Lovest Thou Me More Than These?

After the death and resurrection of the Savior, some of the Apostles returned to what they were doing when the Savior first found them - fishing. Peter and the other fishermen loved fishing, which is presumably why they chose to make a career of it. Maybe they imagined their ministry had concluded, so they could "retire" and go back to their love of fishing. It's hard to know.

The resurrected Savior found them fishing and felt the need to drive a point home to them while gathered around a campfire cooking, yes you guessed it, fish. Jesus motioned to the fish and asked Peter, "Lovest thou me more than these?"

I'm sure that Jesus was disappointed to find the Apostles fishing instead of helping Him with his work and glory. They could have been out strengthening the struggling disciples, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, and serving their fellowmen. Had they forgotten and moved on so quickly?

"Do you love me more than the things of the world? More than your vocation, hobbies, and passions?" was the question.

With sincerity the answer came "Yes, Lord", to which the Master responded three times "Feed my lambs... feed my sheep... feed my sheep."

The Lord was very clear that the priority of his disciples should not be entertainment or employment. The top priority and focus of our lives should be ministering to his lambs and sheep and building His Kingdom.

Do you love God more than these things?

Knowing God Is Eternal Life

These scriptures read together help teach an eternally essential truth:

John 17:3 - "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

1 John 2:3-5 - "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him."

1 John 4:7-8 - "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

John 14:15 - "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

They also helped clarify why the greatest commandments are the greatest:


Matthew 22:35-40 -

"35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

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 is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

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

In studying these scriptures, it seems clear to me that knowing God is essential for Eternal Life. We can only know Him by keeping his commandments and loving (loving both him and others). Because God wants us to qualify for exaltation and return to him, he has given us the two greatest commandments, which if followed will lead us to eternal life. If knowing God is loving others and Him and keeping his commandments, I ask you this question: "Do you know God?"

To take this one step further, King Benjamin taught: "For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served,and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?" (Mosiah 5:13). In the same address he also taught that "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17).

So, if serving our fellowman is how we best serve God, and we can't know God without serving him, I again ask you this question: "Do you know God?"

Those who know God must fit a certain profile, which in this world will make them stand out among their peers. Some of the attributes in this profile would be service oriented, obedient to God's commandments, puts God first, loves everyone. Sounds a lot like the attributes of the Savior, which may be why he taught: "what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am" (3 Nephi 27:27).

As we follow the example of the Savior, we will come to know God and thus be prepared to receive eternal life. This is why he beacons, "Come, Follow Me."

Planting Seeds - Samuel the Lamanite

As I read this passage in Helaman 16:1-3 I had a few thoughts that I would like to share.

Helaman 16:1-3

1 And now, it came to pass that there were many who heard the words of Samuel, the Lamanite, which he spake upon the walls of the city. And as many as believed on his word went forth and sought for Nephi; and when they had come forth and found him they confessed unto him their sins and denied not, desiring that they might be baptized unto the Lord.
 2 But as many as there were who did not believe in the words of Samuel were angry with him; and they cast stones at him upon the wall, and also many shot arrows at him as he stood upon the wall; but the Spirit of the Lord was with him, insomuch that they could not hit him with their stones neither with their arrows.
 3 Now when they saw that they could not hit him, there were many more who did believe on his words, insomuch that they went away unto Nephi to be baptized.

A few thoughts:
(1) Samuel boldly testified to the people. In this case he was preaching from the city wall.

(2) In the previous chapter he had already been rejected by the people, yet he followed the Spirit's direction to try one more time.

(3) Samuel planted seeds, both while in the city and while on the city wall; however, he never experienced the harvest and saw the fruits of his labor. I'm pretty sure he knew this going into it, and it did not deter him one bit. He may have felt like a total failure if all he saw were angry people throwing stones and shooting arrows at him. As Preach My Gospel explains, success is determined by following the Spirit and working diligently and obediently, not by the number of baptisms you have.

(4) Nephi enjoyed the fruit of Samuel's labor for "as many as believed on his word went forth and sought for Nephi." How grateful he must have felt for Samuel and his preaching. In the previous chapters, we read how Nephi had put his own safety at risk to preach unto the people, doing everything in his power to convince them to repent.

(5) Samuel trusted the Lord enough to stay on that wall while stones and arrows were coming at him. This is important because "when they saw that they could not hit him, there were many more who did believe on his words." We may not always understand why trials are coming at us, but we can trust the Lord that we'll make it through safely - plus we don't always know who is watching.

(6) We can see the great love that God has for his children in these verses. He sent one of his beloved "noble and great" sons into a dangerously wicked city in an attempt to save any of his children. After Samuel was rejected in the city, God did not give up on his children and sent Samuel again unto them (this time on the city wall). Even while the people threatened Samuel's life, God instructed him (by the Spirit) to stay on that wall until as many as possible of his children in that city had the opportunity to believe and repent if he or she so chose.

I only focused this entry on the first three verses of the chapter, but there are so many additional nuggets of truth that we can learn from Samuel and his example. For example, when he returned home from "his mission" among the Nephites, what do you think he did? In verse 7: he "began to preach and to prophesy among his own people." A great example for every RM.

Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles

This post includes some key quotes and highlights from the talk "Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul" given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, one of the 12 Apostles, in the April 2010 General Conference. For the full text of his talk please click here.

Elder Holland describes the "moral decay" all around us:

"Most days we all find ourselves assaulted by immoral messages of some kind flooding in on us from every angle. The darker sides of the movie, television, and music industry step further and further into offensive language and sexual misconduct."

He warns that "immoral activity is not just a man's problem, and husbands aren't the only ones offending." He then talks about why lust is considered one of the deadliest of sins:

"Well, in addition to the completely Spirit-destroying impact it has upon our souls, I think it is a sin because it defiles the highest and holiest relationship God gives us in mortality—the love that a man and a woman have for each other and the desire that couple has to bring children into a family intended to be forever.

But lust is characterized by shame and stealth and is almost pathologically clandestine—the later and darker the hour the better, with a double-bolted door just in case. Love makes us instinctively reach out to God and other people. Lust, on the other hand, is anything but godly and celebrates self-indulgence. Love comes with open hands and open heart; lust comes with only an open appetite." 

Elder Holland then gives some tips to help:

• "Start by separating yourself from people, materials, and circumstances that will harm you. As those battling something like alcoholism know, the pull of proximity can be fatal."
• Seek help! "Pray without ceasing. Ask for angels to help you."
• "The only real control in life is self-control...If a TV show is indecent, turn it off. If a movie is crude, walk out. If an improper relationship is developing, sever it."
• "An old proverb says that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,⁵ so watch your step."

I especially liked this warning and counsel:

"Like thieves in the night, unwelcome thoughts can and do seek entrance to our minds. But we don’t have to throw open the door, serve them tea and crumpets, and then tell them where the silverware is kept! (You shouldn’t be serving tea anyway.) Throw the rascals out! Replace lewd thoughts with hopeful images and joyful memories; picture the faces of those who love you and would be shattered if you let them down. More than one man has been saved from sin or stupidity by remembering the face of his mother, his wife, or his child waiting somewhere for him at home. Whatever thoughts you have, make sure they are welcome in your heart by invitation only."

Elder Holland also counsels us to "cultivate and be where the Spirit of the Lord is," including our own homes, and to "go to the temple as often as [our] circumstances allow." Speaking of our covenant that we renew each Sunday:

"We pledge every Sunday of our lives to take upon ourselves His name and promise to 'always remember him.' So let us work a little harder at remembering Him—especially that He has 'borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows . . . , [that] he was bruised for our iniquities . . . ; and with his stripes we are healed.'"

His concluding advice and promise:

"When we face such temptations in our time, we must declare, as young Nephi did in his, “[I will] give place no more for the enemy of my soul.” We can reject the evil one. If we want it dearly and deeply enough, that enemy can and will be rebuked by the redeeming power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, I promise you that the light of His everlasting gospel can and will again shine brightly where you feared life had gone hopelessly, helplessly dark."