In May 2010 this is the message I prepared for our ward leaders.
Why are we here today? Because we are in the business of Saving Souls! So how do we do that? By doing what Jesus did. He came to the earth to atone for our sins, to save us spiritually. He came to save us from temporal death, to be resurrected so we could have our bodies for eternity. In 3 Nephi 27: 13-14 we read “I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me” (3 Nephi 27:13–14). In continuing His sermon, He revealed His second objective—to be our exemplar: “Ye know the things that ye must do … ; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do” (3 Nephi 27:21). To his apostles he said, “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done” (John 13:15).
This is our charge as well, to do as he did. I’d like to take a few minutes and look at the things that He did. In John 4 we read how Jesus stopped at the well of Jacob while traveling through Samaria on his way to Galilee. He asks a Samaritan woman to give him a drink at which time she is confused that a Jew would ask a Samaritan for water. At which he replies that if she knew who He was she would know He could give her living water. In conversing with Jesus, the woman realizes He is the Christ and brings others to the well to be taught by Him. In John 4:41 we read, “And many more believed because of his own word.”
In Matt 4: 23 we read, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. .” vs. 25 “and there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee.” and continuing on into chap. 5:1-2 “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth and taught them.” He taught them the beatitudes which are the blessings available to us. He taught about the light of the world and reminded them about the teachings of Moses. And then He taught them a higher law, to love one another. He taught them about prayer, repentance and obedience and many other things. And when He finished speaking it says in Matt 7:28-29, “when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” They knew he was someone different.
I love the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus had come to their home and was teaching. Mary sat at his feet listening and learning while Martha went about the home working and preparing food. Martha becomes frustrated that her sister is not helping and says something to Jesus about it. He then says to Martha, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part. .” Mary realized the importance of hearing his teachings and learning his words. Jesus spent most of his time teaching the people. He was a master teacher.
When Jesus wasn’t teaching He was serving. There are endless examples of the love he showed to others by serving them. As he was entering the city of Nain, there was a funeral procession, the men were carrying out the only son of a widow. When Jesus saw the weeping mother, he had compassion on her. Luke 7:14, “and he came and touched the bier; and they that bare him stood still. And he said, young man, I say unto thee, arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.”
In the same chapter, the centurion’s servant was very ill. The centurion didn’t feel worthy to have Jesus enter into his home but asked him to heal the servant. When those that were with him returned to the centurion’s home, the servant had been healed.
In Matt 5 we read, that Jesus went about all Galilee “healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. They brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.” We know that when he visited the people in the Americas after his resurrection, that he asked that their sick and blind and lame or leprous and withered and deaf and any others be brought to him for he had compassion upon them and then he healed them.
Jesus also served by helping. When there was a wedding in Cana and the ruler of the feast wanted wine but there was none, Jesus had them fill the waterpots with water. He then told them to give from the pot to the governor of the feast. The governor was given wine. He said it must have been the best saved for the occasion.
We know, that He went about doing good to others. He called the children to come to him when his disciples thought he was too busy to be bothered with children. He blessed the children of the Nephites when He visited there and commissioned the angels to teach them.
One of the greatest examples of service happened after Jesus had eaten the last supper with his apostles. He removes his outer robe, puts a towel around his waist and then commences in washing the feet of each disciple.
There are many, many, many examples of Him healing, helping, serving. Jesus Christ served and taught the people because he loved them. In everything you read, his love emanates. John 15:9 “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.”
John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life.” As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is our responsibility to follow Jesus Christ and to do as He did. As members of Relief Society Presidencies it is our responsibility to teach, to serve and to love.
We are in the Business of Saving Souls. We live in a difficult world. We have the great responsibility to teach the sisters in our stake. They all know what is right. We just need to encourage them to live the gospel and to have faith in Jesus Christ’s commandments. Please remember that living the gospel will bring you far more happiness then living the life of the world. Pres. Monson said in closing in this past general conference (April 2010): “My counsel for all of us is to look to the lighthouse of the Lord. There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what its beacon light can rescue. It beckons through the storms of life. The lighthouse of the Lord sends forth signals readily recognized and never failing.”
Look to the Lord. Follow his example. I love you. Heavenly Father loves you. Thank you for all that you do! Let’s go save some souls.
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