospel. I mean, maybe give your give the audience a background
of you. I mean, because you're not some you know, Phd, biblical scholar and some, you know, By or elsewhere. But the maybe he goes a little bit background there will frame you well for this discussion. Well, your audience is gonna learn about 5 minutes. I don't have a Phd in anything. So I think that's a benefit though. I don't know. I don't know. That's by too much sword, but But... Yeah. Yeah. As you said, I'm sort of, you know, I grew up in the gospel and I grew up as
a kid loving missionary work. And sort of went on a... Not sort of... I did go on into L mission. And had a great time. And love my mission I served in Japan, and I came home and it worked in the Mt. And there's a way I bring that up as my dad would tell me just you know, pick the thing that you love the most and go do it. And I was like, I don't know if missionary work is sort of an employ
and employ thing to go do. Looks like work for Cs or something, but With to By at the business school, just have lived a sort of a a quiet normal life And so I don't have any credentials so to speak outside of the fact that I'm... I have a testimony like you and in a in a lifelong commitment to both church and the gospel And so, yeah, the perspective
I come from. But have you always had sort of a knack of being really thoughtful about scripture and and our theology, You know, because you asked the question candidly, since I was in high school, my best friend and I at the time we en ent ourselves in gospel questions and mostly because not out of just really just curiosity, but out of just our own personal paths, you know? I don't know if you know, who Terry Warner is or, self deception theory, bonds and make is free.
Leadership self deception might be booked He's the main founder of the Ar Institute. Right? That's right. That's right. So I actually went to By in studied philosophy just a study from him and so I could study under him and work for him. So since I was younger, I've tried to unravel the question of my own desires and tried to figure out how to become san and and how to increase faith and how to obtain the things that you read about in the scriptures. And so
Yeah. So from an early age, just absolute passion for the gospel. And that's really it. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's fascinating. And As I've heard you talk about different topics in the past. I've heard you talk about the priest and a lot about the temple and things and, you know, I always love sort of the intersection between not to our the application of our religion, but also where it meets
the the theology of and the doctrine. Because sometimes, I think we get going through the motions of just practicing religion and we sort of miss that the deeper side of it, where we're just saying, don't know why we do that. We just do it because we do it or why do we go to the temple? Why do we put on that clothing? Why do we, you know, why are there bishop? Why are there know, what does priest do keys mean? And well the elders quorum has priest keys. I don't know what
that means. But I definitely know what it means when the bit shirt. Yeah got stick keys. Right? And Yeah. And so I just thought would be interesting to bring you on, and maybe, you know, imagine we're in a room full of church leaders, bishop, relief side presence, whomever, who are, you know, they wanna do a good job at they're they're calling. But sometimes we default too... We see it more of as a... It's an administrative thing.
Know, It's someone's gotta have the keys and turn on the lights and unlock the doors and And, yeah. You know, we look at him. What... We look at the the the bishop with when last less the Sacramento, You know, he's sort of in charge. But I think there's more to this? And so I love exploring the the theology of it? Like, why do we do these things? And what are we trying to accomplish and? And how can we be san in all this? Like
Mentioned. So with all that said, where's a good, like, jumping off point that like, okay. You know, as you're talking, I'm really kinda feeling where would be a good place to start. And here's a question maybe, and this is really broad in really general. But, you know, 1 of the questions that I feel is sort of hound me periodically throughout my entire life is, do you really believe what you believe? I mean, sounds like an obvious question,
but kind of isn't. Like, When you read the scriptures, what are the things that I think really has motivated my own learning And I know it's cliche. Even though you feel like you learn a lot, The more you learn, you really do. Feel like you're just beginning to learn something. And so when you learn things, I don't like to be dogma. I like to kinda say, you know, at this point in time, this is how I'm experiencing this teaching of this doctrine. And so first and
foremost that. Like, this is not something like, I'm, bad. This is what this is, and I'm gonna try to persuade you and head lock you into this. No. But it's edi identifying and it tastes good. Like, it says on Alma 32, then I... May continue to go down into that path that it's taking me. But to zoom out and say, why do
you believe what you believe? And what I found is is that oftentimes what I'll do is take what I'm experiencing and then try to cram the scriptures into it and say, yeah, I experience giving someone a blessing and They kinda got better. And do I look at that and say, yeah, I have to get the healing, and I cram the script description experience into it? Instead of saying, this is my experience here's the experience of the scriptures and am I elevating into that.
Am I trying to comp with what the scriptures are actually inviting which flips the tables, which suggests that I'm living drastically underneath my privileges. And And if I am, then why and can we ask hard honest questions as to why I don't match the scriptures or why don't I live that way? Now, sorry to keep ramping here, but some people would argue and say that the scriptures are the exception they're the outlier,
and that's why they're in the scriptures. And so don't beat yourself up if you can't be like a ne eye or an The younger And I I think that scriptures are not the outliers they are the patterns. And when you look at them as the patterns and say, okay. This is what's happening. This is what's consistently happening amongst these profits. What are the principles that are really really at hand? And do you really want to pay the price to obtain the invitation of the fullness of the gospel.
So that's sort of maybe a general starting point. I, yeah. That's helpful that. But... Yeah. That's really good. And really, like, when we talk about being Christ, Right. Like, obviously, that's the the goal or the the focus that we're going at. And a lot of times it's easy to say, like, well, I mean, I'm but immortal. Like, you can't expect me to be like him. Right?? And so then we sort of say, well, yeah. He's...
That's Jesus. I mean, come on, guys. That's a whole different level, but at the same time, he's inviting us to that level. And it's again, it's all like it's gonna happen tomorrow. But it's still worth leaning into. Right? Absolutely. When it comes to being Christ like, I don't know if you wanna get on these little rabbit holes, but... Sure. Yeah. What comes to mind is is when people say, list, I need to be more christ like, It's
almost like... That's just another way of saying Need to be way more nice. Which it's just probably helpful and useful supposed be more nice. You know, how do you responding to your car when no 1 else can see what you're doing? You know, But really what I think an angle on that is is how do I become a far more truthful being way more truthful. And what is the sacrifice I'm willing to pay to be more truthful. And that is the you know, 1, perhaps 1
way of looking at the person. Of Jesus Christ is that he is the our typical truthful being in the universe. And so I'm gonna become that truthful, how willing am I to look inside myself and find the shadows and the darkness and the lies and allow them to come into the light. And so any 1 of these vectors, so these approach just to to Jesus Christ to the scriptures. I think you've done honestly and straightforward is gonna produce with us. Self exploration that will bring the dragons out
into the open and darkness. It's like an either 12:26 when he says, when men come unto me, I show into them their weakness. Right? Like, I'll show it to your weakness if you really come to me. And this is weird. And already mentioned Terry warner I think in anything I've ever done with anybody on the podcast, but Well, this is the podcast dimension. Yeah. Terry Warner. It's kinda top of mind a friend bought it up actually yesterday, but he had an unpublished talk called the dread of the holy.
And it's interesting because the talk doesn't actually talk about that statement but captured that title and I've then working on some content around that question of what does it mean to approach the... What is the dread of the holy? And it's kind of a big thing to
kinda throw on the table there. But that's the idea that if you really wanna pursue h this, and you really wanna pursue Jesus Christ, you most likely will face a significant dread in that path in the sense of, like, the children of Israel sitting at the base of the mountain. When Moses is inviting them up into the presence of the Lord and D 84, you know, they they they feared, and that's
an existential fear. What in me is going to have to come out and into the light in order for me to receive and obtain the san find love and truth of Jesus Christ. And so it's a little bit heavy coming out of the gate. But it might dovetail well, to the topic of artist, which is the open covenant. I see this a lot. And even, you know, recording the staff after the April 20 24 general conference. And the, you know, Elder Karen's first up talk as an
apostle. Hen mentioned at the beginning sort of this he spent these months sort of reassess himself and looking inward. And it made me think of, like, that's interesting because I've not heard it. Now, he's not the only way I've heard say that. Like, other people as they're sort of asked to step into these roles and calling that it seemed daunting, it causes them to look in inward and and self fight. And And I thought, you know, why why does it take that for
some people? Again, not that, you know, Karen wrong for doing it now, but I'm sure he's done it throughout his life, but Like, what more could we do to look in that or the other meantime, I see it framed is, you know, church leaders. Do you hear you have the bishop who shows up every week and it looks like he's got life figured out to the t. Right? Like his kids are just well behaved. As families are on time. He's doing this thing and
he's got the right to share. Like, of course, this is an outsider perspective and And that... Sometimes that leader starts to believe the same thing like, Yeah. Yeah. Sure. I struggle and, you know, but that you don't really don't get the real man of, like, where you talk to a recovering attic you're like, well, there's something real here as I listen to this man's journey of over overkill aesthetic addiction. Right? And sometimes we get in this mode of thinking, well, I got my
temple recommend. So I'm I'm mean Jared I'm pretty I'm good. You know, I'm sort of there. And as long as I have that, I'm good, but there's this whole another journey. I feel like God's inviting to be, like, no. Like, there is work for you to do. And it may not include stigma ties sin, like addiction or pornography or, you know, those types of things, but there is more here that I want you to sacrifice and give and And sometimes we missed them because it's like, no, I got my. I'm good.
Right? Yeah. And... Boy, that's a big topic to to un route. But perhaps, mis something that's gonna sound really, really bold, but I'm gonna try to to kind of file the edges off a little bit. So also a abrasive you know, you bring up the Aa example, of so maybe who dealt with, like, a crippling alcoholism is addiction and they go through this dark out of the soul and have him to really face and and obtain
the grace of Jesus Christ. And I have a feeling that like, we all suffer under those types of things, they just don't hinder of most of us. Usually they help us in our careers. The type of sins that we carry kind of are a net positive when it comes to, like, success? Yes. Yes. But if we had to... If that success crashed around us, would we not probably have the same need for the grace of Christ that that that someone who sends... Don't help them professionally in in their families.
And in other words, I kinda think that, like, when we know Christ, we will... Everyone will speak in the same way that the person who go through the 12 step program speaks. Like, if we don't fundamentally feel that without Jesus Christ, our existence is over, I think that we haven't really got on the path yet playing it out.
1 personal example that comes to mind is like, how that... I think what you're talking about where our sin sometimes leads to further success from a worldly perspective for perspective where I remember times as a bishop, or it's like, I'm doing it Like, I'm at the church, like 3 times a week. I'm, like, meet with people, and then there's these moments where I saw that my
marriage was struggling because of that. Right? And so there's sort of this feeling of like, no. I'm my sin was actually my over compensation into my calling because I'm I'm bishop Frank. You know, like that That's what... Mh. That's what I'm supposed to. Right? Like, no. Like God had something so much deeper and more profound for me discover. Yeah. Is that like, you're not supposed to give ever... You're not supposed to support your whole self out onto the ward.
You actually have to, you know, give some to your family and actually, maybe not and still have some for yourself at the end of. Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, if if you kind of a maybe approach... I mean, I hate saying stuff like terms thinking about it say this. It's like, if you sort of look at Grace like, hey, in these different categories of my life, I'm doing really well. I got a really good handle on this, and I need the grace of Jesus Christ to go the extra mile or just to pick up the gaps
that I'm failing it. If we look at grace that way, there... Certainly there's is an aspect of grace that works that way, but it's not the salvation kind. And I believe unless we go as the Book become Mormon invites us to go to the savior and to with a broken heart and a spirit, which means that we... And oftentimes it's hard to go with a broken heart unless we have something external to us that brings us to that place. That's just the unfortunate reality.
So many of us go through. But if we can break our hearts by going to the lord in fasting and prayer and actively pursue that by our own free will and choice to know the depth of our weakness and ins insufficient. So that we can know the power and salvation abilities of Jesus Christ. It'll be a radically transforming experience. And like in... It isn't the Dnc, that which is not of me will be
shaken and destroyed. So anything in us that we're excited about and thinking, hey, I got a handle on this part of my life, and that's not sounded rooted and breathed you by the savior. At too at some point will will face a testing point to see whatever is really rooted in Christ. And so the faster we can pursue Jesus Christ with in faith in the light of day, the better it really is for us to to humble ourselves without being compelled and the power that flows from that
is so much greater. Yeah. Well, I I feel... Like, I'm taking out off your outline way too early in the conversation. But this these are great ground conversations. All feeds together. Good. Well, let's go I'm curious with your... The first point you sent me as far as the covenant of the priest and becoming clean from the blood and and sins of the generation. Like, because this is where. I wanna I Is was like, okay. We're we're the bishop. We're the El Quorum president. We're in leadership. Like,
are we're leaders in general. And when I... It's easy to define leadership as some of these traditional calling. But at the end of the day, like, the fact that we are invited into an order of the priest through Yeah. This temple tradition, which is beautiful, these rights covenants. That is a leadership experience. Right? So I don't wanna get too hyper folks on just these calling, but I think there's a that's sort of a good sandbox to step and do time to time to sort of drum
up these principles. So take us into that path as far as Thanks. Yeah. There's a there's a lot lot of impact pretty quickly, which would it be helpful if I kind of did a a block by block summary to kind of move into this Yeah. Let's see how to kinda approach this. Yeah. So again, I don't like being dogma. So I'm just going to invite perhaps the the listener to consider some things that may... They may not have been considered
in the past. And that is something like what the temple endowment is is the endowment of priest. It's a priest endowment, which is kind of an odd thing press to suggest because immediately the question runs to, what is an? I don't you get ordained to the priest, then you go to the temple? If you wanna unpack that we can, but let's kind of move through a structure where we understand that, we obtained the oath covenant of the pre
in the temple. So the temple endowment beginning with the washing and the annoying through what we would traditionally call the presentation of the endowment, through a marriage ceiling, which is post endowment. And to other ordinance that are beyond that that we don't usually refer to that entire covenant structure is the oath and covenant of the priest. And so in D 4, where we normally talk about the oath code of the Priest.
You see any before actually isn't the oath covenant it's talking about the oath covenant, which makes a lot of sense, I think for people like me who since I was like a dea, we would have these annual lessons on. Let's talk about the oath and come to the priest, and then we'd have these really good well intended leaders open up D 84, read it and stumble who trying to
explain. Yeah. What Kevin just Like, oh, it's kinda mag or calling and that's like, you know, if you're dish bishop, then you do your best, You get extra energy and, you know I... Yeah. And that's fine. That's that's how has a perfectly fine level of analysis of this principle, but it's not its totality. So what the pre endowment is is the actual endowment of the oath covenant. So you go and you are wash and and cleansed preparatory to receive the o's
and covenants of the priest and you're... You receive the covenant signs tokens, covenants of in your trust in the realms of the holy priest, both men and women single and depend they are. So when we look at that as the oath come of the pre, and we look at what's actually happening in the endowment, we can start. To be taught by the pattern of the endowment. Because 1 way to define pre is, and I'm gonna say a lot of things that are probably gonna wanna be unpack, but Okay. Well, just
roll it forget it. Yeah. 1 way of thinking about pre is is pre is an order. So it's like your a priest is like a neighborhood or a sister hood or brotherhood where you're you're of a group of similar people. You know, like, your neighborhood, a group of neighbor's, sister, group of sisters. Priest is a group of priests. It's an order of priests. And what an order is, a group of people who fulfill the same pattern.
And so the pattern of the priest or the order of the priest are those individuals who are obtaining covenant relationship intimacy with the Lord in degrees of intimacy and through that relationship the father and the savior share their power with you as you become san in them and you fulfill their purposes. So we talk about pre of power sometimes a little bit loosely, where, like, pre of powers, its own thing, like it's this thing hanging out in the cosmos so you can
go and grab and start exercising people. You know, Yeah. That's a little unfair. But I think a lot people kinda do can conceptualize it that way. Yeah. Or it was like the force and Star wars. Right? It's like a. Yeah. You can't hold it, but you have it. You know, it's like. Right? And only if you're... Or Nor Ordained member the church, you have this, like, power it. Go do this and what I believe that the piece of power actually is just the power of God. There's no separate thing outside the...
No. It's just the power of God that you participate in as you fulfill the order of the priest it. So you'll notice in scripture, especially in the book of mormon it doesn't really reference priest I think it might a couple times. But most almost always, that's the order of the priest. Like you read 13, You eat some of these bigger pre chapters. They talk about the order. And in D 01:07 when it gives the actual name of the pre presets it's the order after the
son of God. And so thinking about an order is really helpful because instead of like, this sort of light switch, I was not ordained and now I'm now I'm ordained. I did not have the priest now I have the priest preset. Thinking about it that way, I actually think is really, really unhelpful. Coordination is the authoritative invitation to enter into the priest.
The order in the pattern. And so you start out in that, and the scripture if you wanna dig into them on this plan we can, but the scripture is suggest that that means to be called when you're called. So you have called and chosen. Right? Then you're called, but you are chosen, The calling is the urination. So many are ordained, but few of them are chosen, meaning they go on to obtain the sync simplified states that are requisite sharing
in the power of god. So this is why D 01:21 this incredible sermon on priest about the distinction between called and chosen and why are they not chosen. So we entered to the pre... The orders of the priest stud, but when we look at the temple endowment, we can start to unpack it and understand pre theology in ways that maybe he was such sort of hiding under our nose and we didn't see before because we're not really cor that endowment to priest stood. Yeah. That makes.
That makes. Yeah. And... Because I think generally I'm, know, I remember going as a young man and you know, there's so much to consider in the temple and announcement that were just sort of, like, Yeah. Just go and stay awake and We'll talk later type think Like, exactly. The man do. And then you just sort of, like, go through to get it again and sometimes just what we do. And then we hear from General Conference. Go to the temple more. Okay? I'm gonna go the temple more,
but... Yeah. This sometimes it's hard to grasp these things and and their meaning as you go through them. Right? Yeah. And ultimately, the the order of those who are coming to Christ is the order of those who are entering and seeking to know the Lord in mortality. And This has become in our zone, and this generation, a lesson
lasting that we wanna talk about. But you go back and read Bruce Mc and you read joseph filling Smith, and you read Joseph Smith, and it's the core of his ministry is that the order of the priest did is the order of the pattern of those who are following Jesus Christ that they can come into his presence and obtain promises and the ability to seal and connect into their poster. So it's powerful. It's a lot. It's a lot to unpack. But So take me as far as this... You talked about the... You know,
we... And we heard that hear this phrase clean from the blood and sends of this generation, like. Does that pertain to our our development and our appreciate experience. So if we look carefully at the endowment and when we are initiated into the priest, were initiated upon the primary charge that we are given in the of the endowment is the initiation into the priest. And that primary call is to become clean from the blood and sense of the generation. So it's the primary covenant of
the priest preset. It's to be getting point. It's the starting. And it's referenced in D 84. Well, it's actually referenced all over, But in the D 84 reference is when it says mag your calling, the calling it's referring to is the call to become clean from the blood sits. So it's not to exclude the the meaning that, you know, you're called to be a bishop or a stake president or an No president or something. Doesn't exclude that. But the call itself is a general call to anyone who's
ordained to the priest... And the call is is that anyone who's ordained to an office and the priest it is to just to become clean from the blood since of this generation. So then the question presents itself. What does that mean? And what are the dimensions of that? And your listeners might ask well. Why do you make that jump from magnifier calling to this? 1 of the best reasons is is because Jacob, the book of mormon is a key in the key to unlocking
some of this. And Jacob, P connects the magnifying to the office and the call Like. So you you mind if I read it real quick. Is that okay, please? Yeah. This is Jacob 01:19, and and by the way, as a side note, Jacob, is just 1 of the best book of mormon riders and witnesses. You can unpack his stuff for a long time. Yep. He's in a passion.
Yeah. Oh, yeah. We did mag our office unto the lord taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people on our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence. Where, by labor with our might, their blood might not come up on our garments. Otherwise, their blood would come upon our garments and we would not be found spot at the last day. So he connects magnifying you're calling or your office with the coming clean from the blood and sends.
And he does it begin in the second chapter too. He says, now my beloved brother and Jacob of according to the responsibility which I under under to God to mag my office with sober that I might read my garments of your sins I come up into the temple this day that I might declare unto you the word of God. So there's 2, Jacob has a key to understanding what it means to mag. And so the magnification of one's calling, let's just go down that road. Yeah. Because
I... There's a lot church leaders that worry about that. Am I magnifying my calling. Right? Yeah. And I don't wanna box this in and say, hey, it's just this. But I think Jacob gives us a pretty great insight. Especially when you start connecting it to the endowment and they both in covenant. Right? So if magnifying your calling means and the calling is to come clean from the blood of generation. Magnifying, I believe means
perhaps 2 things, and we can... Me kinda put it out there and if you'd like to chase a dow can kinda chase down. Okay. But when you your calling, and and we kinda go through the scriptures that are a lot in D of what it means to mag into... I'm sorry, what means to come clean, you become clean through obedience on un sacrifice. So when the Lord gives you commandments. So let's say you're a bishop steak
president. And the Lord will give you commandments that you will fulfill by virtue of your sacrifices. So he says it's the Joseph in 01:32. I've seen your sacrifices and, you know, obedience the things I've come commanded you and your and you're clean. I forgive you of your sense. So the first way we become clean is by, like, well, for repent and receiving remission, toll remission of our sins. Then in the in the priest, what we do is we fulfill the commandments the Lord has given us.
So he may give us sacrifices or things that we must do, personally and individually, and as we do those things, it oftentimes take sacrifice to do it. That's a significant... There's a significant reason for that. And if you wouldn't mind that I'll suggest 1II don't wanna say, hey, this is it, But let me
suggest Plot. Sure. Yeah. And that is because 1 way to think about people's hearts, like in your ward, they're in a state of hardness or softness And everyone is working out their sort of salvation and in their spiritual path and deciding, you know, if they're gonna give their whole hearts to God or if they're kinda holding back or there's hanging on by a thread, and the idea of coming together an award, and the invitation of the gospel is to come and unite our hearts and to make
them soft and to follow god and to perceive his word and to become of 1 heart. Right? And so if my heart is hard to a degree, really what that is is it's sort of a avail. I've failed myself to the spirit. I build myself to knowing about myself. To others, there's a partition between me and God and me and other people Right To whatever degree my heart is heart. And the way that veil are parted is through the principle of sacrifice.
And this is why you'll always see, like alters next to Vale and temples it's through the performing of sacrifices that veil become rent. So if you want to rent someone's veil or rent a veil you perform a sacrifice that could potentially do that that would har into that sacrifice. And so just think about this in in in a non theoretical way. You could think about this in a very,
like, everyday way. So let's say you have a bishop gets called, and he wants to appeal to the youth and he's got a group of priests who are a little ram and going in every direction, except for the 1 you want them to go in. Yeah. And you're. And you're worried about him. Right? Yep. And if he comes in and insurance laying down in the law, you know, without the direction of the spirit, I don't know a lot of doing that these days, but that might have a very contrary effect.
But if he goes in and says, I'm willing to do anything to appeal to these youth. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to soften their heart so that they will They'll turn their hearts to me or turn their hearts to their parents, and he asks what can I do, the lord will give you very specific revelation? Of what you can do if you desire to bless someone's life at whatever sacrifice is required. Do you ask those types of questions?
Those are the kinds of questions have opened as a door of Heaven very quickly late. And say, okay, these priests what can I do? And he might say, go do these kinds of activities, And these kinds of things are gonna happen and they're gonna see how because you've sacrificed for them because you've done things for them. They're gonna know that you're faithful to them, and that will have an effect of softening their hearts. Does that make sense? Like, you can go get
revelation that says, Yeah. I'll do anything required at my hands to be able to connect. And lord says okay. If you wanna do that, let's do this. And he can do that. So when you perform the sacrifices and you in people's hearts begin to break and to soften towards you, then you can deliver the words of the Lord gives to them. And when you deliver the word of the lord to somebody after you perform the sacrifices, that is definition how you become clean from the blood sense of this generation.
Mh. It well, and and what comes mind, that's a type of price. Right? The the thing that ind us to Jesus Christ is that he sacrificed for us. Right? Like... And so if we have opportunity to sacrifice for others again, not for self reasons, but because, you know, that's where the connection a relationship happens. You just described order. Yeah. It's after the pattern of Jesus Christ. So I'm at the order of Christ. Yeah. And... Boy, you... That's the most profound
point of all of existence maybe. Is that Yeah. Is Jesus crisis sacrifice that when we become aware of it of what he did, that is why every knee bowel and every tongue confess. It's not because they're compelled. It's because they witness to sacrifice on their behalf and they and they worship.
Out of it. And so if if we're in the order of that or the pattern of that, the way you appealed anybody, and this is in the spirit of D 01:21, It's gentle persuasion through them witnessing you doing anything on their behalf and knowing that your faithfulness is beyond the bounds of death. Right? Like, that's that's how you break those vehicles so to speak. Yeah. And I'm Man, I mean, it doesn't get complicated. You know I'm sure there's, like, preschool advisors will see like, oh,
Todd. I've tried it all. Like, I've given everything. They don't appreciate my sacrifice. They just... You're right? And it's a... Sometimes it's a longer journey or complicated journey. I don't know what... Well, thoughts under mind. Yeah. Okay. So boy there's so much there. Okay. You look at the big book of mormon examples of missionaries. And they all do this. Like, if you just... If you kinda zoom out and look at what they're doing, they all go into this deep suffering servant modes.
Right? Like, I'm gonna go through whatever it takes and tell these people will soften to me. Even look at, like, some of the heroes... So my heroes are like, n hill 10. Where he obtained the ceiling power Lord says I, you have an with wearing this not sought I on life. The sought to keep my willing to keep my commandments. And therefore, I'll give you these blessings for it. So when you perform sacrifices in in an un unwavering way, is it true that the people's hearts will
soften towards you? No. It's true that they may not. But what happens is is you have a magnifying effect that goes both ways. So to kind of... I don't think I concluded this thought earlier, But what it means to mag is something like, if you sacrifice sufficiently, so people will listen, then you can mag the redemption of Jesus Christ into a group of people. Like you can mag redemption. You can mag their exposure to Christ in his spirit in his teachings.
Now if you've sufficiently do that, like sufficient sacrifices to do so, the opposite happens, which is something like if those people don't then their hardness sort of mag magnifier and they become removed more removed actually. Which is could've of, like, what Neil Maxwell would called the a dreary doctrine. Like, not a happy doctrine to think about, but that's what happens is, like, it it mag it both ways. So people who become way more hardened or way softened by the
application of a priest principle. And this is why it's so powerful. And this is why it's on the principal of sacrifice because this is in by King Benjamin and those are saying, hey, now, you now you have your own blood on you. Or Ron I will say, hey, you're carrying the weight of your own blood now because I've washed your blood from my garments. I've shaking your blood from my from my garments. Now if the opposite thing happens too, though.
So if someone's called, and they don't perform the sacrifices at their hand required, to mag the priest into those people, then the judgments of those people get magnified onto the priests of holder. And this is how he offsets the judgment and gives those people a longer duration of not being in judgment in order to have a longer period to repent. So you'll see that principle in the book of mormon all over the place too. So this is why Jacob is is anxious. He's like, I'm gonna have to suffer.
The judgments, if I don't do this, they all say kind of the same thing King Benjamin says it. And it's so it's magnified both ways. And this is how a covenant people can have longevity, is because if those in the priest of do not mag their calling, the judgment actually rests upon the priest, and that's how there's longevity with the people. Which is a win tree doctrine as Maxwell would say. This is not 1 of the doctor in the happy camp. This is the
heavy stuff. Yeah. So I... Simply... And And I don't know if I'm right quite there yet. Because I and my mind is going to, like, even Jacob 5 or the care... You know, the yep, caretaker of the vineyard just exhaust. Like, when work that I've done, you know, first or Mh. Or even Mormon. Right? Where he says like. I'm done with you people type of the of thing because
I guess I'm... Like, so in a leadership standpoint, like, just that leader, they have a responsibility to suffer for who they lead and if they don't, then that that sends over their head. Like, there's an. Yeah. And then what where does Jesus come in there like, I don't know, get help me impact that further. Yeah. This is why we we jumped really quickly into a
lot of a lot of stuff. So so there's always judgments and judgments are, whenever a a law is broken with every law or covenant you have, you have a you have a corollary judgment with it. Oh, yeah. So this is why Anything the Lord gives you that's in covenant. If the covenant not kept. The covenant has a preservation power, and if the covenant not kept it has has a deep preservation power just as fast. That that makes sense. Like, it escalate things 1 way or the other
really quite quickly. So this is me give you an example of this and we're getting into some deep stuff really quickly. But, like, fourth knee fire, when they come out of Zion, Like, fourth knee fire is basically, a catalog of a people who have rejected Zion and what's happening. They're they're coming out of... You know, the first thing is like, 200 years later all of a sudden when when Christ was there, and it's basically saying, hey.
It's it's 200 years later and things are not going well, and this is this is what just happened. And they, you know, they start to have wealth divisions, and they start to... They start calculating everything that's happening at them coming out of that covenant status of having eye. And then things go down very very quickly. Right? Like, the knee fight go into destruction very, very, very fast. Because they broke the cove that they had had.
So a person will become darkened to the degree that they were enlightened. And so covenant gives us a lot of light. If we break covenant, that light is removed from us and we go into darkness very, very quickly. So The idea of pre carrying priest covenant is something like, Christ is the redeem of all, like, Christ is the 1 that suffers for sins.
And if we're in the order of Jesus Christ, what we do in the priest is we act as intermediaries in the sense that we can go and interact and fulfill the orders of patterns of Jesus Christ with the people. So that they may have a more direct experience. And as they encounter you and your love for them and you get them to spirit so to speak. Like, they encounter the spirit
through you. They start to har to your words, you teach them about Christ and then they move more towards Christ is you're delivering the messages of Jesus christ. Right? And so in the heavens you... In the order of the priest, you have sort of this cascading effect. You'll see this in the temple and endowment where El will say to Jehovah and and on and on down until it gets to you, And this is the idea the order of the priest that you're delivering the words of Jesus Christ. In
different covenant level. That's why you go and listen to general conference because those who are speaking in general conference have a covenant level that is really, really intense. Like, they have to come clean from the blood sense of the entire church by performing sacrifices and delivering the words that Jesus christ has given to them, in order for the church to repent and to obtain the principles to build out the fulfillment of the cabo which is eye. Yeah. So So take century.
Yeah. No. I that's really helpful. But take me to, like, a really steady president or, you know, I also are growing present level of, like, does that look like for him because he... He doesn't have to... Or she doesn't have to stand up in general conference and, you know, reach in front of the world or he But if I was called as the notes corn president, Yeah. I It's called El corn president would go to the Lord and say, first and foremost, do I have a remission of my sins?
Like, I have to repent of everything in me. Like, I have to obtain the holy ghost, and the witness of the spirit to know that I'm clean. These if you're not, you're just going to mag your own your own sins and pride into something. Right? And once you do that, you become clean, then you go to Lord and say, I love of this quorum, and I'm I'm grateful for this calling and I love this quorum so much. You know, what can I do to reach that? Like, what is it I can do this week
to connect with them? And to open their hearts and so that I can deliver whatever words it would be good for them, if comfort of change of growth, whatever it is, What words do you have for them, and maybe the Lord says, I want you to fast once a week for the next 6 months for them. No? Fast 3 days this week. I don't know. What he says I want you to start going mowing Brother So and so lawn down the street every week. That's just I want you to do that 1 thing. You know,
I don't know. You you go to the Lord and you say, what is it I can do, I'm willing to to give my heart to them. And he will give you revel guidance on how to connect. Maybe it's to go by groceries. Maybe it's just to go hang out and go roller skating with a family. I don't know. You know, Yeah. We we know the lord works in these ways, and
you go fulfill it. And then Yeah. When you fulfill it in people's hearts break and you connect with them, and the lord might say, we'll tell this brother that, you know, if you want to overcome this this trial he has. To go do x y and z. Let's do it together. He's skipping in the morning and pray. You're gonna go every morning with him for an hour, You're gonna sit with him and knee with him and sucker him in prayer. Like, who knows what that looks like? Hope, the
thing is is that you're... If you go to the lord and say, I'm willing by a sacrifice to do whatever it takes to bring them closer to you he will give you revel experiences to do so. And that's how you fulfill your priest of covenant. I really appreciate that. Because oftentimes you know, naturally, you know, he called to certain calling in your pride sorta of takes over and think. I just don't wanna look stupid. You know, like, we gotta make sure
we find someone to teach? Because, you know, I don't wanna to teach each and or, you know, do we have everything covered like, Don't know, They're gonna ask me about administering assignments. I better make sure I do those.
Right? It's so easy to sorta of get into this mode of, like, you know, I I wanna do a good job, but I don't wanna look bad or where this is much more and this is on the beauty of why we're given temples so much Was like, you literally have a place, a physical location you can go, but not just to go to go, but, like, go sit in the celestial room in the name of your form or relief society or whatever it is
and say, Alright. I'm I'm ready. Like, what is required of me to sacrifice and move forward and and so I wanna bring these people to Christ because I wanna be cleansed of of that. Yeah. It exactly. So 1 of the best questions about the gospel, you can always ask if you're on the right track is what can I do it 02:00 on a Wednesday? Yeah. You know, like, how this is effect every day instead of, like, being a some theory of gospel theory, you know? And it
is, like, you could... Just like you said, you can go and you can do very, very specific things, and that's what sacrifice might look like. It might be very hard. Usually the things that the lord really wants to steer things that we usually don't want to do, and we move into that, and that's where the power is unlocked. And Yeah. So it has very direct application another part of, you know, in the temple we learned that comes with my mind is, you know, as Adam and eva being cast out there.
God doesn't tell them just Oh, I will give you a savior. He says I will give you a savior and the love sacrifice. Like, it's... And at which I appreciate sort of this this invitation into it, you know, with it. Like... And I think this is sometimes where I feel like my evangelical friends miss it of sort of just like, you know, it's all Jesus, But and our tradition, it's beautiful because it's
like, yeah. It is all Jesus, but then he invites us into it all with him of saying, now you come in, like, like, come with me and let's do temple work and you take names and, yeah. My sacrifice covered their sin, but you're involved in a too, and and it's beautiful this relationship and partnership that's happening. Oh, yeah. Like, the c participation aspect is is absolutely incredible. Like, I totally agree with you. As you feel and experience the redemption of
Jesus Christ and that flows through you. Your heart is open to others like En was, you know En has this experience and his heart. He's spoken towards his poster and he starts to covenant on behalf of him. Right? Well, who if your listeners leadership isn't wrestling with maybe family who or children who are not wanting to participate in the covenant. Right? Yeah.
And and the temple blessings and the temple promises that we obtain are to be able to appeal to our poster and to have power in the priest accordingly. So how do we obtain that power? It's not just because someone just it pronounce it upon you. That's just when you go through... When you go through a physical ordinance it's a calling into something higher. It's giving you a pattern and a call and an invitation into some... When you fulfill the patterns
of the endowment. You look carefully at it and you really look and say what are the patterns that's outlining for me and you fulfill them in reality. The pre preset power is the power to a appeal to others to come to Christ and to experience his redemption. And the powers is because you cannot compel anything. That is the great principle of God hood in existence. Is nothing is ever compatible. Everything is invited through light and sacrifice.
So even Jesus Christ, who is the greatest of the all, but his power is rooted in the fact that he sacrificed deeper and more fundamentally than any other being in existence. And when we encounter those realities, that's why we give ourselves to hemp by our free world choice. It's a sacrifice that draws us in. So to be after the order of the priest that is to be in that pattern. We will perform the sacrifices and we will long suffering in gentle persuasion and meekness and in love and faint.
We will stay with people and we will persist with them as long as we can into the eternity. See, I will never let you go. I'll always be with you until you by your own free will and choice says, saying, Okay. You've done this a long time why? You say because of Jesus Christ and they say, okay. Well, how can I know more about him? And then you say, well, be sure. And that's how you bring people to the wand who actually can tone for the sins. You're just after the pattern,
and that's how you draw them in. He is the wand that suffers with forgiveness sense. And and you can just fill the power in that. And this is is a little bit of a of a tangent here, but 1 thing I'm, like, processing and trying to understand because there's such this he of, like, of people who are, like, mentioned sort of abandoning the covenant or the church or being done with it and leaving the church altogether. And and our natural response is like, oh,
like, well, what question do you have? Like, is it church history? Is it, like, Book of mormon translation, you know, priest stood whatever, like, we wanna go to these questions when in reality. It might proposal is that, no. It's it's the fact that somewhere along the line. They didn't see how the gospel works for them. Like, they didn't reach the sac or under the not the sac, well, in terms of sac. But the sacrifice to the point of being, like, well, I
I feel like power from this. Like, there's strength from this. To the point of, like, if someone said, oh, you can't go to the temple anymore. It would be, like, wait a minute. I cannot survive without what happens in there. And what I look about in there. Right? And so the more we can... Again, I... And I think it's great. We create resources and have answers for historical concerns, all those concerns, but at the same time the The more we can preach to them
redemption and Jesus into sacrifice. Like, Yeah. That is what we'll bring... Have the power to bring them back and and boy into the Covenant relationship. It t I agree with few more. Like, oh, man. I think... Yeah. Like, just what you said, if I could just say what you just said to. I'll give you a big Amen. Okay. I'll take you. People. People are not feeling light or power that exceeds the darkness they're feeling. Or they don't... They're feeling that they're being fed
somewhere else more lighter power. Bottom line is is I believe why people are distancing themselves from the churches because they're not having the, red d experiences that go beyond some of the preliminary testimony. And because of that, we focus a lot of test when and I say, well, just... You need to strengthen your testimony. So you don't leave. It's like, no. I actually... This is controversial. I'd say it's the time. People get bugged about it I'm saying anyways.
Testimony is not your problem. You experiencing the redemption of Christ is the problem. Like, you might have a testimony. But testimony he's not self vi. Like, you, it it's salvation and so far that will bring you to Christ, but it doesn't save you, and it's learning how to repent in a deep way that we experience the transformation into a fullness of light that gives us power over fear and darkness. And I think that's what we need to concentrate and mag. Yeah. Is that experience?
Yeah. And this, sort of loop back to some of the things we're talking about, like, you know, Jacob where There's this emphasis of, like, we've got to... I've gotta preach these things. Appreciate. You know, and as leaders you feel that, And so sometimes it's like, you know, what, I I have a obligation to walk into that state conference and let these people have it. Because if I
don't do that, right? But I think we we missed up there because we missed the redemption of it, where often I encourage leaders to say, okay. Think about the typical person that's leaving the Sunday worship experience that you presided over? Are they feel leaving with a sense of redemption or are they leaving with a sense of, I'm just not doing enough. I Yeah. He was right. Like, I'm just I'm just missing
it. Right? So there's a I just a I bounce there, but you gotta be very intentional of making sure that it's a red experience that they're feeling, Yeah. Even though you're... From time to time saying things that are quite strong. Like Jacob did. Right? Yeah. Right. And I think if we maybe knew how to better talk about the principles of repentance
in a way that wasn't. You know, if we were able to deliver a message consistently that says something like if you gave your whole mind and heart to Christ, and this is what this could look like and kinda talk about it. When you apply your entire heart to Jesus Christ, he fills you full of a light and a power that displace the fear in you, and you have a love that will overcome any heartache that you might me feel it.
And that's redemption. Right? Like, if a state president goes into a meeting, and he's gonna say hard things to them. And at the same time, he doesn't feel a love for them to the level of giving his own life. That he's not gonna be able to deliver those words in a way that's gonna have the optimal effect in their hearts. They're gonna feel resistance and judgment in him. And the judgment you feel in somebody who's delivering a message to you is not aligned with Christ.
The reason I think we price a paradox because he judges and he doesn't judge. Right? Like it's a paradox. Meaning, meaning that his heart is drawn out to you infinitely in a way, I know we don't it only the word unconditional anymore, but it's unconditional. Like, yeah. There's nothing you're gonna do that he's gonna say, okay, That's what I'm out. He's gonna walk with you and stay with you. He's gonna stay with you consistently. And that's why you eventually turned to him.
Right? And so that's why he can say hard things is because you know he loves you more than himself. That's why he can say the hardest things to you. So if we have to say hard things to a family members or people, and you don't first feel the love of the of through sacrifice, then it it doesn't really work. Right? Like, people know it. Yeah. Powerful stuff. What else on AAD or just blatantly skip over on your outline here. Anything you wanna make sure we we hit we're at adam or what you think?
You know, it's a 2 edged sword. Because it requires a lot. And we all know that if your call is in the as a pre leader it requires a lot. And there's a lot at stake, actually, Like, to have a priest cut is it a very, very powerful thing. And sometimes, I think it's very easy to get drawn down into the difficulty of the burden, and there's burdens everywhere and there's darkness everywhere. There's difficulty everywhere. And most of us feel like we're just trying to keep
her nose above why. Like, no matter how good we feel how good we look on the outside, the best of us are, feel like we're it's hard. And so if there's any message here, I think it is something like go to Christ in the same way we started this conversation as if you're an alcoholic. Like, go to Christ and pray until your heart is completely broken. Like every aspect of you, and give every
aspect of you to him. And if you do so, he'll take you through a process of profound transformation, that it will only have a magnified effect on those around you. Like if you seek to repent deeply, deeply yourself, like, that you believe you have to repent so that you receive the san transformational power of Jesus Christ that will translate to award or a stake that you're called to serve. And if you don't do anything but that singular thing, that will have such
a profound effect on people. If you have the spirit of repentance so they so will they. Like, if you have a church court and someone's coming and you're trying to decide if they're gonna be severed from the covenant or not. And you don't go and prayer to God, as if you are the same depth of sinner as that person that you're judging, you've probably not quite gone into the right spirit of how to handle that. So we have to understand the depth in which we ourselves
have to repent. It have to come clean. And if we do so, the the power of that red d experience will mag and will truly change. Sure So... Yeah. And and this is why, you know, if you this my own controversial statements here. I hate the concept of when we put serious in front of sin. Like some sins are really serious. But, I mean, your sin, it's just sitting. I mean, yeah, Sure. But whatever. Right? Where... Yeah. And this is you we we really talk a lot about on leading
saints about. It's so important for leaders to do their own work. Like, whether that's go to the therapist, you know, go... Like, Yeah. Find your broken ness to the depth you can sitting next to the the the attic can say, oh, we're exactly the same. And then and it's in that cadence where you can leave. Right? Laura. Yes. And it's so much beautiful. It's...
And and unfortunately, tradition, time, whatever has created this perception of, like, welcome to our council of people who actually haven't it figured out, and we're here to fix you. We're like, no No I get... We missed it missed it. Right? Yeah. Where it can be so much more of the san simplifying sac Yeah process when we realize, oh, we are all sinner. Like, the the podcast sense. Right? We are all sinner. And fell short of a glory.
Yeah. When we discover our own desperate needs for the grace of God only then are we... Are we gonna be able to administer in the grace of God? But, yeah. That's just. That's powerful. Awesome. What else side? Anything else for? No. I appreciate a chance to talk But I know we we dumped a lot of principles out and things that are out of the box, but the priest preset is is a true covenant, but it is a covenant to go low to to a base yourself. And the
pattern of Jesus Christ. I must decrease that he may increase this about. Love it. Yeah. This isn't your let's mow the lawn while we listen to a podcast episode, but Maybe. Let's do it a few times. But I, I've really enjoyed it. It's really caused me to to sit with some things and in process. And and, again, we just scratched the surface. This the beauty of like, when I just step back and see
the model that we... That's been restored in these latter days, these, you know, so many from the outside, look at, like, what's with all these temples and you know, why you spend all, you know, it's more and more and more temples, but it's like, but when when you understand, like, what we're trying to do for humanity. Through these rights of of it. Like, it is... It's clear. Why? I mean, let's... How many more can we build? You know, It's be...
Yeah. So Do you have, like, a website a a platform if you wanna learn more about you and your perspectives and you are you? We do something called shattering triangles to Youtube channel. It's call shattering triangles, and we do come follow me stuff, and I do have a series of preset on there. And so when we released different things from time to time. So there's that.
For your listener, if they're interested in chasing down this topic anymore, I would just invite them, I can just rattle off some areas that they can jump into an and go study. In it... You know, in the Dnc and, I would dig in deeply to 88, 01:12, 01:09, 61, all those sections will give a lot of insight into coming clean, and in the book of Mormon, first fy 12, the King Benjamin address, second E59, And then, you know, Jacob, chapters 1 and
2. Nice. So... Well, and Doctor Graham is 1 0 19 of be very popular section in the coming months since President nelson invite us all to jump in So, yeah, this is we're right in line with with all that. So... Yeah. So let's all go and repent and that's how all things in this world occur through faith and the repentance. That's how the whole world book draw towards heaven if we all single minded do that
for each other. So... Yeah. Last question I have for you is you ever reflect back on your leadership experience, maybe formal leadership or even just, you know, being in the the order of the priest preset leadership. Yeah. How is being a leader helped you become a better follower of Jesus Christ? Yeah. So, you know, pi most significant experiences have been with the young man. And In a couple different cases of working with young men, we had a philosophy, that was we called it the end the
ditch philosophy. And that was wherever they were in their life, we were gonna go get into that place with them so to speak. So, like, if they're having a really hard time, we just wanted to know that we were connecting with them, that we were as open as possible that they could talk to us when we built relationships with them so that they would know that they could call us or trust us in times that were hard. We'd call it being
in the ditch. So if we thought they're having a hard time take we go on a walk. Can we go do this? Can we just be involved? You as, we don't see a movie just that you're building a trust and so then they know that they come talk to you. And so when these experiences happened because they knew we were in the ditch with them so to speak. And that we we love them deeply that they could talk to us about really hard things.
And so After that trust was built, and they talked to us, we found that you know, some of the boys went on missions that we didn't think would ever really be... They would like to do that. And they did go on missions and had great experiences. And In the end, 1 of the experiences I thinking about happen, you know, 12 years ago, and I'm still close to a couple of the young men
that that that happened with. And So I believe that, like, the priest rule is to always know that your love is as deep as the pain that they're facing in their life day to day and that you're gonna be there with them. And if you go down that road, you can gain the bond of love with them, and then you can say and help them do hard things and so that's just been my own experience. That concludes this episode of the leading Saints
podcast. We'd love to hear from you out your questions or thoughts or comments, You can either leave a comment on the, post related to this episode at leading saints dot org or go to leading saints dot org slash contact. And send us your perspective or questions. If there's other episodes or topics you'd like to hear on the leading saints podcast go to leading saints dot org slash contact and
share with us the information there. And we would love for you to share this with any individual you think this would apply to especially maybe individuals in your ward counsel or other leaders that you may know who would really appreciate the perspectives that we discussed. Quick reminder, go watch Joseph G presentation on helping loved ones overcome addiction by going to deleting saints dot org slash 14.
It came as a result of mission of leadership, which was imposed upon us by the God of heaven who brought forth a restoration of the gospel of Jesus christ. And when the declaration was made concerning the own and only true and living church upon the face of the earth. We were immediately put in a position of loneliness. The loneliness of leadership from which we cannot shrink nor run away. And of which we must face up with bold and courage and ability.