Hey everyone! This last week was one filled with learning and revelation. And since this last week was valentines day I find it quite ironic that the lesson that I learned is primarily centered around love. This is a topic that I feel is usually understood when it comes to what it means to love some one or something. Or in a gospel context what it means to love, but the thing I love about the gospel is that there is always new things to learn! So this last week I was pretty sick and we couldn't do a ton of things for very long before I would feel pretty bad and need to rest. Since I was sick, the primary focus of the week wasn't actually on our investigators, but more of a week of inner reflection it seemed. And It was in this week that a very inspired question was asked that really changed a lot of my perspective. This question was "Elder Gerrard, what is your testimony of the Savior?" At face value, it may seem like a pretty common question a missionary may get, or even something that a missionary would frequently do. The person asking the question was a convert to the church who use to be southern Baptist and he never really meet with missionaries during his true conversion. He was already converted when the missionaries came in. He was guided and led by Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon and this is how he became converted. So you can imagine when someone with a very strong and personal relationship with Jesus Christ askes you the question that I posed above, I was a little put back because at first because what could I possibly say? Well, in response I bore my testimony of the Savior. This is when he said, "have you felt a intense love for the people you are teaching?" and I replied that this was a pretty common thing. He then said, "This is the greatest testimony of Jesus Christ we can share. That is, letting out Savior's love flow through us to others."
Sisters and Brothers I have thought more about this and the more I look at the teachings of our Savior its very clear this was a piece of the teachings that he was trying to help us understand. Here are some scriptures that have come to my mind since.
Matthew 24:12
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
We see people looking inwardly much more now a days. And when we break commandments we are doing iniquity. So if you cross reference this scripture to John 14:15 you see that keeping commandments helps us love the Savior.
Moroni 7:47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
John 21:15-17
15 ¶ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of 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, son of 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, son of 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.
These two versus go hand in hand as it talks about simply what are we doing to love our Savior? And how are we allowing the pure love of Jesus Christ flow through us?
This is my message to us all this week. I would. Invite us to move and progress forward in the gospel and ask our selves what can I do to show my testimony of the Savior. I know that as we do this our relationship with him will strengthen and others will want to come unto him.
Love Elder, Gerrard
No comments:
Post a Comment