One of the teachings that emerged from our last General Conference was the simple idea, “Stay in the Boat.” Elder M. Russell Ballard used this idea in his memorable talk. Here is an excerpt:
“Recently, a friend of mine took his son on a trip down the Colorado River through Cataract Canyon, located in southeastern Utah. The canyon is famous for its 14 miles (23 km) of white-water rapids that can be particularly hazardous…
At the beginning of the trip, one of the experienced river guides reviewed important safety instructions, emphasizing three rules that would ensure the group’s safe travel through the rapids. “Rule number one: stay in the boat!” (link to entire talk here.)
It is such an easy image to visualize. It stuck with me immediately, as it might have for you as well. It also caused me to recall that it is not a new teaching. President Ballard even quoted Brigham Young teaching a similar idea.
“It is in calm weather, when the old ship of Zion is sailing with a gentle breeze, [and] when all is quiet on deck, that some of the brethren want to go out in the whaling boats to have … a swim, and some get drowned, others drifted away, and others again get back to the ship. Let us stick to the old ship and she will carry us [safely] into the harbor; you need not be concerned”
After hearing Elder Ballard speak, a memory kept trying to bubble up, until I finally sat down and did a search on lds.org to find it. it. Elder Russell M. Nelson had used the same idea in a Conference talk “Endure and Be Lifted Up,” all the way back in 1997. Here is a snippet:
Early in our married life, when Sister Nelson and I lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the United States, we decided to enjoy a free afternoon with our two-year-old daughter. We went to one of Minnesota’s many beautiful lakes and rented a small boat. After rowing far from shore, we stopped to relax and enjoy the tranquil scene. Suddenly our little toddler lifted one leg out of the boat and started to go overboard, exclaiming, “Time to get out, Daddy!”
Quickly we caught her and explained, “No, dear, it isn’t time to get out; we must stay in the boat until it brings us safely back to land.” We had a hard time convincing her that leaving the boat early would lead to disaster.
As children of our Heavenly Father, we, too, may foolishly want to “get out of the boat” before we arrive at destinations He would like us to reach. The Lord teaches over and over that we are to endure (remain faithful) to the end. (link to full talk here.)
…And in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. (D&C 6:28)
It think that the teaching of “staying in the boat” is effective because it is so visual. We can relate to it.
Personally, the idea of staying in the boat immediately linked up in my head with another teaching from a few years back. I will explain it with a brief story – but first some background.
I have always enjoyed boats. Sure the canoes and rowboats were fun back in my Scouting days, but the kind of boats I really appreciate are the kind that pull a waterskier. Waterskiing is awesome, but just the fact that I use the term “waterskiing” makes me old. Wakeboading or wake surfing is now the rage, and we slalom-skiing dinosaurs days are numbered.
A few years ago, my brother invited me to spend a morning with him at the lake to do some skiing. His boat was docked, so all we needed to do is show up with our snacks and hop in.
As we were preparing to cast off, my brother was behind the wheel, and I was untying the boat. I had one foot on the side of the boat, and the other on the dock.
Yeah, you’ve got it.
As soon as the boat was released, I inadvertently pushed the boat away from the dock, leaving me in the cartoon classic Chinese splits. Both legs were going in different directions, with one foot on the dock, and one foot in the boat.
I am not built for the splits. I am about as limber as a two-by-four.
It happened so quickly that I was not even able to make a conscious choice. Gravity made it for me: I went into the water between the boat and the dock. Mostly dressed, keys, wallet, etc.
I was irritated at my dumbness, but my brother enjoyed laughing at me.
Stay in the boat.
As my fall demonstrated, it is impossible to stay in the boat with one foot on the dock, and the other in the boat. One or the other. We have to commit.
So what does this have to do with the brethren’s teachings about staying in the boat?
It is impossible to stay in the boat with one foot in Zion, and the other in Babylon.
Read this great thought by Elder Carlos E. Asay, all the way back in 1992 Conference:
“There is a lie—a vicious lie—circulating among the Latter-day Saints and taking its toll among the young. And it is that a “balanced man” is one who deliberately guards against becoming too righteous. This lie would have you believe that it is possible to live successfully and happily as a “double-minded man” with one foot in Babylon and one foot in Zion.” (Link to full talk here.)
More recently, Elder Larry W. Gibbons reaffirmed that idea when he plainly said, “We cannot keep one foot in the Church and one foot in the world. One reason is the world and the Church are rapidly diverging. We will lose our balance.” (Link to full talk here.)
We can choose to be in “The Good Ship Zion,” or we can choose to watch it sail away without us, as we climb back onto the dock and try and figure out what happened.
We have to make the choice as to which place we want to be. For me, the idea of staying in the boat, and keeping one foot in Babylon will always be linked in my mind. Maybe they will be for you now, too.
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Great article!
Thanks for this thought, it will give me something to think about today. Also, I love hearing Minnesota get a shout-out in Conference from Elder Nelson!
I hope you are feeling better and have recuperated from your recent maladies. I also hope you’ll consider making a book from your blog posts. It would be wonderful. Thank you for your amazing insights!
Thank you! Enjoyed 🙂
This also brings to my mind the story of the little boy who fell out of bed, which was told in a gospel context.. When his mother asked why, he said. “I guess I didn’t get far enough in.” Same thing happens with people in the church- it’s easier to leave the boat or fall out of bed when you’re not very far in. Thus the need for Pres. Hinckley’s 3 things: a friend, a responsibility, and nourishing by the good word of God. The sister missionaries also spoke to the RS last week about the social and spiritual conversion people need to go through and how we can help. My counselor, who was a convert in her 20’s, brought up the point that when she converted she had to change everything- what she did, who her friends were, etc., so we really need to continue to support converts after baptism who are going through this possibly difficult like change to help them get far enough in/all the way on the boat.
I love waterskiing.
My favorite talk from GC this October by Elder Robbins, Which Way Do You Face, also applies here. The older I get, the more I realize how easy it is to stay in the boat. I love the safety I feel.
Yes
Arrghhhghghghhh I needed this today in my class. I teach the 16-17 year olds and I know some of them are struggling. Finally, a couple of brave souls felt safe enough in the class (hooray!) to talk about it. We departed from the lesson somewhat as we talked. And while I’m hopeful that what I said will be helpful to them…at some point…I would have loved to have been able to tell them “Stay in the boat!” I did kinda…but not as well as Elders Ballard and Nelson. I just pray the Lord will make up for my inadequacies as a teacher. I do love those young men and women so much.
I appreciate the sentiments of your post. I would like to think that as a community of believers in Christ that when one of our own has either “fallen” or “stepped off” the boat, we would all circle back around and do all that is necessary to bring back that soul who may be going through a crisis. I’m not suggesting that you say we don’t, but in light of the many, many souls who have recently chosen to step off the boat there is this attitude that seems to percolate just beneath the surface, spoken in hushed tones in the halls at church, “well, good riddance. More room on the boat for us true believers.”
At the end of Elder Ballard’s talk he says that “if any one of you have fallen out of the boat, we will seek you, find you, minister to you, and pull you safely back onto the Old Ship Zion, where God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are at the helm…”. I don’t criticize Elder Ballard or any other ward or branch leader but I honestly don’t see much of this happening out there. Elder Ballard also quoted a recent statement from the First Presidency and QO 12 that said in part “…Members are always free to ask such questions and earnestly seek greater understanding.”
I suppose the slew of recent letters released from the PR department through lds.org in relation to issues such as blacks and the priesthood and polygamy, to name a few, are definitely steps in the right direction to begin the process of circling the ship back around to rescue those lost souls that have gone overboard or are thinking about jumping. Unfortunately, the letters aren’t signed and nobody knows who wrote them. I guess the apostles approve since they were released through lds.org? Small points, maybe too critical I know. But we’ve got a problem in our boat. People are abandoning ship in larger numbers than I think people in SLC are willing to admit. Not to mention the multitudes of members out there who just sit silently every week with questions they are still too timid to ask and don’t want to rock the boat or even worse, draw the wrath of extended family members and be seen as an apostate and the weak link in the eternal chain of the family.
More questions, not fewer, more love, not less. I’m not suggesting anyone on this blog or in the preceding posts have anything but these things, however, based on the number of souls being ex’d these days and the numbers jumping ship, I think we could all, including leadership in SLC look inward, not outward. for a little soul searching and figure out how we as individuals can extend our hands of love and understanding, not judgment, to those looking for a lifeline.
As far as “One foot in Babylon and one foot in the boat” goes, don’t even get me started on City Creek Mall. I’ve never been there but all of our tithing money has. I’m told City Creek Mall is a beautiful, wonderful place to spend and afternoon in downtown SLC. Make no mistake about it; When church assets, purchased over the years with tithing money, were sold in order to provide the billions necessary to build what amounts to an urban renewal project for the lucky residents of downtown SLC, it is Babylon. I don’t care if the reason given was to protect Temple Square. There were other options and definitely alternative uses for those assets and money. What do we say to those who have gone overboard who are looking at the Savior who is saying “come follow me” and then look at the Apostles who are telling them to stay in the boat?
I have heard the drumbeat to rescue people almost constantly the past decade. It is a huge emphasis in the church membership and leadership. Anyone who sends “good riddance” signals obviously missed the boat themselves.
I’ve had a bit more of a good riddance attitude lately. It’s mostly internal. My previous attitude has been immense soul shaking grief when someone leaves the church. I’ve found this to be unusual and most of my friends are not having this reaction. As a way to protect from the pain of this grief when someone leaves (and it’s not like someone important in my life is leaving, just folks in wards or previous wards that are merely acquaintances), I’ve had a slight hardening of my heart that said, “Okay, well fine, we’re better off without them.” But we’re not. I think my good riddance attitude has stemmed from wanting to protect my heart from the very real pain I feel when someone leaves. I’m not defending my current attitude, but merely explaining that below the surface it’s not quite as simple as just wishing they’d get it together or get out. Sigh.
Tithing funds are separate from Church-corporate business investments which have reaped the returns that have been reinvested here. Tithing funds are not diverted away from meeting houses, temples, etc. As I understand it. Neither do they provide the living allowances for the Brethren who have been asked to give up all their worldly endeavors to serve full-time for the rest of their lives. Hope that helps.
And I too have heard and seen and been blessed to be part of the call for rescue of the wandering, lost, even nearly destroyed sheep. The emphasis has been strong and continuous.
MMM could you help me with this. I keep hearing this kind of talk. You cant have one foot in babylon. I dont know what this means. I try to be proactive. I start looking around and thinking everything is part of babylon. Television shows, Books, the internet. I start trying to take all these things out of my life. I tell myself no more television. no more movies no matter the rating. No more fiction books. I love to read. No more pointless games on my kindle. Then my family and my ward start treating me like I am crazy. Thats not what they mean about one foot in babylon, they say. I feel stupid and then go back to particapating. I just dont understand. It cant just mean dont watch R rated movies or Read Stephen King books. I feel like every time I hear a talk about dont be part of babylon it is a call to shun the worldly things. But then when I try everyone acts like I am crazy. I just dont understand.
Hmmm. I think I might feel a post coming on…
I hope so . . .
Absolutely one of your best yet. Loved it and you are right, it will stick with me forever.
What a fitting analogy for today. I have felt recently that a sifting of the Saints is underway. There seems to be so many things that are pulling our members in the wrong direction. I work for a company that has tried to spinoff many businesses the last 20 years that are not what we do best. Every one has failed and some people who jumped ship to go to the new business ended up without a job. I have a slogan I tell people at work. Stay with the mother ship. Same goes with the Gospel, things may look shiny and new and sound good but they do not offer the protection needed. Thank you for this uplifting post.
This made me think about how it is that we can keep both feet in the boat and still be wheat among chaff. Interesting, I like it.
LOVE the idea of staying on the boat I think that it is something that we all need to be reminded of.
Thanks for helping me start my Sabbath!
Choose “The Good Ship Zion.” Beautiful post. Thank you.
How I wish I could convince some of my family, who are not on board the good ship Zion, that they would have been better off never to have abandoned ship. You state this so well. Thank you so much.
Perhaps there will be an opportunity for you to remind your family that for them, the ship has not left the dock, but is patiently waiting for them to come back and board.
You forgot Elder Christofferson’s talk about having a summer cabin in Babylon. 😉
I didn’t forget it, it’s just that I have never fallen off a cabin, so it didn’t really fit the analogy.
So I have a similar story. I’m old enough to have spent quite a bit of time waterskiing as well. We owned a sparkly blue bass boat. My stepfather loved that boat and we took it to the lake as often as circumstances allowed. I learned how to drive it (cause he wanted to waterski too) and how to maneuver the tricky transition of getting in from the dock without pushing the boat away. (So I wouldn’t be caught in your position) I was an expert at it. I discovered that if you pull your legs together quickly, as soon as you start to feel the boat sliding away, you can actually bring the boat back to the dock. I did this every time I entered the boat. I’d put one foot in. Squeeze my legs together, anchoring the boat and then move the othe other leg in. I was so good at it I procured the job of making sure the boat stayed stable for others when they got in. This was my job for many years.
About 6 years ago, when I was five months pregnant with my third child, my husband and I went on a whale watching tour in Washington along the San Juan islands. The boat we were in was a large yacht that could hold about 35 people. Part of the trip we went island hopping. At one point I was loading back onto the yacht and found myself in that familiar predicament as waves moved the boat from the dock. I immediately reverted to what I always did, squeezing my legs to bring the boat back. But this boat was many times larger than our small bass boat. And the waves were insisting on pulling it away. Because it was an ocean vessel the bow was set much higher than the low profile lake boat I was used to. A fall into the ocean would have been painful from that height and potentially harmful to the little one I was carrying. So I decided that falling in was not an option. I used every ounce of strength I had to squeeze my legs and bring that boat to the dock. I did it. But at a great cost. I tore my groin muscle in the process and separated my pelvis. It took years of physical therapy to recover and I still struggle with it. Moral of the story; sometimes, no matter how familiar you think you are with straddling the world and Zion, you gotta jump in the boat or you’re gonna pay a hefty price.
Man. That story is so much better than mine.
Some people think that trying to stay in the boat is too difficult, keeping the commandments is too hard, but your story, Monique, brings to mind the Primary song line “in this there is safety, in this there is peace.” Your story, so aptly told, is a beautiful reminder of the pain one can experience trying to push the limits against righteousness. How close can we get to crossing the line before falling into the pit of sin is not a good game to play.
Beautiful analogy.
You have no idea how ON POINT this was for me today.
much love and thanks to you for sharing
xoxoxo