Honesty is the only policy

<Story about Amy and my honesty about her food>

I take public transportation to work. One morning, less than a year ago I lost my wallet and I was pretty certain I had lost it while riding the bus. I was a bit sad, because that meant that I had to spend a few hours that morning cancelling credit cards, getting a new driver's licence, a new badge for work, etc. A few days later, I was able to reach the transit authority in Bellevue, and they told me that my wallet had been returned. I was so glad for the person that returned my wallet. I was very glad for their honesty. I had some cash in my wallet and some gift cards that they could have easily used -- but they did not. They simply returned the wallet with all of its content.

I would like to talk today about honesty.

The last article of Faith, which was written by Joseph Smith to describe who the Latter Day Saints were says:

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things” (A of F 1:13).

When we are honest, we say are true to ourselves, to others and to God. Let me discuss each of these aspects of honesty.

When I was a young kid in Guatemala, I went to a school that was academically pretty tough. We had a lot of homework, and some really hard tests every month. It was not uncommon for a large percentage of the students to not "pass" a given subject -- in which case they would have study during vacation and then retake the exam. So you can imagine, these was a time of a lot of stress for a bunch of the young students. I remember there were some students who would cheat during the tests. They had all kinds of complicated schemes to cheat. Some of them were caught, and I am sure some of them were not. What I know is that those that cheated did not benefit from the quality of instruction that was provided. They were so focused on "getting a passing grade" that they could not focus on actually understanding the principles being taught.  The funny thing is that the students that were thinking they were cheating the teacher, were in reality cheating themselves... and I am sure they continued to struggle in later years, when more complicated concepts that built upon the original principles they did not fully understand were required of them to understand.

Later on when I went to BYU, I learned about the honor code. Karl G. Maeser explained it really well himself:

I have been asked what I mean by ‘word of honor.’ I will tell you. Place me behind prison walls–walls of stone ever so high, ever so thick, reaching ever so far into the ground–there is a possibility that in some way or another I may escape; but stand me on the floor and draw a chalk line around me and have me give my word of honor never to cross it. Can I get out of the circle? No. Never! I’d die first!”    -- Karl G. Maeser

 

This code of honor requires everyone to give their word that they will abide by certain standards. And that should be sufficient for each of us to follow those standards. As a matter of fact, the ordinances of the gospel are alot like that. Usually, when we participate in an ordinance, for instance baptism or partaking of the sacrament... we are making a covenant with our Heavenly Father. We are making covenant to follow his commandments. He also makes some promises back to us. In some ordinances we make promises to others as well, for instance when we get sealed to our wife / husband in celestial marriage.

Sometimes, through our lives, things will get a bit more challenging. It will seem hard to be kind when others are not kind to us. Or it will be hard to pay our tithing if we are having some financial struggle. But the thing is that if we are true and honest people, our word will be our bond. The Lord will provide a way for us to maintain our integrity, but it will require the very best of us.

Let us remember the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehites who had made an oath not to take their weapons against their enemies. Consider what it must have been like when they knew that the Lamanites were coming to destroy them.

 16 And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we shall ^ago to our God and shall be saved.  (Alma 24:16)

They kept their word, and some of the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi died in the process. That said, there were many more who joined them thanks to their faith, and for keeping their word to God. I also would like you to consider what an example this was to their children (those who were living then, and the ones that were born year later). It was a great example of integrity. As we know, among their children were the 2000 stripling warriors. As we read about 30 chapters later in Alma, their kids where men of integrity as well. It is said that they obeyed with exactness.

21 Yea, and they did ^aobey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their ^bmothers had taught them. (Alma 57:21)

We have a lot of good examples of integrity in the scriptures... sometime even the "bad guys" would take an oath, and actually respect it. In contrast, it is very easy to read the very opposite in our daily news. 

We hear of big companies doing complicated maneuvers in order to avoid paying taxes, we hear of conflicts of interest among government officials, we hear of divorces and people cheating themselves and their partners. "something dies within those that are dishonest" . Conscience chokes, character withers, self-respect vanishes, integrity dies.

He also says:

Was there ever adultery without dishonesty? In the vernacular, the evil is described as “cheating.” And cheating it is, for it robs virtue, it robs loyalty, it robs sacred promises, it robs self-respect, it robs truth. It involves deception. It is personal dishonesty of the worst kind, for it becomes a betrayal of the most sacred of human relationships, and a denial of covenants and promises entered into before God and man. It is the sordid violation of a trust. It is a selfish casting aside of the law of God, and like other forms of dishonesty its fruits are sorrow, bitterness, heartbroken companions, and betrayed children.  (Gordon B. Hinckley)

Brothers and Sisters, we cannot partake of the dishonesty we hear about. A life of integrity and truth is expected of us. We believe in being honest.

But this is the beautiful thing. Honesty begets Trust.

When we are honest in our dealings with our fellow beings, they will learn to trust us. And once we are trusted life becomes much easier:

1. Communications are much simpler. No hidden agendas allow us to understand each other better.

2. If we trust each other, we don't have to pay the taxes of dishonesty. I am reminded of the price of dishonesty when I go back to Guatemala City where I was born. There you can see armed guards in front of businesses, or people that are checking for the safety of your vehicle at parking lots... which you have to pay in order to keep your business or your car safe. These are very visible taxes for dishonesty... but there are many invisible taxes that we pay as well when there is lack of trust.

3. If Heavenly Father can trust us, then we will be blessed with opportunities to serve and grow, but we have to gain his trust. As an example, when we talk about missionary work... we may pray to have missionary opportunities to teach the gospel to a new person... but will Heavenly Father trust us if we have not taken care of those new members that have joined our wards in the past? Or if we are not even taking care of the people we are supposed to home teach?

4. We can be happy and at piece. When we are people of integrity we don't fear anyone, because we now we have dealt justly with others, at least to best of our knowledge.  It is just like going to a test after you have prepared for the test. Since by then you know what you know and what you don't know, taking the test is nothing to worry about.  Honesty is not only the best policy -- it is the only policy.

Let me close by reminding you that the Spirit will guide us to live a life of integrity.

 12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your ^atrust in that^bSpirit which ^cleadeth to do ^dgood—yea, to do ^ejustly, to walk^fhumbly, to ^gjudge righteously; and this is my Spirit.(D &C 11:12)

I know that if we are honest, we will live and die with peace in our conscience. That is a peace that will make our humble bread test better, that will make our friendships and our relationships stronger, a peace that will allow us to be trusted, and to learn to trust others as well.  I know that Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer, and our greatest example of integrity. He never spoke with deceipt, his words were simple and direct. Not only that, but the desires of His heart were pure. I am very grateful for the chance that I have to interact with many of you who are also great examples of integrity, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.