First Recorded Miracle

     There is much that is difficult and challenging in the world today, my brothers and sisters, but there is also much that is good and uplifting. As we declare in our thirteenth article of faith, “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” May we ever continue to do so. --Thomas S Monson

     I testify that as we follow the Savior, we will love as He loved, we will do as He did, and we will be instruments in His hands as we serve.  --john

Those Who Love Jesus

Christ Healing the Sick at the Pool of Bethesda, by Carl Heinrich Bloch

The Savior’s Love

The importance of demonstrating daily a true and an abiding love was convincingly taught by the Master when the inquiring lawyer stepped forward and boldly asked Him, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?”

Matthew records that “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

“This is the first and great commandment.

“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”¹

Mark concludes the account with the Savior’s statement, “There is none other commandment greater than these.” ²

His answer could not be faulted. His very actions gave credence to His words. He demonstrated genuine love of God by living the perfect life, by honoring the sacred mission that was His. Never was He haughty. Never was He puffed up with pride. Never was He disloyal. Ever was He humble. Ever was He sincere. Ever was He true.

Though He was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by that master of deceit, even the devil; though He was physically weakened from fasting 40 days and 40 nights and was an hungered; yet when the evil one proffered Jesus the most alluring and tempting proposals, He gave to us a divine example of true love of God by refusing to deviate from what He knew was right. ³

Jesus, throughout His ministry, blessed the sick, restored sight to the blind, made the deaf to hear and the maimed to walk. He taughtforgiveness by forgiving. He taught compassion by being compassionate. He taught devotion by giving of Himself. Jesus taught by example.

As we survey the life of our Lord, each of us could echo the words of the well-known hymn:

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,

Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.

I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,

That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died. ⁴

Showing Our Love

To demonstrate our gratitude, is it required that we too lay down our lives as did He? Some have.

In the beautiful city of Melbourne, Australia, there is situated in an impressive setting a historic war memorial. As one walks through the memorial’s silent corridors, one sees tablets of marble that note the deeds of valor and acts of courage of those who made the supreme sacrifice. One can almost hear the roar of the cannon, the scream of the rocket, the cry of the wounded. One can feel the exhilaration of victory and, at the same time, sense the despair of defeat.

In the center of the main hall, inscribed for all to see, is the message of the memorial. The skylight overhead permits easy reading. The words almost stand up and speak: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” ⁵

Today, the challenge which we face and must meet is not that we should go forth on the battlefield of war and lay down our lives. Rather, it is that we, on the battlefield of life, so live and serve that our lives and actions reflect a true love of God, of His Son, Jesus Christ, and of our fellowmen. This is not accomplished by clever signs printed on bumper stickers affixed to automobiles.

Jesus teaches each of us: “If ye love me, keep my commandments. …

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” ⁶

The above is an excerpt from an address given by Thomas S. Monson.  For the full text click here:

http://www.lds.org/liahona/1999/03/those-who-love-jesus?lang=eng

Notes

1.     Matt. 22:36–39.

2.     Mark 12:31.

3.     See Matt. 4:1–11.

4.     “I Stand All Amazed,” Hymns, number 193.

5.     John 15:13.

6.     John 14:15, 21.

“He Is Risen”: A Prophet’s Testimony

“He Is Risen”: A Prophet’s Testimony

Who’s on the Lord’s Side?

Play Hymn

“260: Who’s on the Lord’s Side?,” Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, no. 260

Energetically

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

Now is the time to show.

We ask it fearlessly:

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

We wage no common war,

Cope with no common foe.

The enemy’s awake;

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

[Chorus]

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

Now is the time to show.

We ask it fearlessly:

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

We serve the living God,

And want his foes to know

That, if but few, we’re great;

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

We’re going on to win;

No fear must blanch the brow.

The Lord of Hosts is ours;

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

[Chorus]

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

Now is the time to show.

We ask it fearlessly:

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

The stone cut without hands

To fill the earth must grow.

Who’ll help to roll it on?

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

Our ensign to the world

Is floating proudly now.

No coward bears our flag;

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

[Chorus]

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

Now is the time to show.

We ask it fearlessly:

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

The pow’rs of earth and hell

In rage direct the blow

That’s aimed to crush the work;

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

Truth, life, and liberty,

Freedom from death and woe,

Are stakes we’re fighting for;

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

[Chorus]

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

Now is the time to show.

We ask it fearlessly:

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

Text: Hannah Last Cornaby, 1822–1905

Music: Henry H. Russell, 1818–1900, alt.

The Lord’s Side

• Joseph B. Wirthlin
• March 1993 Ensign

     I would like you to consider with me one of the great hymns of the Restoration: "Who's on the Lord's Side?" written by Hannah Last Cornaby, born in 1822 and an English convert to the Church [of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]. The words of this hymn seem particularly attuned to our time and society. The hymn impressed me when I was a small boy in the Salt Lake City Thirty-third Ward. It apparently was our Sunday School chorister's favorite song; we seemed to sing it every Sunday. We young children would leave Sunday School singing, "Who's on the Lord's side? Who? Now is the time to show." The words and melody would stay in our minds after we sang it. In fact, I've never forgotten it or our chorister.
     The words of the hymn echo the words of Moses as he called the rebellious children of Israel to repentance after he had destroyed the idolatrous calf they had made. "Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. . . . Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord" (Exodus 32:26, 29).
     Joshua, who succeeded Moses, told the children of Israel essentially the same thing after he had led them into their promised land of Canaan. Shortly before his death, he called the people of Israel together for a final blessing and warning, much as Moses had done. What a prophet says as he nears the end of his life is very important because he is concluding his accountability and placing the full responsibility for others' conduct on their own shoulders. Joshua reviewed with Israel exactly what God had done for them miraculously and then exhorted them to Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. . . . And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. [Joshua 24:15,24]

     We, too, must choose whether we will serve our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, or follow the gods of indulgence and sin that clamor for our attention on every side.  The Lord has left no doubt in defining his side and where the Saints should be in their thoughts, words, actions, and practices. We have his counsel in the scriptures and in the words of the prophets. To ancient Israel, the Lord said through Moses: "I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil" (Deuteronomy 30:15). The Lord counseled his prophet Jeremiah to instruct the people: "Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death" (Jeremiah 21:8). That is the contrast; that is the choice. Either we are on the Lord's side of the line or on the side of the adversary. Nephi declared that we "are free to act for [ourselves]--to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life" (2 Nephi 10:23). Yes, Men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. [2 Nephi 2:27]

     The line between those who are on the Lord's side and those who follow the adversary has been with us from the beginning. Even before the creation of this world, the children of God divided themselves into two groups with different loyalties. One-third of the host of heaven followed Lucifer, separating themselves from the presence of God and from the two-thirds who followed the Son of God (see D&C 29:36­39). This division has persisted throughout the history of mankind and will continue until the day of judgment when Jesus comes again in his glory. We read in Matthew that all nations will gather before him, and he will
Separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. . . .
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. [Matthew 25:32­34, 41]
     The prophet Nephi tells us why many choose the wrong side of the line:
Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this--Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world. [3 Nephi 6:15]

The humanities: learning, sacrifice, and love.

     I arose this morning, exercised while listening to a devotional on television, accomplished my household chores, and then had my personal devotional where I read, studied, and pondered scripture, prayed, showered, and got dressed for work.  I wore my Army uniform for the first time in over 15 years.  The colorful cloth and shiny metal on the jacket include an Expert Field Medical Badge, a National Defense Service Medal, and a Humanitarian Service Medal.  I put on my white lab coat over the uniform and left the house.

     I rode my bicycle the two miles to the medical center where I rounded on my patients, most of whom were receiving dialysis today.  Each patient has a unique story and a special spirit.  After charting and completing paperwork, I pedaled another two miles to the university where my son-in-law received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force.  General Robert C. Oaks spoke at the ceremony.  After a small reception, we came home for lunch and I played with two of my grandsons. 

     Graduation for my daughter and son-in-law went from late afternoon to early evening.  The learning, sacrifice, and the love demonstrated by faculty, students, and families were amazing.  It was quite a day.

     Thank you, Sue, for driving me to and from the graduation ceremony.  Thank you, Matt, for letting me borrow your shoes.  Thank you, Ben, for calling me to let me know you arrived in Buffalo safely.  Thank you, all, who diligently learn, sacrifice, and serve as Jesus would.  God bless.

Thankful for the Opportunity to Inherit Eternal Life

Eternal stretches from the beginning to the ending

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending -Revelation 1:8

Eternal = God

Eternal life is God’s life

The greatest gift of God is to inherit eternal life

We have the opportunity to follow Jesus and inherit eternal life

Learn of Christ

Detail from The Second Coming, by Grant Romney Clawson

The knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest education of all. (See Matthew 11:29.)