Integrety April 16-22

Song: Choose The Right  (Hymn #239) click here to sing along with the words



Talk: " I Will Not Remove Mine Integrity From Me"  by David Bednar


Ponder This:
The words "integrity" and "honesty" are closely associated and often used interchangeably. In fact, in my message this afternoon I will frequently refer to both integrity and honesty. We must remember, however, that these terms are related but are not synonymous.

Integrity is the quality or condition of being whole, complete, unbroken, and undivided. The word integrity comes from the Latin root word "integer" and is related to other words with the same root such as entire and integrate. All of these expressions share the notion of being intact, sound, uncorrupted, and perfect. As Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin has explained:

. . . integrity means always doing what is right and good, regardless of the immediate consequences. It means being righteous from the very depth of our soul, not only in our actions but, more important, in our thoughts and in our hearts. Personal integrity implies such trustworthiness and incorruptibility that we are incapable of being false to a trust or covenant ("Personal Integrity," Ensign, May 1990, p. 30).

Honesty is the quality or condition of being truthful, sincere, candid, and worthy of honor. The word honesty comes from the Latin root word "honestus" and is related to other words with the same root such as honor and honorable. Each of these expressions shares the notion of being genuine, trustworthy, upright, respectable, and decent. As President James E. Faust has taught:

We all need to know what it means to be honest. Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving ("Honesty--A Moral Compass," Ensign, November 1996, p. 41).

The thirteenth article of faith begins, "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing go
od to all men . . . ." Brothers and sisters, it is significant to me that the first trait listed in this inspired summary of cardinal Christian virtues is honesty. Indeed, the very fountain and the foundation of our daily discipleship are integrity and honesty.

Closely associated with becoming men and women of integrity and honesty is reaching a point where we no longer are driven or directed by rules; instead, we learn to govern our lives by principle. To be sure, we keep the rules; but we also begin to ask ourselves, "What is the principle involved here?" Such a person becomes less dependent upon external scaffolding and structure and more dependent upon quiet and ongoing divine direction. As the Prophet Joseph Smith explained, "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves" (Teachings of Joseph Smith, eds. Larry E. Dahl and Donald Q. Cannon, Bookcraft, 1997, p. 32).

I believe the definitive test of our integrity and honesty is when we personally enforce in our own lives that which ultimately cannot be enforced. There are so many aspects of being honest, of obeying... and of living the gospel that simply cannot be enforced in our lives by anyone else. In the final analysis, you and I bear the responsibility to become men and women of integrity and honesty--men and women who are true and trustworthy when no one is watching and when no one else is around.