Brothers and sisters, I testify that we have a loving Heavenly Father. I feel strongly about this. He loves each of us. We are His sons and daughters and He loves us very much. “God loves His children in every nation of the world.” [1] The greatest evidence of His love is the gift of His Beloved Son.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. [2]
I also testify of Jesus Christ’s infinite love for each of us. A few years ago, during the Easter season, the Church released this short video:
Wherever He walked, wherever He taught, wherever He healed, He changed everything. Then everything changed. The man they called Master, Messiah, Friend was gone. But the greatest miracle was yet to come. “He is not here. He is risen!” He lives and because He lives, if you reach out, call out, cry out, He is here then, now, always. He is here during the good, the bad, the in-between. He is here no matter who you are or who you were. He is here—no exceptions, no lost causes. At all times, in all places, He is here. He rose on the third day. He lives today. Find him. [3]
I love that video! I feel joy each time I watch it. It helps me to feel our Savior’s great love. His love has helped me through difficult times in my life. Let me share with you one example.
When I was nineteen years old, I was called to serve in the Korea Pusan Mission. While at the MTC, I struggled with discouragement. I was away from home trying to learn a challenging language and I felt that I wasn’t doing very well at it. As I was wrestling with these feelings of inadequacy, I read in the Doctrine and Covenants these words:
“Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.” [4]
When I read those words, it was as if the Lord was speaking directly to me. I felt the Lord’s love and support. It was just what I needed. Through experiences like this, I know that He is devoted to us!
On the discussion board I asked the question: “How have you personally felt Jesus Christ’s devotion to you?” I am grateful for the insights that you shared. Here are some excellent examples: Nelson wrote, “I think there is no greater devotion than the price He paid for me, when He atoned for my transgressions, weaknesses, infirmities and imperfections.” Clark replied, “I have felt His devotion knowing that He hasn’t given up on me yet. There have been times that I've felt that I don't even deserve additional chances, yet He gives them to me.” Sara commented, “Knowing He suffered for me, for my sins, that He felt all of my pain and anger and sadness and still chooses to love me and help me. There aren't many, if any, people who could know me so intimately and still love me and be devoted to me!”
So, with all of this in mind, with all that Jesus Christ has done for us, what can we do for Him?
In the New Testament we read about a time when Jesus taught some “hard” doctrine. These teachings were difficult for His disciples to accept. We read:
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. [5]
When I have read this in the past, I have admired Peter’s devotion. Recently, I tried to think of this experience from Jesus’s perspective. Imagine how grateful the Lord felt to hear Peter proclaim his loyalty when many of His other followers had turned away. How can we follow Peter’s example and show our love, loyalty, and devotion to the Lord? I would like to suggest the following:
- We can continue in Christ’s word.
- We can let God prevail in our lives.
- We can share the Lord’s love with those around us.
First, we can continue in Christ’s word. In the Gospel of John, we read: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” [6]
These words provide us with insight into discipleship. The Lord teaches us that to follow Him, we must continue in His word. When I think of the word “continue,” I think of not giving up; I think of committing to and sticking with something. It reminds me of these words from the Book of Mormon:
And they said unto me: What meaneth the rod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?
And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction. [7]
In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma teaches us about faith by comparing it to a seed that we plant in our hearts, and then as we nourish it, it grows into a tree that bears fruit. He taught:
But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.
Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you. [8]
This is how we continue in Christ’s word. We grab hold of it with both hands and we read, study, learn, and live His word with diligence and patience. When I was a teenager, Elder M. Russell Ballard visited for one of our stake conferences. He asked to meet with the youth early on Sunday morning. I don’t remember much about what he taught us that day, but I do remember that he challenged each of us to make the commitment to study the scriptures each day for the rest of our lives. I decided to make that commitment. I haven’t been perfect, but since then, I have tried my best to read the scriptures each day. It has been one of the best decisions of my life. The Lord’s words have brought me peace in trials, direction to replace confusion, and eternal perspective in a world focused too much on now.
Second, we can let God prevail in our lives. President Russell M. Nelson recently challenged us. He said:
Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His? [9]
Our family has a dear friend, Mary, who passed away several years ago. She spent the last fifteen years of her life bedridden in a nursing home due to the effects of a stroke. When she was a young mother with three little children, her life was very busy! One day she went to visit a friend, and as they talked, her friend asked, “Mary, are you going to have any more children?” Mary answered with an emphatic, “No! I am done having children!” She told me that later that night when she was back in her home, she stewed over what she said to her friend. She regretted her words. In her prayers that night, she apologized to the Lord for what she said to her friend and told the Lord that if He wanted her to have more children, she would do it. A short time later, she found out that she was pregnant with her fourth and what would be her last child—a little boy. Then Mary told me, “That boy has been so good to me!” I love this story! It is the beautiful story of a humble woman who let God prevail in her life. I am confident that the Lord was grateful for Mary’s devotion, and He blessed her with this son. Of all her loving children, this son lived closest to the nursing home, and he spent many hours taking good care of his mother when she needed it the most.
Let me share another example. It is the story of the prophet Mormon. As he compiled the records of the Nephites and the Lamanites, he was impressed to include the small plates of Nephi. He wrote:
But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren.
And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will. [10]
Mormon didn’t know why, but he felt impressed to include the small plates of Nephi in his records. Because Mormon followed the promptings of the Spirit and let God prevail, we now have the books of First and Second Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom and Omni as part of the Book of Mormon. Can you imagine the Book of Mormon without the powerful stories of Nephi and his brothers getting the brass plates or building the ship together or the vision of the tree of life? Without Mormon’s devotion to the Lord, the Book of Mormon would be missing the beautiful teachings about the plan of salvation and the nature of our loving Savior Jesus Christ found in 2 Nephi. I am so grateful that Mormon let God prevail in his life!
Third, we can share the Lord’s love with those around us. In the final days of His life on earth, the Lord Jesus Christ taught:
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. [11]
Love then is the essence of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Because of the Lord’s great love for all the children of God, I am convinced that nothing pleases Him more than when we are kind to and love and serve those around us. There is no better way to show our love for and devotion to the Savior.
In the October 2005 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley recounted how he had spent the past year traveling all around the world. He had visited Alaska, Russia, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Nigeria, California, and then back to Samoa for a total of more than 35,000 miles. President Hinckley was 95 years old at the time. He then frankly stated: “I do not enjoy travel, but it is my wish to get out among our people to extend appreciation and encouragement, and to bear testimony of the divinity of the Lord’s work.” [12]
In this short statement, President Hinckley provides us with an excellent model for sharing the Lord’s love:
- Be out among people.
- Extend appreciation.
- Offer encouragement.
- Bear testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His work.
These are things we can all do in our own way with the unique gifts and talents we have been given. I testify that as you do these things, it will lift and bless the people around you and bring joy to the Lord.
My mother, Winifred Johnson, was a wonderful example to me of sharing the Lord’s love with the people around her. Ten years before she died, she had a severe heart attack. Thankfully, she survived, but the attack left her heart seriously damaged, and she was never able to physically do the things she could before the heart attack. Because of these physical limitations she was never able to travel or do many of the things you and I would consider “fun.” She spent the last few years of her life at home welcoming visits from her children, grandchildren, and neighbors. When we would visit, she would listen to us, play games with us, read to her grandchildren, and make each of us feel like we were the most important person in the world. Near the end of her life, one of my sisters asked her, “Mom, what has been your favorite time of life?” She answered simply, “These past few years.” At first, this answer surprised me. How could she enjoy those years without physical mobility or what we would consider recreation or fun? But now I realize hers was a life filled with family, a life filled with joy. She ended her life filling all our lives with the love of Christ.
I invite each of you to find a way to actively show your love and devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ by finding a way to continue in His word, allowing God to prevail in your life, and sharing the Lord’s love with those around you.
You may be afraid of committing to becoming more devoted disciples of the Lord because you might fail. I want to assure you that you are not alone. In last week’s devotional, Sister Kristin Ballou taught us: “My favorite statement . . . in all of scripture is, ‘My grace is sufficient.’ When we truly embrace the concept of grace, we can let go of our insecurities. If we trust in [the Lord] and wholeheartedly put our faith in Him, He will make up for what we lack.” [13] We will all suffer setbacks; it is part of the learning and growing process. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained:
It can be discouraging at times to know what it means to be a [child] of God and yet come up short. The adversary likes to take advantage of these feelings. Satan would rather that you define yourself by your sins instead of your divine potential. . . . Don’t listen to him.
We have all seen a toddler learn to walk. He takes a small step and totters. He falls. Do we scold such an attempt? Of course not. What father would punish a toddler for stumbling? We encourage, we applaud, and we praise because with every small step, the child is becoming more like his parents.
Now . . . compared to the perfection of God, we mortals are scarcely more than awkward, faltering toddlers. But our loving Heavenly Father wants us to become more like Him, and . . . that should be our eternal goal too. God understands that we get there not in an instant but by taking one step at a time.
I do not believe in a God who would set up rules and commandments only to wait for us to fail so He could punish us. I believe in a Heavenly Father who is loving and caring and who rejoices in our every effort to stand tall and walk toward Him. Even when we stumble, He urges us not to be discouraged—never to give up or flee our allotted field of service—but to take courage, find our faith, and keep trying. [14]
Those are beautiful, hopeful words for all of us. I testify of the Lord’s great love for each of you. I feel it strongly and I know that it is real. I am confident that He rejoices in every effort, no matter how small, that you make to be His disciple. I know that He lives! “He is here during the good, the bad, the in-between. He is here no matter who you are or who you were. He is here, no exceptions, no lost causes. At all times, in all places, He is here!” [15] I know that you will feel His infinite love as you follow Him and share His love with those around you. May you bless the world as a disciple of Jesus Christ I pray in His name, Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles, “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World,” April 5, 2020.
[2] John 3:16–17.
[3] “Because He Lives,” Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2015-04-1010-he-lives-celebrate-easter-because-jesus-christ-lives?lang=eng.
[4] D&C 68:6.
[5] John 6:66–69.
[6] John 8:31, emphasis added.
[7] 1 Nephi 15:23–24.
[8] Alma 32:41–43.
[9] Russell M. Nelson, “Let God Prevail,” Ensign, Nov. 2020.
[10] Words of Mormon 1:6–7.
[11] John 13:34–35.
[12] Gordon B. Hinckley, “Forgiveness,” Ensign, Nov. 2005.
[13] Kristin Ballou, “In Pursuit of Happiness,” BYUI devotional, Jun. 22, 2021.
[14] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Four Titles,” Ensign, May 2013.
[15] “Because He Lives,” Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2015-04-1010-he-lives-celebrate-easter-because-jesus-christ-lives?lang=eng.