Let your LIGHT Shine

This talk was given in the Northridge 3rd Ward in Orem, Utah on July 29, 2019 two days before Kim and I left on our mission to Suva, Fiji to be ITEP missionaries.  We will be working in the secondary and elementary schools helping the teachers to become certified.

I’ve had several scriptures going through my mind the past month or so that I’d like to share:

14 …. I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

15 Behold, do men light a ^acandle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;  (isn’t that a beautiful image!)

16 Therefore let your ^alight so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and ^bglorify your Father who is in heaven.

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt ^alove the Lord thy God with all thy ^bheart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy ^cmind.

38 This is the first and great ^acommandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt ^alove thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the ^alaw and the prophets.

7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

Mosiah 23: 10 Nevertheless, ^aafter much ^btribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an ^cinstrument in his hands…..

Moses 1:39 This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

I’ve never been one who felt like I could share the gospel with a complete stranger…or even share the gospel with some of my friends.  But we have been given the greatest gift of all time…knowledge of Jesus Christ and who we are, where we came from and where we are going and what our Heavenly Father wants from us.  Do we really want to hide that under a bushel?   Or do we want to share our light so that others can glorify God.  Jesus Christ wants us to share the gospel, and we can do that by teaching or by example.  Sometimes the only way to share the gospel is by our examples.  We share our light by the way we live our lives, how we treat others…we made a covenant at baptism to stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places…to let our light shine before this people. And as we share our light, we become instruments in God’s hands to help Him in bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.  And we are willing to do that…to make the sacrifices necessary to do that…because we love our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and our fellowmen.

WE went to China 2 years ago to teach English through a program sponsored by the Church through BYU.   We had no idea what we were getting in to.  In 2 days we will be leaving for the MTC in New Zealand and 10 days later, on to Fiji.  We will be working in the schools owned by the Church teaching courses to the teachers to help them become certified.  Again, we have no idea what we are getting in to.  For those that don’t know the story, Kim and I taught English at a university in Xi’an China.  We went in August 2017 for 10 months. We were home for only 4 months before we were asked to return to Xi’an in 4 months to take the place of a couple that was called to be a mission president.  When we got that call to return, we were in the process of submitting papers to go on a mission.  We had been asked to come to this particular mission because of our experiences in teaching and Kim’s administration experience in the public schools.  Katie was expecting her 4^th child and I had committed to her to teach her preschool when she had the baby which was due the week they wanted us to return.  This was not the best time to return to China, despite how much we loved our time there previously. After much consideration, prayer, and discussions with our children and my aging parents, we decided that this was what the Lord wanted us to do.  This was where we needed to be.  Two days after returning to China, we received our call to teach education courses to the teachers at the church owned schools in Fiji.  So, we have been given many opportunities to let our light shine.  We had a remarkable experience with our college students.  We learned so much about some of God’s precious children.

In 1991 President Dallin H Oaks gave a devotional address at BYU where he spoke about China.  Quoting from that address, He said: “People sometimes ask me about what can be done to “open China.” In response, I state my belief that China is already “open”—it is we who are closed. We are closed because we expect the Orient to be the same as the West, China to be the same as Canada or Chile. We must open our minds and our hearts to the people of this ancient realm and this magnificent culture. We must understand their way of thinking, their aspirations, and their impressive accomplishments. We must observe their laws and follow their example of patience. We must deserve to be their friends.”

We definitely left feeling honored and blessed to have served these people who are so different from us but are so much like us.

The church has a great relationship with China but we still have restrictions. There are no missionaries serving in China.  We were not missionaries or set apart as such. But we were reminded often of our important role.

We are allowed to hold church meetings.  But not with the Chinese.  The Chinese members of the church are allowed to hold church meetings.  But not with foreigners.  We are told that there is a small branch of Chinese members who meet together but we are not told who they are or where they meet.  We cannot talk about the church to any of the Chinese people.  If they ask us questions about our religious beliefs, we have to politely decline giving an answer.  So, what is the reason for the church in sending 80 English teachers to China every year?  To let their light so shine among this people, that they may see their good works…. To plant a seed.  To prepare the people so that when the day comes when their government will allow missionaries to come into their country and will allow them to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, they will have had an example set for them.  It’s also to help prepare us so we will know their ways and their culture and know better how to be their friends.  

there were times, though, when I so wished I could just tell my students a little bit about our religion.  To help them see that they are children of a God who loves them.  To tell them about Jesus Christ who loves them equally and who sacrificed all things so that they could not only have life after death but so that they could have comfort and strength and peace in times when they need it the most.  That they have a purpose. But I couldn’t. 

Each day our classes would start with 4 or 5 students asking me a question.  They could ask anything they wanted.  Just to give them the opportunity to speak.  One day a student asked me: “If we existed before this life, would you want to know about it?”

When he asked me that, I just looked at him.  Then I think I asked him to repeat the question to make sure I understood him correctly.  Was he really asking me if I believed in a pre-existence?  Would I want to know about it?  WHY yes, I would.  And not only would I but I DO know about it.  But I was restricted in what I could say.  So I told him as much as I thought I dare—yes I would want to know and I actually have a belief that we existed but it’s part of my religious belief and I’ve made a commitment to not talk about it. And he understood.

The biggest thing I learned while living in China…in a country where most of the 1.4 billion people don’t even believe that a God exists….was that they have some hope and/or faith that life maybe existed before and they definitely believe that life continues after this life. 

The Chinese have a holiday that they call Tomb Sweeping.  In this holiday, families gather pictures of items that their deceased family members might need, like computers, cars or clothing.  They also purchase fake money.  Then on the night of tomb sweeping, they build a small fire and burn the money and the pictures believing that these things will be sent to their ancestors.  Now if that’s not a belief in life after death than I don’t know what is!!!

Because I know they had these strong feelings toward their families, I did a unit on families, as did many teachers.  Each week we discussed different members of the family.  I began by having them make a pedigree chart.  All my students could fill in their parents and most could fill in grandparents.  But very few knew anything about their great-grandparents.  So, there was a great assignment, to talk to their parents and grandparents and find out who their great grandparents are.  Then I gave them an assignment to find out something about one of their great-grandparents and come back to class ready to share their story. Then a story about one of their grandparents.  And then their parents.  And lastly, a story about themselves.  We talked at length about who they were.  I couldn’t tell them they were a child of God but I could tell them that they are who they are because of their parents – their grandparents – and their great grandparents.  The lives they lived have a great influence on their life today.  I talked to them about how important they are and how they each have purpose!  I asked them to look inside themselves and find out who they are.  What is it that they can do in this life.  What is their purpose?  During all our discussions each week, I always brought in examples of my own family and my ancestors and talked about our relationships and how much my family means to me.  I wanted them to know they could make a difference and living a good life and making good choices will bring them happiness.  That love is the tool that will change the world.

Did I teach the gospel?  Not really BUT yes kind of.  I planted a seed.  I gave them something to think about. I tried to let them see my light so that one day when the gospel is introduced to them, whether in this life or the next, that the seed I planted will come out of its hiding place and start to grow.

I’d like to share a few profound comments from students that shows that the seeds have been planted and the light has been shone.  These are students who most do not believe in a loving Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ.  But who believe in family and are trying to believe in themselves:

“Not everything in life works out exactly as planned but if you trust in the cycle of the seasons you know that in the long term you will reap the harvest you have sown.”

“Families are the aggregate of love.  The harbor of feelings. The cradle of growth. The spiritual paradise.”

*“It is true that everybody should be virtuous. Good and honest is the basic thing for everyone.  Good and honest is the best thing that my parents gave me.  I don’t want to be a person who has too much money or is very famous.  I just want to try my best to do what I should do and to be more kindly and modest.”

*talking about her grandparents, one student said, “though they will leave us one day, you know death is not the ending of life but forgetting is.  The most honor I show them is remember them and pass on their story, generation after generation.”

“Grandparents that have passed are now standing in front of me…in family research.”

The seeds for doing family research are being planted all over China. ….^aturning the ^bhearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers,”  What an honor for me to see their spirits searching, longing, and having faith that there is more than what the eye beholds.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are asked to share our light.  We are asked to stand as a witness.  We are asked to search out our families and bring them all into the fold.  We are asked to Help others Come unto Christ.  We have been asked to Love our neighbors as ourselves.

One day in RS the RS president made the comment that she knew God loved all of us but she didn’t really comprehend how that is possible.  A few days later as I walked down the street I thought of all the people I had met in China.  I thought of the great love that I had for them and how much I was going to miss them when I returned home the following week.  I thought about how my heart just kept expanding so that I could continue to love more and more people.  And I had a little glimpse into how God can love ALL of us.  I was kind of like the Grinch…my heart grew 10 Times at least!!!

Again Quoting Dallin H. Oaks:  “I believe that in China the Lord will do his own work, and, as he has said in modern scripture, his work will be done “in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will” (D&C 88:68).  In the meantime, we are privileged to be good friends to our Chinese brothers and sisters.”

Kim and I have had the privileged to be GOOD Friends to our Chinese brothers and sisters.   The gospel is rolling forth in God’s way and in God’s time, according to his will. 

Now we move onward to Fiji.  And again We really do not know what to expect. It will be a totally different experience.  Here we will work with members of the Church of Jesus Christ.  We will be teaching in Church owned schools where the students address their teachers by Brother and Sister.  We will be free to talk freely of Jesus Christ  and His light and His gospel and the joy that it can bring into our lives.  We are anxious and willing to stand as a witness once more and let our light so shine before this people.

The Gospel is true.  Heavenly Father Loves all His children—rich and poor, black and white, tall and short, old and young. Asian or Fijian.  I’m grateful to have the gospel in my life.  As Elder Clark said in priesthood session of conference, “have we not cause to rejoice?”  I rejoice in the knowledge of my Savior and his love for all mankind.  All the good that we do is because of LOVE. I rejoice in the prospects of the gospel going forth to China.  I rejoice in the prospects of serving the people of Fiji as we help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am grateful to each of you and the support we feel from you.  We are blessed to have been among so many good friends for so many years who have shared your light with us and shown us the way. 

I am so grateful that 3 of our daughters, a son in law and 8 of our grandchildren have joined us today. I love the gospel.  Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ….I will go and let my light so shine before this people….

I say that in HIS name, even Jesus Christ, AMEN.

       

A bit of background:  In 1978, President Spencer W. Kimball spoke to regional representatives to the church all over the world about the importance of taking the gospel to all nations.  In his address, he specifically brought up China:  He said, “By comparison with the widespread breakdown of morality and discipline in the western world, the Chinese are a disciplined, industrious, frugal, closely knit people. Their moral standards are very high by modern western standards. . . . Family life is strong, with old family members still given great respect and care.
…..When we are ready, the Lord will use us for his purposes.
There are almost three billion people now living on the earth in nations where the gospel is not now being preached. If we could only make a small beginning in every nation, soon the converts among each kindred and tongue could step forth as lights to their own people and the gospel would thus be preached in all nations before the coming of the Lord.

In January of 1979 Jimmy Carter announced that the US would begin diplomatic recognition with China. Immediately a trip taking the Young Ambassadors was planned. Miracles happened over and over again until Pres. Oaks saw his dream come true.   Forty years later, BYU wanted to take their performing groups back to China for an anniversary performance.  But this time, they wanted to bring more than the Young Ambassadors.  Again, through many miracles, the vision to unite and celebrate with this country came to pass. They performed with 10 different groups in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an.  Because we were in Xi’an we were encouraged to do what we could to support these efforts of BYU.  Kim was inspired to buy a row of seats that we could offer to some of our students.  We had 17 tickets that we did drawings for in each of our classes.  We showed previews to the show to help the students know what the performance was.  The students that won the tickets were excited.  The highlight though of the night wasn’t the performance but the greeting of the performers after the show.  Our students met them, took pictures with them and simply fell in love.  More seeds were planted…more light was shared. 

Elder Oaks:  People sometimes ask me about what can be done to “open China.” In response, I state my belief that China is already “open”—it is we who are closed. We are closed because we expect the Orient to be the same as the West, China to be the same as Canada or Chile. We must open our minds and our hearts to the people of this ancient realm and this magnificent culture. We must understand their way of thinking, their aspirations, and their impressive accomplishments. We must observe their laws and follow their example of patience. We must deserve to be their friends.

As we become friends of China, and as we learn from them, our Father in Heaven, who has made “all nations of men . . . and [has] determined . . . the bounds of their habitation” (Acts 17:26), will bring his purposes to pass in that great nation “in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will” (D&C 88:68).

Heavenly Father is a God of Miracles

This blog began as a compilation of talks and lessons given at BYU in a singles ward and stake.  Slowly I continue to add talks and lessons I've been blessed to give.  This talk is given in Korovou, Fiji.  It is a small branch of about 50 members who attend regularly.  It sits on top of a hill overlooking a large jungle area of Fiji.  You can see the ocean in the distance and acres and acres of forested jungle.  It's the most beautiful setting I've been able to attend church.

September 15, 2019

In June, while we were still in China,  a new branch president was called.  The week following his sustaining, he spoke to our branch and gave us 3 challenges.  He asked us to have a loving heart, to notice the daily miracles in our lives and to write them down and to pray for more and he asked us to help in the gathering of Israel.  Today I would like to talk to you about miracles.  Miracles happen daily in our lives if we have faith and if we will ask for them.  Sometimes they are so small that we don’t see them.  The challenge to notice the daily miracles has been an eye opener for me.  I must admit, that I haven’t been able to always see a miracle every day.  But when I stop and look and pay attention I have noticed that there are many miracles that happen in our lives.  Sometimes we receive miracles and sometimes we are instrumental in others receiving miracles.

On the church web site Miracles is defined as an extraordinary event caused by the power of God. Miracles should not be regarded as deviations from the ordinary course of nature so much as manifestations of divine or spiritual power.  Miracles were and are a response to faith and its best encouragement.

I read that to say…yes miracles can be an extraordinary act of God’s power but even the most simplest act from God should be seen as a miracle which comes as a result of our faith and prayers.

In the Book of Mormon, Moroni said, Mormon 9:11

11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.

Also: 2 Nephi 27:23

23 For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith.

Throughout the scriptures we have read of miracles; the parting of the Red Sea when Moses and the Israelites were escaping their bondage from Egypt.  Daniel, when placed  in the lions den was able to walk about unharmed.  When the Savior was on the earth he performed countless miracles, changing the water to wine, raising Lazareth from the dead, making the blind see and the lame walk. He walked on the water and he calmed the stormy sea.  Nephi was able to retrieve the brass plates from Laban—indeed that was a miracle as well.  And when an angel appeared unto Alma and the sons of Mosiah, this was also a miracle and their hearts were changed.  These valiant sons of God performed many miracles as they taught the Lamanites and converted hundreds.  And in our dispensation of time, we continue to see mighty miracles beginning when God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to young boy, even Joseph Smith in a grove of trees.  Joseph Smith was instrumental in bringing forth the Book of Mormon and restoring Jesus Christ’s church here on the earth.  All miracles performed by the hand of God.

So if God is the same yesterday, today and forever, then he must still be a God of Miracles.  And we can have miracles performed in our lives.

Moroni said: 19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.

God is a God of miracles during the Old Testament time.  He was a God of Miracles during the Book of Mormon times.  He was a God of Miracles thoughout the life of the Savior, Jesus Christ.  And he is a God of Miracles today.  Some of the miracles today are just as in times of old.  They are extraordinary events but some are also small and simple according to our needs and desires.

There are many things that constitute a miracle.  Pres. Kimball said that forgiveness was a miracle. He told of an experience he had in helping a woman who came to him feeling despondent about the sin she had committed. She said: “I know what I have done. I have read the scriptures, and I know the consequences. I know that I am damned and can never be forgiven, and therefore why should I try now to repent?”

President Kimball responded: “My dear sister, you do not know the scriptures. You do not know the power of God nor his goodness. You can be forgiven for this heinous sin, but it will take much sincere repentance to accomplish it.”

He then quoted to her several scriptures regarding the forgiveness that comes to those who sincerely repent and obey God’s commandments. Continuing to instruct her, he saw hope awaken in her until finally she exclaimed: “Thank you, thank you! I believe you. I shall really repent and wash my filthy garments in the blood of the Lamb and obtain that forgiveness.”

President Kimball recalled that the woman eventually returned to his office “a new person—bright of eye, light of step, full of hope as she declared to me that, since that memorable day when hope had seen a star and had clung to it, she had never reverted to [the sin] nor any approaches to it.”²  What a great example how forgiveness is definitely a miracle.  Through repentance and forgiveness we can become a new person.  That is truly a miracle.

Many of you may have seen the faith of a young child who prays to help him/her find a lost item.  The miracle occurred when the lost item was found.  I saw that in our home just a few months ago.  Our 5 year-old grandson, Kyson, had lost a small ball and had searched everywhere for it, but to no avail.  Soon he said, “I know!”  And then I saw him go behind the couch and kneel in prayer.  It was just a couple of minutes after ending his short prayer, that he found his small ball.  We may think that God isn’t concerned with small balls, but he is concerned with the souls of his children and even his grown children.  Kyson learned that day, that God loves him and he learned that he can turn to his Heavenly Father in prayer whenever and wherever needed and God will send the miracle of answering prayers in his behalf.  I hope we all know and have experienced the miracle of prayer for through prayers miracles come to be.

I am sure many of you have seen the miracles that happen when we pay our tithing.  Brother Culhulacán of Mexico told this story: I had been a member of the Church for only one month when I paid my first full tithe. I was the only member in my family, and tithing was complicated for my family to understand. My mother discouraged me from paying tithing and wanted me to give her the money instead.

One day before work, I realized that there was no food in the refrigerator and I’d have to buy something to eat. I didn’t have any money with me, so I asked my mom to lend me money for lunch. She refused and said I didn’t have money because I had paid my tithing.

I went to get my Book of Mormon and told her that this book would give me my nourishment for the day—my spiritual nourishment. I opened it in front of my mother and found 100 pesos (enough to buy some lunch) tucked inside. It was a miracle—I hadn’t put that money in my scriptures. I learned a great lesson: although challenges and temptations are everywhere, I will always be blessed as I pay a full tithe and keep the commandments.

Elder Bednar told the following story: Sister Bednar’s mother is a faithful woman and an inspired homemaker. From the earliest days of her marriage, she carefully has kept the household financial records. For decades she has accounted conscientiously for the family income and expenditures using very simple ledgers. The information she has collected over the years is comprehensive and informative.

When Sister Bednar was a young woman, her mother used the data in the ledgers to emphasize basic principles of provident living and prudent home management. One day as they reviewed together various categories of expenses, her mother noted an interesting pattern. The costs for doctor visits and medicines for their family were far lower than might have been expected. She then related this finding to the gospel of Jesus Christ and explained to her daughter a powerful truth: as we live the law of tithing, we often receive significant but subtle blessings that are not always what we expect and easily can be overlooked. The family had not received any sudden or obvious additions to the household income. Instead, a loving Heavenly Father had bestowed simple blessings in seemingly ordinary ways.

I know that tithing miracles don’t always produce money…but I do know that if we pay our tithing, we will have miracles in our lives as we need them.  We will have the windows of Heaven opened to us as they pour blessings down from God.

Your miracle may be as simple as being at the right place at the right time.  I want to tell you about an incident that happened to us while in China.  It was a Sunday afternoon or early evening of  the last week we were there.  We had been in our apartment working on some things when Elder Roper said he was needing a walk.  I said, I was just about done with some items and when finished we could go.  It took me 5 or 10 minutes to finish what I was doing but by then he was busy doing something else.  So maybe 30 minutes later we finally left to go out for a little walk.  We walked down the street to the main area of town.  There were many people out walking the streets as normal.  But on this particular day, as we walked down the street I thought one of my students was walking towards us.  You must realize that the students all lived about 40 minutes away from our apartment so we didn’t usually see our students in our part of town.  As we got closer, I could tell it was him.  We approached Darren and he gave me a big hug and then he introduced me to his parents who were in town that day only and they had come up to our area to do some shopping. I was able to meet them and let them know what a privilege it had been for me to teach their son and tell them what a great young man he was.  It was a small thing.  But it meant a lot to me and I believe it meant a lot to them.  If we had gone out earlier, we would not have crossed paths with Darren and his parents.  We were at the right place at the right time. 

I’d like to share another experience.  One day while traveling on the subway in China a middle-aged man approached us and said hello.  He began to talk with us about where we were going.  Elder Roper complimented him on his English skills.   This man told us that he was an English teacher.  We then found out that he taught at the university right next to where we lived.  We told him that we taught English at XISU.  He told us that he had been a student at XISU 30 years previous.  That was great and interesting but then he said.  When he was a student there, he had an English teacher from America.  We told him we were from America.  Then he said she was from UTAH.  We were in awe at this point and we said, we were from UTAH.  Then he said she was from BYU.  And we said, we were from BYU.  He proceeded to tell us how this teacher had influenced his life.  He had gone to America to attend school.  When he finished, he went to Utah to see this teacher.  She had shown him around Salt Lake City and Temple Square and BYU.  Thirty years later he remembered this teacher and the influence she had on his life.  Xian, the city where we lived, is a city of 10-12 million people.  The chances of running into this man, were very, very slim.  Yet we met him and learned the impact a teacher in the same program we were in had on him.  To us, that was a miracle.  It gave us hope that maybe we could make a difference in the lives of the students we were teaching.  It taught us the importance of the program we worked in. It was a miracle.

As I see it, the simple blessings we receive in life are miracles.  God blesses us not only in our daily lives but hour by hour.  We receive countless blessings.  I see these blessings as miracles.  They are God’s love for us and all His children.  We only need to have faith in Him, keep his commandments and he will pour out miracles upon our heads, into our hands, into our lives.  The miracle may be a change of heart, or the ability to cope with trials that lay before us.  The miracle may be patience or courage.  The miracle may be a greater love for others.  The miracle may be an extraordinary event but more likely it will come as a small and simple thing.  And we know that by small and simple things, great things come to pass. 

I am grateful for the miracles that happen in my life.  I encourage all of us to look daily for those miracles, to record them—because if we don’t we tend to forget—and  to pray for them.  I know that our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can comprehend. He is waiting for the opportunity to pour out miracles upon us because  he is a God of Miracles.

  

If you LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS

Here is a talk that I gave in our branch in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China in March 2019.  

The Mutual theme for this year is found in John 14:15 and says:  "If ye love me, keep my commandments."  Kim and I had the opportunity to teach the youth in our home ward about this theme. When you have that opportunity to teach, it builds and strengthens your testimony.  Even though none of us are youth, we can learn and grow from this scripture.  It made an impact on my life and how I view others and the importance of Loving God. 

After the Savior was resurrected he visited with Simon Peter.  In John 21 we read:  "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, sonof Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, sonof Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, sonof Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."

So I go back to John 14:15, If ye love me, keep my commandments. If ye love me, feed my sheep.   We made a covenant at baptism to lift up others. When Alma was baptizing in the waters of Mormon he said:

"….: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon … and now, 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;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, …." (Mosiah 18:8-9)

We covenant to love one another.

Again in Matthew 22: 36 "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second islike unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

So when Jesus said:  If ye love me, keep my commandments.  I see this as asking us to love one another. As he loved us.  And as he loves us now.  Pres. Nelson and our leaders of the church are leading us and teaching us to reach out to others.  We have been asked to minister to our brothers and sisters.  We have been asked to love just as Jesus Loved.

In Elder Uchtdorf’s talk in the October 2018 conference, He said: "Jesus 'went about doing good.' He walked among the poor, the outcast, the sick, and the ashamed.  He ministered to the powerless, the weak, and the friendless. He spent time with them; He spoke with them. “And he healed them all.”  Everywhere He went, the Savior taught the “good news” of the gospel. He shared eternal truths that set people free spiritually as well as temporally.  Those who dedicate themselves to Christ’s cause discover the truth of the Savior’s promise: 'Whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.'”

When we truly love Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father than we go about doing good as we saw Jesus do in his life.  We lose our own lives for the sake of others.

In a discussion this week in my classes at Xi'an International Studies University one of my students mentioned how important it is that we accept others as they are and love them.  I realized again in my life how important and powerful love is.  Love can change the world. It can soften the hardened heart. It can heal broken hearts and give hope.  It can lift the sorrowful, the sad and the lonely.  

Quoting Elder Uchtdorf again:  “Believing God leads to faith in Him and developing trust in His word. Faith causes our hearts to grow in our love for God and others. As that love grows, we are inspired to emulate the Savior as we continue our own great journey on the path of discipleship.”

In order to love God, we must first believe.   And belief in Him leads us to faith. That faith leads to action.   Elder Uchtdorf says we must work in order to develop that belief and faith and ultimately love for our Heavenly Father: “In my experience, belief is not so much like a painting we look at and admire and about which we discuss and theorize. It is more like a plow that we take into the fields and, by the sweat of our brow, create furrows in the earth that accept seeds and bear fruit that shall remain.”

When I was  a young girl about 8 years old, my father bought a farm in southern Missouri.  I remember many days and weeks following behind my father as he drove the tractor and pulled a plow through the field.  We followed behind him picking up the rocks that filled the ground and threw them out to the side so that he could make furrows in the dirt.  It was back breaking, sweaty hard work. Developing a true love for God is hard work. It may not be physical work but it takes diligent study and effort and implementation to grow in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  To learn to love, develop faith and change our lives to emulate and be like the Savior.

Love is Doing.  Love is action.  

This past conference, Sister Franco told the beautiful story of her primary teacher when she was a young girl in Argentina. Back in the day when primary was during the week, her teacher would bring chocolate cake to share with her class. Cristina would not eat the cake because it was chocolate and she didn’t like chocolate cake. After several weeks, Cristina asked her to bring a different flavor of cake.  Her teacher told her that this chocolate cake was made with a special ingredient and if she would just try it she promised her that she would like it. So, Cristina tried the cake and to her surprise, she liked it.  It wasn’t until years later that she learned what the special ingredient in the cake was. It was love.  Cristina’s mother told her: “Victoria and her family didn’t have a lot of resources, and each week she had to choose between paying for the bus to take her and her four children to Primary or buying the ingredients to make the chocolate cake for her Primary class. She always chose the chocolate cake over the bus, and she and her children walked more than two miles, each way, regardless of the weather.”

When we have that deep never-ending love for God, then we see other’s as they are and love them as well. We reach out to the sick, the needy, the poor and the afflicted.  We serve God by serving others. We minister to all those around us. We reach out and share our talents to help bless those we come in contact with.  Love is forgiveness and acceptance of others for who they are.

About a year out of high school, one of our daughters had moved out of the home for the first time.  One Sunday she brought a new boyfriend home for Sunday dinner.  Our first reaction when he walked in wearing his pukka shells and his bleached blonde hair was “who is this boy she’s dating?”  Maybe we were judging him by his appearance but we weren’t too sure about this guy.  She kept dating him and we found he was a really fun kid and we learned to love him but we never felt like they were a good match. So, when they announced that they wanted to get married but they weren’t worthy to go to the temple, we asked them to give it some more time.  Work on their worthiness and try to get to the temple.  We were hoping they’d change their minds.  But they didn’t take our advice.  They wanted to get married right away.   We got busy and gave them a beautiful wedding.  We loved them and forgave them.  Several months later, a friend of mine told me how much she admired me for doing that.  She said if it had been her daughter, she wouldn’t have put on a nice wedding for her. My reaction was REALLY?  Despite how I felt about their decisions, we still loved her and we were able to forgive her. We had then and we have now a wonderful relationship with this daughter.  I hate to think what might have happened if we had turned her out.  If ye love me, keep my commandments.  If ye love me, feed my sheep.  

Of course, the perfect example of love which leads to action which leads to sacrifice and forgiveness and ministering, is the Savior, Jesus Christ.  He loved us so much that he lived his life in serving and ministering and teaching and healing and forgiving others.  And then he gave the ultimate sacrifice by taking on him all our sins and pains during the atonement.  He hung on the cross and died an excruciating death and then he rose again giving us life everlasting.

There are many ways we can show our love for others: 

     Through temple work—which is a bit difficult here.  But we can seek out our ancestors and get their names ready to be taken to the temple.  

     We can’t verbally share our testimonies with those around us here but we can Share our light by the way we live our lives and the way we treat others. 

     We can continue to share our thoughts and testimonies to our friends and family members at home and to each other here in our branch. 

     We can share our talents and abilities and strengths.  

     We can be patient and kind and merciful. 

     We can forgive others and not find fault or tear others down. 

     We can all lift others when and where needed.  

     We can mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that need comforting and help lighten the burdens of others.  

We must BELIEVE-LOVE-DO!  As we do these things— love and serve others—then we ultimately bring eternal happiness and peace into our own lives. What better reason is there to serve. It’s a full circle of service and love. 

If ye love me, keep my commandments. If ye love me, feed my sheep.

This is MY testimony.

Where is your faith?

I haven't posted in a LONG time. There really hasn't been a lot to post. But today, April 23, 2017 I gave a talk in sacrament meeting. I'd like to share it:

A few years ago while serving in a BYU stake, I gave a talk in Stake Conference.  When I sat down on the stand before the meeting began, I looked at my talk to refresh it in my mind and noticed the first page was missing.  My heart sank! What was I going to do?  I HAVE to have everything written out to survive! My mind will go completely blank!  As I thought that, words came into my mind.  “Where is your faith? You’ve prepared well, I’ll help you recall the words!”  I was humbled and thought of my faith in God and His ability to help me.  And help me He did.  I remembered what was most important and was able to give the talk without anyone knowing I had left the first page at home.  

My talk today is on faith.

Pres. Uchtdorf gave a talk on faith in October 2016.  In that talk he said:  Faith is a strong conviction about something we believe—a conviction so strong that it moves us to do things that we otherwise might not do. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

This tells us that Faith is an action...a conviction so strong that it moves us to do things that we otherwise might not do.  It makes me think of the scripture that says:  Faith without works is dead.  Which makes me think WE HAVE to have action in our faith or it will die!  We will lose our faith.  

Faith is hope.  With faith we hope for something we can’t see.  We hope for something more or something better or something different.

Pres Uchtdorf brought out 3 things about faith that I want to cover today….

1. Our faith cannot compel God to force another person to choose righteousness.   He will not take anyone’s free agency away.  

2. We cannot force our will on God and we must trust Him.  

3. Faith comes to the humble, the diligent and those who endure.

1. Quoting Pres. Uchtdorf:  ...as painful as it might be for our Father in Heaven, He will not force anyone to choose the path of righteousness.

We see this truth in the Book of Mormon.  When you consider the amount of faith Lehi had, you know he prayed earnestly and constantly for his sons, Laman and Lemuel.  Heavenly Father sent angels to them, they saw God’s hand in getting the brass plates, in Nephi building a boat, in the way food was provided for them in the wilderness when all of their bows were broken.  They had many opportunities to choose to follow Christ, but God never forced them.  He allowed them to choose.  And no amount of faith on Lehi’s part could change that.    

In 2 Nephi 1: Lehi is on his death bed and says:

Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave,.... I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes and the judgments of the Lord; …..My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to time,.....And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart,united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity;......O my sons, that these things might not come upon you, but that ye might be a choice and a favored people of the Lord. But behold, his will be done; for his ways are righteousness forever.

It’s obvious that Lehi understands God’s ways.  It’s definitely Lehi’s desire to have his son’s live righteous lives, but He knows God won’t force them to do his will.  So Lehi dies, and unfortunately Laman and Lemuel never follow in their father’s footsteps...despite the great amount of faith he possessed.  God will not force us how to act.  We have our agency.

2.   We cannot force God to comply with our desires—no matter how right we think we are or how sincerely we pray. Dieter Uchtdorf

I personally have experienced this in my life.  I apologize to those who have heard my story before.  34 years ago this month, I gave birth to our 3rd daughter.  Meggie Roper.  Let me go back 2 days before her birth.  It was a Sunday, I had 2 small children, 39 weeks pregnant and was the primary president.  I don’t really remember much about that morning except that I’m sure it was a hectic busy morning considering my circumstances.  What I do remember is being home after church and preparing a meal for my family and thinking, I had not felt any life in my baby.  I assumed because I was so busy I just hadn’t noticed so I started paying more attention. As the day wore on I talked to my nurse sister-in-law who told me that was probably a sign that I was going to go into labor.  Good news RIGHT?  By bedtime when I still hadn’t felt any movement at all, I wasn’t so sure and I remember praying desperately to Heavenly Father to not let anything be wrong with my  baby. Through a sleepless night I plead many times with Heavenly Father.  I KNEW his power and I KNEW he could bring life to this baby. I KNEW it!  But unfortunately, I was asking for MY will to be done. Despite the amount of faith I thought I had, Meggie was stillborn.  It was not God’s will to have her live.  But my faith never dwindled.  I still believe He could have brought her back to life. BUT He had other plans.  I have faith that Meggie lives.  That she is living a good and productive life on the other side of the vale.

We cannot force God to comply with our desires—no matter how right we think we are or how sincerely we pray.  Pres. Uchtdorf continues:  the purpose of faith is not to change God’s will but to empower us to act on God’s will. Faith is trust—trust that God sees what we cannot and that He knows what we do not. Dieter Uchtdorf

Continuing Pres. Uchtdorf:  Faith means that we trust not only in God’s wisdom but that we trust also in His love. It means trusting that God loves us perfectly, that everything He does—every blessing He gives and every blessing He, for a time, withholds—is for our eternal happiness.8

With this kind of faith, though we may not understand why certain things happen or why certain prayers go unanswered, we can know that in the end everything will make sense. “All things [will] work together for good to them that love God.”9

All will be made right. All will be well. Dieter Uchtdorf

Elder Holland reiterated this point in this past conference when he said:  Trust God and believe in good things to come.

Heavenly Father didn’t answer my pleading but He did bring me comfort and peace in a time when I needed it.  I knew He loved me and had and has a bigger plan than what I can always see.

That’s what faith is! Trust! Trust in his Love; Trust in His direction; Trust in HIS plan.

3.  Faith comes to the humble, the diligent, the enduring. Dieter Uchtdorf

To emphasize this point Pres. Uchtdorf tells the beautiful story of the 4th floor last door--the missionary conversion of his wife Harriet and her family.  If you don’t remember it, go look it up. It’s a heart-warming story but today I want to share a different story that I believe exemplifies the same point:  Again I apologize to those who have heard this story.

42 years ago, Kim left on his mission to Hamburg Germany.  His father had been diagnosed several months previously with terminal cancer.  When his family came to the airport to say goodbye, (they use to do that) He said goodbye to his father thinking this would be the last time he would see him in this life.  His father though promised him he would be there when he returned from his mission.  22 months later, Kim’s father was holding onto life with every bit of strength he had.  He was in a great amount of pain and was completely bedridden.  Everyone knew he was holding on for Kim to come home.  Finally Kim’s oldest brother called him and told him of his dad’s condition and asked if he would come home just a few weeks early so his dad would be relieved of his pain.  Kim lovingly told him it was ok for his dad to die.  He never expected to see him.  Tell Dad to go!.  It’s ok.  Well, that didn’t go over well and a couple of days later, Kim received a call from his mission president.  He had been notified of his dad’s condition, he knew and understood Kim’s desire but He, the mission president, was making the final decision.  He was to pack his bags immediately and get on the next train to the mission home.  Within 48 hours Kim was at his father’s bedside.  His dad was conscious and alert.  Kim was able to speak to him for a couple of hours before he slipped into a coma and peacefully and quietly left this world.  His faith HAD sustained him.  He was humble, diligent and enduring.  He promised his son He would be his support for his full 2 year mission.  God’s will was in compliance to His will and his prayers were answered.  

In this life we NEED faith.  Faith that God loves us so much and that He will help us through all things.  Life isn’t always easy and doesn’t always go the way we think it will but if we  trust God and have faith in Him and his ways, all things will work out for good.  I know that God will never force his will or our will on anyone else.  I know that we can not force our will onto God.  I also know that if we are humble and diligent and enduring He will take care of us.

I challenge each of you today, to do all you can in YOUR power to have faith.  Do those simple things that we are asked to do -- read your scriptures, say your prayers, attend your church meetings and the temple, and be obedient, and you will have the faith needed to move you into action.  This is my prayer and my testimony….