ELDERS QUORUM LESSON – 9 OCTOBER 2022
Hello Elders,
This week’s Elder Quorum Lesson topic
will be “Love, Share, Invite” by Elder Gary E. Stevenson
As the last General Conference talks
are still being released, we thought it best to use a talk from the April 2022
conference for our lesson topic this week.
Our instructor will be Kent Jeppeson
REMINDER – This month’s Ward Temple
Night will be Wednesday, October 26th, at 7pm at the Rexburg Temple. There are
still several seats available.
Here is Elder Stevenson’s Talk
Love,
Share, Invite
As we love, share, and invite, we take
part in that great and glorious work that prepares the earth for the return of
its Messiah.
Imagine with me, for a moment,
standing on a mountain in Galilee, witnessing the wonder and glory of the
resurrected Savior visiting His disciples. How awe-inspiring to consider
personally hearing these words, which He shared with them, His solemn charge to
“go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Surely these words would
empower, inspire, and move each of us, as they did His Apostles. Indeed, they
devoted the rest of their lives to doing just that.
Interestingly, it wasn’t only the
Apostles who took Jesus’s words to heart. Members of the early Church, from the
newest to the most seasoned, took part in the Savior’s great commission,
sharing the good news of the gospel with those they met and knew. The
determination to share their testimony of Jesus Christ helped His newly
established Church grow expansively.
We too, as Christ’s disciples, are
invited to heed His commission today, as if we were there on that mountain in
Galilee when He first proclaimed it. This commission began again in 1830, when
Joseph Smith set apart his brother Samuel as an early missionary of the Church
of Jesus Christ. Since that time, more than 1.5 million missionaries have
traveled throughout the world teaching all nations and baptizing those who
embrace the glad tidings of the restored gospel.
This is our doctrine. Our
fond desire.
From our young children to
the eldest among us, we yearn for the time when we can heed the Savior’s call
and share the gospel with the nations of the world. I am sure you young men and
young women felt a similar empowering challenge from our prophet yesterday as
he invited you to prepare for full-time missionary service just as the Savior
did with His Apostles.
Like sprinters at the starting
blocks, we wait with anticipation for the official invitation, complete with
the prophet’s signature, signaling the start of the race! This desire is noble
and inspirational; however, let’s consider this question: why don’t we all begin now?
You might ask, “How can I
be a missionary without a name badge?” Or we tell ourselves, “The full-time
missionaries are set apart to do this work. I would like to help but perhaps
later when life has calmed down a bit.”
Brothers and sisters, it
is much simpler than that! Gratefully, the Savior’s great commission can be
accomplished through simple, easily understandable principles taught to each of
us from childhood: love, share, and invite.
Love
The first thing we can do
is love as Christ loved.
Our hearts are heavy with
the human suffering and tensions that we see throughout the world during these
tumultuous times. However, we can be also inspired by the outpouring of
compassion and humanitarianism that has been demonstrated by people everywhere
through their efforts to reach out to the marginalized—those displaced from
their homes, separated from their families, or experiencing other forms of
sorrow and despair.
Recently, news sources reported
how a group of mothers in Poland, out of concern for desperate, fleeing
families, left fully equipped strollers on a train station platform in a neat
line, ready and waiting for refugee mothers and children who would need them at
that border crossing as they deboarded a train. Surely, our Heavenly Father
smiles upon acts of selfless charity such as these, for as we bear one
another’s burdens, we “fulfil the law of Christ.”
Whenever we show
Christlike love toward our neighbor, we preach the gospel—even if we do not
voice a single word.
Love for others is the eloquent
expression of the second great commandment to love our neighbor; it shows
the refining process of the Holy Spirit working within our own souls. By
demonstrating Christ’s love to others, we may cause those who see our good
works to “glorify [our] Father which is in heaven.”
We do this expecting
nothing in return.
Our hope, of course, is
they will accept our love and our message, though how they react is not within
our control.
What we do and who we are
certainly are.
Through Christlike love for
others, we preach the glorious, life-transforming properties of
Christ’s gospel, and we participate significantly in the fulfilling of His
great commission.
Share
The second thing we can do
is share.
During the early months of
the COVID-19 pandemic, Brother Wisan from Thailand felt prompted to share his
feelings and impressions of what he was learning in his study of the Book of
Mormon on his social media account. In one of his particularly personal posts,
he shared a story of two Book of Mormon missionaries, Alma and Amulek.
His brother, Winai,
although set in his religious beliefs, was touched by the post and responded,
unexpectedly asking, “Can I get that book in Thai?”
Wisan wisely arranged for
a copy of the Book of Mormon to be delivered by two sister missionaries, who
began teaching his brother.
Wisan joined in virtual
lessons, during which he shared his feelings about the Book of Mormon. Winai
learned to pray and study with a truth-seeking spirit, to accept and embrace
the truth. Within months, Winai was baptized!
Wisan later said, “We have
a responsibility to be an instrument in the hands of God, and we must be always
ready for Him to do His work in His way through us.” Their family miracle came
because Wisan simply shared the gospel in a normal and natural way.
We all share things with
others. We do it often. We share what movies and food we like, funny things we
see, places we visit, art we appreciate, quotes we’re inspired by.
How might we simply add to
the list of things we already share what we love about the gospel of Jesus
Christ?
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
explained: “If someone asks about your weekend, don’t hesitate to talk about
what you experienced at church. Tell about the little children who stood in
front of a congregation and sang with eagerness how they are trying to be like
Jesus. Talk about the group of youth who spent time helping the elderly in rest
homes to compile personal histories.”
Sharing isn’t about
“selling” the gospel. You don’t have to write a sermon or correct someone’s
incorrect perceptions.
When it comes to
missionary work, God doesn’t need you to be His sheriff; He does, however, ask
that you be His sharer.
By sharing our positive
experiences in the gospel with others, we take part in fulfilling the Savior’s
great commission.
Invite
The third thing you can do
is invite.
Sister Mayra is a recent
convert from Ecuador. Her joy in the gospel skyrocketed immediately following
her baptism as she invited friends and loved ones around her through social
media accounts. Many family members and friends who saw her posts responded
with questions. Mayra connected with them, often inviting them to her home to
meet with the missionaries together.
Mayra’s parents, her
siblings, her aunt, two cousins, and several of her friends were baptized
because she courageously invited them to “come and see,” “come and serve,” and
“come and belong.” Through her normal and natural invitations, over 20 people
have accepted her invitation to be baptized members of the Church of Jesus
Christ. This came about because Sister Mayra simply invited others to
experience the joy she felt as a member of the Church.
There are hundreds of
invitations we can extend to others. We can invite others to “come and see” a
sacrament service, a ward activity, an online video that explains the gospel of
Jesus Christ. “Come and see” can be an invitation to read the Book of Mormon or
visit a new temple during its open house prior to its dedication. Sometimes the
invitation is something we extend inward—an invitation to ourselves, giving us
awareness and vision of opportunities surrounding us to act upon.
In our digital age, members often
share messages through social media. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of
uplifting things you might find worthy of sharing. This content offers
invitations to “come and see,” “come and serve,” and “come and belong.”
As we invite others to
learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ, we take part in the Savior’s call
to engage in the work of His commission.
Conclusion
My beloved brothers and sisters,
we have spoken today of three simple things—easy things—that anyone can do.
Things you can do! Perhaps you are
already doing them—even without fully realizing that you are!
I invite you to consider
ways you can love, share, and invite. As you do so, you will feel a measure of
joy knowing that you are heeding the words of our beloved Savior.
What I am urging you to do
is not a new program. You have heard these principles before. This is not the
“next big thing” the Church is asking you to do. These three things are merely
an extension of who we already are as disciples of Jesus Christ.
No name badge or letter is
required.
No formal calling is
needed.
As these three things
become a natural part of who we are and how we live, they will become an
automatic, unforced expression of genuine love.
Like those disciples of
Christ who gathered together to learn from Him in Galilee 2,000 years ago, we
too can embrace the Savior’s charge and go into all the world preaching the
gospel.
As we love, share, and
invite, we take part in that great and glorious work that prepares the earth
for the return of its Messiah.
That we may heed the
Savior’s call and strive to engage in His great commission is my prayer in the
name of Jesus the Christ, amen.
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