Holy Week: Easter Sunday--He is Risen!

(Simon Dewey)

Scriptures:

• The women and the empty tomb (Mark 16:1-8; Matthew 28:1-8; Luke 24:1-9; John 20:1-2)
• Peter and John run to the tomb (Luke 24:12; John 20:3-10)
• Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18; Mark 16:9-11)
• Jesus appears to the other women (Matthew 28:9-10; Luke 24:10-11)
• The chief priests react to news of the Resurrection (Matthew 28:11-15)
• The road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35; Mark 16:12-13)
• Jesus appears to the disciples (Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-23; Mark 16:14)
• Later appearances:
• Jesus and Thomas (John 20:24-29) 
• Jesus meets the disciples in Galilee (John 21:1-14)
• Jesus and Peter: three-fold affirmation of Peter's love (John 21:15-19)
• Jesus and the other disciple (John 21:2-23)
• The forty-day ministry (Acts 1:1-5)
• The apostolic commission (Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:6-8; Mark 16:15-18)
• The Ascension (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9-11; Mark 16:19)

Now let's get into the scriptures to read this glorious news!

Peter and John running to the tomb

Mark 16

1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

Liz Lemon Swindle

John 20
11 ¶But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and sawJesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Liz Lemon Swindle
Road to Emmaus 

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Luke 24
28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Has your heart not burned within you as you have studied the scriptures and exercised faith in Christ?
We should always ask Christ to "abide with us" that our lives may be enlightened. 

Luke 24

36 ¶And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

We too are witnesses of these things. We should live in a way that others want to know Christ because they know us. Our lives should be another testament of Christ. 

 Luke 24
49 ¶And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
50 ¶And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

But this is not the end of the story! What are we going to do with this great and glorious news and knowledge? We have a great work to do!

Read John 21 when Christ appears to the disciples in Galilee. There is a life-time of lessons we can learn from this account. 

I love Elder Holland's perspective of this account in his talk, "The First Great Commandment":

My beloved brothers and sisters, I am not certain just what our experience will be on Judgment Day, but I will be very surprised if at some point in that conversation, God does not ask us exactly what Christ asked Peter: “Did you love me?” I think He will want to know if in our very mortal, very inadequate, and sometimes childish grasp of things, did we at least understand one commandment, the first and greatest commandment of them all—“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.”13 And if at such a moment we can stammer out, “Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee,” then He may remind us that the crowning characteristic of love is always loyalty.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments,”14 Jesus said. So we have neighbors to bless, children to protect, the poor to lift up, and the truth to defend. We have wrongs to make right, truths to share, and good to do. In short, we have a life of devoted discipleship to give in demonstrating our love of the Lord. We can’t quit and we can’t go back. After an encounter with the living Son of the living God, nothing is ever again to be as it was before. The Crucifixion, Atonement, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ mark the beginning of a Christian life, not the end of it. It was this truth, this reality, that allowed a handful of Galilean fishermen-turned-again-Apostles without “a single synagogue or sword”15 to leave those nets a second time and go on to shape the history of the world in which we now live.

 

Invitation:
What was Christ’s ‘call to action’ after He was resurrected? It was to feed His sheep. If we love Him, we will be better disciples and truly feed His sheep. We will leave our ‘nets’ and serve His children as He would serve them.

Identify your nets. Recommit to the Savior and be reborn.

Search the General Conference talks for guidance on how to leave your nets and better follow Christ.

REPLACE with a good thing and ask “what can I give?” There is something all can give--give up and give to others. Leave your nets--then serve!

There are two parts to this invitation: forsaking our nets then following Christ. We cannot just give up our nets to only be replaced with a hobby of carpentry or tax collecting. We must replace our time out fishing to following Christ. We must give up our nets while simultaneously giving out our service to God in Christ-like pursuits.

What better way to turn a new leaf, leave our old nets, and become a new person than on resurrection day?!

We all have room for improvement, so choose one net that has been inhibiting you from serving and loving Christ’s sheep, and commit to leave it behind from today on.

Holy Week: Saturday--Sacred Silence

Scriptures:

• A guard is placed at the tomb (Matthew 27:62-66)
• Darkness prevails among the Nephites (3 Nephi 9-10)
• Jesus goes to the spirit world and organizes his work there (1 Peter 3:18-4:6; D&C 138)

A really great talk on the work Jesus did on the Saturday before Easter is by Spencer J. Condie, "The Savior's Visit to the Spirit World."

I have been thinking about this hymn:

Behold the Great Redeemer Die

1. Behold the great Redeemer die,
A broken law to satisfy.
He dies a sacrifice for sin,
He dies a sacrifice for sin,
That man may live and glory win.

2. While guilty men his pains deride,
They pierce his hands and feet and side;
And with insulting scoffs and scorns,
And with insulting scoffs and scorns,
They crown his head with plaited thorns. 

3. Although in agony he hung,
No murm'ring word escaped his tongue.
His high commission to fulfill,
His high commission to fulfill,
He magnified his Father's will 

4. "Father, from me remove this cup.
Yet, if thou wilt, I'll drink it up.
I've done the work thou gavest me,
I've done the work thou gavest me;
Receive my spirit unto thee." 

5. He died, and at the awful sight
The sun in shame withdrew its light!
Earth trembled, and all nature sighed,
Earth trembled, and all nature sighed
In dread response, "A God has died!" 

6. He lives—he lives. We humbly now
Around these sacred symbols bow
And seek, as Saints of latter days,
And seek, as Saints of latter days,
To do his will and live his praise. 

Text: Eliza R. Snow, 1804-1887

By Doc Christensen 

Ponder on this picture for a moment.











This hymn is powerful as we think about the purpose of the Son of God coming as a sacrifice for us. The last two verses really resonate with me.

The phrase "Earth trembled, and all nature sighed, in dread response, 'A God has died!'" is very interesting to ponder. Think about the times that you "sigh;" it is usually when we are overwhelmed or exhausted. Even the Earth recognized the impact of the events of that Holy Week--the Triumphal Entry, the Last Supper, the Atonement, the death of Christ on the cross--and nature "sighed in dread response" to all that happened that week.

I felt I have had quite the journey in my scripture study this Holy Week. I felt I have come closer to my Savior as I have made great effort to gain revelation and inspiration. I am overwhelmed by all that took place and what it means to me.

Today is a great day to go to the temple, to do family history work, to just "sigh" in dread response to the death of our Savior, but also "sigh" in relief that we know He rose again.

Invitation:
Read Joseph F. Smith's account of receiving the revelation on Christ in the Spirit world and recognize how he prepared himself to receive that great revelation.

 D&C 138

How can we seek and gain revelation, inspiration, and promptings more in our life?
How can we be closer to the whisperings of God's Spirit and act as Jesus would act?
How can we be the Lord's hands and Christ's disciples?

Holy Week: Good Friday--The Pure Love of Christ

Scriptures:

• Jesus in the hands of the Romans (Mark 15:1-19; Matthew 27:2-30; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28-19:15)
• Crucifixion of Jesus (Mark 15:20-28; Matthew 27:31-38; Luke 23:26-34, 38; John 19:16-24)
• Jesus' final hours (Mark 15:29-37; Matthew 27:39-50; Luke 23:35-36; John 19:25-30)
• Signs and reactions to Jesus' death (Mark 15:38-41; Matthew 27:51-56; Luke 23:47-49; John 19:31-37)
• The burial of Jesus (Mark 15:42-47; Matthew 27:57-66; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)

"Customarily it is called "Good Friday" in English, perhaps because it is a "holy" Friday, or, more likely, because an archaic meaning of good is "God" (for instance, good-bye means "God be with you"). Accordingly, the Friday before Easter is "God's Friday," because this day saw the culmination of God's plan to reconcile the world to himself through the death of his Son" (Huntsman, God So Loved the World, 2011). 

CULMINATION OF GOD'S PLAN

This video gives a glimpse at God's plan for His Beloved Son and why He was sent. 

Are we following Christ? 

Are we being good disciples?

Are we aware of the "wolves in sheep's clothing"? 

Do you KNOW that Jesus is the Christ? 

What does that mean to you?

SELF-EVALUATION TIME

"Pilate was merciful till it became risky."

(C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters)

When I read this quote, I really started evaluating the strength of my testimony and courage to stand up for my beliefs. 

Are we only kind, merciful, generous, honest, until it is risky--only when it is convenient? 

The Gospel is certainly not a convenient, nor comfortable way of living. If you remember President Uchtdorf's talk last October, "Come, Join with Us", He made it evident that if you are looking for a passive religion, you have come to the wrong church. 

I have SOOO much room for improvement in this area and that is why I spent a lot of time contemplating this principle today. Here are some questions that helped me re-focus. 

• Are we like the Zoramites who only worshiped one day a week with their hypocritical prayers? Alma 31:12. 
• Do we quickly give up when our callings push us out of our comfort zone? 
• Do we avoid reaching out to others because it is not "comfortable" or "convenient"? 
• Do we only have Family Home Evening or family scripture study when everyone's schedules happen to align perfectly?
• Do we hesitate to share the Gospel because it is uncomfortable?
• Do we only have the courage to stand up for our beliefs when it is not "risky"? 

One quote that has helped me is:

"There is no growth in the comfort zone;

there is no comfort in the growth zone. 

No pressure, no diamonds." 

Christ's message and Gospel is one of transformation and refining. If we are comfortable in our service and devotion to Heavenly Father, that should serve as a warning sign that we are not giving our all to Him. If we aren't constantly stretching and pushing our limits of comfort, then we are probably not giving our all to Him. He gave His all for us with infinite discomfort and pain, so we should do likewise.

NONE WERE WITH HIM

This video and words from Elder Holland's talk, "None were with Him," are very powerful. 

We are never alone. 

Our Redeemer has "descended below all things" D&C 88:6 D&C 122:7-8. 

He knows exactly how we feel:

Alma 7:11-13
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succorhis people according to their infirmities.
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Succor defined:

1. help for somebody or something: help or relief for somebody or something in a difficult or unpleasant situation
2. somebody or something that furnishes relief
3. Help; relief; aid; assistance

Origin: Latin succurrere--to go beneath, run to the rescue, bring aid, equivalent to run. 

In older times, succor meant a reinforcement of troops during a hard battle.

Not only has Jesus taken upon Him ALL of our pains, afflictions, temptations, sicknesses, sin, and death--He will RUN to our rescue to bring us relief and reinforcement in our hard battles, even though none were with Him in His greatest time of need. 

Invitation:

Watch this video and then say a prayer of gratitude for our dear Lord and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. 

Thank Him and invite His Spirit to guide your life more fully. 

Thank Jesus that He has suffered all, that we "might not suffer if [we] repent" D&C 19:16-17. 

Ask God how you can better consecrate your life to Him. 

Holy Week: Thursday--The Reality of Redemption

(Carl Bloch, Agony in the Garden)

Scriptures:

• The Last Supper (Mark 14:12-31; Matthew 26:17-35; Luke 22:7-38; John 13:1-30)
• The farewell discourses (Luke 22:24-30; John 13:31-17:26)
• Jesus goes to Gethsemane (John 18:1)
• Jesus at Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42; Matthew 26:36-46; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1)
• The betrayal and arrest of Jesus (Mark 14:43-52; Matthew 26:47-56; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-11)
• Jesus before the Jewish authorities (Mark 14:53-65; Matthew 26:57-68; Luke 22:54, 63-71; John 18:12-28)

The Thursday of Holy Week in some traditions is called Maundy Thursday. Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum, which means "commandment," which is in recognition of Christ's teachings of "A new commandment I give you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another" (John 13:34). 

There is so much that happened on this solemn and sacred day. Really immerse yourself in the scriptures today and record your feelings of gratitude and love for your Savior. We can answer Jesus' plea of "could ye not watch with me one hour?" Matthew 26:40.

Find someone to share your testimony with, a friend, a spouse, a roommate, a co-worker, or a friend on Facebook. 

There's way too much to cover, but I'll share a few highlights of my study that stuck out to me. 

WASHING THE DISCIPLES' FEET

An article from the BYU Magazine: 

When Christ instituted one of the most sacred of ordinances, one still performed today among the apostles, what symbolism did He choose? Of all the things He could have done as He prepared His apostles for His imminent death and instructed them on how to become one, He chose the washing of feet--a task ordinarily done in His time by the most humble of servants. When Peter objected, thinking that this was not the kind of work someone of Christ's earthly, much less eternal stature would be expected to do, Christ made clear the importance of participating: "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me" (John 13:8).

So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. (John 13:12–15)And so for our sakes this work seems mindless, menial, repetitive, and demeaning. This daily toiling is in honor of life itself. After all, isn't this temporal work of tending to the necessary and routine currents of daily life, whether for our families or for our neighbors, the work we really came to Earth to do? By this humble service--this washing of one another's feet--we sacrifice our pride and invite God to wash our own souls from sin. Indeed, such work embodies within it the condescension of the Savior himself. It is nothing less than doing unto Christ, by serving the least of our brethren, what He has already done for us.

 GETHSEMANE

The Atonement is real. I have felt this power in my life. It is infinite and divine. It is how it is possible for us to return to God. Although we may never fully comprehend it, we must try our hardest to know what it means for our salvation. Set aside some time to read a talk or two about the Atonement from this link. 

CHRIST HAS PIONEERED OUR PATHS OF PAIN
I have been studying and pondering on the Atonement in my daily studies for quite some time now. I thought I'd share a bit of my testimony and insight of how truly infinite the Atonement is.

As I was thinking about the meaning of comprehend, I kept thinking about when I feel that I can truly comprehend and have empathy. It is usually because I have experienced similar things myself. I was making parallels and thinking about the meaning of comprehend, for example, in someone’s experience of surgery after a long battle with a rare chronic illness. In order to comprehend that experience, you would have to comprehend how the patient, the doctor, and the family felt, along with all others who were affected by that surgery. Pain is never felt in isolation--many are influenced.The patient would have many experiences of pain, fear, anxiety, discomfort, longing for health, depression, doubts, exhaustion, and helplessness. They would know what it feels like to have people look at you differently, have extreme anxiety due to mounting medical costs, to wake up several times a night in pain, to watch others enjoy their healthy lives while they sit on the sidelines, to know that they are limited in their capacity to do things they used to enjoy, or have difficulty even doing simple things. The doctor might have feelings of overwhelming responsibility, feeling limited in their ability to help as much as they hope to, feeling the agony of watching someone else go through so much pain without relief, and trying to provide hope and comfort in times of darkness. Family and friends would most likely feel a deep sense of love, pain from watching their loved one go through pain and struggle, an abiding trust in the doctor, maybe anger and frustration, helplessness, and anxiety. The list could go on and on about all the experiences that we would have to have firsthand in order to perfectly comprehend the experience of surgery. Jesus Christ perfectly comprehended ALL of our pain, sorrow, suffering, and afflictions. He knows how it feels for us to go through our pain because He experienced it. He also knows the agony and responsibility felt in the role as the perfect Healer and doctor. His ability to heal us depends a great deal on our response to His treatment. If we do not follow through on our part, we cannot be truly healed and Christ has to feel the pain of watching our healing lose momentum. Our Healer, Jesus Christ, has an infinite comprehension of our experiences in affliction. He has perfect empathy and understanding because He has felt the effect of our pain from all perspectives and angles. Our Healer has pushed through infinite paths of pain. That is how He can truly heal us, physically, emotionally, spiritually. I cannot deny His healing hand in my life--I have felt His gentle hand in mine. His hand is tender because He knows how fragile I am in my agony. His hand is scarred to show me that His pain descended below mine. His presence reminds me that He has pioneered my path of pain. He is confident because He has already reached the promised land and knows that I can make it. He grasps my hand with firm, unshakable strength because His power is infinite. As I cling tighter to His hand, His strength seeps into me and I become strong, His warmth flows into me and I am illuminated, His power multiplies mine and I become healed.  

I have been thinking about the story of Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman whose family helped hide Jews in their home during the Holocaust. She and her sister were caught and taken to suffer in a horrific concentration camp, yet by the light of her hope in God, her heart stayed warm and humble. Later she had a powerful experience that is a testament to me of the power of the Atonement in many ways, to clean us and to enable us.

“It was in a church in Munich that I saw him—a balding, heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken, moving along the rows of wooden chairs to the door at the rear. It was 1947 and I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives.
“It was the truth they needed most to hear in that bitter, bombed-out land, and I gave them my favorite mental picture. Maybe because the sea is never far from a Hollander’s mind, I liked to think that that’s where forgiven sins were thrown. ‘When we confess our sins,’ I said, ‘God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever. …’
“The solemn faces stared back at me, not quite daring to believe. There were never questions after a talk in Germany in 1947. People stood up in silence, in silence collected their wraps, in silence left the room.
“And that’s when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones. It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights; the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor; the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister’s frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were!
[Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland; this man had been a guard at Ravensbruck concentration camp where we were sent.]
“Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: ‘A fine message, Fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!’
“And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of course—how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women?
“But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. I was face-to-face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.
“ ‘You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk,’ he was saying, ‘I was a guard there.’ No, he did not remember me.
“ ‘But since that time,’ he went on, ‘I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fräulein,’ again the hand came out—’will you forgive me?’
“And I stood there—I whose sins had again and again to be forgiven—and could not forgive. Betsie had died in that place—could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?
“It could not have been many seconds that he stood there—hand held out—but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.
“For I had to do it—I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. ‘If you do not forgive men their trespasses,’ Jesus says, ‘neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.’
“I knew it not only as a commandment of God, but as a daily experience. Since the end of the war I had had a home in Holland for victims of Nazi brutality. Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that.
“And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion—I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. ‘… Help!’ I prayed silently. ‘I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.’
“And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.
“ ‘I forgive you, brother!’ I cried. ‘With all my heart!’
“For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely, as I did then”
(excerpted from “I’m Still Learning to Forgive” by Corrie ten Boom. Reprinted by permission from Guideposts Magazine. Copyright © 1972 by Guideposts Associates, Inc., Carmel, New York 10512>).

 Watch one or more of these beautiful videos that articulate the power of the Atonement. Here's a link for more incredible videos on the Atonement.

 "The times I didn't think He was there was because I wasn't looking."

Invitation:

Read this beautiful and inspired song written by my dear cousin and evaluate those who may be in need of your help or attention, just a "stone's cast away." Christ said we will always have the poor and needy among us. How is your visiting and home teaching going? We have been given SO much!! Are we giving back? 

Are we keeping the commandment of loving others as Christ has loved them, that He commanded on this Maundy Thursday?  

A Stone's Cast Away 

(by Peri Harris)

Apostles of the Savior slept

Where all creation should have wept

A stone's cast away

Jewish citizens, once believers and friends

Jaunted as Pilot tried to make amends

A stone's cast away

Mark Mabry photography

Chorus:
A stone's cast away, that's the distance we face
He right there, and we right here
What will we do, knowing He's there
Don't miss Him, just a stone's cast away
Roman soldiers stood their guard
While hands were nailed and body marred
A stone's cast away

His humble plea to Father above
Given out of gracious mercy and love
Forgive their sins, and take me now
Were ignored by the angry, pressing crowd
A stone's cast away
Chorus

How oft do we stand idly by
Whilst others suffer, struggle, and cry
A stone's cast away
Let us see the Savior here
And help those around us draw near
A stone's cast away
Chorus

He ever stands by us
Footprints in the sand beside us
A stone's cast away

Let us open wide -door and heart
And choose through Him the better part
All blessings and glory can be ours
If we will but endure each hour
A stone's cast away
Chorus

Holy Week: Wednesday--Covenants and Coins

Scriptures:

• The plot to kill Jesus (Mark 14:1-2; Matthew 26:1-5; Luke 22:1-2)
• The anointing described by Mark and Matthew (Mark 14:3-9; Matthew 26:6-13; his head is anointed)
• Judas agrees to betray Jesus (Mark 14:10-11; Matthew 26:14-16; Luke 22:3-6)

Today is sometimes called "Spy" Wednesday to highlight the acts of conspiracy of those plotting to kill Jesus and Judas betraying Jesus. Commonly in the accounts of Mark, he sandwiches a contrasting story between two similar stories, a Markan sandwich. The beautiful event of the woman anointing Jesus' head stands in incredible contrast with the conspiracies against Jesus. 

(Feel free to pick and choose what you want to study from these posts...I recognize they are probably intimidating in length)

Mark 14:1-11
1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
3 ¶And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured iton his head.
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
10 ¶And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.
11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

There are many humbling lessons we could glean from this unnamed woman's testimony and service to Jesus. Amidst conspiring men, the woman's tender and generous act demonstrates her realization that Jesus would be killed soon and she was anointing his body to prepare for His burial. 300 pence might be around $300 today; this was no small offering, but it was humbly given. I'll let you do the pondering on the other lessons we could learn from this woman as Jesus clearly stated, "shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."

CHURCH HISTORY
Indulge me for a moment of church history:

I have always loved Brigham Young for his "lion heart" and steadfastness to the Prophet Joseph Smith, similarly amidst conspiring men plotting against Joseph. We can learn SO much from Brigham (who clearly has the same vision and loyalty as the unnamed woman who anointed Jesus) from this story:

“On a certain occasion several of the Twelve, the witnesses to the Book of Mormon, and others of the Authorities of the Church, held a council in the upper room of the [Kirtland] Temple. The question before them was to ascertain how the Prophet Joseph could be deposed, and David Whitmer appointed President of the Church. Father John Smith, brother Heber C. Kimball and others were present, who were opposed to such measures. I rose up, and in a plain and forcible manner told them that Joseph was a Prophet, and I knew it, and that they might rail and slander him as much as they pleased, they could not destroy the appointment of the Prophet of God, they could only destroy their own authority, cut the thread that bound them to the Prophet and to God and sink themselves to hell. Many were highly enraged at my decided opposition to their measures, and Jacob Bump (an old pugilist) was so exasperated that he could not be still. Some of the brethren near him put their hands on him, and requested him to be quiet; but he writhed and twisted his arms and body saying, ‘How can I keep my hands off that man?’ I told him if he thought it would give him any relief he might lay them on. This meeting was broken up without the apostates being able to unite on any decided measures of opposition. This was a crisis when earth and hell seemed leagued to overthrow the Prophet and Church of God. The knees of many of the strongest men in the Church faltered.
“During this seige of darkness I stood close by Joseph, and, with all the wisdom and power God bestowed upon me, put forth my utmost energies to sustain the servant of God and unite the Quorums of the Church” (Manuscript History of Brigham Young,comp. Elden J. Watson, 2 vols. [1968–71], 1:15–17).

Isn't he so awesome! I hope I can always stand strong for my Savior, even if it means to stand alone like Brigham or the unnamed woman.

COVENANTS
Okay, so what I really wanted to dig into with my study for today was from Matthew's account of Judas betraying Jesus:

Matthew 26:14-16
14 ¶Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

I had never noticed the distinct wording of "covenanted" before and realized it had great implications. If you try and covenant and make a deal with the world, you won’t get much more than a measly 30 pieces of silver. But if you covenant with God, you will get “all that the Father hath’ (D&C 84:38).

I thought of this quote and the following scriptures:

"You cannot break the laws of God—you break yourself against them... You jump off a skyscraper and you do not break the law of gravitation. You break your neck, but not the law of gravitation." —Vance Havner

Matthew 21: 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Simply put--if you covenant with the world, as Judas, you will get nothing in return except a sure way to "sink yourselves to hell," as Brigham Young so boldly stated. We can hold onto our safety line to God or cut ourselves from Him--there is no in-between. There are no fence-sitters or luke warm water in God's kingdom Revelation 3:16.

Some people want to keep one hand on the wall of the temple while touching the world’s “unclean things” with the other hand. We must put both hands on the temple and hold on for dear life. One hand is not even almost enough. --Bruce C. Hafen, The Atonement: All for All

UNDERSTANDING TRAPS OF SATAN
If you are like me and have struggled with understanding how Judas could go from disciple to deceit, it is helpful to understand the craftiness of Satan. For a change in perspective, read a few of these quotes from C.S. Lewis' "Screwtape Letters," a book written in the perspective of the Devil's helpers and how they persuade and lull humans into Satan's traps. Here's a couple that helped me to comprehend how Judas was caught by Satan:

“The more often he feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and, in the long run, the less he will be able to feel.”

Seriously, I pondered on this for a good 10 minutes. Very insightful. "Faith without works is dead" James 2:20

“It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”

Wow. Ponder that for a moment. Any red flags come to mind when you think of "gentle slopes" in your life?

THE TAKE-AWAY
So what is God's purpose for us and promise to us when we covenant with Him?

“Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart.” --C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

At our little devotionals with friends every night of Holy Week a dear friend shared the following inspiring quote on Monday when we were talking about Jesus cleansing the temple and how He is cleansing and restoring us. I've also been on a C.S. Lewis kick lately, so it was meant to be :) 

One more! It's so good, I promise!!

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself. --C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

That's right. When we covenant with God and give ALL of ourselves to Him, His heart will become our heart and we will be a magnificent palace for Him to dwell with us always. Isn't that incredible?! Why would He be so willing to give us EVERYTHING He has? Because He loves us.

I love how Neal A. Maxwell put it in his talk, Consecrate Thy Performance:

In striving for ultimate submission, our wills constitute all we really have to give God anyway. The usual gifts and their derivatives we give to Him could be stamped justifiably “Return to Sender,” with a capital S. Even when God receives this one gift in return, the fully faithful will receive “all that [He] hath” (D&C 84:38). What an exchange rate!
Meanwhile, certain realities remain: God has given us our lives, our agency, our talents, and our opportunities; He has given us our possessions; He has given us our appointed mortal spans complete with the needed breaths (see D&C 64:32). Guided by such perspective, we will avoid serious errors of proportion. Some of these are far less amusing than would be hearing a double quartet and mistaking it for the Tabernacle Choir!
No wonder President Hinckley has stressed our being a covenant people, emphasizing the covenants of the sacrament, tithing, and the temple, citing sacrifice as the “very essence of the Atonement” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 147).

Another great talk, especially for Priesthood holders, is from President Thomas S. Monson, All that the Father Has. 

Invitation:

Think about someone (it may be yourself) that may be "covenanting" with the world instead of the Savior or experiencing the "gentle slopes" of sin.

Then ACT. Pray for promptings from the Spirit as to how to act. Think of even one small way you can act today to bring them closer to making covenants with God.

Holy Week: Tuesday--Choose Christ

Scriptures:

• Lesson from the withered fig tree (Mark 11:20-26)
• More teachings in the temple: attempts to trap Jesus in his words (Mark 11:27-12:44; Matthew 22:15-23:36; Luke 20:20-21:4)
• Jesus' lament over Jerusalem as recorded by Matthew (Matthew 23:37-39)
• The Olivet Discourse, or "little apocalypse," concerning Jesus' prophecies regarding the last days before his Second Coming (Mark 13:1-37; Matthew 24:1-25:46; Luke 21:5-36)
• Summary of Jesus' teaching (Luke 21:37-38; John 37-50)

I have been thinking about Jesus' lament over Jerusalem since conference two weeks ago because it was mentioned a couple times. So that is what I decided to study and ponder today. This topic involves agency, humility, obedience, and a change of heart (repentance).

As Jesus looked out over Jerusalem and people who soon crucify and forsake Him, he lamented:

Mosaic in Dominus Flevit church

Matthew 23:37-38

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Dominus Flevit "Lord Wept,"
church building in the shape
of a tear drop, on the Mt. of Olives
 overlooking Jerusalem where
Christ would have been as He lamented.

Can you hear the pleading in His words? Can you feel His love for these people--for us--sinners who constantly choose to forsake Him when we place our worldly priorities before Him?

Think about it. We will only be left desolate if we choose to not be gathered under Christ's healing wings, for He has come with "healing in his wings" 2 Nephi 25:13.

In this past April 2014 General Conference,
President Henry B. Eyring said in his talk, A Priceless Heritage of Hope,

The Lord has given us all the source of hope as we struggle to help those we love accept their eternal inheritance. He has made promises to us as we keep trying to gather people to Him, even when they resist His invitation to do so. Their resistance saddens Him, but He does not quit, nor should we. He sets the perfect example for us with His persistent love: “And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gatherethher chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.”3
We can depend on that unfailing desire of the Savior to bring all of Heavenly Father’s spirit children back to their home with Him. Every faithful parent, grandparent, and great-grandparent shares in that desire. Heavenly Father and the Savior are our perfect examples of what we can and must do. They never force righteousness because righteousness must be chosen. They make righteousness discernible to us, and They let us see that its fruits are delicious.

Invitation:

View one or more of these short clips about how we can change our hearts and choose to come to Christ every time. Think about stories in the scriptures too. It is truly humbling to realize how much we must rely on the Savior.

I found each of these videos powerful as I placed myself in their shoes and realized, in essence, they are my own shoes--we are all sinners, in need of chastening and softening of our hearts. We are all in need of the reminder to come to the Savior instead of other sources.

Loved this quote (and his accent): “I asked if God could intervene and take over….from then on every Sunday I went”

May we all choose to be gathered under our Savior's healing wings. 

Holy Week: Monday--Of Fruit and Faith

Scriptures:

• The cursing of the fig tree (Mark 11:12-14; Matthew 21:18-22)
• Mark's account of the cleansing of the temple (Mark 11:15-19)
• Jesus' pattern of teaching in the temple (Luke 19:47-48)
• Teachings in the temple: Rejection of unbelieving Israel (Mark 11:27-12:12; Matthew 21:23-22:15; Luke 20:1-19)
• Jesus and the coming hour (John 12:20-36)

I want to focus on the story about Jesus cursing the fig tree. This account is interesting to me because it stands in stark contrast to the healing in Christ's ministry that we often focus on. 

Mark 11: 12-14
12 ¶And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

 I found this information from an LDS seminary student guide that was helpful to me:

Jesus did not explain why He cursed the fig tree, but a little knowledge about fig trees, combined with the circumstances described in the scriptures, helps us to understand the symbolism of what Jesus did. The kind of a fig tree mentioned in Mark 11 produces an early fig, even before it is full with leaves. The main crop of figs comes later. If a tree produces no early figs, it will produce no fruit at all that year. A tree with leaves (as both Mark and Matthew described it) should also have fruit, but that tree was barren. We could say that the tree gave the appearance of having fruit but actually had none. That is like the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day. They appeared righteous, but theirs was a hypocritical and empty righteousness. Consequently, Jesus cursed this tree of hypocrisy that symbolized the condition of the leaders of God’s covenant people. Mark’s account says the tree did not have fruit because it was not time; the Joseph Smith Translation, however, removes that phrase and indicates that because the leaves were out, the tree should have had fruit.

With that information I also thought about other mentions of fruit by Jesus:

Sometimes we are subtly corrupted
and we may appear to be doing good,
but at our core we have let our hearts
harden or let other seeds grow in place
of good seeds. Alma 32:28 

Matthew 7:15-20
15 ¶Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’sclothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

John 15:1-5
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

[I also enjoyed looking for connections about other scriptures on "fruit" in the scriptures'Topical Guide]

Sometimes I am surprised at areas in my life that I thought I was doing well, but really I was just going through the motions. In a sense, sometimes we bear fig leaves that may have the appearance that we are fruitful, but in reality we are barren because our goods are not being consecrated to the Lord. Until we acknowledge the True Vine in everything we do, we are not profitable servants. If we are growing from a vine other than the True Vine, we will not bear fruits that resemble Him. Without the light of the Son, "ye can do nothing."

I want nothing more than to grow to be a useful resource and instrument to the Lord. I want to help satisfy the hunger of those who are starving for truth. I want to stand strong in the midst of temptation and bring forth good fruit for the Lord's harvest.

I have been given much--I have been brought up in good soil, with strong roots, with a glorious Son to give me light and life--therefore, much is required of me. I want to grow and share the fruit "desirable above all other fruit" (the love of God) with all who need nourishment 1 Nephi 8:10-12.

Invitation:

Get ready for a lot of pondering and self-evaluation!
*Pick one of these options to study/ponder...

(If at any time through these self-evaluations you find yourself overwhelmed and discouraged--STOP! and start studying the power of the infinite Atonement. Discouragement is from Satan; motivation is from God.)

1) Ponder on how these scriptures apply in your life as you evaluate where you are at from these questions from a talk called, "By their fruits ye shall know them" by Dean Larsen.

It is, perhaps, well in these times, when so many of the fundamental truths of the Restoration and the validity of the Lord’s work are being challenged, that we ask ourselves to what degree our conduct sets us apart and manifests the fruits of the gospel. In our homes and in our families, are we enjoying and qualifying for the love and support of familymembers? In our business dealings, are we fair and honest and prompt in meeting our obligations; is our word as good as our bond? Are our private and innermost thoughts free from the contaminations of the world? Do they reflect our absolute loyalty and fidelity to those with whom we have made eternal vows? Are we nourishing through prayer and a regular study of the Lord’s revealed truths the spiritual and moral strength which is required in today’s environment? In the entertainment and recreation we seek, are we keeping ourselves unspotted from the world and in harmony with the Lord’s holy Sabbath? Are we generous with our means and inclined to be serviceable to others? Do we acknowledge our faults and shortcomings and seek forgiveness from those whom we have wronged or offended?

2) Other questions to ponder and set goals to improve:

• Am I set apart from the world's ways or caught up in them?
• Am I willing to stand alone if I need to, in order to stick up for my standards?
• Am I a hypocrite in any areas of my life?
• Do I expect actions from others that I do not do myself?
• Where are my desires and motives?
• Do I truly want to please God more than man?
• Do I do good things for the sole purpose of glorifying God?
• Am I offering all my fruit to the Lord, or holding back some?
• Are all my offerings pure?
• Where can I improve?

3) Every few months I take this self-evaluation in the Preach My Gospel manual. It is very helpful to for me to have a concrete representation of where I am at in my progression to perfection.

Attribute Activity

Read each item below carefully. Decide how true that statement is about you, and choose the most appropriate response from the response key. Write your response to each item in your study journal. Spiritual growth is a gradual process, and no one is perfect, so you should expect to rate yourself better on some items than on others.

Response Key

1	= never
2	= sometimes
3	= often
4	= almost always
5	= always

Faith

1. ____1. 
   I believe in Christ and accept Him as my Savior. (2 Nephi 25:29)
2. ____2. 
   I feel confident that God loves me. (1 Nephi 11:17)
3. ____3. 
   I trust the Savior enough to accept His will and do whatever He asks. (1 Nephi 3:7)
4. ____4. 
   I firmly believe that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ I can be forgiven of all my sins. (Enos 1:5–8)
5. ____5. 
   I have enough faith in Christ to obtain answers to my prayers. (Mosiah 27:14)
6. ____6. 
   I think about the Savior during the day and remember what He has done for me. (D&C 20:77, 79)
7. ____7. 
   I have the faith necessary to help make good things happen in my life or the lives of others. (Ether 12:12)
8. ____8. 
   I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true. (Moroni 10:3–5)
9. ____9. 
   I have enough faith in Christ to accomplish anything He wants me to do—even miracles, if necessary. (Moroni 7:33)

Hope

1. ____10. 
   One of my greatest desires is to inherit eternal life in the celestial kingdom of God. (Moroni 7:41)
2. ____11. 
   I am confident that I will have a happy and successful mission. (D&C 31:3–5)
3. ____12. 
   I feel peaceful and optimistic about the future. (D&C 59:23)
4. ____13. 
   I firmly believe that someday I will dwell with God and become like Him. (Ether 12:4)

Charity and Love

1. ____14. 
   I feel a sincere desire for the eternal welfare and happiness of other people. (Mosiah 28:3)
2. ____15. 
   When I pray, I ask for charity—the pure love of Christ. (Moroni 7:47–48)
3. ____16. 
   I try to understand others’ feelings and see their point of view. (Jude 1:22)
4. ____17. 
   I forgive others who have offended or wronged me. (Ephesians 4:32)
5. ____18. 
   I try to help others when they are struggling or discouraged. (Mosiah 18:9)
6. ____19. 
   When appropriate, I tell others that I love them and care about them. (Luke 7:12–15)
7. ____20. 
   I look for opportunities to serve other people. (Mosiah 2:17)
8. ____21. 
   I say positive things about others. (D&C 42:27)
9. ____22. 
   I am kind and patient with others, even when they are hard to get along with. (Moroni 7:45)
10. ____23. 
    I find joy in others’ achievements. (Alma 17:2–4)

Virtue

1. ____24. 
   I am clean and pure in heart. (Psalm 24:3–4)
2. ____25. 
   I have no desire to do evil but to do good. (Mosiah 5:2)
3. ____26. 
   I am dependable—I do what I say I will do. (Alma 53:20)
4. ____27. 
   I focus on righteous, uplifting thoughts and put unwholesome thoughts out of my mind. (D&C 121:45)
5. ____28. 
   I repent of my sins and strive to overcome my weaknesses. (D&C 49:26–28)
6. ____29. 
   I feel the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life. (D&C 11:12–13)

Knowledge

1. ____30. 
   I feel confident in my understanding of gospel doctrines and principles. (Ether 3:19–20)
2. ____31. 
   I study the scriptures daily. (John 5:39)
3. ____32. 
   I earnestly seek to understand the truth and find answers to my questions. (D&C 6:7)
4. ____33. 
   I receive knowledge and guidance through the Spirit. (1 Nephi 4:6)
5. ____34. 
   I love and cherish the doctrines and principles of the gospel. (2 Nephi 4:15)

Patience

1. ____35. 
   I wait patiently for the blessings and promises of the Lord to be fulfilled. (2 Nephi 10:17)
2. ____36. 
   I am able to wait for things without getting upset or frustrated. (Romans 8:25)
3. ____37. 
   I am patient and long-suffering with the challenges of being a missionary. (Alma 17:11)
4. ____38. 
   I am patient with the faults and weaknesses of others. (Romans 15:1)
5. ____39. 
   I am patient with myself and rely on the Lord as I work to overcome my weaknesses. (Ether 12:27)
6. ____40. 
   I face adversity and afflictions calmly and hopefully. (Alma 34:40–41)

Humility

1. ____41. 
   I am meek and lowly in heart. (Matthew 11:29)
2. ____42. 
   I rely on the Lord for help. (Alma 26:12)
3. ____43. 
   I am sincerely grateful for the blessings I have received from the Lord. (Alma 7:23)
4. ____44. 
   My prayers are earnest and sincere. (Enos 1:4)
5. ____45. 
   I appreciate direction from my leaders or teachers. (2 Nephi 9:28)
6. ____46. 
   I strive to be submissive to the Lord’s will, whatever it may be. (Mosiah 24:15)

Diligence

1. ____47. 
   I work effectively, even when I’m not under pressure or close supervision. (D&C 58:26–27)
2. ____48. 
   I focus my efforts on the most important things. (Matthew 23:23)
3. ____49. 
   I have a personal prayer at least twice a day. (Alma 34:18–27)
4. ____50. 
   I focus my thoughts on my calling as a missionary. (D&C 4:2, 5)
5. ____51. 
   I set goals and plan regularly. (D&C 88:119)
6. ____52. 
   I work hard until the job is completed successfully. (D&C 10:4)
7. ____53. 
   I find joy and satisfaction in my work. (Alma 36:24–25)

Obedience

1. ____54. 
   When I pray, I ask for strength to resist temptation and to do what is right. (3 Nephi 18:15)
2. ____55. 
   I keep the required commandments to be worthy of a temple recommend. (D&C 97:8)
3. ____56. 
   I willingly obey the mission rules and follow the counsel of my leaders. (Hebrews 13:17)
4. ____57. 
   I strive to live in accordance with the laws and principles of the gospel. (D&C 41:5)
5. https://www.lds.org/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service/how-do-i-develop-christlike-attributes?lang=eng