Choosing to Be Chosen

By Lauren Madsen

The phrases “I really hope I get it” and “I did the best I could” have been floating around our house a lot lately. One of my teenage daughters was auditioning for the school play, and the other was applying for captain of the school mountain bike team. Both girls have gone through a roller coaster of emotions as they have wondered about their abilities compared to their peers, how they have presented themselves to “the powers that be”, and what decisions will be made. 

Each of us has likely been through similar situations, from waiting to be picked for a team on the playground, to checking the mailbox for college admissions, to going through multiple rounds of job interviews. Throughout our lives we agonize over whether or not we will be chosen. Our hearts cry out, “Pick me! Pick me!”

As I have observed my daughters and reflected on my own experiences, I was reminded of President Nelson’s invitation for us to help gather Israel. In his talk Let God Prevail, he clearly stated that the gathering of Israel is the most important work on earth, and that the gathering happens on both sides of the veil:

“The Lord is gathering those who are willing to let God prevail in their lives. The Lord is gathering those who will choose to let God be the most important influence in their lives. For centuries, prophets have foretold this gathering, and it is happening right now! As an essential prelude to the Second Coming of the Lord, it is the most important work in the world!. . . When we speak of gathering Israel on both sides of the veil, we are referring, of course, to missionary, temple, and family history work. We are also referring to building faith and testimony in the hearts of those with whom we live, work, and serve. Anytime we do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—to make and keep their covenants with God, we are helping to gather Israel.”

Of all the things we could be doing with our time on earth, we have been told by a prophet of God that preparing for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ by gathering Israel is the most important. Now let this sink in: We are ALL chosen to be part of Heavenly Father’s team and His important work in these last days. No comparison, no competition, no waiting around to discover what someone else decided about us. We don’t have to apply, audition, or try-out. The part is already ours if we want it.

I love what Elder David A. Bednar said about being chosen, “To be or to become chosen is not an exclusive status conferred upon us. Rather, you and I ultimately determine if we are chosen… it is our hearts, and our aspirations and our obedience which definitively determine whether we are counted as one of God’s chosen.”

There are countless ways we can use our gifts to be part of God’s team and do His work. We can wake up and ask, “Who needs me today?” We can spend time indexing, attaching records, adding memories, or reserving ordinances in Family Search. We can spend time serving in the temple as our life circumstances allow. We can minister to family, friends, neighbors, strangers, to help them feel the love God has for them. We can pay attention to promptings and say yes to callings. All of these things help us help each other along the covenant path. It is thrilling that through the whisperings of the Spirit we can know our worth to God and choose to be part of his team, with our hearts crying out “I pick You! I pick You!”