Leading‏‏‎ People to Do and Be Like Jesus Christ | An Interview with Lynn G. Robbins

Leading Saints Podcast

Elder Lynn Grant Robbins was sustained as a General Authority Seventy in 1997. After serving for over 25 years, he was released and given emeritus status on October 2, 2022. Elder Robbins served as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy, as President of the North America Southwest Area, and supervised the North America Southeast and Southwest Areas. He has served as President of the South America South, Central America, and North America West Areas. He has also served in the North America Central Area. In his professional career, Elder Robbins was one of the founders of Franklin Quest. He concluded his career there when he was called to preside over the Uruguay Montevideo Mission. Born in Springville, Utah, he married Jan Nielson and they are the parents of seven children and 21 grandchildren. Highlights 02:10 Introduction to Lynn G Robbins; his background in the Church, education, and work 11:30 Lynn talks about his journey in church leadership. 17:40 The early years of leadership as a bishop and mission president 20:00 Transitioning to becoming a new mission president; relying on revelation instead of past experience 21:30 Every Christ-like attribute has a complementary attribute. We can make all the plans but those plans have to be balanced with following the Spirit. 23:00 Elder Robbins explains complementary principles. They complement one another. It’s not justice versus mercy. It’s justice and mercy. Religion and science Men and women 24:15 The contrary principle. Elder Robbins explains the firefly effect. It takes a dark background to manifest the light of the firefly. We need contrary principles and opposites to manifest the truth. 26:30 Any virtue taken to the extreme becomes discombobulated. For example, love taken to the extreme becomes enabling and permissive. 27:00 A complimentary principle that goes with love is self reliance. Elder Robbins gives the example of Helen Keller. 29:00 Bishops need to use these complementary principles of justice and mercy or love and self reliance. When giving welfare help it’s important to make sure that there is self reliance there. 31:50 Bishops also have to balance administration and ministering. It’s easy to write someone a check to help them out. Problem solved. It’s much more difficult to sit down with that person and go through all their expenses but this is ministering. 33:10 You can give a man a fish and feed him for a day. That’s charity. However, it’s far wiser to teach him to fish. This is self reliance and he will be fed for a lifetime. 36:30 Too many people leave the bishop’s office feeling condemned. Always lean to the side of mercy. They should leave the bishop’s office feeling the love of the Savior demonstrated through the bishop and the hope of the Atonement. 39:40 Elder Robbins gives advice on how to help people with repentance. Remember that every case is different. Some sins need more mercy and others need justice and sacrifice. It’s not about punishment. 45:00 The bishop’s office is like a garbage dump. It’s a place where people can unload their garbage and walk away feeling lighter. 49:50 The most important things happening in a stake are never going to show up on a sheet of statistics because they can’t be seen. You can’t count love between husband and wife, conversion, and acts of service. 50:30 The Savior counted the things that cannot be seen or counted as the “weightier matters.” Statistics are things that matter less. Elder Robbins describes the difference between do's and be's. 51:30 Elder Robbins talks about how he has helped stake presidencies during stake conference weekend and what they focused on. 54:40 Elder Robbins gives an example of the do's and be's and why they are both important. 57:00 The world looks for accolades and titles. The Lord looks for the weak and the simple. Christ’s disciples were fishermen. It’s the Lord that qualifies his servants.