A Peculiar Treasure

Recognize that the Lord calls His people His treasure

Elder Walker contrasts worldly ideas of treasure with the remarkable truth that the Lord refers to His covenant people as a peculiar treasure. This identity invites disciples to see themselves through the Lord’s loving and covenantal perspective.

As we study the scriptures, we encounter the word treasure dozens of times—most often as a warning not to set our hearts upon riches or upon the fleeting things of the world.

Yet among all those warnings about earthly treasure, there is one passage that reveals something astonishing: the Lord Himself speaks of us as His treasure.

I speak of the moment when the Lord addressed the prophet Moses upon Mount Sinai and declared that His people would be a peculiar treasure unto Him if they would obey His voice and keep His covenant.

In His benevolent teaching to Moses, the Lord established a pattern of application not only to the ancient children of Israel but to all those who desire to become His treasure—the Lord’s covenant people.

• Scriptures often warn against placing our hearts on worldly treasure.
• The Lord reveals a higher meaning of treasure by calling His covenant people His peculiar treasure.
• This teaching was given to Moses but applies to all who desire to belong to the Lord.
• Being the Lord’s treasure is connected to obedience and covenant keeping.

• When have you felt that the Lord knew you personally and valued you?
• Have you ever had your view of your worth change through scripture study or prayer?
• What experience has helped you care less about worldly success and more about your relationship with God?
• When have you felt blessed by remembering your identity as a child of God and a covenant disciple?

Trust the Father’s plan and the Savior’s redeeming love

The talk teaches that Heavenly Father’s desire is to bring His children home to eternal life. He prepared the plan of salvation and sent Jesus Christ to overcome death and sin, showing the greatest possible love and inviting all to come unto Him.

Our Heavenly Father’s greatest desire is for us to live with Him again and enjoy eternal life by His side.

His work and glory are “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

In order to make this possible, He designed the plan of salvation.

He sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to break the bands of death and atone for the sins of the world.

This sacrifice is the greatest expression of our Father’s infinite love for all His children.

Above all loves, the love of our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, stands supreme—“greater love” has no man.

As a part of our Savior’s love, He invites us to come unto Him, to choose Him.

• Heavenly Father’s central desire is our eternal life.
• The plan of salvation was designed to make return to Him possible.
• Jesus Christ broke the bands of death and atoned for sin.
• The Atonement is the supreme expression of divine love.
• The Savior lovingly invites each person to choose Him.

• When have you felt the love of Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ in a personal way?
• What experience has deepened your gratitude for the Savior’s Atonement?
• When have you consciously chosen the Savior over another path?
• How has understanding the plan of salvation brought peace during a trial or loss?

Obey the Lord’s voice and keep covenants

Elder Walker emphasizes that the pattern for becoming the Lord’s peculiar treasure is simple and powerful: obey His voice and keep His covenants. These conditions define covenant discipleship in every age.

That pattern includes two simple but powerful conditions: to obey His voice and to keep our covenants with Him.

Then we will be a peculiar, or special, treasure; and as such we will be blessed, strengthened, and favored through the Savior’s atoning sacrifice.

The same God who called the children of Israel calls us now—to become His covenant people, to rise above the ways of the world, and to receive blessings that only He can bestow.

• The Lord’s pattern has not changed across dispensations.
• Obedience to the Lord’s voice is essential.
• Keeping covenants is central to becoming His special people.
• Covenant disciples receive blessings, strength, and divine favor through Jesus Christ.
• The Lord calls His people to rise above worldly ways.

• When have you been blessed for following promptings or prophetic counsel?
• What covenant commitment has become especially meaningful to you?
• Can you share a time when obedience brought unexpected strength or clarity?
• When have you had to choose between the Lord’s way and the world’s way?

Draw closer to God through covenant relationship

Quoting President Russell M. Nelson, Elder Walker teaches that covenants bind us to God in a closer relationship. Because of that bond, God tirelessly helps His children and extends merciful patience to them.

Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant.

Now we are bound together.

Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us.

Each of us has a special place in God’s heart. He has high hopes for us.

• Covenants deepen our relationship with Heavenly Father.
• Through covenants, we become bound to God.
• God does not grow weary in helping covenant keepers.
• His mercy and patience remain available to His children.
• Each person has a special place in God’s heart.

• When have you felt closer to God because of a covenant you made?
• How have you felt the Lord helping you persistently over time?
• When have you felt God’s patience with you during weakness or repentance?
• What experience has taught you that you have a special place in God’s heart?

Rise above the world through covenant power

Covenant faithfulness does more than identify disciples as God’s people; it empowers them to rise above mortality’s limitations. Obedience and covenant loyalty bring promised blessings that help disciples meet life’s challenges and move toward celestial heights.

Covenant faithfulness does more than identify us as God’s people—it empowers us to rise above the limitations of this fallen world.

President Dallin H. Oaks has taught that obedience to God’s commandments is essential to rise above life’s challenges.

As we honor those covenants by keeping Their commandments and following Their plan of redemption, Their promised blessings enable us to soar to celestial heights.

• Covenants provide power, not just identity.
• Obedience is essential in overcoming life’s challenges.
• Keeping commandments and following the plan of redemption unlock promised blessings.
• Those blessings help disciples rise spiritually toward celestial life.

• When has keeping a commandment helped you through a hard challenge?
• What trial has become more manageable because of your faith in covenants?
• When have you felt strengthened to rise above discouragement, temptation, or fear?
• How has obedience brought spiritual freedom or power into your life?

Offer an honest heart and willing sacrifice

The Lord accepts those who are honest, brokenhearted, contrite, and willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice. Elder Walker teaches that becoming the Lord’s treasure requires persistence, surrendering lesser things, and following prophetic counsel even when it stretches us.

Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.

The Lord does not ask for perfection all at once; rather, He asks for honest and broken hearts, humble spirits, and a willing readiness to keep our covenants—even when it requires sacrifice.

Becoming the Lord’s treasure and receiving His divine acceptance are not something casual or accidental.

They require patient effort, faithful persistence, and sacrifice.

We must be willing to lay aside lesser things—habits, ambitions, or comforts that distance our hearts from Him—so that we may offer ourselves wholly and without reservation.

As we choose to follow prophetic counsel, even when it stretches us or feels inconvenient, we demonstrate our love for the Lord and show that we cherish Him above all worldly desires.

• The Lord values honesty, broken hearts, and contrite spirits.
• He asks for willingness, not instant perfection.
• Covenant keeping often involves sacrifice.
• Spiritual growth requires patient effort and persistence.
• Disciples must lay aside lesser things that pull them away from God.
• Following prophetic counsel shows love for the Lord.

• What sacrifice has brought you closer to the Lord?
• When have you followed prophetic counsel even though it was difficult or inconvenient?
• What lesser thing have you had to set aside to make more room for God?
• When have you felt the Lord accept your sincere effort, even though you were not perfect?
• How has a broken heart and contrite spirit changed your prayers or repentance?

Receive continual blessings through faithful obedience

Elder Walker teaches, using President D. Todd Christofferson’s words, that faithful covenant obedience brings a continual stream of blessings. These blessings include divine power in trials, evidence of obedience’s fruits, the Spirit’s confirming peace, and hope in God’s promises.

President D. Todd Christofferson taught that as we walk in faithful obedience to our covenants, there flows into our lives a “continual [stream] of blessings” from God—divine power that enables us to endure trials and even “convert tribulation into triumph.”

He explained that when we honor our covenants, three sacred blessings follow: “the promised fruits of obedience become evident, … the Spirit communicates God’s pleasure, [and] we can face life with hope … , knowing … we will succeed in the end because we have God’s promise to us.”

This is part of what it means to be the Lord’s peculiar treasure.

He not only claims us as His covenant people—He strengthens us, sustains us, and surrounds us with covenant power every step of the way.

• Faithful obedience brings a continual stream of blessings.
• God gives divine power to endure trials.
• Covenant power can help turn tribulation into triumph.
• The fruits of obedience become visible over time.
• The Spirit communicates God’s pleasure.
• Covenants allow disciples to face life with hope because of God’s promises.
• The Lord strengthens, sustains, and surrounds His people with covenant power.

• When have you seen the fruits of obedience become evident in your life?
• What experience has shown you that God can turn tribulation into triumph?
• When have you felt the Spirit communicate God’s approval or peace?
• How has covenant faith given you hope about the future?
• When have you felt sustained by power beyond your own strength?

Seek the assurance of being accepted of the Lord

The talk concludes with a testimony that as disciples obey the Savior and keep covenants through daily sacrifice, they will feel His love and guidance more deeply. Because Christ lives, they can hope to stand before Him and be accepted of Him.

I testify that as we obey the Savior’s voice and keep our covenants—even by small and quiet sacrifices each day—we will feel His love more deeply and receive His guidance more clearly.

And because He lives, we can have the assurance that one day we will stand before Him and hear the words that matter most: that we are accepted of Him.

• Daily, quiet sacrifices matter in covenant discipleship.
• Obedience helps disciples feel the Savior’s love more deeply.
• Covenant faithfulness brings clearer divine guidance.
• Because Jesus Christ lives, acceptance before Him is a real hope.
• The ultimate desire of discipleship is to be accepted of the Lord.

• What small daily sacrifice has helped you feel closer to the Savior?
• When have you received clear guidance after choosing obedience?
• How have you felt the Savior’s love deepen over time?
• What gives you hope that you can one day be accepted of the Lord?