This thought doesn't come from any particular scripture, but it was something that I felt was important to share with you. The thought pertains to missionary work and how we go about doing it.
Missionary work is a great thing and can bring so many people the joy and happiness that can be obtained through the gospel of Jesus Christ, but how we get people to the gospel matters. I think my Book of Mormon professor, Brother Griffin, said it best when he said "the best missionaries are those who can lead people to the gospel, not push them to it."
So what's the difference in leading and pushing people to the gospel? It's a matter of what we allow them to do by themselves. When we push people there, we are telling them what to do every step of the way, expecting them to do it, and then giving them more to do. All of this happens even if they are not ready or willing to accept it and do it.
Leading on the other hand is when we show people how to get there. We are doing these things simultaneously with them. We are making sure that they are understanding what they're doing and why. Leading gives them the opportunity to make mistakes and then figure out how to fix it or what to do better next time without feeling like they've failed.
Bringing others to the gospel is like writing a paper. You're trying to persuade someone that what you're telling them is right. When you write a paper you don't just tell them that you're right, give them a few fact and then expect them to change their lives because of it. Persuasion takes time and effort. You explain ideas and lay the groundwork for their own ideas to form that will lead them to the desired end result.
Teaching the gospel must happen in the same way. With time and encouragement and support, we must lay the groundwork and allow people to make up their minds on their own, they'll be more converted that way. We can't get frustrated when people aren't accepting it, they may not be ready yet, but let us anxiously await the day that they are ready and we can try again.
Lead by example, show people the way, and allow them to use their agency, that is the way to bring others unto Christ.
The Lord loves you and I love you too.
Paige
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Week 10 - "How Be it My Church?"
3 Nephi 27:7-8
7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake.
8 And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses' name then it be Moses' church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.
How be it Christ's church except it be called in His name? If He is the one who we are following, then why should that not be recognized?
When the Nephite people asked Christ what they should call His church, He told them to call it after my name. He wanted everyone to know that it was His church, and they could know that through its name.
Christ's name is a key part to knowing what the church believes, but Christ gives us one caveat to using His name, the church must be founded on his gospel. With so many Christian churches claiming His name, how can we know which churches, if any of them, are really following Christ's gospel?
The scriptures tell us that by their fruits ye shall know them. We know what Christ taught, and those who follow His teachings and His gospel will strive to be like Him. Through the fruits of the church, and please make sure you are understanding the real fruits of the church and not just what everyone tells you, you may know if is it of Christ.
Christ has done so much for us; so much that we will never be able to fully re-pay Him. But through the simple things that He asks of us, we may begin to make His sacrifice more meaningful. He has shown us so much love, and let us show Him love back and do what He asks of us.
Finding Christ's church may not be easy, but it will always be worth it.
The Lord loves you, I love you.
Have a great day!
Paige
7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake.
8 And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses' name then it be Moses' church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.
How be it Christ's church except it be called in His name? If He is the one who we are following, then why should that not be recognized?
When the Nephite people asked Christ what they should call His church, He told them to call it after my name. He wanted everyone to know that it was His church, and they could know that through its name.
Christ's name is a key part to knowing what the church believes, but Christ gives us one caveat to using His name, the church must be founded on his gospel. With so many Christian churches claiming His name, how can we know which churches, if any of them, are really following Christ's gospel?
The scriptures tell us that by their fruits ye shall know them. We know what Christ taught, and those who follow His teachings and His gospel will strive to be like Him. Through the fruits of the church, and please make sure you are understanding the real fruits of the church and not just what everyone tells you, you may know if is it of Christ.
Christ has done so much for us; so much that we will never be able to fully re-pay Him. But through the simple things that He asks of us, we may begin to make His sacrifice more meaningful. He has shown us so much love, and let us show Him love back and do what He asks of us.
Finding Christ's church may not be easy, but it will always be worth it.
The Lord loves you, I love you.
Have a great day!
Paige
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Week 9 - At the Altar of Christ
3 Nephi 18:1
And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.
This verse comes after Jesus has been teaching the people for a while. The first thing to point out, is that Jesus is commanding them to go and get bread and wine. He doesn't just ask it or request it, but he commands it. Commandments aren't something that the Lord takes lightly, so this shows the importance of this act. Commandments also result in blessings if they are kept; this tells us that Christ wanted to bless the people he was with. But why did the Savior ask them to bring him bread and wine? He was a resurrected being, he didn't need it for himself. But this would result in blessings for the people, so Christ asked them to make a sacrifice. He could have created the bread and the wine and they would have been much better than anything anyone could have brought to him, but he wanted them to have to opportunity to sacrifice something for him. This parallels our lives today so perfectly. There are so many things that Christ could just give us, and it would be perfect and would be beyond anything we could think of, yet he still asks us to sacrifice the things that we have for him. What we sometimes fail to understand is that he does not ask us to do these things to fill his needs, but to fill ours. What matters to him is that we are giving him something that means something to us. Whether it be money, time, talents, etc. there's nothing we can give him that he can't create a better version of himself, but when we give something that matters to us, at the altar of Christ our sacrifice is perfected.
The Lord loves you, I love you!
Paige
And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.
This verse comes after Jesus has been teaching the people for a while. The first thing to point out, is that Jesus is commanding them to go and get bread and wine. He doesn't just ask it or request it, but he commands it. Commandments aren't something that the Lord takes lightly, so this shows the importance of this act. Commandments also result in blessings if they are kept; this tells us that Christ wanted to bless the people he was with. But why did the Savior ask them to bring him bread and wine? He was a resurrected being, he didn't need it for himself. But this would result in blessings for the people, so Christ asked them to make a sacrifice. He could have created the bread and the wine and they would have been much better than anything anyone could have brought to him, but he wanted them to have to opportunity to sacrifice something for him. This parallels our lives today so perfectly. There are so many things that Christ could just give us, and it would be perfect and would be beyond anything we could think of, yet he still asks us to sacrifice the things that we have for him. What we sometimes fail to understand is that he does not ask us to do these things to fill his needs, but to fill ours. What matters to him is that we are giving him something that means something to us. Whether it be money, time, talents, etc. there's nothing we can give him that he can't create a better version of himself, but when we give something that matters to us, at the altar of Christ our sacrifice is perfected.
The Lord loves you, I love you!
Paige
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Week 8 - Looking Up for Answers
(Yes, there is not a week 7 post, it will come at the end of the semester due to a 3-day weekend and optional entry for that week or later.)
3 Nephi 11:3-5
"And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about for they understood not the voice which they heard...And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not. And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sounds came."
When the people heard the voice of the Lord, they did not understand what they were hearing, so they "cast their eyes round about." This implies a horizontal motion; the people were looking around at each other to try and understand what they were hearing. But the thing is is that there was only one person who could tell them what was happening, and he definitely was not among them physically at that moment. It was not until they looked "steadfastly towards heaven" that they could truly understand what they were experiencing. There are so many times in our lives when we will encounter things that we will not understand. We may look to each other to answer our questions, but those around us are just as confused as we are. Though we may not be able to answer these questions for ourselves doesn't mean that these questions must remain unanswered. We have a loving God who wants to communicate with us. Through pondering and praying we can connect with him and we can receive those answers that we are ready to receive. Our God will not leave us all alone. He wants to bless you with the answers that you need, and sometimes they may come in the form of human angels, but they are still a blessing from him. So ask, and it shall be given.
Paige
3 Nephi 11:3-5
"And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about for they understood not the voice which they heard...And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not. And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sounds came."
When the people heard the voice of the Lord, they did not understand what they were hearing, so they "cast their eyes round about." This implies a horizontal motion; the people were looking around at each other to try and understand what they were hearing. But the thing is is that there was only one person who could tell them what was happening, and he definitely was not among them physically at that moment. It was not until they looked "steadfastly towards heaven" that they could truly understand what they were experiencing. There are so many times in our lives when we will encounter things that we will not understand. We may look to each other to answer our questions, but those around us are just as confused as we are. Though we may not be able to answer these questions for ourselves doesn't mean that these questions must remain unanswered. We have a loving God who wants to communicate with us. Through pondering and praying we can connect with him and we can receive those answers that we are ready to receive. Our God will not leave us all alone. He wants to bless you with the answers that you need, and sometimes they may come in the form of human angels, but they are still a blessing from him. So ask, and it shall be given.
Paige
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