Allred: ‘I did it my way’ not the theme song of heaven
May 3rd, 2010 Posted in Arts and LifeBy Kayla Harding
LOGAN–Richard Allred , a former member of the Quorum of the Seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke at the Utah State University Institute recently about his journey to gaining a testimony and the callings he happily took while being overlooked for promotions by the Air Force.
Allred mentioned that during his time at Brigham Young University he was at one point failing in his Book of Mormon course. He read his scriptures earnestly, and said he was at the top of the class when they played a scripture chase game. However, during an emotional prayer asking the Lord to bless him with a testimony of the Book of Mormon was when he became aware of its truth.
Sydney Stout said, “I really liked how Brother Allred talked about how every time he got passed over for a promotion in the Air Force, he was given a new and better calling from the Lord. I think that is something to keep in mind because just as he said, ‘The Lord qualifies those he calls.’
Allred also served as mission president in Guatemala during war times, where he counseled missionaries to simply say they were spreading the word of Jesus Christ, not to document war stories in journals or letters home, not to talk politics with others.
Allred mentioned that the Frank Sinatra song I Did It My Way would never be played in the celestial kingdom; he counseled that it was best to do things the Lord’s way, and to break down barriers members put up, like pride, that prevent the Lord from teaching.
At the closing of his speech, Allred jokingly touched on the importance of marriage for men after a mission.
“The most surprising thing he said was every day a RM has been home that he is not married is a waste of time,” Stout said. “I don’t know why that surprised me so much, but it did. Probably because the minute silence that followed was classic!
“My favorite topic he talked about was his wife, actually. He has so much love and respect for her. She has had some health problems recently, and he still treats her like a princess,” Stout said.
NW
Tags: LDS Institute, Richard Allred
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