WEBVTT 00:00:07.469 --> 00:00:09.630 Welcome to Closer to Christ, a general conference 00:00:09.630 --> 00:00:12.070 where two friends who love Jesus share our own 00:00:12.070 --> 00:00:13.970 approach to studying the most recent general 00:00:13.970 --> 00:00:16.890 conference talks. This is Abby and Amy. Let's 00:00:16.890 --> 00:00:26.050 jump into it. Today we're discussing the talk, 00:00:26.109 --> 00:00:28.649 Charity, a Sign of True Discipleship. This is 00:00:28.649 --> 00:00:31.719 by Elder Michael B. Strong of the Seventy. Hey, 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:33.759 Abby. Good to see you today. It's good to be 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:36.740 here with you. It's the day that we're recording, 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.679 kind of a gloomy, rainy day, but we're experiencing 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:42.479 some fires. So it's been kind of... It's a blessing. 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:44.939 The best day of rain I've ever had. It's true. 00:00:45.060 --> 00:00:47.939 And unseasonably, not unseasonably, really, but 00:00:47.939 --> 00:00:49.799 it's way colder than it has been for a while. 00:00:49.820 --> 00:00:52.020 And just very hint of fall when we wouldn't expect 00:00:52.020 --> 00:00:54.119 this until October. But it's very nice. Since 00:00:54.119 --> 00:00:55.979 it's accompanied with rain, it's great. It really 00:00:55.979 --> 00:01:00.320 is. President Russell M. Nelson recently invited 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:02.899 us to make our discipleship our highest priority. 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:05.260 Elder Strong used that invitation to reflect 00:01:05.260 --> 00:01:07.739 back on his life and identify where those lessons 00:01:07.739 --> 00:01:10.579 have been learned. So pretty much the overarching 00:01:10.579 --> 00:01:13.180 theme, I would say, of the talk allows us to 00:01:13.180 --> 00:01:15.599 see that it is one thing to learn about the Savior 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:18.780 and it is another to actually do as he did. The 00:01:18.780 --> 00:01:21.140 intended destination of discipleship is to become 00:01:21.140 --> 00:01:26.640 as the Savior. love the first title that he gave. 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:29.540 He said, discipleship is deliberate. And I feel 00:01:29.540 --> 00:01:32.219 like deliberate is just, is very close to the 00:01:32.219 --> 00:01:34.439 word intentional. Yes, one of your words. I love 00:01:34.439 --> 00:01:37.400 that word. So I was all in it for this paragraph. 00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:40.040 He said, first, we accept the divinity of Jesus 00:01:40.040 --> 00:01:42.620 Christ, and then we do as the great teacher did. 00:01:42.739 --> 00:01:45.459 So if we simply leave it at just learning his 00:01:45.459 --> 00:01:49.260 words, we've missed the essential step that a 00:01:49.260 --> 00:01:53.469 true disciple would be. Disciples are apprentices, 00:01:53.689 --> 00:01:56.090 he says, who devote their lives to becoming like 00:01:56.090 --> 00:02:00.510 their teacher. What a great challenge to give 00:02:00.510 --> 00:02:04.989 to ourselves. Not just be learners of the word, 00:02:05.069 --> 00:02:09.370 but doers. Right. I agree. President Dallin H. 00:02:09.449 --> 00:02:12.050 Oaks explained it this way. Following Christ 00:02:12.050 --> 00:02:30.159 is not a casual... So if we look at some of the 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:32.439 qualities of Christ, we could choose to emulate 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:37.120 from His thoughts and actions. You know, in the 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:39.180 life that He lived on earth, we might say things 00:02:39.180 --> 00:02:42.439 like He was obedient or humble, patient. There 00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:45.900 are many divine attributes of Jesus Christ, but 00:02:45.900 --> 00:02:48.939 if we want to emulate the one that stands preeminent 00:02:48.939 --> 00:02:51.699 and embodies all others, that would be his pure 00:02:51.699 --> 00:02:54.520 love or charity. You might look at that list 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:56.360 and you're like, where do I start? I don't think 00:02:56.360 --> 00:03:01.639 I possess any of those. You can see that there's 00:03:01.639 --> 00:03:05.030 a lot of work to be done. But if you're looking 00:03:05.030 --> 00:03:07.189 at the list in that way, trying to decide where 00:03:07.189 --> 00:03:09.650 to start, I can promise you it doesn't really 00:03:09.650 --> 00:03:11.909 matter. Gradually working on one of these attributes 00:03:11.909 --> 00:03:14.289 will always lead to developing others, especially 00:03:14.289 --> 00:03:17.189 if we've identified the ones in ourselves that 00:03:17.189 --> 00:03:19.710 we're lacking or that we want to improve. And 00:03:19.710 --> 00:03:22.909 then, you know, like anything that's worthwhile, 00:03:23.069 --> 00:03:24.990 repetition and mimicking these attributes will 00:03:24.990 --> 00:03:27.849 eventually lead us to becoming, as he said, partakers 00:03:27.849 --> 00:03:30.629 of his divine nature. So when others see Jesus 00:03:30.629 --> 00:03:33.580 Christ through us, we were demonstrating what 00:03:33.580 --> 00:03:35.620 it means to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. 00:03:35.819 --> 00:03:39.360 Yeah, absolutely. So this is funny because whenever 00:03:39.360 --> 00:03:42.599 I read this quote from our prophet, I can hear 00:03:42.599 --> 00:03:44.979 him. There's like a sound bite in my mind of 00:03:44.979 --> 00:03:47.759 him saying it. He says, our adoration of Jesus 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:51.219 is best expressed by our emulation of Jesus. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:55.000 So if charity is the preeminent attribute, it 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:59.000 might be good to focus on that. The prophet Mormon 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:01.659 and the apostle Paul both remind us that without 00:04:01.659 --> 00:04:04.360 charity, we are nothing. And then the prophet 00:04:04.360 --> 00:04:06.780 Joseph Smith taught, and I love this so much. 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:09.319 I love this from the talk that without charity, 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:13.180 we can do nothing. So they say we are nothing. 00:04:13.219 --> 00:04:15.740 And he further emphasizes that we can do nothing. 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:18.959 This makes me reflect on my own service. When 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:20.600 it's done with the pure love of Christ, it actually 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:23.060 feels like a great accomplishment. However, if 00:04:23.060 --> 00:04:26.600 my actions lack that commitment of testifying 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:29.420 of the Savior, it lacks the fullness of joy that 00:04:29.420 --> 00:04:31.699 they could have been. Does that make sense? Absolutely. 00:04:32.180 --> 00:04:37.680 Like, Christ served others out of love, and it's 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:39.939 like the very core of His being. And so serving 00:04:39.939 --> 00:04:42.290 others... brings me closer to Christ better than 00:04:42.290 --> 00:04:44.509 any other thing that I can think of doing, especially 00:04:44.509 --> 00:04:46.689 when I'm doing it for Him and not for the praise 00:04:46.689 --> 00:04:49.930 of man. So I would say when I'm looking at service 00:04:49.930 --> 00:04:51.970 that way, it often requires me to periodically 00:04:51.970 --> 00:04:54.670 check in in the way that I'm doing things. And 00:04:54.670 --> 00:04:57.449 I say, is this His way? Or does He, you know, 00:04:57.470 --> 00:04:59.449 does He know better than I? So I'm checking in. 00:04:59.509 --> 00:05:01.550 It's like, no, you can do that a little bit better. 00:05:02.769 --> 00:05:06.529 Ministering comes to mind. You know, one way 00:05:06.529 --> 00:05:10.569 to do it is so you make the phone call. I know 00:05:10.569 --> 00:05:11.870 that it's different than this, but I'm just saying 00:05:11.870 --> 00:05:13.350 you make the phone call once a month and you 00:05:13.350 --> 00:05:15.149 can just say, oh, I can check the box. And when 00:05:15.149 --> 00:05:18.029 you're asked in a report, yep, I did that versus, 00:05:18.089 --> 00:05:21.089 you know, taking it to prayer. Heavenly Father, 00:05:21.230 --> 00:05:23.949 how can I minister better to this particular 00:05:23.949 --> 00:05:26.129 sister with them in mind? And something will 00:05:26.129 --> 00:05:28.069 come to your mind and you'll execute that. And 00:05:28.069 --> 00:05:30.949 most people probably won't see that happen. It 00:05:30.949 --> 00:05:34.600 doesn't really. You know, it doesn't make the 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:38.579 newspaper or anything, but... Not even a small 00:05:38.579 --> 00:05:43.639 town. Right, that's the point. It doesn't need 00:05:43.639 --> 00:05:46.660 to be seen by anybody to imprint on our hearts 00:05:46.660 --> 00:05:50.740 and to help us to get a taste of what it would 00:05:50.740 --> 00:05:53.379 be like to be Him. And then, you know, in that 00:05:53.379 --> 00:05:55.779 way, we're a disciple. Absolutely. You know, 00:05:55.779 --> 00:05:58.339 and when I think about it too, if I were to be 00:05:58.339 --> 00:06:02.129 ministered to by Jesus Christ Himself, No matter 00:06:02.129 --> 00:06:04.350 what miracle he performed in my life, no matter 00:06:04.350 --> 00:06:08.250 what he did in my life, I would think that the 00:06:08.250 --> 00:06:11.370 overall feeling that I would get from him and 00:06:11.370 --> 00:06:13.350 what I would remember for the rest of my life 00:06:13.350 --> 00:06:16.550 is the love that I felt from him. And that was 00:06:16.550 --> 00:06:18.810 when he was serving me. So if we can even tap 00:06:18.810 --> 00:06:20.449 into just a little bit of that, that whatever, 00:06:20.670 --> 00:06:23.189 whoever we're serving, whatever lives we're touching, 00:06:23.290 --> 00:06:25.290 if they can just remember the love that we gave. 00:06:25.389 --> 00:06:27.529 And we just ask that even if we don't have that 00:06:27.529 --> 00:06:30.670 much in our hearts or we're tired or we're spent 00:06:30.670 --> 00:06:33.449 or we're spread thin, if we can just pray and 00:06:33.449 --> 00:06:36.290 ask that Heavenly Father would grant us a portion 00:06:36.290 --> 00:06:39.610 of God or of Jesus Christ's love. I feel like 00:06:39.610 --> 00:06:42.230 that's what people would feel. And that's what 00:06:42.230 --> 00:06:46.050 would make a difference. I think it's true. If 00:06:46.050 --> 00:06:48.170 you're having a nice discussion on this, it's 00:06:48.170 --> 00:06:50.509 much harder to share things that you've done 00:06:50.509 --> 00:06:56.550 that demonstrate those sweet feelings that have 00:06:56.550 --> 00:06:58.290 come as you've served other people, but it's 00:06:58.290 --> 00:07:01.610 very comfortable for people to share when they've 00:07:01.610 --> 00:07:04.430 been served in that way. And the smallest thing 00:07:04.430 --> 00:07:07.110 that's been done that just helps them feel of 00:07:07.110 --> 00:07:12.259 our Savior's love. Like, this is the most random 00:07:12.259 --> 00:07:14.980 thing. This was so weird. I had a gal that lived 00:07:14.980 --> 00:07:16.360 across the street from me, and I'd made Chinese 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:17.879 food, and I'd make a sweet and sour sauce. And 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:20.040 I had the impression to go take her, like, a 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:21.920 little pint of sweet and sour sauce. And I knocked 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:25.480 on her door, and she got tears in her eyes. Like, 00:07:25.579 --> 00:07:27.040 I don't know what... You knew the way to her 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:29.259 heart. No, I didn't. I don't know anything about 00:07:29.259 --> 00:07:32.730 her liking sweet and sour sauce. I, I, it was, 00:07:32.730 --> 00:07:35.029 it's one of those things, like when it's so weird 00:07:35.029 --> 00:07:36.509 that you're like, that didn't come from me. I'm 00:07:36.509 --> 00:07:38.350 just going to go with it. Yeah. And the tears, 00:07:38.350 --> 00:07:40.470 like the tears in her eyes. And then she wrote 00:07:40.470 --> 00:07:43.709 me a thank you letter, like a while later, just 00:07:43.709 --> 00:07:46.930 sweet and sour. That was this weird little thing. 00:07:46.970 --> 00:07:48.870 Like that's how she felt God love for her. And 00:07:48.870 --> 00:07:50.810 I just felt like this was awkward. Like I would 00:07:50.810 --> 00:07:53.149 rather just dump this down the sink or, or do 00:07:53.149 --> 00:07:54.829 my norm. Like you put it in the fridge until 00:07:54.829 --> 00:07:56.230 it rots. And then you feel good about dumping 00:07:56.230 --> 00:07:58.889 it on the sink. But he told me, go take this 00:07:58.889 --> 00:08:02.180 too. the sister and she let me know like i wouldn't 00:08:02.180 --> 00:08:04.040 know otherwise but later that it meant something 00:08:04.040 --> 00:08:07.019 to her so i'm like it would be so fun to just 00:08:07.019 --> 00:08:09.579 hear like what little thing happened and in that 00:08:09.579 --> 00:08:11.519 way other sisters would be like it just doesn't 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:16.699 take much to um To observe, look around, see 00:08:16.699 --> 00:08:20.319 a need and fill a need. And in that way, learn 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:21.939 more about our Savior, become more like our Savior. 00:08:22.019 --> 00:08:23.480 That's awesome. It was probably more about the 00:08:23.480 --> 00:08:25.079 timing than it was about the actual sweet and 00:08:25.079 --> 00:08:27.060 sour. Maybe. She said that her husband loved 00:08:27.060 --> 00:08:28.699 it and that she doesn't make it. She was really 00:08:28.699 --> 00:08:31.180 grateful for it. I'm like, cool. That's great. 00:08:31.420 --> 00:08:35.299 Like once a year. I love it. Okay, so as we've 00:08:35.299 --> 00:08:37.220 been talking about love and identifying that, 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:39.840 the Savior himself identified love as a mark 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:42.600 or a sign by which his true disciples would be 00:08:42.600 --> 00:08:45.120 recognized when he declared this, A new commandment 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:47.440 I give unto you, that ye love one another as 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:49.700 I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:52.879 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, 00:08:53.100 --> 00:08:56.100 if ye have love one to another. We learn that 00:08:56.100 --> 00:08:59.179 this truth in one of my favorite primary songs 00:08:59.179 --> 00:09:01.480 and the message hits. deep as I think how simple 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:04.379 life can be if we just live by that charge. Preach 00:09:04.379 --> 00:09:07.340 My Gospel teaches that charity like faith leads 00:09:07.340 --> 00:09:10.659 to action. Indeed, charity may be described as 00:09:10.659 --> 00:09:14.139 love in action. Never a truer statement than 00:09:14.139 --> 00:09:16.779 this. Charity is a rich concept that can be difficult 00:09:16.779 --> 00:09:19.899 to define but easily perceived by all who are 00:09:19.899 --> 00:09:21.960 touched by it. And that line is kind of what 00:09:21.960 --> 00:09:24.720 I was thinking of if a conversation sparked up 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:28.299 as you and other Members in your ward have a 00:09:28.299 --> 00:09:32.159 chance to discuss this talk that you can't really 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:33.600 put your finger on it until you start sharing 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.720 stories. And you're just like, that was a moment 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:39.759 that I felt so seen and held. Or maybe people 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:41.440 will start feeling comfortable saying, I had 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:43.759 this weird experience and I did this thing. And 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:47.179 they'll be like, yeah, I can see that example. 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:50.539 He shared three different examples of our master 00:09:50.539 --> 00:09:54.070 as he demonstrated. these as he walked on the 00:09:54.070 --> 00:09:56.450 earth going about doing good, little piece of 00:09:56.450 --> 00:10:00.799 the living Christ. Do you want to take us, this 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:02.720 is in paragraph 11, you want to kind of summarize 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:06.600 what you see there? Sure. The Savior showed charity 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:09.179 by being compassionate. So during his ministry 00:10:09.179 --> 00:10:10.860 among the Nephites, as recorded in the Book of 00:10:10.860 --> 00:10:12.539 Mormon, the Lord invited the people to return 00:10:12.539 --> 00:10:15.019 home and then ponder on the things that he taught 00:10:15.019 --> 00:10:17.100 them and also to prepare for his return the following 00:10:17.100 --> 00:10:20.220 day. Then the record states this, they were in 00:10:20.220 --> 00:10:23.000 tears and did look steadfastly upon him as if 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:24.820 they would ask him to tarry a little longer with 00:10:24.820 --> 00:10:27.299 them. And he said unto them, behold, my bowels 00:10:27.299 --> 00:10:29.340 are filled. with compassion towards you. So we 00:10:29.340 --> 00:10:33.519 learn here from the Savior that his portion of 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:38.080 charity seeks to alleviate suffering. So what 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:40.059 did he do in this situation? The Lord healed 00:10:40.059 --> 00:10:42.500 the sick and afflicted among the people. He blessed 00:10:42.500 --> 00:10:44.460 the children while angels descended from heaven 00:10:44.460 --> 00:10:46.679 and surrounded them. Can you even imagine, Abby? 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:50.419 Sign me up. I know, sign me up. He performed 00:10:50.419 --> 00:10:53.379 these tender loving acts and many more because... 00:10:53.669 --> 00:10:55.769 He was moved with compassion. You know, I say 00:10:55.769 --> 00:10:58.309 that jokingly, but though we aren't there in 00:10:58.309 --> 00:11:02.230 his day and his time, it's no different to fill 00:11:02.230 --> 00:11:08.750 his loving arms, his embrace, him tearing with 00:11:08.750 --> 00:11:12.110 us a little bit longer when we want him to be. 00:11:12.440 --> 00:11:15.639 In 2025. Totally. There are moments that I've 00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:19.200 felt his presence so closely. And I know that 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:22.440 angels have been sent on my behalf, on behalf 00:11:22.440 --> 00:11:24.639 of other loved ones. I've seen miracles. So it 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:26.820 really isn't any different than physically being 00:11:26.820 --> 00:11:29.000 there, but still a beautiful story. I love that 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:30.539 we have record of it, but I don't think it's 00:11:30.539 --> 00:11:31.919 meant to make us feel jealous that we weren't 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:33.519 there in that moment. I think it's meant to make 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:35.919 us think, how do we abide in the Savior? How 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:37.580 do we ask him to stay a little longer with us? 00:11:37.659 --> 00:11:39.799 How does he reach us in the needs that we have? 00:11:39.899 --> 00:11:46.419 Yeah. Like this moment, my heart sunk when he 00:11:46.419 --> 00:11:52.679 bore his soul and recounted what happened. Well, 00:11:52.860 --> 00:11:55.500 what happened on his own mission as a youth. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:59.960 An experience that as he reflected on what it 00:11:59.960 --> 00:12:02.460 means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, who he's 00:12:02.460 --> 00:12:04.600 seen in his life or experience that he's seen 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:07.279 that have affected that testimony. So what he 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:23.980 recounts is his time down in South America. Poor 00:12:23.980 --> 00:12:38.419 guy. I don't imagine that his mom, dad, his family 00:12:38.419 --> 00:12:40.779 back home got immediate word of this. But like 00:12:40.779 --> 00:12:44.620 with the ease of, you know, with communication 00:12:44.620 --> 00:12:47.399 in this day and age, if, you know, my own child 00:12:47.399 --> 00:12:49.639 was on a mission and this was the scenario, I 00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:51.840 would feel equally devastated for the family 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:54.019 that suffered the loss. And I would feel so terrified 00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:56.480 for my son in the same situation and helpless 00:12:56.480 --> 00:12:58.700 because we're so many miles apart. There's nothing 00:12:58.700 --> 00:13:02.480 I can do for him. So Elder Strong says a fellow 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:07.070 missionary, Elder Brian, Jehovah learned of the 00:13:07.070 --> 00:13:09.690 accident and he was moved by compassion and came 00:13:09.690 --> 00:13:11.850 to the jail and pled with the officers to be 00:13:11.850 --> 00:13:13.789 allowed to stay with Elder Strong in the cell 00:13:13.789 --> 00:13:17.409 so that he would not be alone. And they agreed. 00:13:17.750 --> 00:13:20.470 This action of Christ -like love from a true 00:13:20.470 --> 00:13:24.370 disciple calmed, comforted, and consoled me in 00:13:24.370 --> 00:13:26.529 one of the greatest moments of distress in my 00:13:26.529 --> 00:13:30.720 life. His charitable compassion was a telling 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:33.179 sign of His discipleship. It's such a beautiful 00:13:33.179 --> 00:13:37.259 illustration of that, especially the stark contrast 00:13:37.259 --> 00:13:41.789 of such a horrific event. It's beautiful. As 00:13:41.789 --> 00:13:43.789 President Nelson observed, one of the easiest 00:13:43.789 --> 00:13:46.289 ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ 00:13:46.289 --> 00:13:48.950 is how compassionately that person treats other 00:13:48.950 --> 00:13:51.809 people. Let's look at the second example of how 00:13:51.809 --> 00:13:54.690 the Savior demonstrated His love as He both observed 00:13:54.690 --> 00:13:57.370 and then ministered. Reminds me of observe, then 00:13:57.370 --> 00:13:59.929 serve, right? Multiple cases of this, like the 00:13:59.929 --> 00:14:03.389 man who had been lame for 38 years with no one 00:14:03.389 --> 00:14:06.190 to help him. The Lord made him whole and encouraged 00:14:06.190 --> 00:14:08.570 him to live righteously. And then to the woman 00:14:08.570 --> 00:14:10.570 who was caught in adultery. He offered hope and 00:14:10.570 --> 00:14:13.169 comfort. rather than condemnation. And third, 00:14:13.269 --> 00:14:16.009 for the man with paralysis who was lowered from 00:14:16.009 --> 00:14:18.289 the roof, the Lord offered forgiveness of sins, 00:14:18.389 --> 00:14:23.190 not just healing of the body. What a gift. It's 00:14:23.190 --> 00:14:25.210 such a gift. And these examples paired with the 00:14:25.210 --> 00:14:27.389 ones that you had mentioned above, like when 00:14:27.389 --> 00:14:29.230 he was in the Americas and he could see they 00:14:29.230 --> 00:14:30.929 were pleading with them and his bowels were filled 00:14:30.929 --> 00:14:33.570 with mercy. He didn't just do the same thing 00:14:33.570 --> 00:14:37.070 for every individual there. He itemizes, he customizes. 00:14:37.110 --> 00:14:40.269 I was totally thinking that same thing. I was 00:14:40.269 --> 00:14:43.210 thinking it's so interesting how every single 00:14:43.210 --> 00:14:47.919 person on this earth. It has access to God's 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:51.179 love and God's blessings. It always just looks 00:14:51.179 --> 00:14:53.120 a little bit different for every person. So you 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:54.600 might look at someone and be like, well, I want 00:14:54.600 --> 00:14:56.159 that to happen to me. And it's like, you know, 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:59.379 that's not the case. Yeah, it's the principle 00:14:59.379 --> 00:15:02.580 of his love and him ministering to the one, which 00:15:02.580 --> 00:15:04.700 is each of us. And it's going to look different. 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:08.679 Elder Strong, so good at this. I can tell that 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:12.179 when the prophet issued the charge to make discipleship 00:15:12.179 --> 00:15:16.159 like our greatest focus. that he sat and he spent 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:18.039 some time reflecting on these pieces, and it 00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:19.919 made this lovely talk. But again, he reflected 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:22.120 back on his life and identified where he learned 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:24.600 that lesson. And this was witnessed in actions 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:27.580 of true disciples of Christ, in the form of John 00:15:27.580 --> 00:15:30.080 and Debbie Benish, who helped his wife in the 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:31.980 difficult job of keeping up with six children 00:15:31.980 --> 00:15:34.259 in sacrament meeting. It's a cute story. I know. 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:37.639 As Elder Strong served as a bishop. First, they 00:15:37.639 --> 00:15:39.740 observed the situation, asked how could they 00:15:39.740 --> 00:15:42.740 best help, and then over the years, they served 00:15:42.740 --> 00:15:47.240 so long and faithfully that a relationship was 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:50.080 cultivated, and they became honorary grandparents, 00:15:50.379 --> 00:15:53.360 you know? So when you recognize the unspoken 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:56.080 need and you act on it, that is a way to become 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:59.340 a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Yes. I love 00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:01.139 that, Abby. Is there anything wrong with a person 00:16:01.139 --> 00:16:02.899 saying, I need help in this, and you step in 00:16:02.899 --> 00:16:06.799 and you feel that need? No. it's another layer 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:09.179 of where we can get to that before we're being 00:16:09.179 --> 00:16:11.159 asked, that we're in a situation where we're 00:16:11.159 --> 00:16:13.539 willing to look outside of ourselves, even if 00:16:13.539 --> 00:16:16.000 we have our own things that we're dealing with. 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:18.320 We're not completely whole and full ourselves. 00:16:18.740 --> 00:16:20.600 Sometimes when you reach out and you're looking 00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:23.539 at the needs of other people, the Lord steps 00:16:23.539 --> 00:16:25.870 in and He puts... somebody's eyes on you and 00:16:25.870 --> 00:16:28.129 helps you in your need better than you could 00:16:28.129 --> 00:16:30.269 have helped yourself. Yeah, that's a really good 00:16:30.269 --> 00:16:32.669 point. And I've said this about, I said this 00:16:32.669 --> 00:16:34.590 about you before, Abby, I know that you wouldn't 00:16:34.590 --> 00:16:37.370 say it, but I've said to my mom, you have more 00:16:37.370 --> 00:16:39.850 peripheral vision than anyone I know. Like you're 00:16:39.850 --> 00:16:42.289 able to look outside and be like, oh, and I feel 00:16:42.289 --> 00:16:44.470 like you're really good at embodying observe 00:16:44.470 --> 00:16:46.570 and serve. So thank you for being that example 00:16:46.570 --> 00:16:49.429 to me. I think that's nice to say, but I can 00:16:49.429 --> 00:16:52.950 testify that if that is true, it is because I've 00:16:52.950 --> 00:16:55.830 been reached in small and simple ways, you know, 00:16:55.830 --> 00:16:57.870 in different experiences in my life that were 00:16:57.870 --> 00:17:00.409 out of my control. And people helped me just 00:17:00.409 --> 00:17:04.269 feel like tiny nods and touches. Yeah. We were 00:17:04.269 --> 00:17:09.960 housed. We sold our home. in the early part of 00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:12.579 maddie we had the birth of a child and we had 00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:14.319 a home to sell but then we had a move that we 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:16.940 needed to plan and stuff and we had some friends 00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:20.019 house us and it meant nothing to them because 00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:21.700 they raised six children and they were down to 00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:24.539 just a couple so they had a huge house and you 00:17:24.539 --> 00:17:26.539 know i think the lord's hand was in that because 00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:29.140 her um her oldest daughter's an angel because 00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:33.730 she was born still born but um Her second child 00:17:33.730 --> 00:17:35.750 suffered from lupus, and so they'd spent a lot 00:17:35.750 --> 00:17:37.809 of time at Primary Children's and didn't know 00:17:37.809 --> 00:17:39.710 that that was going to be our path. But, you 00:17:39.710 --> 00:17:42.049 know, Cindy was an earthly angel put in our path. 00:17:42.750 --> 00:17:45.529 And we had a lot of doctor appointments, and 00:17:45.529 --> 00:17:47.970 our friends' homes and couches were open to us. 00:17:48.049 --> 00:17:51.170 And I could go on and on, but we'd been touched 00:17:51.170 --> 00:17:54.410 in so many ways that I would feel very ungrateful 00:17:54.410 --> 00:17:56.630 if I didn't try to do little things for people, 00:17:56.710 --> 00:18:01.089 especially as impressions hit me. And I'm trying 00:18:01.089 --> 00:18:05.109 to be more... Like when they're weird, when they're 00:18:05.109 --> 00:18:06.890 weird ones, I'm like, that has to be from God 00:18:06.890 --> 00:18:08.329 because that is so embarrassing. You're like, 00:18:08.329 --> 00:18:10.269 that is so uncomfortable to do that. I'm just 00:18:10.269 --> 00:18:12.150 going to do it as quickly as possible so I can 00:18:12.150 --> 00:18:15.109 get over how awkward this is. That's how that 00:18:15.109 --> 00:18:21.089 goes. That's awesome. Yeah. Let's talk about 00:18:21.089 --> 00:18:23.269 the final example. Elder Strong referenced in 00:18:23.269 --> 00:18:25.210 paragraph 19. 19. Yeah. Do you want to take that? 00:18:25.329 --> 00:18:27.150 Yeah. The Savior's perfect love is focused on 00:18:27.150 --> 00:18:29.390 enabling all God's children to fulfill our divine 00:18:29.390 --> 00:18:31.630 potential that we may partake of his salvation 00:18:31.630 --> 00:18:34.789 and the power of his redemption. A true disciple. 00:18:35.529 --> 00:18:37.509 we'll have a greater desire to help our brothers 00:18:37.509 --> 00:18:39.930 and sisters along the covenant path that will 00:18:39.930 --> 00:18:42.390 naturally increase. This is really just leveling 00:18:42.390 --> 00:18:44.210 up what we talked about with the second example 00:18:44.210 --> 00:18:46.849 of first observing and then ministering, but 00:18:46.849 --> 00:18:49.009 this is specific to uplifting others in their 00:18:49.009 --> 00:18:53.069 covenant relationship. Are there those around 00:18:53.069 --> 00:18:55.430 us in our sacrament meetings that we can observe 00:18:55.430 --> 00:18:58.470 and we can help feel more comfortable, maybe 00:18:58.470 --> 00:19:01.440 more welcome? When was the last time you invited 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:03.539 friends to worship in a sacrament meeting? These 00:19:03.539 --> 00:19:06.259 are really great questions to just have a self 00:19:06.259 --> 00:19:08.420 -check and just kind of check in with where you 00:19:08.420 --> 00:19:12.359 are. He suggests that there's countless ways 00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:14.420 to encourage and assist others in their progression. 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:17.660 if we're deliberate about it, and if we preferably 00:19:17.660 --> 00:19:19.839 seek heaven's help, because there's a lot of 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:21.420 things that we aren't going to observe on our 00:19:21.420 --> 00:19:23.079 own. But how cool is it when we pair ourselves 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:26.599 with Jesus Christ to have him give us the eyes 00:19:26.599 --> 00:19:30.299 to see and feel what we need to help others with? 00:19:31.799 --> 00:19:35.079 Like, I just had a 20 -year... reunion with some 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:37.640 of my closest friends from college, and we set 00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:39.920 a temple date. Our temple's closed here, so it 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:41.359 makes perfect sense. I'm going to be traveling 00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:43.480 out of town to go to the temple anyway. So we 00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:47.240 set a temple date, and one friend, she needs 00:19:47.240 --> 00:19:50.920 her temple recommend renewed. So a simple temple 00:19:50.920 --> 00:19:53.759 date on the schedule helps keep us all in check. 00:19:53.819 --> 00:19:55.920 My own recommend expires the last of this month. 00:19:56.039 --> 00:20:00.420 Same with mine. Yeah. That appointment with friends. 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:03.680 You know, to keep that appointment with the Lord, 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:05.680 keep that appointment with my friends has kept 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:08.059 that renewal of the temple recommend top of my 00:20:08.059 --> 00:20:11.859 mind. So it's not like I'm going to save them 00:20:11.859 --> 00:20:13.359 and we're going to get to the temple. That in 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:15.259 no way is what this is about. We're just saying 00:20:15.259 --> 00:20:16.940 small and simple things that we're helping each 00:20:16.940 --> 00:20:20.019 other on that. Keep those covenants that we've 00:20:20.019 --> 00:20:24.099 made. All right. I keep asking you to do this, 00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:25.960 but would you like to summarize the last story 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:28.779 that he shared about? an unconventional way of 00:20:28.779 --> 00:20:30.519 helping others on their covenant path. Yes. I 00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:32.480 love this. And I love the picture that goes with 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:34.140 it. If you guys want to look online or in your, 00:20:34.140 --> 00:20:38.420 um, yeah, it's so great. Um, I just said inside. 00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:41.559 I know that's what it was called. We're trying 00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:45.769 to train ourselves. What is it called? The Agamada 00:20:45.769 --> 00:20:48.069 family in the Philippines were baptized in 2023, 00:20:48.130 --> 00:20:52.450 and they were preparing to be sealed in the Urdanete 00:20:52.450 --> 00:20:55.990 Temple in the Philippines. So just before their 00:20:55.990 --> 00:20:58.289 appointment, I guess some typhoons came through 00:20:58.289 --> 00:21:01.029 and prevented Brother Agamada, who is a rice 00:21:01.029 --> 00:21:04.430 farmer, from planting his crops. So just his 00:21:04.430 --> 00:21:06.630 livelihood, no big deal. I know, right? But now 00:21:06.630 --> 00:21:10.390 with the fields. just soaking that provided ideal 00:21:10.390 --> 00:21:13.150 planting conditions so he faced elaine the temple 00:21:13.150 --> 00:21:16.150 trip he needed to do it right then so then um 00:21:16.150 --> 00:21:19.990 elder and sister cow cowlin and then also three 00:21:19.990 --> 00:21:22.569 young service missionaries heard about this and 00:21:23.079 --> 00:21:25.380 They weren't farmers, but they jumped in and 00:21:25.380 --> 00:21:27.500 they helped plant the rice seedlings under the 00:21:27.500 --> 00:21:29.819 hot sun. Their service enabled the Agamottas 00:21:29.819 --> 00:21:31.819 to attend their sealing as planned. And that's 00:21:31.819 --> 00:21:33.619 another picture that I love is them all standing 00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:36.000 in white in front of the temple with their helpers 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:39.920 as well. And their joy was evident. Discipleship 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:42.220 in Jesus Christ brings enduring happiness through 00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:45.039 selfless acts of love and service. Though the 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:47.440 path can be hard, God promises his help, holding 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:49.660 our hand and strengthening us as we strive to 00:21:49.660 --> 00:21:54.460 follow him. First observe and then serve. You 00:21:54.460 --> 00:21:57.059 know how we did the perpetual education fund 00:21:57.059 --> 00:22:00.119 in the church? They've stopped taking donations 00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:02.500 on that because it's like funding itself. It's 00:22:02.500 --> 00:22:05.359 like they don't need a parent. Don't quote me 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:07.460 on this, but that's what I'd heard. Like, you 00:22:07.460 --> 00:22:10.839 finish the program, you do well, you, you know, 00:22:10.839 --> 00:22:12.839 I don't know if you pay back in kind or like 00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:15.259 in your tithing money. It's like we can justify, 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:18.279 you know, that. So that doesn't exist really. 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:20.539 I mean, I'd have to look again at the temple 00:22:20.539 --> 00:22:22.519 slip, but I'm pretty sure it's not there. Yeah, 00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:24.180 I don't think I've seen it. But I was like, why 00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:27.200 don't they have a perpetual temple fund? Because, 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:28.720 you know, people will save their whole lives 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:32.859 to get one temple trip in their life. And, you 00:22:32.859 --> 00:22:35.779 know, it's just been a thought. I'm like, they 00:22:35.779 --> 00:22:39.000 maybe have their life savings invested into getting 00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:41.259 to the temple. But number one, the Lord's trying 00:22:41.259 --> 00:22:44.319 to, you know, inspire the prophet to bring the 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:46.539 temples way closer than ever before, which is 00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:50.299 such a better vision and plan. you know, putting 00:22:50.299 --> 00:22:52.660 the funds into the tank to get somebody there 00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:56.079 one time. That's one thought. But also stories 00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:59.380 like this, when, you know, local people helping 00:22:59.380 --> 00:23:03.160 local people, the power that comes, the firm, 00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:07.720 the concrete example of discipleship of Jesus 00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:09.859 Christ really happens rather than it just being 00:23:09.859 --> 00:23:11.180 easy. Like, hey, Bishop, we want to go to the 00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:12.440 temple. He's like, oh, we've got the funds here 00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:14.559 and just write it. Yeah. These stories would 00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:17.960 just be totally lacking. So it's probably more 00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:20.410 like God's way. to make it a little bit harder 00:23:20.410 --> 00:23:25.130 to to make that next step so that other people 00:23:25.130 --> 00:23:27.869 around can have observing eyes to to be a partner 00:23:27.869 --> 00:23:30.170 in that and help help you out and then in the 00:23:30.170 --> 00:23:32.049 same token you can serve and you can give back 00:23:32.049 --> 00:23:35.809 for sure okay forward um any final thoughts from 00:23:35.809 --> 00:23:40.420 you I don't have any. Okay. Any action items 00:23:40.420 --> 00:23:42.700 that come to mind? Yeah, so an action item that 00:23:42.700 --> 00:23:45.759 comes to my mind is to ask Heavenly Father for 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:48.380 just one opportunity this week to see people 00:23:48.380 --> 00:23:50.759 through His eyes, and then just serve where you 00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:53.240 can. After completing the assignment, I really 00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:55.140 like this part, after completing the assignment, 00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:58.200 thank Him for the opportunity to learn more about 00:23:58.200 --> 00:24:01.309 Him and about His Son. That's great. And I love 00:24:01.309 --> 00:24:03.750 it. The emphasis on one thing. Yeah. And then 00:24:03.750 --> 00:24:05.890 thinking afterwards, because it's true. Sometimes 00:24:05.890 --> 00:24:07.730 it doesn't feel like, you know, like the part 00:24:07.730 --> 00:24:09.049 where you were talking about being nervous or 00:24:09.049 --> 00:24:11.890 just being embarrassed about something. But after, 00:24:12.009 --> 00:24:15.490 I feel like if we take that opportunity to thank 00:24:15.490 --> 00:24:17.630 Him in prayer, we're going to have a feeling 00:24:17.630 --> 00:24:21.589 of warmth and comfort, regardless of any awkwardness 00:24:21.589 --> 00:24:23.210 that there was. And it can probably erase and 00:24:23.210 --> 00:24:26.599 wash that away. I love it. Let's end with his 00:24:26.599 --> 00:24:46.670 testimony. He says, We should help you like him 00:24:46.670 --> 00:24:49.569 because we carry a true sign of true discipleship, 00:24:49.569 --> 00:24:51.829 which is charity, the pure love of Christ. I 00:24:51.829 --> 00:24:54.329 testify that Jesus Christ is our living, glorious 00:24:54.329 --> 00:24:57.109 Savior, Redeemer, exemplar, and friend. In the 00:24:57.109 --> 00:24:58.970 name of Jesus Christ, amen. Amen.