Theme: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day…this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do… 3 Nephi 27:20,21
When our sons were little, we occasionally spent a weekend at a campground close to our home in California. One day our pre-schooler John explained to a woman at the campground that his little brother Peter had just stepped on a roly-poly “and it DIED”, he told her. “But it’s OK,” he announced, “because it will be RESURRECTED!”
Preach My Gospel explains that “because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we will ALL be “resurrected”
This gospel principal was understood through the eyes of a little child and joyfully expressed as he bore witness that day to a woman in a simple campground setting.
The 3rd Article of Faith states: “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”
We read in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
As members of the church as with all Christians, we know that man walks this earth imperfectly. We all sin, but just as the scriptures say how God so loved the world that he sacrificed only begotten Son, it also tells us in John 3:17 that “God sent NOT his son into the world to CONDEMN the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
In a blessing I received when I was set apart to teach the CTR 7 class a few years ago, I was given counsel by Bishop Olson on the value of using gospel principles “to change behavior, and not to discuss behavior to change behavior”.
We also know that throughout the scriptures, the Lord has counseled us to become as a little child. In a General Conference address in April 2006, in reference to the day when we stand before the Savior and hear him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant...” Elder Henry B. Eyring stated,
“King Benjamin makes it clear how we can earn the hope to hear those words if we find the way in this life to have our natures changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ….”
He went on to say,
“King Benjamin describes that change with a beautiful comparison, used by prophets for millennia and by the Lord Himself. It is this: that we can, and we must, become as a child—a little child.”
In Mosiah 3:16, we read King Benjamin’s description of how that change comes to us:
“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”
During the Priesthood Session of General Conference in last October, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained:
“We must put aside our pride, see beyond our vanity, and in humility ask, “Lord, is it I?”…In these simple words…lies the beginning of wisdom and the pathway to personal conversion and lasting change.”
The section on Repentance in Preach My Gospel, it reads:
We read in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
As members of the church as with all Christians, we know that man walks this earth imperfectly. We all sin, but just as the scriptures say how God so loved the world that he sacrificed only begotten Son, it also tells us in John 3:17 that “God sent NOT his son into the world to CONDEMN the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
In a blessing I received when I was set apart to teach the CTR 7 class a few years ago, I was given counsel by Bishop Olson on the value of using gospel principles “to change behavior, and not to discuss behavior to change behavior”.
We also know that throughout the scriptures, the Lord has counseled us to become as a little child. In a General Conference address in April 2006, in reference to the day when we stand before the Savior and hear him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant...” Elder Henry B. Eyring stated,
“King Benjamin makes it clear how we can earn the hope to hear those words if we find the way in this life to have our natures changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ….”
He went on to say,
“King Benjamin describes that change with a beautiful comparison, used by prophets for millennia and by the Lord Himself. It is this: that we can, and we must, become as a child—a little child.”
In Mosiah 3:16, we read King Benjamin’s description of how that change comes to us:
“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”
During the Priesthood Session of General Conference in last October, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained:
“We must put aside our pride, see beyond our vanity, and in humility ask, “Lord, is it I?”…In these simple words…lies the beginning of wisdom and the pathway to personal conversion and lasting change.”
The section on Repentance in Preach My Gospel, it reads:
“Our faith in Jesus Christ and our love for Him leads us to repent, or to change our thoughts, beliefs and behaviors that are not in Harmony with His will. Repentance includes forming a fresh view of God, ourselves, and the world…as we repent our view of ourselves and the world changes. As we change, we recognize that we are children of God and that we need not continue making the same mistakes over and over. If we sincerely repent, we turn away from our sins and do them no more. We resist any desire to commit sin. Our desire to follow God grows stronger and deeper.”
It goes on to say:
“In addition, we should continually improve—to develop Christlike qualities, to grow in knowledge, and to serve more effectively. As we learn more about what the Savior expects of us, we will want to show our love by obeying Him. Thus as we repent daily, we will find our lives will change and improve. Our hearts and our behavior will become more Christlike. We will come to feel great joy in repenting daily.”
The process of repentance is a very personal and intimate journey between an individual, his Heavenly Father, and his Savior. Although we can be counseled by our church leaders when there is a need, it is not something that can be forced upon us. While it is true that it is human nature to judge, it is not our place to point a finger of judgment upon our neighbor or to call him to repentance. It is our responsibility here in this life to focus on ourselves, to again become as a little child that we might see clearly and thereby be able to push aside blame and victimhood, and free ourselves from all things that keep us prisoners in what is often our own self-afflicted pain and suffering. Then as we free ourselves from darkness, we can be children of light.
In John 12:36, we read:
“While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light…
The Savior has taught us by example, how to help others in their process. It is by showing sincere love, sharing our light, and through living gospel principles that will best help others change their behavior.
I love the analogy of the lighthouse to the boat, or the porch light to the moth. If we radiate light, those in darkness cannot help but be drawn to a “child of light”. We know not who may be in desperate need for a ray of hope or a beam of light to help them on the pathway home. It may be a neighbor, a coworker, a family member, a Facebook friend, or even a stranger we encounter on this journey we call life.
My notes from Elder Brimhall’s comments at Stake Conference December 3, 2011, read:
Regarding those who have gone astray, there are three points for us to ponder. I found #2 to be particularly interesting (paraphrasing here):
1. Invite them back
2. Repent and clean up your own life
3. Love them
Each Sunday in Primary, my favorite moment is class is the time when I stand reverently before the children scanning their beautiful faces as I listen to Brother Peterson play the prelude music. It matters not the heavy burdens I feel in my life, whether it be at work, at home, or in the world, without fail my spirit is immediately lifted and my testimony is strengthened, simply through the light from the eyes and the glow on the faces of these precious little ones. Through them I am reminded of who I am and how I need to live.
“I Know My Savior Lives” is the Primary theme for 2015. I would to testify to you all, but especially to my Primary children that I KNOW my Savior lives! I know that he is my redeemer and through Him I am promised eternal life. He is my best friend, my confidant, and I lean on him daily to help me through my challenges and burdens, and depend on Him to bring light to a very troubled world. I love you children dearly, and I say this humbly in his holy name, even Jesus the Christ. Amen!
It goes on to say:
“In addition, we should continually improve—to develop Christlike qualities, to grow in knowledge, and to serve more effectively. As we learn more about what the Savior expects of us, we will want to show our love by obeying Him. Thus as we repent daily, we will find our lives will change and improve. Our hearts and our behavior will become more Christlike. We will come to feel great joy in repenting daily.”
The process of repentance is a very personal and intimate journey between an individual, his Heavenly Father, and his Savior. Although we can be counseled by our church leaders when there is a need, it is not something that can be forced upon us. While it is true that it is human nature to judge, it is not our place to point a finger of judgment upon our neighbor or to call him to repentance. It is our responsibility here in this life to focus on ourselves, to again become as a little child that we might see clearly and thereby be able to push aside blame and victimhood, and free ourselves from all things that keep us prisoners in what is often our own self-afflicted pain and suffering. Then as we free ourselves from darkness, we can be children of light.
In John 12:36, we read:
“While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light…
The Savior has taught us by example, how to help others in their process. It is by showing sincere love, sharing our light, and through living gospel principles that will best help others change their behavior.
I love the analogy of the lighthouse to the boat, or the porch light to the moth. If we radiate light, those in darkness cannot help but be drawn to a “child of light”. We know not who may be in desperate need for a ray of hope or a beam of light to help them on the pathway home. It may be a neighbor, a coworker, a family member, a Facebook friend, or even a stranger we encounter on this journey we call life.
My notes from Elder Brimhall’s comments at Stake Conference December 3, 2011, read:
Regarding those who have gone astray, there are three points for us to ponder. I found #2 to be particularly interesting (paraphrasing here):
1. Invite them back
2. Repent and clean up your own life
3. Love them
Each Sunday in Primary, my favorite moment is class is the time when I stand reverently before the children scanning their beautiful faces as I listen to Brother Peterson play the prelude music. It matters not the heavy burdens I feel in my life, whether it be at work, at home, or in the world, without fail my spirit is immediately lifted and my testimony is strengthened, simply through the light from the eyes and the glow on the faces of these precious little ones. Through them I am reminded of who I am and how I need to live.
“I Know My Savior Lives” is the Primary theme for 2015. I would to testify to you all, but especially to my Primary children that I KNOW my Savior lives! I know that he is my redeemer and through Him I am promised eternal life. He is my best friend, my confidant, and I lean on him daily to help me through my challenges and burdens, and depend on Him to bring light to a very troubled world. I love you children dearly, and I say this humbly in his holy name, even Jesus the Christ. Amen!
