Reverent behaviors follow reverent attitudes, but it is the attitude of reverence that should be cultivated first among Church members, Elder L. Tom Perry of the Council of the Twelve said Sunday afternoon.
"Reverent behaviors without reverent attitudes are empty of meaning because they are performed for the praises of men, not God," Elder Perry remarked."It is not enough," he continued, "to behave reverently; we must feel in our hearts reverence for our Heavenly Father and our Lord, Jesus Christ. Reverence flows from our admiration and respect for Deity.
"Those who are truly reverent are those who have paid the price to know the glory of the Father and His Son," he explained.
He told of Alma the younger, a Book of Mormon prophet who became deeply reverent after experiencing God's glory in vision.
Elder Perry contrasted two Church area conferences he attended with the president of the Church several years ago, noting that at one conference, continuous movement was noticed among the congregation and individuals throughout the arena were leaning over whispering to family and friends. At the other conference in the same type of arena, there was little movement and everyone listened intently, showing respect to all the speakers. "When the prophet spoke, you could hear a pin drop."
After the second conference, priesthood leaders explained that the reverence the people felt for God and His servants was the basis for the reverent behavior at the conference, Elder Perry said.
He recalled a lesson taught to him as a child in Primary by his bishop, who took the Primary children on a tour of a new meetinghouse and explained the significance of various features and paintings, and of the sacrament.
"It was not difficult for me to be reverent at Church because all around me there were reminders of the Lord, His servants and His eternal plan for me," Elder Perry said. "These reminders reinforced my reverent attitude, and reverent behavior followed.
"If reverence is an attitude toward Deity, then it is a private feeling," he explained. "It is something we feel inside our hearts no matter what is going on around us. It is also a personal responsibility. We cannot blame others for disturbing our reverent attitudes."
Reverence begins in the home, Elder Perry said, where children are taught respect for Heavenly Father during family prayer and family home evening.
Elder Perry said the message a reverent attitude always conveys is "complete and total attention to the Savior."
". . . When reverent attitudes abound, reverent behaviors will always flourish."
