President Thomas S. Monson concluded the general priesthood session by relating the rudder of a ship to personal lives and ensuring a safe return back to heaven.
President Monson talked about the ship Bismarck, which was a warship built by the Germans. The ship was built with 28,000 miles of electrical circuits and weighed more than 35,000 tons.
“The mighty colossus was considered unsinkable,” President Monson said.
The ship fought in many sea battles, sinking other ships during its lifetime. However, during one sea battle a torpedo struck the Bismark’s rudder, which usually enabled the ship to return to port for safety. The Bismarck was stranded at sea, as it was only able to make a large circle due to the rudder malfunctioning.
“Our purpose is to steer toward the celestial kingdom,” President Monson said. “The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder.”
President Monson warned that the world is full of distractions. He said there are some who disobey and succumb to the enticements of the world, becoming lost in the tumultuous seas of life.
“Wherever we go, so does the priesthood,” President Monson said.
President Monson encouraged priesthood holders to be pure and worthy to hold the priesthood.
“Do not put the priesthood in jeopardy … pause to consider the consequences before you act,” he said.
He went on to explain the importance of the protection needed to ensure a return to a life with God.
“Throughout the history of men, Satan has worked tirelessly to prevent men to use their rudder to steer themselves home to safety,” he said.
President Monson suggested that priesthood holders look to heaven for counsel and direction as they chart their course to sail back to heaven.
“As we seek heavenly help, our rudder will not fail,” he concluded.
