Download Teaching LUKE Sequentially

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LUKE
Luke 1:1-4. Luke, a Messenger and Witness of Jesus Christ (new)
Luke was not an apostle nor an eye-witness of the events of the Savior’s life, yet he
began his testimony of the Savior with the declaration, “As I am a messenger of Jesus
Christ …” Like us today, he learned of the Savior from others, gained a witness of the
Spirit, and was anxious to share these important truths with others.
Luke 1:18-25. Who is the Angel Gabriel?
Joseph Smith taught that the angel Gabriel is Noah, the prophet of the flood, and that he
‘stands next in authority to Adam in the Priesthood” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, 157).
Luke 1:27. Mary Chosen of the Lord (new)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915-1985) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles affirmed
that Mary was chosen to be the mother of Jesus Christ before she was born. “As there is
only one Christ, so there is only one Mary. And as the Father chose the most noble and
righteous of all His spirit sons to come into mortality as His only begotten in the flesh, so
we may confidently conclude that He selected the most worthy and spiritually talented of
all His spirit daughters to be the mortal mother of His Eternal Son.
“Mary is a great role model for womanhood. She exemplifies the attributes that a woman
today should seek to develop in her life” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol.
1:85).
Luke 1:28. “Thou At Highly Favored, the Lord is with The” (new)
Sister Sheri Dew of the Relief Society General Presidency taught that it is the Holy Ghost
that makes a woman attractive: “You have an inner spiritual strength that President James
E. Faust said equals and even surpasses that of men (See Ensign, Nov. 1999, 101). Do not
abdicate your spiritual responsibility. Your faith will preach compelling sermons. No
amount of time in front of the mirror will make you as attractive as having the Holy
Ghost with you. Bless your family and the Church as only a woman of God can—with
virtue, faith, integrity, and constant compassion” (in Conference Report, Oct. 2001, 13; or
Ensign, Nov. 2001, 13).
Luke 1:34-35. “He Shall Be Called the Son of God” (new)
President Harold B. Lee (1899-1973) counseled teachers on teaching the parentage of
Jesus Christ when he said: “If teachers were wise in speaking of this matter about which
the Lord has said but very little, they would rest their discussion on this subject with
merely the words which are recorded on this subject in Luke 1:34-35. . . . Remembering
that the being who was brought about by [Mary’s] conception was a divine personage.
We need not question His [God’s] method to accomplish His purposes” (The Teachings
of Harold B. Lee, 13-14). (must decide which route to take: this quote or the one that
follows)
Luke 1:35. “He Shall Be Called the Son of God” (new)
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“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God in the most literal sense. The body in which He performed His mission in the flesh
was sired by that same holy Being we worship as god, our Eternal Father. Jesus was not
the son of Joseph, nor was He begotten by the Holy Ghost. He is the Son of the Eternal
Father!” (President Ezra Taft Benson, Come Unto Christ, 4). (The Teachings of Ezra Taft
Benson , 7)
Luke 1:38. Mary, a Pattern of Submissiveness (new)
Virginia U. Jensen of the Relief Society General Presidency held up Mary’s example of
humility as a standard for all women: “As we think of women whose righteous influence
ripples through eternity, let us consider Mary, the ‘precious and chosen vessel’ (Alma
7:10). Presented by an angel with an unprecedented, holy pronouncement, she graciously
submitted to the will of the Lord: ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me
according to thy word’ (Luke 1:38). Her faith, obedience, and humility set a standard for
all women” (Ensign, Nov. 2000, 93).
Luke 1:79. He Gives Light to them that Sit in Darkness (new)
Zacharias prophesied that Jesus would give light to those who sit in darkness. Elder
Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how Jesus Christ is the
light of the world. “Jesus Christ is the light of the world because he is the source of the
light which ‘proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space’
(D&C 88:12). His light is ‘the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the
world’ (D&C 93:2; see also D&C 84:46). The scriptures call this universal light ‘the light
of truth’ (D&C 88:6), ‘the light of Christ’ (D&C 88:7; Moro. 7:18), and the ‘Spirit of
Christ’ (Moro. 7:16). This is the light that quickens our understanding (see D&C 88:11).
It is ‘the light by which [we] may judge’ (Moro. 7:18). It ‘is given to every man, that he
may know good from evil’ (Moro. 7:16).
“Jesus Christ is also the light of the world because his example and his teachings
illuminate the path we should walk to return to the presence of our Father in Heaven.
Before Jesus was born, Zacharias prophesied that the Lord God of Israel would visit his
people ‘to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide
[their] feet into the way of peace’ (Luke 1:79)” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1987, 76; or
Ensign, Nov. 1987, 63-64).
(3-1) Luke 2:1. Decree from Caesar Augustus (updated material)
Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the nature and
conditions surrounding the taxation of the people during the time of the Savior’s birth:
“‘And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus,
that all the world should be taxed’ (Luke 2:1).
“This was really a registration of the citizenry of the empire of Rome. Herod made a
decision that people should be counted in the land of their ancestors. Mary and Joseph,
then living in Nazareth, had to travel southward to the city of David, a distance of
approximately 70 miles (113 km). Perhaps they traveled even farther if they went around
the hostile intermediate province of Samaria.
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“Almost certainly they traveled with relatives who likewise were summoned to the land
of their ancestry. This difficult trek was no doubt made with their animals, such as dogs
and donkeys. They likely camped out several nights, as three to four days would have
been required for that journey” (“Christ the Savior Is Born,” New Era, Dec 2006, 2–5).
Luke 2:6. What Time of Year was Jesus Christ Born? (new)
Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in December. However, it
is important to note that the birth of Jesus Christ actually took place in April. President
Spencer W. Kimball (1899-1984) taught: “Christ was born on the sixth of April. Being
one of the sons of God and His Only Begotten, His birth is of supreme importance” (in
Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 3; or Ensign May, 1975, 4). President Harold B. Lee also
taught that April 6, “commemorates not only the anniversary of the organization of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this dispensation (see D&C 20, section
heading), but also the anniversary of the birth of the Savior, our Lord and Master, Jesus
Christ” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1973, 4; or Ensign, July 1973, 2).
Luke 2:7. There Was no Room for them in the Inns (new)
Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles helped us better
understand the lowly nature of the Savior’s birth: “In the Greek New Testament, the root
from which inn was translated is kataluma. We don’t have an equivalent word in the
English language. The Greek prefix kata- (or cata-) means ‘a bringing down.’ We see it
in English words such as catastrophe and cataclysm. When the prefix kata- was joined
with the suffix -luma, it meant literally “a breaking down of a journey.” A kataluma was
a place to rest or to lodge, or a guest chamber in a lodging place.
“. . . A lodging place in that part of Asia had to provide accommodations for traveling
caravans, including the people and their animals. Caravans stayed at what was then, as
still is, known as a caravansary, or a khan.
“Such a facility is typically rectangular in shape. It has a central courtyard for the animals
that is surrounded by walled cubicles where the people rest. These quarters allowed
guests to be elevated slightly above their animals, with open doorways so that owners
could watch over their animals.
“The Joseph Smith Translation of Luke 2:7 indicates that there was no room for them in
the ‘inns,’ suggesting that all of the katalumas or cubicles of the caravansary were
occupied.
“At a caravansary, animals were secured for the night in the center courtyard. In that
courtyard there would have been donkeys and dogs, sheep, and possibly camels and oxen.
. . Because the guest chambers surrounding the courtyard were filled, Joseph possibly
made the decision to care for Mary’s delivery in the center courtyard of a caravansary—
among the animals. There, in that lowly circumstance, the Lamb of God was born”
(“Christ the Savior Is Born,” New Era, Dec 2006, 2–5).
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Luke 2:19. Mary Pondered these things in her Heart (new)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles suggested
how Mary was blessed through pondering. “Mary, having been told some wondrous
things about herself and what lay ahead, nevertheless ’kept all these things, and pondered
them in her heart’ (Luke 2:19). Pondering often precedes contentment” (in Conference
Report, Apr. 2000, 91; or Ensign, May 2000, 73)
Luke 2:40. The Childhood of Jesus (new)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915-1985) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
summarized what we know about the childhood of Jesus Christ: “In our present state of
spiritual understanding, it apparently is not intended that we have any appreciable
knowledge of the life of Jesus prior to the commencement of his ministry. No doubt
complete and full accounts will be available during the millennium, for in that day the
Lord has promised to ‘reveal all things.’ (D. & C. 101:32.) Such knowledge as is now
available, however, leads us to believe that the Son of Mary (1) participated in the normal
activities and experiences of the time, and (2) was endowed with talents and spiritual
capacities exceeding those of any other person who ever lived. That he was obedient and
sinless is evident; yet, with it all, he was subject to the restrictions and testings of
mortality, was in all points tempted as other men are (Heb. 2:10-18; 5:8-9), and having
‘continued from grace to grace,’ he finally (after the resurrection) ‘received a fulness of
the glory of the Father,’ and perfected his own salvation” (D. & C. 93:6-16.) (Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, 3 vols., 1:111).
Luke 2:46. They Found Him in the Temple (new)
President James E. Faust (1920-2007) of the First Presidency spoke of the Savior’s love
of the temple: “Jesus at an early age was found in the temple. Throughout His ministry
He was at the temple. The temple was a source of inspiration and strength for Jesus. …
“It was in the temple that Jesus received much of His early education. It was there He
revealed the spiritual insight He had received to be about His Father’s business. In the
temple the Savior announced His Messianic mission. Simeon came by the Spirit to the
temple and there had fulfilled for him the promise by the Holy Ghost that he would not
die until he had seen ‘the Lord's Christ’ (Luke 2:18-29).
“The last verse of Luke’s gospel states that after the ascension the apostles ‘returned to
Jerusalem . . . and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God’ (Luke
24:52-53). Why were the apostles continually in the temple if it was not an important
part of what Christ taught?” (Temple Presidents Seminar, Salt Lake City, Utah, 19 Aug.
1987; In the Strength of the Lord: The Life and Teachings of James E. Faust, 444 - 445).
Luke 2:48-49. “I must Be about my Father’s Business” (new)
President Harold B. Lee (1899-1973) taught that the meaning of the Savior’s question:
“Think of the Master asking each of you, as this young boy did of Joseph and Mary, Wist
ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? Whatever you do according to the will
of the Lord is the Lord’s business” (Stand Ye in Holy Places [1974], 255).
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(3-8) Luke 2:49. What Did Jesus Christ Know at Age Twelve? (updated material)
The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote of the childhood capacities of Jesus Christ: ‘When still a
boy He had all the intelligence necessary to enable Him to rule and govern the kingdom
of the Jews, and could reason with the wisest and most profound doctors of law and
divinity, and make their theories and practice to appear like folly compared with the
wisdom He possessed; but He was a boy only, and lacked physical strength even to
defend His own person; and was subject to cold, to hunger and to death” (Teachings of
the Prophet Joseph Smith, 392).
Luke 2:50-51. “And was Subject unto Them” (new)
Jesus Christ was the Creator and the God of the Old Testament. In spirituality and
understanding, He was superior to Joseph and Mary, even at age twelve. Nevertheless
Luke records that He was “subject unto [Joseph and Mary].” Elder Cecil O. Samuelson
Jr., of the Seventy referred to His submissive nature to Joseph and Mary and gave the
following counsel to the youth of the Church: “Sometimes you might feel that your
parents and leaders respond like Mary and Joseph did. After Jesus answered by asking
His important question about His Father’s business, Luke records, ‘They understood not
the saying which he spake unto them.’ (Luke 2:50)
“Nevertheless, please pay close attention to what Jesus did! It is an example for what we
must do if we are really to fulfill our duty to God. ‘And he went down with them, and
came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. … And Jesus increased in wisdom and
stature, and in favour with God and man.’(Luke 2:51-52)
“You must remember that your duty to God is very clearly linked to your duties to your
own family members, particularly your parents. It is not only in being properly subject or
submissive to God, but also to parents and priesthood leaders, that we can truly fulfill our
duty to God” (in Conference Report, Oct. 2001, 53; or Ensign, Nov. 2001, 43).
President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency also noted the importance of following
the Savior’s submissive nature toward His earthly parents and His priesthood leaders:
“Might this be a good lesson and example for those of us who have perhaps exceeded our
own parents in terms of educational opportunities and other worldly advantages but still
owe them so much for so much that is most precious?
“At the time Jesus was baptized He knew who He was, and yet He willingly submitted to
proper priesthood authority and discipline (See Matt. 3:13-15)” (On Becoming a Disciple
Scholar , 56 – 57).
Luke 2:52. “Jesus Increased in Wisdom and Stature, and in Favour with God and
Man” (new)
Elder Robert L. Bachman of the Seventy defined what it means to grow in “wisdom, and
stature, and in favour with God and man: “In today’s vernacular, these words translate
into our Savior’s growing physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. What a model to
follow!” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1992, 15; or Ensign, Nov. 1992, 13).
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Luke 3:8. Bring Forth Fruits Worthy of Repentance (new)
John challenged the multitude to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance and gave specific
examples of what those fruits might be (see Luke 3:10-14). He told them to turn from the
common practices of their peers and culture that contradicted gospel principles. Elder
Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how John’s admonition
applies in our day:
“The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change. ‘Repent’ is its most frequent
message, and repenting means giving up all of our practices—personal, family, ethnic,
and national—that are contrary to the commandments of God. The purpose of the gospel
is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change.
“John the Baptist preached repentance. His listeners came from different groups, and he
declared the changes each must make to ‘bring forth … fruits worthy of repentance’
(Luke 3:8). Publicans, soldiers, and ordinary people—each had traditions that had to
yield to the process of repentance. …
“The traditions or culture or way of life of a people inevitably include some practices that
must be changed by those who wish to qualify for God’s choicest blessings” (in
Conference Report, Oct. 2003, 39-40; or Ensign, Nov. 2003, 38).
Luke 3:19. Herod the Tetrarch. (new)
Elder James E. Talmage (1862-1933) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained
who Herod the Tetrarch was:
“Herod Antipas, Son of Herod I (the Great) by a Samaritan woman, and full brother to
Archelaus. By the will of his father he became tetrarch of Galilee and Perea (Matt. 14:1;
Luke 3:19; 9:7; Acts 13:1; Luke 3:1). He repudiated his wife, a daughter of Aretas, king
of Arabia Petrea, and entered into an unlawful union with Herodias, the wife of his halfbrother Herod Philip I (not the tetrarch Philip).
“John the Baptist was imprisoned and finally put to death, through the anger of Herodias
over his denunciation of her union with Herod Antipas. Herodias urged Antipas to go to
Rome and petition Caesar for the title of king (Mark 6:14). Antipas is the Herod most
frequently mentioned in the New Testament (Mark 6:17; 8:15; Luke 3:1; 9:7; 13:31; Acts
4:27; 13:1). He was the Herod to whom Pilate sent Jesus for examination, taking
advantage of Christ being known as a Galilean, and of the coincident fact of Herod's
presence in Jerusalem at the time in attendance at the Passover (Luke 23:6)” (Jesus the
Christ,112).
Luke 4:14-30. Jesus was Rejected in Nazareth (new)
Jesus returned to Nazareth where he read a messianic prophecy of Isaiah which he
declared was fulfilled in Him. The passage foretold healings and deliverance. His
listeners sought a demonstration of power. He told them they were as their fathers; they
lacked faith. This instance stands in stark contrast to the miraculous ministry of the
Savior among the Nephites, to whom He said, “So great faith have I never seen among all
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the Jews; wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their
unbelief” (3 Nephi 19:35). Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915-1985) of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles explained why Jesus did not perform great miracles in Nazareth.
“Where there is faith, there is the miracle; where there is no faith, no miracle is wrought.
And if the prophets of old went outside the fold of Israel to find those worthy of their
ministry, so Jesus would go outside Nazareth to find receptive souls who would believe
in him and receive the blessings that he came to bestow. Should the people of Nazareth
desire to see the wondrous works done elsewhere, then let them accept him who now
preached in their synagogue, and they too would receive the blessings of heaven” (The
Mortal Messiah, 3 vols., 2:26).
Luke 5:1-11. “Launch out into the Deep” (new)
Matthew records that Jesus invited Peter and Andrew: “Follow me, and I will make you
fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles highlighted two similar statements from Luke’s record and what they came to
mean to Peter.
“‘Launch out into the deep,’ he counseled this fisherman one morning in Galilee, ‘and let
down your nets for a draught.’ (Luke 5:4) After an unsuccessful night of effort, Peter’s
expert judgment told him a final effort was useless. But this was a man of genuinely
childlike faith, and he lowered the net. The number of fish taken in that single attempt
strained the strings until they began to break and filled two boats until they began to sink.
In that small ship Peter kneeled, stunned, at the feet of the Master. Jesus said lovingly,
‘Henceforth thou shalt catch men.’ (Luke 5:10.)
“Launch out into the deep! Peter could not have known the ever-widening circles that
single command would make in the stream of his plain and simple life. He was launching
out into the expanse of godliness, into the eternal possibilities of redeemed and celestial
life. He would be learning the mysteries of the kingdom. He would be hearing
unspeakable things. To launch out into that limitless sea of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
Peter brought his craft to shore, turned his back on the most spectacular single catch ever
taken from Galilee, ‘forsook all, and followed him’” (Luke 5:11) (Ensign, Sept. 1975,
32).
Luke 5:1-9. Peter’s Feeling of Unworthiness (new)
Peter felt unworthy in the presence of the Savior. He declared, “Depart from me; for I
am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). How similar to Peter’s feelings were those of
Moses (Exodus 4:10), Enoch (Moses 6:31), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5), and others.
Modern apostles of the Lord have expressed similar feelings of unworthiness and
inadequacy. Following his call as an apostle, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stated: “My
beloved brothers and sisters, this is my first opportunity to stand before you since the
events of June 23 altered the course of my life and of my service forever. That was
exactly one hundred days ago, and every one of those days I have prayed to be worthy of
and equal to this sacred responsibility. Perhaps you can understand the immense personal
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inadequacy I feel and the deep, often painful examination of my soul I have experienced”
(in Conference Report, Oct.1994, 39; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 31).
(7-6) Luke 6:12-13. What is an Apostle? (Updated material)
President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the calling of
an Apostle: “They [the Twelve Apostles] are commissioned to go to all the world, for the
word Apostle means ‘one [who is] sent forth’. . . The Twelve Apostles ‘are called to be
… special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world.’ Each carries that certain
witness that Jesus is the Christ” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1996 6; or Ensign, Nov.
1996, 7).
Luke 7:9-10. The “Servant” was Healed (new)
Jesus healed the centurion’s servant without seeing or touching him. Elder Russell M.
Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles witnessed a similar experience while
traveling with President Spencer W. Kimball.
“I’ll never forget an experience that Sister Nelson and I had about three decades ago with
President Spencer W. Kimball and his beloved Camilla. We were in Hamilton, New
Zealand, for a large conference with the Saints. I was not a General Authority at that
time. I had been invited to participate in this and similar meetings in other Pacific Islands
while serving as general president of the Sunday School. And as a doctor of medicine, I
had attended President and Sister Kimball for many years. I knew each of them very well
inside and out.
“A Saturday evening cultural program had been prepared for this conference by local
youth of the Church. Unfortunately, President and Sister Kimball both became very ill,
each with a high fever. After receiving priesthood blessings, they rested at the nearby
home of the president of the New Zealand Temple. President Kimball asked his
counselor, President N. Eldon Tanner, to preside at the cultural event and to excuse
President and Sister Kimball. . . .
“While President Kimball was sleeping, I was quietly reading in his room. Suddenly
President Kimball was awakened. He asked, ‘Brother Nelson, what time was this
evening’s program to begin?"’
“‘At seven o'clock, President Kimball.’
“‘What time is it now?"’
“‘It’s almost seven,’ I replied.
“President Kimball quickly said, ‘Tell Sister Kimball we are going!’
“I checked President Kimball’s temperature. It was normal! I took Sister Kimball’s
temperature. It was also normal!
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“They quickly dressed and got into an automobile. We were driven to the stadium of the
Church College of New Zealand. As the car entered the arena, there was a very loud
shout that erupted spontaneously. It was most unusual! After we took our seats, I asked
Sister Nelson about that sudden sound. She said that when President Tanner began the
meeting, he dutifully excused President and Sister Kimball because of illness. Then one
of the young New Zealanders was called upon to pray.
“With great faith, he gave what Sister Nelson described as a rather lengthy but powerful
prayer. He so prayed: ‘We are 3,000 New Zealand youth. We are assembled here, having
prepared for six months to sing and dance for Thy prophet. Wilt Thou heal him and
deliver him here!’ After the ‘amen’ was pronounced, the car carrying President and Sister
Kimball entered the stadium. They were identified immediately, and instantly everyone
shouted for joy!
“I had witnessed the healing power of the Lord!” (in Conference Report, Oct. 2005, 8889; or Ensign, Nov. 2005, 85-86).
Luke 7:14. What is a Bier? (new)
A bier is an open coffin “on which a dead person was carried to burial” (The Complete
Word Study Dictionary, New Testament, 1300).
Luke 9:23. “Take up his Cross Daily” (new)
Jesus challenged those who would follow Him to deny themselves and take up their cross
daily. On another occasion he explained, “for a man to take up his cross, is to deny
himself of all ungodliness, and every worldly lust, and keep my commandments” (JST
Matthew 16:26). It takes trust and humility—meekness to turn from our sins. Bishop H.
David Burton, the Presiding Bishop of the Church, taught of the importance of meekness:
“Meekness is vital to becoming more Christlike. Without it one cannot develop other
important virtues. Mormon indicated, ‘None is acceptable before God, save the meek and
lowly in heart’ (Moro. 7:44). Acquiring meekness is a process. We are asked to ‘take up
the cross daily’ (Luke 9:23). Our lifting should not be an occasional exercise. More
meekness does not translate to weakness, but it is the presentation of self in a posture of
kindness and gentleness. ‘It reflects certitude, strength, serenity; it reflects a healthy selfesteem and a genuine self-control’” (See Neal A. Maxwell, “Meekly Drenched in
Destiny,” in Brigham Young University 1982–83 Fireside and Devotional Speeches
[1983], 2). More meekness will allow us to be tutored by the Spirit” (in Conference
Report, Oct. 2004, 104-105; or Ensign, Nov. 2004, 99).
Luke 10. The Organization of the Quorum of the Seventy (new)
Elder L. Aldin Porter, of the Seventy, recounted the circumstances of the organization of
the Seventy in the latter days:
“On 8 February 1835, the Prophet Joseph Smith called Elders Brigham and Joseph
Young to his home in Kirtland, Ohio, and related a vision he had received about those
who had died in Zion’s Camp. He then said: ‘I wish to notify all the brethren living in the
branches, within a reasonable distance from this place, to meet at a general conference on
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Saturday next. I shall then and there appoint twelve Special Witnesses, to open the door
of the Gospel to foreign nations, and you,’ said he (speaking to Brother Brigham), ‘will
be one of them.’ After explaining their duties, “he then turned to Elder Joseph Young
with quite an earnestness, as though the vision of his mind was extended still further, and
addressing him, said, ‘Brother Joseph, the Lord has made you President of the Seventies.’
They had heard of Moses and seventy Elders of Israel, and of Jesus appointing ‘other
Seventies,’ but had never heard of Twelve Apostles and of Seventies being called in this
Church before. It was a strange saying, ‘The Lord has made you President of the
Seventies,’ as though it had already taken place, and it caused these brethren to marvel.”
(quoted in History of the Church, 2:181, note).
“Forty-eight days later, the revelation known as section 107 was given, which included
the following instructions: [D&C 107:25-26, 34-35].
“A few months after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, a
general conference of the Church was held in Nauvoo on 6–8 October 1844. Much of the
conference was devoted to putting the organization of the priesthood in place. . . . As part
of this conference, President Brigham Young said to the Seventy, ‘You are all apostles to
the nations to carry the gospel; and when we send you to build up the kingdom, we will
give you the keys and power and authority.’ (History of the Church, 7:308) This
statement of President Young can be better understood by referring to a statement made
by President Joseph F. Smith: ‘The seventies are called to be assistants to the twelve
apostles; indeed they are apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, subject to the direction of the
Twelve, and it is their duty to respond to the call of the Twelve, under the direction of the
First Presidency of the Church, to preach the gospel to every creature, to every tongue
and people under the heavens, to whom they may be sent.’ (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed.
(1939), 183) Members of the Seventy receive delegated authority from the First
Presidency or Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to function in their appointed roles” (“A
History of the Latter-day Seventy,” Ensign, Aug 2000, 16).
Luke 10:2. “The Harvest Truly is Great . . . Send Forth Laborers” (new)
President Howard W. Hunter (1907-1995) emphasized the need for every able, worthy
young man to serve a full-time mission: “Earlier prophets have taught that every able,
worthy young man should serve a full-time mission. I emphasize this need today. We also
have great need for our able, mature couples to serve in the mission field. Jesus told his
disciples, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord
of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest’ (Luke 10:2)”
(Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 119; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 88).
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained further why
we need more missionaries. “Brothers and sisters, there is an incredible amount of work
that needs to be done. The Spirit of the Lord is brooding over many of the nations of the
world. Doors previously locked are opening to us. We need more hardworking,
testimony-enriched missionaries in order to reach more of our Heavenly Father’s children
who are now at a place where we can reach them. These are our brothers and sisters, and
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we have the responsibility to teach them the message of the Restoration” (in Conference
Report, Apr. 2005, 72; or in Ensign, May 2005, 70).
(16-3) Luke 10:27. “Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself” (updated material)
Elder Stephen A. West of the Seventy related the following story as an example of
brotherly love for one’s neighbor:
“One Sunday, right in the middle of the branch sacrament meeting, a woman walked in
the door off the street. She was a homeless woman who was wearing dirty, ragged
clothes, coughing, choking, and blowing her nose into a filthy handkerchief. In a loud,
hoarse voice she said, ‘I want to sing! I want to pray!’ and walked right to the front row
and sat down next to a member who was wearing a white blouse, leaned against her, and
laid her head on her shoulder.
“The member immediately put her arms around this guest and held her in her arms
throughout the remainder of the meeting. It happened that the speaker had been talking
about the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) as the woman had come in. As
this woman coughed and choked, the speaker continued telling of the parable. As he
came to the end of his talk and was quoting a relevant scripture, suddenly, in a loud
voice, this homeless woman finished giving the verse that the speaker had begun.
“In talking of this after sacrament meeting with the speaker, we thought it had probably
been a long time since someone had affectionately put an arm around our visitor. We
wondered what better illustration you could have of the parable of the good Samaritan
than what we had just seen, and we were reminded of the Savior’s words that preceded
His telling of that parable, ‘Thou shalt love … thy neighbour as thyself’ (Luke 10:27)”
(in Conference Report, Apr 1999, 34-35; or Ensign, May 1999, 28).
Sister Sharon G. Larsen of the Young Women General Presidency retold the parable of
the Good Samaritan in a modern setting and applied it to the young women of the
Church:
“Let’s look at an up-to-date version of another heroic Bible message: A certain girl went
down from her locker toward the lunchroom and fell among thieves, who stripped her of
her confidence and self-esteem when she overheard them making fun of her and of the
way she dressed, and they walked off leaving her alone and friendless. And by chance
there came down a certain girl that way dressed in fine clothes, and when she saw her,
she passed by on the other side of the hall.
“And likewise, a girl from the ‘in’ crowd of popular girls, when she was at the place,
came and looked on her and passed by on the other side without speaking. But a certain
young woman came down the hall where she was, and when she saw her, she had
compassion and went to her and bound up her wounds when she said, ‘Would you eat
lunch with me?’ (author’s adaptation of the parable of the good Samaritan; Luke 10:3037).
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“Looking more closely at this familiar parable, why didn’t the other girls stop to help?
Are we so intent on our own problems that we do not notice or think anyone else has
any? Do we judge the girl in need to be socially beneath us and worry what the popular
kids would think if we stopped to help? Maybe the ‘dream guy’ of the school is waiting
to walk you to class and you couldn’t possibly keep him waiting!
“Each one who passed the girl in need had one question in her mind: If I stop, what will
happen to me? The girl who did stop to help also had one question: If I don’t stop, what
will happen to her? When we are confident of our Father in Heaven’s infinite love, we
can reach out to others” (Ensign, May 2000, 89).
(16-3) Luke 10:25-37. “Who Is my Neighbor?” (updated material)
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how the
parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates that we should love, esteem, respect, and serve
one another despite our deepest differences—including religious, political, and cultural
differences:
“Every time I read this parable I am impressed with its power and its simplicity. But have
you ever wondered why the Savior chose to make the hero of this story a Samaritan?
There was considerable antipathy between the Jews and the Samaritans at the time of
Christ. Under normal circumstances, these two groups avoided association with each
other. It would still be a good, instructive parable if the man who fell among thieves had
been rescued by a brother Jew.
“His deliberate use of Jews and Samaritans clearly teaches that we are all neighbors and
that we should love, esteem, respect, and serve one another despite our deepest
differences—including religious, political, and cultural differences” (in Conference
Report, Oct. 2001, 43; or Ensign, Nov. 2001, 36).
President Howard W. Hunter (1907-1995) observed, “The key is to love our neighbor,
including the neighbor that is difficult to love. We need to remember that though we
make our friends, God has made our neighbors—everywhere. Love should have no
boundary; we should have no narrow loyalties” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 44; or
Ensign, Nov 1986, 35).
Luke 10:38-42. “Mary Hath Chosen that Good Part”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught how we can discern
which activities are most important in our lives. “We should begin by recognizing the
reality that just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The
number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them.
Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority
attention in our lives.
“Jesus taught this principle in the home of Martha. While she was ‘cumbered about much
serving’ (Luke 10:40), her sister, Mary, ‘sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word’ (v. 39).
When Martha complained that her sister had left her to serve alone, Jesus commended
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Martha for what she was doing (v. 41) but taught her that ‘one thing is needful: and Mary
hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her’ (v. 42). It was
praiseworthy for Martha to be ‘careful and troubled about many things’ (v. 41), but
learning the gospel from the Master Teacher was more ‘needful.’ The scriptures contain
other teachings that some things are more blessed than others ” (see Acts 20:35; Alma
32:14-15). . .
“Consider how we use our time in the choices we make in viewing television, playing
video games, surfing the Internet, or reading books or magazines. Of course it is good to
view wholesome entertainment or to obtain interesting information. But not everything of
that sort is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and
others are best (in Conference Report, Oct. 2007, 110-111; or Ensign, Nov. 2007, 105).
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles related
Martha and Mary’s experience to modern day life styles: “A few in the Church are
needlessly laden with programmed hyperactivity. They unwisely and unnecessarily
exceed their strength and means, running faster than they are able (see D&C 10:4;
Mosiah 4:27). Their fatiguing, Martha-like anxiety should yield more often to a Marylike sense of proportion about what matters most; then the good part will not be taken
from them (Luke 10:41-42)” (Man and Women of Christ, 3).
(16-5) Luke 11:1-13. “Ask and it Shall Be Given You” (updated material)
The Savior helped His disciples understand the Father’s willingness to answer their
prayers. Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed how the
Lord provides answers to our prayers today:
“I have discovered that what sometimes seems an impenetrable barrier to communication
is a giant step to be taken in trust. Seldom will you receive a complete response all at
once. It will come a piece at a time, in packets, so that you will grow in capacity. As each
piece is followed in faith, you will be led to other portions until you have the whole
answer. That pattern requires you to exercise faith in our Father’s capacity to respond.
While sometimes it’s very hard, it results in significant personal growth.
“He will always hear your prayers and will invariably answer them. However, His
answers will seldom come while you are on your knees praying, even when you may
plead for an immediate response. Rather, He will prompt you in quiet moments when the
Spirit can most effectively touch your mind and heart. Hence, you should find periods of
quiet time to recognize when you are being instructed and strengthened. His pattern
causes you to grow.
“. . . Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer
comes. . . .
“What do you do when you have prepared carefully, have prayed fervently, waited a
reasonable time for a response, and still do not feel an answer? You may want to express
thanks when that occurs, for it is an evidence of His trust. When you are living worthily
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and your choice is consistent with the Savior’s teachings and you need to act, proceed
with trust. As you are sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit, one of two things will
certainly occur at the appropriate time: either the stupor of thought will come, indicating
an improper choice, or the peace or the burning in the bosom will be felt, confirming that
your choice was correct. When you are living righteously and are acting with trust, God
will not let you proceed too far without a warning impression if you have made the wrong
decision” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2007, 6-8; or Ensign, May 2007, 9-10).
Luke 12:1. Beware of Hypocrisy (new)
Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy declared that if we make gospel standards part of
our basic character we will eliminate hypocrisy from our life. “Another wonderful benefit
of living according to standards we have internalized is that we gradually eliminate
hypocrisy from our thinking and our behavior. The English word hypocrisy comes from a
Greek word which means playing a part upon a stage. Until standards become part of our
basic character, we sometimes play the role of a religious person without really being
one. As we search for our true identity, we may behave like chameleons, frequently
changing colors to blend with our surroundings. We act one way at school, another at
church.
“To most people, however, nothing is more appealing than someone who is ‘genuine’ or
‘real’” (New Era, June 2001, 5).
Luke 12:7. “Ye Are of More Value than Many Sparrows” (new)
President Thomas S. Monson noted that if the Lord is mindful of even a tiny sparrow, he
is mindful of each of us: “If any brethren within the sound of my voice feel unprepared,
even incapable of responding to a call to serve, to sacrifice, to bless the lives of others,
remember the truth: ‘Whom God calls, God qualifies.’ ‘He who notes the sparrow’s fall
will not abandon the servant’s need’” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 54; or Ensign,
May 1987, 44).
Luke 12:12. For the Holy Ghost Shall Teach you What to Say (new)
The Savior reiterated this promise in Doctrine and Covenants 84:85 when he assured us
that if we would continually “treasure up” His words, we would be given “in the very
hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.”
The guide to missionary service, Preach My Gospel, counsels us to rely on the Spirit
when we teach. “Learn to rely on the Spirit to give you what you should say and do . . . .
The Spirit will draw upon the knowledge and skills you have developed to help you teach
more powerfully” (Preach My Gospel, 176).
Luke 12:15. Beware of Covetousness (new)
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles cautioned against the
dangers of covetousness and the financial debt which often accompanies it:
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“Brothers and sisters, beware of covetousness. It is one of the great afflictions of these
latter days. It creates greed and resentment. Often it leads to bondage, heartbreak, and
crushing, grinding debt.
“The number of marriages that have been shattered over money issues is staggering. The
amount of heartbreak is great. The stress that comes from worry over money has
burdened families, caused sickness, depression, and even premature death.
“In spite of the teachings of the Church from its earliest days until today, members
sometimes fall victim to many unwise and foolish financial practices. Some continue to
spend, thinking that somehow the money will become available. Somehow they will
survive. . . .
“Far too often, the money hoped for does not appear.
“Remember this: debt is a form of bondage. It is a financial termite. When we make
purchases on credit, they give us only an illusion of prosperity. We think we own things,
but the reality is, our things own us” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 41; or Ensign,
May 2004, 41).
Luke 12:15. “Not in the Abundance of Things Which he Possesseth” (new material)
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles counseled, “Recognize that
enduring happiness comes from what you are, not from what you have” (in Conference
Report, Apr. 1991, 43; or Ensign, May 1991, 34).
President Thomas S. Monson cautioned us to learn to live within our means. “Avoid the
philosophy and excuse that yesterday’s luxuries have become today’s necessities. They
aren’t necessities unless we ourselves make them such. Many of our young couples
today want to begin with multiple cars and the type of home Mother and Dad worked a
lifetime to obtain. Consequently, they enter into long-term debt on the basis of two
salaries. Perhaps too late they find that changes do come—women have children,
sickness stalks some families, jobs are lost, natural disasters and other situations occur—
and no longer can the mortgage payment based on the income from two salaries, be
made.
“It is essential for us to live within our means” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2005, 20; or
Ensign, May 2005, 20).
Luke 12:16-21. Spiritual Wealth Must Take Precedence over Material Wealth
(new)
In these verses the Savior eloquently taught that when we fail to develop spiritually we
are not prepared for the Day of Judgment. President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles reminded us that our focus should not be on riches or fame but on
choosing to obey the commandments of God.
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“We want our children and their children to know that the choice of life is not between
fame and obscurity, nor is the choice between wealth and poverty. The choice is between
good and evil, and that is a very different matter indeed.
“When we finally understand this lesson, thereafter our happiness will not be determined
by material things. We may be happy without them or successful in spite of them.
“Wealth and prominence do not always come from having earned them. Our worth is not
measured by renown or by what we own. . . .
“The crucial test of life, I repeat, does not center in the choice between fame and
obscurity, nor between wealth and poverty. The greatest decision of life is between good
and evil” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1980, 28-29; or Ensign, Nov. 1980, 21).
“I have related before my experience with a friend who took me to his ranch. He
unlocked the door of a large new automobile, slid behind the wheel, and said proudly,
‘How do you like my new car?’ We rode in luxurious comfort into the rural areas to a
beautiful new landscaped home, and he said with no little pride, “This is my home.”
“He drove to a grassy knoll. The sun was setting behind the distant hills. He surveyed his
vast domain. Pointing to the north, he asked, ‘Do you see that clump of trees yonder?’ I
could plainly discern them in the fading day.
“He pointed to the east. ‘Do you see the lake shimmering in the sunset?’ It too was
visible.
‘“Now, the bluff that’s on the south.’ We turned about to scan the distance. He identified
barns, silos, the ranch house to the west. With a wide sweeping gesture, he boasted,
‘From the clump of trees, to the lake, to the bluff, and to the ranch buildings and all
between—all this is mine. And the dark specks in the meadow—those cattle also are
mine.’
“And then I asked from whom he obtained it. The chain of title of his abstract went back
to land grants from governments. His attorney had assured him he had an unencumbered
title.
“’From whom did the government get it?’ I asked. ‘What was paid for it?’ There came
into my mind the declaration of the Psalmist, boldly restated by Paul: ‘The earth is the
Lord’s and the fulness thereof’ (1 Cor. 10:26).
“And then I asked, ‘Did the title come from God, Creator of the earth and the owner
thereof? Did he get paid? Was it sold or leased or given to you? If a gift, from whom? If a
sale, with what exchange or currency? If a lease, do you make proper accounting?’
“And then I asked, ‘What was the price? With what treasures did you buy this farm?’
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“’Money!’
“’Where did you get the money?’
“’From my toil, my sweat, my labor, and my strength.’
“And then I asked, ‘Where did you get your strength to toil, your power to labor, your
glands to sweat?’
“He spoke of food.
“’Where did the food originate?’
“’From sun and atmosphere and soil and water.’
“’And who brought those elements here?’
“I quoted the Psalmist: ‘Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst
confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary’ (Ps. 68:9).
“If the land is not yours, then what accounting do you make to your landlord for his
bounties? The scripture says: ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God
the things that are God’s’ (Mark 12:17). What percentage of your increase do you pay
Caesar? And what percent to God?
“Do you believe the Bible? Do you accept the command of the Lord through the prophet
Malachi? Do you believe Moses’ words to Pharaoh that ‘the earth is the Lord’s’?’ (Ex.
9:29).
“I said again: ‘I seem to find no place in holy writ where God has said, ‘I give you title to
this land unconditionally.’’
“’I cannot find such scripture, but I do find this from Psalms: ‘Those that wait upon the
Lord, … shall inherit the earth’ (Ps. 37:9).’
“And I remember that our Creator covenanted in the council in heaven with us all: ‘[And]
we will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will
make an earth whereon these may dwell’ (Abr. 3:24).
“It seems more of a lease on which a rental is exacted than of a simple title.
“This does not seem to convey the earth but only the use and contents which are given to
men on condition that they live all of the commandments of God.”
But my friend continued to mumble, ‘Mine—mine,’ as if to convince himself against the
surer knowledge that he was at best a recreant renter.
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“That was long years ago. I later saw him lying in his death among luxurious furnishings
in a palatial home. His had been a vast estate. And I folded his arms upon his breast, and
drew down the little curtains over his eyes. I spoke at his funeral, and I followed the
cortege from the good piece of earth he had claimed to his grave, a tiny, oblong area the
length of a tall man, the width of a heavy one.
“Later I saw that same estate, yellow in grain, green in lucerne, white in cotton,
seemingly unmindful of him who had claimed it” President Spencer W. /Kimball, in
Conference Report, Apr. 1968, 73-74).
Luke 12:23. “Life is More than Meat” (new)
We have to eat to live; our body needs nourishment. But there is more to life than
“meat,” or food. After telling about taking salt to nourish his grandfather’s herd of cattle,
President James E. Faust of the First Presidency compared the nourishment his
grandfather provided for his cattle to the nourishment we need in our lives.
“A nutrient furnishes nourishment that promotes growth and healing both in animals and
humans. Grandfather’s cattle craved the nutrients in the rock salt, but human beings need
something more. They need to be replenished spiritually because ‘life is more than meat’
(Luke 12:23) and ‘there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth
them understanding.’ (Job 32:8) The human spirit needs love. It also needs to be
‘nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine’” (1 Tim. 4:6) (in Conference
Report, Oct. 2006, 58; or Ensign, Nov. 2006, 53).
Luke 12:31. Seek the Kingdom of God (new)
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles talked about our
commitment to the kingdom:
“Sacrifice is . . . necessary if we are to develop faith strong enough to lay hold on eternal
life. I believe we should increase our spiritual devotion and service to the Lord and others
in order to demonstrate our love for Him and our Heavenly Father.
“If I have a fear, it is that the principle of sacrifice may be slipping away from us. This
principle is a law of God. We are obliged to understand it and practice it. If being a
member of this Church becomes too easy, testimonies will become shallow, and the roots
of testimony will not go down into the soil of faith as they did with our pioneer
forefathers. May God grant each of us an understanding of the law of sacrifice and a
conviction that it is necessary today. It is vitally important that we understand this law
and live it” (Ensign, Oct. 1998, 13).
Luke 12:43. The Lord is Pleased when we Are Anxiously Engaged in His Work
(new)
President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) spoke of our willingness to bear our share of
the Lord’s work: “May I suggest that in my judgment, no person who is a member of this
church and has taken upon himself the covenants incident to membership can reasonably
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expect the blessings of the Lord upon his efforts unless [he is] willing to bear his share of
the burden of the Lord’s kingdom” (Ensign, Jan.1994, 6).
Luke 12:48. Where Much Is Given, Much Is Required (new)
Sister Kathleen H. Hughes of the Relief Society General Presidency noted that when the
Lord requires much from us, He also gives us the means to accomplish our tasks:
“Remember, though, that where much is required, much is also given. When we covenant
with God and keep those covenants, all things are made possible. He gives us what we
need to do His work” (Ensign, Nov. 2003, 110).
Sister Sheri L. Dew of the Relief Society General Presidency also similarly taught: “With
these privileges comes great responsibility, for ‘unto whom much is given much is
required’ (D&C 82:3), and at times the demands of discipleship are heavy. But shouldn’t
we expect the journey towards eternal glory to stretch us? We sometimes rationalize our
preoccupation with this world and our casual attempts to grow spiritually by trying to
console each other with the notion that living the gospel really shouldn’t require all that
much of us. The Lord’s standard of behavior will always be more demanding than the
world’s, but then the Lord’s rewards are infinitely more glorious—including true joy,
peace, and salvation” (Ensign, Nov. 1999, 98).
(17-1) Luke 12:49-53. Divided Families (updated quote)
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915-1985) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that
it is better to embrace the gospel, even at the expense of family peace. “How severe the
tests of life sometimes are! Mortals come here to be tried and tested, ‘to see if they will
do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.’ And if such
necessitates a choice between father and mother, or son and daughter, and the saving
power of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, then so be it. . . . No one is justified in
maintaining family peace and unity if by so doing he must forsake the gospel and its
saving truths” (The Mortal Messiah, 3 vols., 2:323-324).
Luke 13:1-5. Does God Send Accidents, Violent Death, and Other Calamities to
Punish us for our Sins? (new)
There seems to have been those in Jesus’ day who thought calamities were punishment
from God. Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915-1985) of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles explained this issue: “True it is, as a general principle, that God sends disasters,
calamities, plagues, and suffering upon the rebellious, and that he preserves and protects
those who love and serve him. Such indeed were the very promises given to Israelobedience would net them the preserving and protecting care of the Lord, disobedience
would bring death, destruction, desolation, disaster, war, and a host of evils upon them.
(Deut. 28; 30.)
“But to say that particular individuals slain in war, killed in accidents, smitten with
disease, stricken by plagues, or shorn of their property by natural calamities, have been
singled out from among their fellows as especially deserving of such supposed retribution
is wholly unwarranted. It is not man’s prerogative to conclude in individual cases of
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suffering or accident that such has befallen a person as a just retribution for an ungodly
course. . . .
“The real lesson to be learned from Jesus’ conclusion, ‘Except ye repent, ye shall all
likewise perish,’ is that there was no difference in righteousness between the slain and the
living, and that unless the living repent they would perish with the dead. For those who
heard this judgment pronounced upon them, it probably was fulfilled in the soon-to-be
destruction of Jerusalem itself.
“In a broader sense the thought is that as these have perished temporally so shall all
perish spiritually unless they repent. In effect the Lord said the same thing in latter-day
revelation when he announced that ‘every man must repent or suffer,’ and that only those
who did repent would escape the same excruciating pain and anguish which he himself
suffered in Gethsemane. (D&C 19.) Two alternatives face all men-repent or perish”
(Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols., 1:476).
Luke 13:3, 5. Except Ye Repent Ye Shall Perish (new)
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency used the following tragic story to
illustrate the importance of making course corrections or repenting: “In 1979 a large
passenger jet with 257 people on board left New Zealand for a sightseeing flight to
Antarctica and back. Unknown to the pilots, however, someone had modified the flight
coordinates by a mere two degrees. This error placed the aircraft 28 miles (45 km) to the
east of where the pilots assumed they were. As they approached Antarctica, the pilots
descended to a lower altitude to give the passengers a better look at the landscape.
Although both were experienced pilots, neither had made this particular flight before, and
they had no way of knowing that the incorrect coordinates had placed them directly in the
path of Mount Erebus, an active volcano that rises from the frozen landscape to a height
of more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m).
“As the pilots flew onward, the white of the snow and ice covering the volcano blended
with the white of the clouds above, making it appear as though they were flying over flat
ground. By the time the instruments sounded the warning that the ground was rising fast
toward them, it was too late. The airplane crashed into the side of the volcano, killing
everyone on board.
“It was a terrible tragedy brought on by a minor error—a matter of only a few degrees.”
President Uchtdorf then taught the following lesson: “Small errors and minor drifts away
from the doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring sorrowful consequences into our
lives. It is therefore of critical importance that we become self-disciplined enough to
make early and decisive corrections to get back on the right track and not wait or hope
that errors will somehow correct themselves.
“The longer we delay corrective action, the larger the needed changes become, and the
longer it takes to get back on the correct course—even to the point where a disaster might
be looming” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2008, XX; or Ensign, May 2008, XX).
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Luke 13:18-19. The Kingdom of God is Like a Mustard Seed (new)
President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) applied this parable to the miraculous growth of
the Church in the last days. “That the Church of Jesus Christ would have an
inconspicuous beginning and then enjoy phenomenal growth was likewise predicted.
Jesus used the comparison of the small mustard seed to describe the early beginning of
His church. But eventually, He declared, that insignificant seed would become a great
tree and many would find refuge in its branches (see Matt. 13:31-32). …
“The growth of the Church, like the growth of grass or trees, has been almost
imperceptible to the eye, but little by little, line by line, precept by precept, the Church
has matured.
“Simultaneous with the early development of the Church was a spirit of opposition and
persecution. Wherever the tiny ‘mustard seed’ was planted, attempts were made to
frustrate its growth. But notwithstanding all the efforts to destroy the work—even the
murder of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother—the Church prospered and grew. …
“Just before the Prophet’s death, Brigham Young said, ‘The kingdom is organized; and,
although as yet no bigger than a grain of mustard seed, the little plant is in a flourishing
condition’ (History of the Church, 6:354). …
“We assuredly expect additional progress, growth, and increased spirituality. We will see
our missionaries cover the earth with the message of the Restoration. We will see temples
in every land where the gospel has penetrated, symbolizing the truth that families, living
and deceased, may be joined together in love and eternal family associations. But we
must also be reminded that there will be ever-present efforts to obstruct the work. …
“This is the spiritual kingdom of God moving forward in its divine course to fill the earth,
a truly marvelous work and a wonder! As we contemplate our past and future, may we
remember the prophecy of Joseph Smith, words that I testify are true: ‘No unhallowed
hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine,
armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly,
nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept
every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished,
and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done’ (History of the Church, 4:540).”
(in Conference Report, Apr 1980, 44-48; or Ensign, May 1980, 32-34)
Luke 14:1-5. The Ox in the Mire
Sometimes the excuse “the ox is in the mire” is used to justify breaking the Sabbath day.
Sometimes we are the ones who put the ox in the mire. President Spencer W. Kimball
(1895-1985) noted: “The Savior knew that the ox gets in the mire on the Sabbath (Luke
14:5), but he knew also that no ox deliberately goes into the mire every week (in
Conference Report, Oct. 1953, 55)
Luke 14:26-27. In What Sense Should Disciples “Hate” their Families? (new)
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The sense and meaning of the Savior’s instruction here is that true disciples will place the
Lord before family or personal obligations and be willing to sacrifice life and personal
relationships, if necessary, to come unto Christ and to do His will.
The prophet Joseph Smith declared that such a sacrifice has always been required of
those who would come unto Christ. In the Lectures on Faith we read: “For a man to lay
down his all, his character and reputation, his honor, and applause, his good name among
men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his
own life also-counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge
of Jesus Christ-requires more than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of
God; but actual knowledge, realizing that, when these sufferings are ended, he will enter
into eternal rest, and be a partaker of the glory of God. . . .
“Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never
has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the
first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never
could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice,
and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through
the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are
doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God” (Lectures on Faith, Lecture
6:5, 7).
JST Luke 14:28. ‘Settle this in your Hearts”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught the
need to be settled in spiritual matters when he stated: “Being settled keeps us from
responding to every little ripple of dissent as if it were a tidal wave. We are to be
disciples, not oscillators, like a ‘reed shaken with the wind.’ (Matt. 11:7.) More members
need the immense relief and peace which can come from being ‘settled’ without which
those individuals will be like ‘the troubled sea, when it cannot rest.’ (Isa. 57:20)
“There is another special reason to become settled: we will live in a time in which ‘all
things shall be in commotion.’ (D&C 88:91; D&C 45:26.) The uncertainties, upheavals,
and topsy-turviness of today’s world will be such that those who vacillate and equivocate
will be tossed about by severe turbulence” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1992, 92; or
Ensign, Nov. 1992, 67).
Elder Larry W. Gibbons of the Seventy taught that to ‘be settled” in the gospel requires
us to live in total harmony with the commandments: “Brothers and sisters, let’s sell that
summer cottage in Babylon. Let us be not ‘almost’ but ‘altogether’ Latter-day Saints.
“In Joseph Smith Translation, Luke 14:28 the Lord says: ‘Wherefore, settle this in your
hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach, and command you.’ I love that
phrase ‘settle this.’ Brothers and sisters, I pray that we are ‘settled.’ There are precious
blessings that come only from the complete yielding of one’s heart to God. . . .
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“What a great thing it is to decide once and for all early in life what you will do and what
you will not do with regards to honesty, modesty, chastity, the Word of Wisdom, and
temple marriage.
“Brothers and sisters, stay on the straight and narrow path. No, stay in the middle of the
straight and narrow path. Don’t drift; don’t wander; don’t dabble; be careful.
“Remember, do not flirt with evil. Stay out of the devil’s territory. Do not give Satan any
home-field advantage. Living the commandments will bring you the happiness that too
many look for in other places” (in Conference Report, Oct. 2006, 109-110; or Ensign,
Nov. 2006, 103-104).
Luke 15:1-2. “This Man Receiveth Sinners, and Eateth with them” (new)
The Savior’s invitation to come unto Him is extended to all. “All are alike” unto Him.
(See 2 Nephi 26:33). If we are to be like Him, we must learn to serve others as He did,
without respect for rank or privilege. Bishop Richard C. Edgley, of the Presiding
Bishopric explained:
“Many of the words associated with Christ’s condescension can also be associated with
our ministry—words like descend, love, mercy, submission, obedience, service, sacrifice,
and minister.
“The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, ‘The condescension of the Father of our spirits, in
providing a sacrifice for His creatures, a plan of redemption, … ought to inspire everyone
who is called to be a minister of these glad tidings, to so improve his talent that he may
gain other talents, that when the Master sits down to take an account of the conduct of
His servants, it may be said, Well done, good and faithful servant.’ (Teachings of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, 48) As the Father and Son both condescended from lofty and
glorious stations to fulfill Their missions, we also can become the true servants in doing
Their work, following Their example” (Ensign, Dec. 2001, 20).
(18-9) Luke 15:1-7. Lost Sheep (updated material)
It seems apparent that the sheep in the parable was not lost through willful disobedience
or careless neglect; it simply strayed away in search of greener pastures and soon was
lost. Church members can be the same, they wander into inactivity through no fault of
anyone. President J. Reuben Clarke Jr. (1871-1961) of the First Presidency taught the
serious nature of failing to try and bring them back into the fold: “It is my hope and my
belief that the Lord never permits the light of faith wholly to be extinguished in any
human heart, however faint the light may glow. The Lord has provided that there shall
still be there a spark which, with teaching, with the spirit of righteousness, with love,
tenderness, with example, with living the gospel, shall brighten and glow again, however
dark the mind may have been. And if we shall fail to reach those among us of our own
whose faith has dwindled low, we shall fail in one of the main things which the Lord
expects at our hands” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1936, 114).
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Elder Alexander B. Morrison of the Seventy wrote: “No part of the leader-shepherd’s role
is more important than that which takes him or her out into the highways and thickets of
the world to find and bring back members of the flock of Christ who have wandered
away, in whom the fire of faith and testimony has dimmed and grown cold. As leaders
do so, theirs is the joy expressed so beautifully by the Savior in that powerful parable
found in Luke 15” (Feed My Sheep: Leadership Ideas for Latter-day Shepherds, [1992]
28).
President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) shared with us his concern about lost sheep:
“There are so many young people who wander aimlessly and walk the tragic trail of
drugs, gangs, immorality, and the whole brood of ills that accompany these things. There
are widows who long for friendly voices and that spirit of anxious concern which speaks
of love. There are those who were once warm in the faith, but whose faith has grown
cold. Many of them wish to come back but do not know quite how to do it. They need
friendly hands reaching out to them. With a little effort, many of them can be brought
back to feast again at the table of the Lord.
“My brethren and sisters, I would hope, I would pray, that each of us . . . would resolve
to seek those who need help, who are in desperate and difficult circumstances, and lift
them in the spirit of love into the embrace of the Church, where strong hands and loving
hearts will warm them, comfort them, sustain them, and put them on the way of happy
and productive lives” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1996, 118; or Ensign, Nov. 1996, 86).
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described several
reasons why Church members wander into inactivity today:
“Some are lost because they are different. They feel as though they don’t belong. Perhaps
because they are different, they find themselves slipping away from the flock. They may
look, act, think, and speak differently than those around them and that sometimes causes
them to assume they don’t fit in. They conclude that they are not needed. . . .
“Some are lost because they are weary. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. With all the
pressures and demands on our time and the stress we face each day, it’s little wonder we
get tired. Many feel discouraged because they have not measured up to their potential.
Others simply feel too weak to contribute. And so, as the flock moves on, gradually,
almost imperceptibly, some fall behind. . . .
“Some are lost because they have strayed. Except for the Lord, we have all made
mistakes. The question is not whether we will trip and fall but, rather, how will we
respond? Some, after making mistakes, stray from the fold. This is unfortunate. Do you
not know that the Church is a place for imperfect people to gather together—even with
all their mortal frailties—and become better? Every Sunday in every meetinghouse
throughout the world, we find mortal, imperfect men, women, and children who meet
together in brotherhood and charity, striving to become better people, to learn of the
Spirit, and to lend encouragement and support to others. I am not aware of any sign on
the door of our meetinghouses that reads ‘Restricted Entrance—Perfect People Only’” (in
Conference Report, Apr. 2008, XX; or Ensign, May 2008, 18—19).
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(18-10) Luke 15:8-10. The Lost Coin (updated material)
Regarding the lost coin, President David O. McKay (1873-1970) taught, “In this case the
thing lost was not in itself responsible. The one who had been entrusted with that coin
had, through carelessness or neglect, mislaid it or dropped it” (in Conference Report,
Apr. 1945, 121-122). Sometimes members of the Church are lost into inactivity because
of lack of fellowshipping or carelessness on the part of leaders and teachers.
In this matter, President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) counseled as follows:
“There must be warmth in the work of the Lord. There must be friendship. There must be
love unfeigned. There must be appreciation and thanks expressed. There must be constant
nurturing with the good word of God. All of these are small things, so easy to do, and
they make so great a difference.
“I have come to feel that the greatest tragedy in the Church is the loss of those who join
the Church and then fall away. With very few exceptions it need not happen. . . it is not
an easy thing to make the transition incident to joining this Church. It means cutting old
ties. It means leaving friends. It may mean setting aside cherished beliefs. It may require
a change of habits and a suppression of appetites. In so many cases it means loneliness
and even fear of the unknown. There must be nurturing and strengthening, during this
difficult season of a convert’s life.
“A tremendous price has been paid for his or her presence in the Church. The long efforts
of the missionaries and the cost of their service, the separation from old relationships and
the trauma associated with all of this make it imperative that these precious souls be
welcomed, reassured, helped in their times of weakness, given responsibility under which
they may grow strong, and encouraged and thanked for all they do” (Ensign, Oct. 1987,
5).
(18-11) Luke 15:13. Prodigalism not Measured by Geography (updated material)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004), of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, reminded us
that at one time or another, we may all experience prodigalism: “The returning prodigals
are never numerous enough, but regularly some come back from ‘a far country’ (Luke
15:13). Of course, it is better if we are humbled ‘because of the word’ rather than being
compelled by circumstances, yet the latter may do! (see Alma 32:13-14). Famine can
induce spiritual hunger.
“Like the prodigal son, we too can go to ‘a far country,’ which may be no further away
than a vile rock concert. The distance to ‘a far country’ is not to be measured by miles but
by how far our hearts and minds are from Jesus! (see Mosiah 5:13). Fidelity, not
geography, really determines the distance!” (in Conference Report, Oct 2000, 47; or
Ensign, Nov. 2000, 36).
Luke 15:13. Prodigal Son Learns About Happiness (new)
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Elder Claudio R. M. Costa, of the Seventy, used the parable of the Prodigal Son to
illustrate that happiness is found through righteous living, not in seeking the pleasures of
the world:
“In Luke, chapter 15, we find the parable of the prodigal son. . . . this young man goes
out into the world, seeking what he believes to be true happiness. He starts to have fun,
and for as long as he has money, he lives surrounded by many people who claim to be his
friends. When his fortune is totally wasted with all the fun he has had with his so-called
friends, all of them turn their backs on him, and he is left without a penny. He then goes
through much suffering and disappointment. He starts working for a man feeding swine,
and, starving, he tries to eat even the husks that the swine would eat. He thinks of his
father’s servants, who have enough bread to eat and to spare, and he does not have
anything to eat.
“He decides to return home to his father and ask him for a job as one of his hired
servants. He returns, repentant from all he has done, and his father, a righteous man,
greets him as a special son. He finally understands that true happiness is there, in that
simple life with his family.
“All who seek full happiness can find it in the gospel of Jesus Christ, taught in His
Church. Through Christ’s doctrine, we are taught that we can be part of the great plan of
happiness that He has prepared for all of us, His sons and daughters. As we keep His
commandments, we are blessed and come to know true happiness. We learn that
happiness lies in doing small things that build us up, that increase our faith and
testimony” (in Conference Report, Oct. 2002, 100-101; or Ensign, Nov. 2002, 92).
Luke 15:20. “And when the Father Saw Him . . .” (new)
“Then the scripture says encouragingly, ‘He came to himself.’ He determined to find his
way home, hoping to be accepted at least as a servant in his father’s household. The
tender image of this boy’s anxious, faithful father running to meet him and showering
him with kisses is one of the most moving and compassionate scenes in all of holy writ. It
tells every child of God, wayward or otherwise, how much God wants us back in the
protection of His arms” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, in Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 71;
or Ensign, May 2002, 62).
Luke 15:11-32. The Prodigal Son (new)
President James E. Faust (1920-2007), Second Counselor in the First Presidency,
explained that although some children will be disobedient or worldly, they may one day
return to faithfulness.
“This paternal love is also expressed in the parable of the prodigal son. When his
rebellious son returned home after having squandered his inheritance in riotous living, the
father killed the fatted calf and celebrated the return of the prodigal, saying to his
obedient, if resentful, son, ‘It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this
thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found’ (Luke 15:32).
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“I believe and accept the comforting statement of Elder Orson F. Whitney: ‘The Prophet
Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught more comforting doctrine—that the eternal
sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in
the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though
some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later
they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing
them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will
have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny
path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving
father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your
careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till
you see the salvation of God’ (Orson F. Whiney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1929, 110).
“A principle in this statement that is often overlooked is that they must fully repent and
‘suffer for their sins’ and ‘pay their debt to justice.’ I recognize that now is the time ‘to
prepare to meet God’ (Alma 34:32). If the repentance of the wayward children does not
happen in this life, is it still possible for the cords of the sealing to be strong enough for
them yet to work out their repentance? In the Doctrine and Covenants we are told, ‘The
dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of
God, ‘And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean,
shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation’ (D&C
138:58-59).
“We remember that the prodigal son wasted his inheritance, and when it was all gone he
came back to his father’s house. There he was welcomed back into the family, but his
inheritance was spent. (See Luke 15:11-32). Mercy will not rob justice, and the sealing
power of faithful parents will only claim wayward children upon the condition of their
repentance and Christ’s Atonement. Repentant wayward children will enjoy salvation and
all the blessings that go with it, but exaltation is much more. It must be fully earned. The
question as to who will be exalted must be left to the Lord in His mercy.
“There are very few whose rebellion and evil deeds are so great that they have ‘sinned
away the power to repent’ (Elder Alonzo A. Hinckley, of the Quorum of the Twleve, in
Conference Report, Oct. 1919, 161). That judgment must also be left up to the Lord” (in
Conference Report, Apr. 2003, 67-68; or Ensign, May 2003, 61-62).
Luke 15:25-32. The Elder Son (new)
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles helped us to understand
the feelings and reactions of the elder son in the parable of the Prodigal son:
“This son is not so much angry that the other has come home as he is angry that his
parents are so happy about it. Feeling unappreciated and perhaps more than a little selfpity, this dutiful son—and he is wonderfully dutiful—forgets for a moment that he has
never had to know filth or despair, fear or self-loathing. He forgets for a moment that
every calf on the ranch is already his and so are all the robes in the closet and every ring
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in the drawer. He forgets for a moment that his faithfulness has been and always will be
rewarded.
“No, he who has virtually everything, and who has in his hardworking, wonderful way
earned it, lacks the one thing that might make him the complete man of the Lord he
nearly is. He has yet to come to the compassion and mercy, the charitable breadth of
vision to see that this is not a rival returning. It is his brother. . . .
“Certainly this younger brother had been a prisoner—a prisoner of sin, stupidity, and a
pigsty. But the older brother lives in some confinement, too. He has, as yet, been unable
to break out of the prison of himself. He is haunted by the green-eyed monster of
jealousy. . . . One who has heretofore presumably been very happy with his life and
content with his good fortune suddenly feels very unhappy simply because another has
had some good fortune as well.
“Who is it that whispers so subtly in our ear that a gift given to another somehow
diminishes the blessings we have received? Who makes us feel that if God is smiling on
another, then He surely must somehow be frowning on us? You and I both know who
does this—it is the father of all lies. (see 2 Nephi 2:18) It is Lucifer, our common enemy,
whose cry down through the corridors of time is always and to everyone, ‘Give me thine
honor.’ (Moses 4:1) . . .
“. . . I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I testify
that He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all. He doesn’t measure
our talents or our looks; He doesn’t measure our professions or our possessions. He
cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other. I
know that if we will be faithful, there is a perfectly tailored robe of righteousness ready
and waiting for everyone, (see Isaiah 61:10; 2 Nephi 4:33; 9:14) ‘robes … made … white
in the blood of the Lamb.’ (Revelation 7:14) May we encourage each other in our effort
to win that prize” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 71-74; or Ensign, May 2002, 63-64).
(18-5) Luke 16:1-8. The Unjust Steward (an extension of what already is in manual)
Elder James E. Talmage (1862-1933) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke of the
unjust steward:
“It was not the steward’s dishonesty that was extolled; his prudence and foresight were
commended, however; for while he misapplied his master’s substance, he gave relief to
the debtors; and in so doing he did not exceed his legal powers, for he was still steward
though he was morally guilty of malfeasance. The lesson may be summed up in this wise:
Make such use of your wealth as shall insure you friends hereafter. Be diligent; for the
day in which you can use your earthly riches will soon pass. Take a lesson from even the
dishonest and the evil; if they are so prudent as to provide for the only future they think
of, how much more should you, who believe in an eternal future, provide therefore!
“If you have not learned wisdom and prudence in the use of ‘unrighteous mammon,’ how
can you be trusted with the more enduring riches? If you have not learned how to use
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properly the wealth of another, which has been committed to you as steward, how can
you expect to be successful in the handling of great wealth should such be given you as
your own?
“Emulate the unjust steward and the lovers of mammon, not in their dishonesty, cupidity,
and miserly hoarding of the wealth that is at best but transitory, but in their zeal,
forethought, and provision for the future. Moreover, let not wealth become your master;
keep it to its place as a servant, for, ‘No servant can serve two masters: for either he will
hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye
cannot serve God and mammon’” (Jesus the Christ, 463-464).
Luke 16:19-26. Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (new)
The rich man in Jesus’ parable was not concerned about the incongruity between
Lazarus’ situation and his own until their fates were reversed—then he pled for mercy.
How different his fate would have been if he had extended mercy to Lazarus and to
others during his lifetime. President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) reminded us to
extend mercy to one another in our personal relationships.
“I watched on television the summary trial given one who had been a merciless despot.
Now in the moment of his extremity he wished for mercy on the part of his accusers. I
know nothing of the court system under which he and his wife were tried. I know only
that the hearing was short, the judgment death, and the execution quick and final. There
had been no mercy shown through long years of oppression, harsh and unrelenting; and
now in this hour of bitter culmination none was extended.
“A parable comes to mind: [Luke 16:19-26]
“I plead for a stronger spirit of compassion in all of our relationships, a stronger element
of mercy, for if we are merciful we shall obtained mercy from the Ultimate judge.
“The degree to which we are able to extend mercy is evidence of our commitment to Him
who is our Master. He practiced what He preached, for it was He who, while hanging on
the cross in dreadful agony, cried out, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they
do’ (Luke 23:34).
“How great a thing is mercy! Most often it is quiet and unassuming. It receives few
headlines. It is the antithesis of vengeance and hatred, of greed and egotism” (Standing
for Something, [2000] 74-76).
(19-2) Luke 17:11-19. The Ten Lepers and Gratitude (updated material)
President James E. Faust (1920-2007), Second Counselor in the First Presidency,
explained that ingratitude is a reflection of self-centered pride.
“Leprosy was so loathsome a disease that those afflicted were not permitted under the
law to come close to Jesus. Those suffering from this terrible disease were required to
agonize together, sharing their common misery (Lev.13:45-46). Their forlorn cry, ‘Jesus,
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Master, have mercy on us,’ must have touched the Savior’s heart. When they were healed
and had received priestly approval that they were clean and acceptable in society, they
must have been overcome with joy and amazement. Having received so great a miracle,
they seemed completely satisfied. But they forgot their benefactor. It is difficult to
understand why they were so lacking in gratitude. Such ingratitude is self-centered. It is a
form of pride. What is the significance of the fact that the one who returned to give
thanks was a Samaritan? As in the story of the good Samaritan, the point seems to be that
those of lesser social or economic status often rise to a greater duty and nobility” (Ensign,
Dec. 1996, 2, 4).
Luke 18:5—7. Weary the Lord (new)
In the parable of the unjust judge, the Lord praised the woman who tirelessly petitioned
the judge until he granted her request. The Lord likewise will bless those “which cry day
and night unto him” (see Luke 18:7). Elder Alexander B. Morrison, of the Seventy,
noted the importance of persistence when petitioning the Lord in prayer: “Prayer,
pleading, importuning of the Lord may be required ere His will is known. The Prophet
Joseph, who knew well the process involved, indicated the determination and persistence
required when he advised, ‘Come to God, weary him until he blesses you’” (Feed My
Sheep: Leadership Ideas for Latter-day Shepherds, [1992]53).
Luke 22:7-13. Our Personal Preparation for the Sacrament (new)
Preparation for the Passover meal played an important part in the Last Supper. Elder
Dennis B. Neuenschwander of the Seventy taught that careful personal preparation is a
prerequisite to our spiritual renewal on the Sabbath: “Sacrament meetings are really more
than just meetings. They are sacred moments in a holy place. During these weekly
moments, we reflect on the most merciful act of sacrifice this world has ever known. We
ponder the love of God, who gave His Only Begotten Son that we might obtain eternal
life. As we partake of the sacrament, we remember Him and express our willingness to
take His name upon us and to keep His commandments. Careful personal preparation,
including our own sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit, is prerequisite to the
regular spiritual renewal offered through worthy participation. We must be willing and
capable of slipping away from the world for just a few moments in order to reflect on
holier things. Without this spiritual renewal, our faith is easily overcome by the secular
and profane.
“Many years ago when our boys were still very young, I made a remark at dinner
regarding the excellence of our sacrament meeting and how much I had learned. Their
response was a look that told me that they were not sure that we had even been in the
same meeting. The difference between my experience and theirs was simply one of a
little maturity and personal preparation. The spiritual renewal we receive from our
sacrament meetings will not exceed our preparation and our willingness and desire to be
taught” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2003, 75; or Ensign, May 2003, 72).
Luke 22:10. “A Man . . . Bearing a Pitcher of Water”
What a great testament to the omniscience of Jesus Christ. Only through omniscience
could He have known the details of this future happening. This example of the Savior’s
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omniscience is similar to Matthew 17:27, wherein Jesus Christ miraculously informed
Peter that he would find money to pay taxes in the mouth of a fish.
Luke 22:19. In Remembrance of the Savior (new)
The Savior of the world commanded His disciples to partake of the sacrament in
‘remembrance” of Him. The ordinance of the sacrament is a sacred time. It is a time of
spiritual renewal and commitment. It is a time when thoughts should be turned to Jesus
Christ. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stressed the
importance of remembering the Savior when we partake of the sacrament.
“In the simple and beautiful language of the sacramental prayers those young priests
offer, the principal word we hear seems to be remember. In the first and slightly longer
prayer offered over the bread, mention is made of a willingness to take upon us the name
of the Son of God and to keep the commandments he has given us.
“Neither of those phrases is repeated in the blessing on the water, though surely both are
assumed and expected. What is stressed in both prayers is that all of this is done in
remembrance of Christ. In so participating we witness that we will always remember
him, that we may always have his Spirit to be with us (see D&C 20:77, 79).
“If remembering is the principal task before us, what might come to our memory when
those plain and precious emblems are offered to us?” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1995,
89-90; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 68-69).
Elder Holland then offered the following list of aspects of the Savior’s immortal mission
that we could ponder during the administering of the sacrament:
 We could remember His bruised body and broken heart
 We could remember His physical suffering on the cross
 We could remember the shedding of Christ’s blood and the depth of His
spiritual suffering
 We could remember the Savior’s pre-mortal life
 We could remember how He loved us and was wonderfully strong in the preexistence
 We could remember the simple grandeur of his mortal birth
 We could remember Christ’s miracles and His teachings, His healings and His
help
 We could remember the Jesus found delight in living
 We could remember that Jesus found special joy and happiness in children
 We could remember that Christ called his disciples friends and we could think
of a friend to remember or a friend to make
 We could remember all the wonderful things that He has given us
 On some days we could remember the unkind treatment he received, the
rejection he experiences, and the injustice He endured
 We can remember that Christ was also troubled on every side, but not
distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast
down, but not destroyed
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

When those difficult times come into our lives, we can remember that Jesus
had to descend below all things before he could ascend above them
We can remember that it is the wounded Christ who is the Captain of our Soul
Luke 22:32. “When Thou Art Converted” (new)
Jesus challenged Peter to strengthen his brethren when he was converted. But wasn’t he
already converted? Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
explained what this challenge to become converted means for us.
“In order to strengthen his brethren—to nourish and lead the flock of God—this man who
had followed Jesus for three years, who had been given the authority of the holy
apostleship, who had been a valiant teacher and testifier of the Christian gospel, and
whose testimony had caused the Master to declare him blessed still had to be ‘converted.’
“Jesus’ challenge shows that the conversion He required for those who would enter the
kingdom of heaven (see Matt. 18:3) was far more than just being converted to testify to
the truthfulness of the gospel. To testify is to know and to declare. The gospel challenges
us to be ‘converted,’ which requires us to do and to become. If any of us relies solely
upon our knowledge and testimony of the gospel, we are in the same position as the
blessed but still unfinished Apostles whom Jesus challenged to be ‘converted.’ We all
know someone who has a strong testimony but does not act upon it so as to be converted”
(in Conference Report, Oct. 2000, 42; or Ensign, Nov. 2000, 33).
Luke 22:32. What does it Mean to be Converted? (new)
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained what it means to
be converted. “Converted means to turn from one belief or course of action to another.
Conversion is a spiritual and moral change. Converted implies not merely mental
acceptance of Jesus and his teachings but also a motivating faith in him and his gospel. A
faith which works a transformation, an actual change in one’s understanding of life’s
meaning and in his allegiance to God in interest, in thought, and in conduct. In one who is
really wholly converted, desire for things contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ has
actually died. And substituted therefore is a love of God, with a fixed and controlling
determination to keep his commandments. . . .
“Stated simply, true conversion is the fruit of faith, repentance, and consistent obedience.
Faith comes by hearing the word of God and responding to it. You will receive from the
Holy Ghost a confirming witness of things you accept on faith by willingly doing them.
You will be led to repent of errors resulting from wrong things done or right things not
done. As a consequence, your capacity to consistently obey will be strengthened. This
cycle of faith, repentance, and consistent obedience will lead you to greater conversion
with its attendant blessings. True conversion will strengthen your capacity to do what you
know you should do, when you should do it, regardless of the circumstances” (in
Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 27-28; or Ensign, May 2002, 25).
Luke 22:42. “Nevertheless, Not my Will, but Thine Be Done” (new)
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Jesus pled, “Father … remove this cup,” then resolutely added, “Nevertheless not my
will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). What motivated Jesus to say “nevertheless?”
What sustained Him and strengthened Him to drink the Atonement’s bitter cup?
Certainly He was motivated by His love for our Father in Heaven and His commitment to
obey Him. In addition, we are told in the Doctrine and Covenants that “he gave his own
life” because He loves us (D&C 34:3).
Luke 22:42. “Not My Will, But Thine Be Done” (new)
President James E. Faust testified that we must develop the same attitude of submission
to the Father as the Savior demonstrated in Gethsemane: “Recently I met with a family
who had lost a precious son through an unfortunate automobile accident. They wondered
when the comforting spirit of the Holy Ghost would envelop them to sustain them. My
counsel was that when they were prepared to say to the Lord, “Thy will be done,” then
would come the sweet peace which the Savior promised” (Ensign, Nov. 1996, 96).
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles indicated that
we need to express the same words of submission in our prayers that the Savior expressed
in Gethsemane: “We can also further develop our submissiveness to God’s will, so that
amid our lesser but genuinely vexing moments we too can say, ‘Nevertheless not my will,
but thine, be done’ (Luke 22:42). When heartfelt, this expression of obedience constitutes
real petition followed by real submission. It is much more than polite deference. Rather,
it is a deep yielding in which one’s momentary uncertainty gives way to the certainty of
Father’s rescuing love and mercy, attributes which drench His plan of salvation” (in
Conference Report, Oct. 1997, 29; or Ensign, Nov. 1997, 23)
(25-7) Luke 22:44. He Prayed More Earnestly (updated material)
President James E. Faust (1920-2007) of the First Presidency explained: “Jeremiah
counsels us to pray with all our heart and soul. (see Jer. 29:13) Enos recounted how his
soul had hungered and that he had prayed all the day long. (see Enos 1:4) Prayers vary in
their intensity. Even the Savior ‘prayed more earnestly’ in His hour of agony. (Luke
22:44) Some are simple expressions of appreciation and requests for a continuation of
blessings on our loved ones and us. However, in times of great personal hurt or need,
more may be required than mere asking. The Lord said, ‘You have supposed that I would
give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.’ (D&C 9:7) Blessings
sought through prayer sometimes require work, effort, and diligence on our part” (in
Conference Report, Apr. 2002, 68; or Ensign, May 2002, 60).
Luke 22:41-44. We Also Must Not Shrink (new)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles counseled:
“As we confront our own lesser trials and tribulations, we too can plead with the Father,
just as Jesus did, that we ‘might not … shrink’—meaning to retreat or to recoil (D&C
19:18). Not shrinking is much more important than surviving! Moreover, partaking of a
bitter cup without becoming bitter is likewise part of the emulation of Jesus” (in
Conference Report, Oct. 1997, 28-29; or Ensign, Nov. 1997, 22).
Luke 22:41-44. The Far Reaching Effects of the Atonement (new)
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Jesus declared He “suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto
him” (D&C 18:11). The Adversary lies to us when he whispers that we or anyone else
cannot repent. Elder Shayne M. Bowen of the Seventy taught that the Atonement is
available to all of us.
“Is it possible to reclaim a life that through reckless abandon has become so strewn with
garbage that it appears that the person is unforgivable? Or what about the one who is
making an honest effort but has fallen back into sin so many times that he feels that there
is no possible way to break the seemingly endless pattern? Or what about the person who
has changed his life but just can’t forgive himself?
“Referring to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the prophet Alma taught the people in
Gideon: [Alma 7:11-13]
“Also speaking of the Atonement, Jacob, the brother of Nephi, taught: [2 Nephi 9:7].
“The Atonement of Jesus Christ is available to each of us. His Atonement is infinite. It
applies to everyone, even you. It can clean, reclaim, and sanctify even you. That is what
infinite means—total, complete, all, forever. President Boyd K. Packer has taught: ‘There
is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted
from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the atonement of
Christ’ (“The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 20)” (in Conference
Report, Oct. 2006, 35-36; or Ensign, Nov. 2006, 34).
(25-8) Luke 22:44. Great Suffering (updated material)
The weight He carried; the cup He drank involved more than our sins. Alma taught that
He suffered “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind” so he could take upon
Himself our pains, sicknesses, and infirmities; so He would “know according to the flesh
how to succor his people” (Alma 7:11-12). Elder Tad R. Callister of the Seventy
suggested some of the mortal experiences that would have been included in the terrible
weight Jesus carried.
“What weight is thrown on the scales of pain when calculating the hurt of innumerable
patients in countless hospitals? Now, add to that the loneliness of the elderly who are
forgotten in the rest homes of society, desperately yearning for a card, a visit, a call, just
some recognition from the outside world. Keep adding the hurt of hungry children, the
suffering caused by famine, drought and pestilence. Pile on the heartache of parents who
tearfully plead on a daily basis for a wayward son or daughter to come back home. Factor
in the trauma of every divorce and the tragedy of every abortion. Add the remorse that
comes with each child lost in the dawn of life, each spouse taken in the prime of
marriage. Compound that with the misery of overflowing prisons, bulging halfway
houses and institutions for the mentally disadvantaged. Multiply all this by century after
century of history, and creation after creation without end. Such is but an awful glimpse
of the Savior’s load. Who can bear such a burden or scale such a mountain as this? No
one, absolutely no one save Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of us all” (The Infinite
Atonement, 105).
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(25-8) Luke 22:44. And His Sweat Was As It Were Great Drops of Blood (updated
material)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve quoted President Brigham Young to
explain what it was that made the Savior bleed from every pore and feel so alone:
“At the apogee of His agony, Jesus uttered on the cross the great soul cry of
forsakenness: ‘My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46). Brigham
Young’s insight helps us understand His aloneness, which was a unique dimension of His
agony:
“‘At the very moment, at the hour when the crisis came for him to offer up his life, the
Father withdrew Himself, withdrew His spirit, and cast a veil over [Jesus]. That is what
made him sweat blood. If he had had the power of God upon him, he would not have
sweat blood: but all was withdrawn from him, and a veil was cast over him, and he then
plead with the Father not to forsake him’ (Journal of Discourses, 3:206)...
“Thus, when during the Atonement the Father withdrew His presence and His Spirit,
Jesus’ agony was exquisitely keen. Jesus then understood personally according to the
flesh’ (Alma 7:12; see also v. 11) what it is like to feel forsaken and alone, for ‘none were
with [Him]’ (D&C 133:50)” (in CES Evening With A General Authority, 3 Feb 1995, 7).
Luke 23:33. He Still Bears the Marks of the Crucifixion
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained one reason
why Jesus Christ still bears the physical marks of the crucifixion: To those who stagger
or stumble, he is there to steady and strengthen us. In the end he is there to save us, and
for all this he gave his life. However dim our days may seem they have been darker for
the Savior of the world.
“In fact, in a resurrected, otherwise perfected body, our Lord of this sacrament table has
chosen to retain for the benefit of his disciples the wounds in his hands and his feet and
his side—signs, if you will, that painful things happen even to the pure and perfect.
Signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn’t love you. It is
the wounded Christ who is the captain of our soul—he who yet bears the scars of
sacrifice, the lesions of love and humility and forgiveness.
“Those wounds are what he invites young and old, then and now, to step forward and see
and feel (see 3 Ne. 11:15; 3 Ne. 18:25). Then we remember with Isaiah that it was for
each of us that our Master was ‘despised and rejected … ; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief’ (Isa. 53:3). All this we could remember when we are invited by a
kneeling young priest to remember Christ always” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 91;
or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 69).
Luke 23:34. “Father, Forgive Them” (new)
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Forgiving others can be hard, especially when they have deeply injured us. Jesus is our
perfect example; He taught us to forgive. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles used the Savior’s example to teach this important principle.
“Closely related to our own obligation to repent is the generosity of letting others do the
same—we are to forgive even as we are forgiven. In this we participate in the very
essence of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Surely the most majestic moment of that
fateful Friday, when nature convulsed and the veil of the temple was rent, was that
unspeakably merciful moment when Christ said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not
what they do.” (Luke 23:34) As our advocate with the Father, He is still making that
same plea today—in your behalf and in mine.
“Here, as in all things, Jesus set the standard for us to follow. Life is too short to be spent
nursing animosities or keeping a box score of offenses against us—you know, no runs, no
hits, all errors. We don’t want God to remember our sins, so there is something
fundamentally wrong in our relentlessly trying to remember those of others.
“When we have been hurt, undoubtedly God takes into account what wrongs were done
to us and what provocations there are for our resentments, but clearly the more
provocation there is and the more excuse we can find for our hurt, all the more reason for
us to forgive and be delivered from the destructive hell of such poisonous venom and
anger. It is one of those ironies of godhood that in order to find peace, the offended as
well as the offender must engage the principle of forgiveness” (in Conference Report,
Oct. 1996, 114; or Ensign, Nov. 1996, 83).
Luke 24:3. They Entered in and Found Not the Body of Jesus (new)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles emphasized
that the most important aspect of the garden tomb is that it was empty:
“Granted, there is not full correlation among the four Gospels about the events and
participants at the empty garden tomb (Matt. 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-9; John
20:1-10). Yet the important thing is that the tomb was empty, because Jesus had been
resurrected” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1984, 12; or Ensign, Nov.1984, 8).
(27-9) Luke 24:11. “Their Words Seemed as Idle Tales, and they Believed them Not”
(updated material)
At first, the disciples did not believe the witness of Mary Magdalene and the other
women that Jesus Christ had indeed resurrected. Such an act had never happened before.
Some things are difficult to believe in without seeing them first. Elder Lance B.
Wickman of the Seventy declared that in religious matters, we do not have to see things
before we can and should believe in them: “It is common in our secular world to say that
‘seeing is believing.’ Whatever value this little maxim may have in the mundane affairs
of life, it is an alien presence when we turn to the Lord in the dark hour of our extremity.
The way of the Lord is best defined by a different maxim: ‘Believing is seeing.’ Faith in
the Lord is the premise, not the conclusion. We know He lives; therefore, we trust Him to
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bless us according to His divine will and wisdom” (in Conference Report, Oct. 2002, 33;
or Ensign, Nov. 2002, 31).
Elder A. Theodore Tuttle (1919-1986) of the Seventy similarly taught that some things
cannot be seen unless we believe in them first: “‘Seeing is believing.’ There is one realm,
however, where it works the other way: Believing is seeing! The Lord hides some choice
truths behind obstacles that will melt only before the warmth of faith. Faith, like courage,
is tempered by trial” (in Conference Report, April 1966, 144).
Luke 24:13-15. We Too Can Walk with the Savior (new)
Elder Carlos E. Asay of the Seventy declared that as we “walk” with Jesus Christ we
receive our own witness that He is the Savior of the world:
“You will recall that the two disciples who walked and talked with Christ on the road to
Emmaus did not recognize him at first. Later, however, ‘their eyes were opened, and they
knew him,’ when they reflected, ‘Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with
us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?’ (Luke 24:31-32.)
“You will also recall that Jesus said to Thomas, “Be not faithless, but believing’ …
“’Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and
yet have believed’ (John 20:27, 29).
“Our ‘eyes of faith’ will also be opened, and we shall know of a surety that he lives and
that we shall live again, if we believe and accept the divine invitation ‘Walk with me’
(see Moses 6:34).
“Yes, we walk with him in the desert and feel his presence when we fast, pray, and
withstand temptation.
“We walk with him to Jacob’s well and our hearts burn within us when we study the
scriptures and drink living waters.
“We walk with him to Galilee when we teach and live the truth.
“We walk with him in Gethsemane when we assume the burdens of others.
“We walk with him to Calvary when we take up our cross by denying ourselves of all
ungodliness, and every worldly lust (see JST, Matt. 16:26).
“We suffer with him on Golgotha when we sacrifice our time, talents, and means in
building up the kingdom of God.
“We rise with him to a newness of life when we seek a spiritual rebirth and strive to
become his sons and daughters.
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“And in the process of following in his footsteps (see 1 Pet. 2:21), we gain the personal
conviction or infallible proof that he lives, that he is the Son of the living God, and that
he is our Redeemer” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1994, 13; or Ensign, May 1994, 12).
Luke 24:27. “He Expounded…the Scriptures…Concerning Himself” (new)
The Old Testament is full of prophecies related to the life and mission of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Using these scriptures, the Savior of the world “expounded unto them in all the
scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). Their hearts burned within them
as they understood these scriptures as never before. Elder Gerald N. Lund of the Seventy
considered the various scriptures the Lord might have used to testify of His mission to the
two disciples on the road to Emmaus:
“He might have referred to Exodus 12, which describes the great Passover and how Israel
was delivered from death and from bondage through the blood of the lamb. Would he
have reminded them that this was the Passover season, that the true Lamb had just been
offered, and that deliverance from spiritual bondage had been brought to pass?
“Perhaps Psalm 22 was another scripture he cited. The opening lines are, ‘My God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ (V. 1.) Had they been at the cross? Had they heard that
last agonized cry? (See Matt. 27:46.) A few verses later in that same psalm we read, ‘All
they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip [a Hebrew idiom meaning to
mock and ridicule], they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would
deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.’ (Ps. 22:7-8.) Did the
disguised Savior gently remind them how some at the cross had mocked him and
challenged him to come down if he were truly the Son of God? (See Matt. 27:39-43.)
And then in verse sixteen, we read: ‘For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the
wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.’ And verse eighteen,
‘They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.’ (See Matt. 27:35.)
To anyone who had witnessed the Crucifixion, those prophecies would have been
electrifying.
“Perhaps he pointed their minds to Psalm 41:9: ‘Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom
I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.’ Certainly these
two men knew by now about Judas's betrayal of the Master.
“Or perhaps Psalm 69 may have been another scripture he quoted. Verses twenty and
twenty-one read, ‘Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I
looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.’
Would these men have seen or heard from other witnesses that a soldier gave Jesus
vinegar to drink just before he died? (See John 19:29-30.) Did the disciples realize, as
John apparently did, that the Savior died of a broken heart? (See John 19:34-35.) What
remorse they must have felt as they thought how no one, not even themselves, had stayed
through the ordeal to comfort the Master.
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“These and other Old Testament prophecies would have clearly showed that all was part
of the grand design. We don't know how long he walked with them, and we don't know
how long they talked, and we don't know which scriptures he cited, but we do know that
when he left them, the two disciples recalled that teaching moment, saying, ‘Did not our
heart burn within us . . . while he opened to us the scriptures?’ (Luke 24:32.) (Jesus
Christ, Key to the Plan of Salvation, 41-43)
Luke 24:32. Scripture Study can Make our Hearts Burn Within us (new)
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified of some of the
blessings that come from studying and understanding the scriptures:
“The blessings of knowledge, understanding, revelation, and spiritual exhilaration that we
can receive as we read, study, and search the scriptures are marvelous. ‘Feasting upon the
word of Christ’ (2 Nephi 31:20) is edifying, exciting, and enjoyable. The word is good,
‘for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea,
it beginneth to be delicious to me’ (Alma 32:28). ‘Behold they are written, ye have them
before you, therefore search them’ (3 Nephi 20:11), and they ‘shall be in [you] a well of
water springing up into everlasting life’ (John 4:14).
“In my personal reading, studying, and searching over a period of years, I have focused
many times upon the doctrine of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. No event, knowledge, or
influence has had a greater impact upon me during my 54 years of mortality than
repeatedly reading about, studying in depth, and searching for connections, patterns, and
themes related to the doctrine of the Atonement. This central, saving doctrine, over time,
gradually has distilled upon my soul as the dews from heaven; has influenced my
thoughts, words, and deeds (see Mosiah 4:30); and literally has become for me a well of
living water” “A Reservoir of Living Water,” CES Fireside for Young Adults, 4 February
2007).
Luke 24:36-39. A Body of Flesh and Bones (new)
President Howard W. Hunter (1907-1995) taught that one of the reasons Jesus Christ
appeared to the apostles following His resurrection was to give them a sure witness of
what a resurrected body is like: “In the days that followed his resurrection, the Lord
appeared unto many. He displayed his five special wounds to them. He walked and talked
and ate with them, as if to prove beyond a doubt that a resurrected body is indeed a
physical body of tangible flesh and bones” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1988, 19; or
Ensign, May 1988, 17).
Luke 24:49. The Promise of the Holy Ghost to the Apostles (new)
President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles identified the promise
given in Luke 24:49 as the Holy Ghost: “He gave further instruction to His Apostles; and
then, before He ascended, He said, ‘Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you:
but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be [endowed] with power from on high.’
(Luke 24:49)
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“That power was not long in coming. On the day of Pentecost, the Twelve were
assembled in a house: [Acts 2:2—4].
“With that the Twelve were fully empowered” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2000, 6-7; or
Ensign, May 2000, 7).