This was in the Priesthood Session, and Elder Hamula was directing is words towards the Aaronic Priesthood, but I think they apply to us all, old or young, male or female.
Maybe we each need to take stock in ourselves. Are we being sober enough considering the weight of the situation we are in, or are we spending too much time idling our time away with "useless cares"?
I recommend taking a few minutes to do a "spiritual breathalyzer" test to gauge the sobriety level of yourselves and you families and see if the level is appropriate to the war we are waged in. How many irreverent or light-minded behaviors and manners of speech have slipped in unnoticed to become habits, and how many have we deliberately adopted or accepted in order to "fit in" with cultures or friends that are not trying to reach the same eternal goals as we are.
How much better would our whole families do to protect ourselves from the forces that would tear us apart if we fostered soberness in our children and ourselves instead of the many distractions that flank us day-to-day.
All in all, a good talk. I recommend reading it or listening to it on the media player of your choice, and pray for a witness and further understanding.
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With God’s kingdom restored to the earth and your entry into the world, Satan knows that “he hath but a short time.” Therefore, Satan is marshalling every resource at his disposal to entice you into transgression. He knows that if he can draw you into transgression, he may prevent you from serving a full-time mission, marrying in the temple, and securing your future children in the faith, all of which weakens not only you but the Church. He knows that nothing can overthrow God’s kingdom “save it [be] the transgression of [his] people.” Make no mistake about it—the focus of his war is now on you—you who seek to “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
Now, my young friends, you need to appreciate that our days now and the days that lie ahead are “perilous.” In this regard, President Boyd K. Packer has observed:
“I know of nothing in the history of the Church or in the history of the world to compare with our present circumstances. Nothing happened in Sodom and Gomorrah which exceeds in wickedness and depravity that which surrounds us now.”
In referring to the perils of our day, I do not intend to inspire fear, but soberness.
Being sober means being earnest and serious in assessing your circumstances, and careful and circumspect in weighing the consequences of your actions. Soberness therefore yields good judgment, as well as measured conduct.
No wonder then that prophets counsel young men to be sober. Remember Mormon’s observation that what made Helaman’s 2,000 stripling warriors so effective in battle was not just their courage, strength, and trustworthiness, but their “soberness.”
Mormon valued such a trait because he was blessed to possess it himself. It was Mormon who was entrusted with the sacred records of the Nephite nation at only 10 years of age because he was a “sober child” and “quick to observe.” And it was Mormon who, at age 15, was “visited of the Lord” and “knew of the goodness of Jesus” because he was of a “sober mind.”
So, as we enter the final climactic stages of the war against Satan, be sober, my young friends.
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Understand, my young friends, that there is only one way to win the war against Satan, and that is to win it in the same way it was won in the beginning. When victory was finally achieved in the War in Heaven, a loud voice was heard to declare:
“Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. . . .
“For they [referring to Michael and his angels] have overcome him [referring to the devil] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; for they loved not their own lives, but kept the testimony even unto death.”
Do not miss the significance of this declaration. Satan was overcome in the beginning by (1) faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice, (2) testimony of Him that was steadfastly kept to the very end, and (3) consecration of oneself to the Lord and His work. If this was the means for defeating him in the beginning, you can be sure that this is the one sure way to defeat him now.
Now, you may wonder how to acquire the faith, testimony, and consecration of spirit necessary to overcome the adversary. Let me assure you that these qualities are already within you. You simply need to recover them.
... Learn to hear the voice of the Lord. His is a still, small, and whisper-like voice. It is one that is felt more than it is heard. It comes in the form of thoughts, feelings, and impressions. To hear such a voice, you must be still and quiet in your own soul, laying aside your excess laughter and light-mindedness. While it may not seem easy to so discipline your life, hearing the precious, loving voice of the Lord will sustain you in every circumstance and is therefore worth every effort.
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My dear brethren of the Aaronic Priesthood, these are your days! Do not squander them! Be sober! Take “the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall . . . quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Then “fight the good fight of faith.” And when you have done all, “stand” still and “see the salvation of the Lord.” I assure you that His salvation will come, delivering you and yours from every evil. I so testify in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
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