What is required of us in order to receive the "Bonus Gift" from the Lord? "the heart and a willing mind (D&C 64:34) and a willingness to "lay aside the things of this world and seek for the things of a better" (D&C 25:l0)

The Bonus Gift - "Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love" (D&C 6:20 - the Lord speaking to Oliver Cowdery)

Enos was a man of great faith and trust in the Lord. He understood the "Bonus". He knew the Lord had the power to preserve the records of his people for posterity and he went to him in prayer and cried unto him continually.

Enos was told that whatever he asked in Faith, Believing that he would receive through Christ, would Be Received. The Lord Covenanted with Enos - made an agreement - If you do this, I will do ______.

Enos KNEW God would keep His end of the agreement. How? He knew God could not lie (Enos l:6 ) Because Enos had faith in God his soul did rest. What an incredible blessing to have bestowed upon all of us - that we too can find "rest" if we will have faith and make and keep sacred covenants.

What are the steps to covenant making? First is Faith - Faith in Jesus Christ and the atonement. Second is Repentance - an essential preparation to covenant making. How important???? "Frequently people who covenant without repenting find that they cannot keep their covenants, for the Lord does not covenant with an unrepentant person. Such a person is left to the power of his own commitment, which will falter under pressure." (Stephen Covey - The Divine Center, pg. 22l)

After faith and repentance, we are prepared to make and keep sacred covenants and can do so having complete confidence in the Integrity of the Lord - "Who am I, saith the Lord, that have promised and have not fulfilled" (D&C 58:3l) We too can develop this same integrity as we keep our covenants.

We make our first covenant through the ordinance - "an earthly symbol" of the spiritual covenant or agreement with the Lord - of Baptism. As we receive the ordinance of Baptism we show that we are prepared to covenant with the Lord. We are showing that we have faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, and in the atonement. In return, we "enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come...." (Moses 6:59)

Through the ordinance of Confirmation, we are given the Gift of the Holy Ghost as a constant companion who will help us honor our Baptismal Covenants.

We are then given the opportunity through the ordinance of the Sacrament to renew our covenants on a weekly basis. As we partake of the Sacrament we are showing our willingness to always remember Him, to keep His commandments, and to take His name upon us. In return, we will always have His spirit to be with us.

As we participate in the ordinance of the temple, we continually progress towards the Eternal Bonus that awaits us :-)

C - ontract - Between the Lord and You

O - bedience - is necessary as you

V - ow - to make and keep Sacred Covenants.

E - xaltation can be Yours

N - ame - as you take the name of Christ upon yourself

A - nnointed - and participate in the ordinances administered by those who have been appointed

N - umbered - and shall be among those of the 1st Resurrection

T - rust - in the Lord always and

S - ere Him - Be willing to bear one another's burdens, mourn with those who mourn, comfort those who stand in need, and SAAW at all times, in all things and in all places.

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