On top of the bookcase in my office I have three stuffed bears.  They serve as a visual reminder of an important principle that has absolutely nothing to do with Goldilocks.

I use these bears whenever I have an occasion to talk at a baptism.  They represent the covenants we make as we come into the fold of the family of Christ.  When we are baptized, we promise to BEAR the name of Jesus Christ.,  BEAR one another's burden's and to  BEAR witness to the truthfulness of the gospel.

These are the three bears that matter most to me.

In speaking to those who came to be taught at the Waters of Mormon while he was in hiding from wicked king Noah, Alma taught the people: "...as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— " (Mosiah 18:8-9)

Then later, in Mosiah 26:18 it says:  " Blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name: for in my name  shall they be called; and they are mine."

What does it mean to me to bear the name of Christ?

Elder Robert D. Hale of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said: "Taking upon us His name is one of the most significant experiences we have in life. Yet sometimes we pass through that experience without having a full understanding." (Liahona, Jan 2001)

Elder Hale goes on to say: We will follow the example of Jesus Christ in the way we treat others. We will live to be worthy to enter the house of the Lord.  We will be examples “of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12). We will receive “a mighty change … in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” We will keep our “covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things … all the remainder of our days” (Mosiah 5:2, 5).

My maiden name is Pendley.  By virtue of the fact that I carry that name I expect certain things from myself.  I believe that I have a responsibility to honor my family name in how I conduct myself throughout my life.  I also identify myself by my married name.  As part of that family I feel a sense of unity and connection with my in-laws that shapes who I am.  Likewise, by taking on the name of Jesus Christ, I am  claiming before the world, before angels, and into the eternities that I am devoting myself to a royal lineage and I am making a promise to reach for certain standards worthy of that name.  I often fall sort of what I could be, what I should be.  But through the Savior's atonement, I am able to get back up each time I stumble and try to do better.

In the book "Black Sheep and Kissing Cousins" by Elizabeth Stone the author examines how our family stories shape us, suggesting that the stories that are repeated over and over at family gatherings take on specific themes that have powerful influence on the people we become.

I believe that the stories we cling to from the Gospel become defining markers on what it means to us to be Christians and what sort of relationship we will establish with Jesus Christ.  So I've been giving much thought to where I am at in terms of my own testimony.   What stories have had the most powerful impact on me?   How do I feel about my current status in regards to living the gospel and my relationship with Jesus Christ?  What am I willing to do to make it richer?  What am I willing to no longer do to make it more meaningful?

For me, the concept of covenants is a rich one that deserves deep delving.   Rather than viewing the gospel as a long list of laws to control my thoughts, motives and behavior, I see it as a schoolhouse where I have opportunities to learn and develop, a practice field for my spirit to get some much needed conditioning in training for eternal life.  There are so many areas where I fall short of what I might hope for myself...but so long as I keep scrambling back up every time that I stumble, so long as I learn every time that I "fail", then I have not failed at all.  I go back to holding on to the knowledge that God can use ALL THINGS for good...even my feeble, oft misguided attempts.

So next time you hear someone referring to the story of the THREE BEARS, take a moment to stop and ask yourself - how am I doing today in these key covenants?  What do those promises mean to me?

I may not always have good answers, but so long as I keep asking those questions and seriously searching for the answers, then I figure I'm on the right path.