3 Nephi 12; Part 1

SALT OF THE EARTH A LIGHT ON A HILL

13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.

 14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

 15 Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;

 16 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

We are instructed to be the salt of the Earth, and a light to all nations. These verses speak to me about being courageous and strong in the face of difficulty. They say to me that I must choose to be different from the mainstream of society. These verses are a message from God encouraging His people to "BECOME". 

We have been given the Gospel. We have truth and light at our fingertips, and it is our blessing to be able to share it. More than anything I want to BECOME all that God wants me to become. I want to be His light. I want to be a candle for Him. I want to do all things well, so that someday when I meet Him--He can say "well done". 

I just read a talk about what it means to be the "salt of the earth". I was touched but Elder Asay. He said:

“When the Lord used the expression “savor of men,” he was speaking of those who represent him. He was referring to those who have repented, who have been washed clean in the waters of baptism, and who have covenanted to take upon them his name and his cause. Moreover, he was speaking of those who would share by covenant his priesthood power. He was speaking of you and me…

A world-renowned chemist told me that salt will not lose its savor with age. Savor is lost through mixture and contamination. Similarly, priesthood power does not dissipate with age; it, too, is lost through mixture and contamination…

Flavor and quality flee a man when he contaminates his mind with unclean thoughts, desecrates his mouth by speaking less than the truth, and misapplies his strength in performing evil acts. King Benjamin cautioned, ‘Watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God’ (Mosiah 4:30).

I would offer these simple guidelines, especially to the young men, as the means to preserve one’s savor: If it is not clean, do not think it; if it is not true, do not speak it; if it is not good, do not do it” (Carlos E. Asay, "Salt of the Earth: Savor of Men and Saviors of Men", April 1980 General Conference). 

In order for each of us to maintain our "savor", we must not let worldly influences contaminate us. We must keep the commandments, and by so doing, we will be the salt of the earth--a light on the hill.