The Twelve Sent Forth
Matthew 10-12; Mark 2; Luke 7:11
Matthew 10
The Lord gives His servants power to do His work.
Apostles
Boyd K Packer
We lay no claim to being Apostles of the world—but of the Lord Jesus Christ. The test is not whether men will believe, but whether the Lord has called us—and of that there is no doubt!
We do not talk of those sacred interviews that qualify the servants of the Lord to bear a special witness of Him, for we have been commanded not to do so.
But we are free, indeed, we are obliged, to bear that special witness.
But that witness, the testimony of this work, is not reserved to those few of us who lead the Church. In proper order that witness comes to men and women and children all over the world
Across the world the ordinary members, who might be described as obscure, bear witness that they were guided to this Church by revelation and that they are guided in their service in it.
Revelation that belongs to the prophet and president of the Church, to speak on matters for the entire Church, rests as well upon all who hold office, each within the limits of his calling.
It rests upon parents who preside over families, and if we will live for it, it will rest upon each of us.
Like all of my Brethren, I too come from among the ordinary people of the Church. I am the seventy-eighth man to be accepted by ordination into the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation
Compared to the others who have been called, I am nowhere near their equal, save it be, perhaps, in the certainty of the witness we share.
I feel compelled, on this 150th anniversary of the Church, to certify to you that I know that the day of miracles has not ceased.
I know that angels minister unto men.
I am a witness to the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father; that He has a body of flesh and bone; that He knows those who are His servants here and that He is known of them. Ensign 1980
We do not talk of those sacred interviews that qualify the servants of the Lord to bear a special witness of Him, for we have been commanded not to do so.
But we are free, indeed, we are obliged, to bear that special witness.
But that witness, the testimony of this work, is not reserved to those few of us who lead the Church. In proper order that witness comes to men and women and children all over the world
Across the world the ordinary members, who might be described as obscure, bear witness that they were guided to this Church by revelation and that they are guided in their service in it.
Revelation that belongs to the prophet and president of the Church, to speak on matters for the entire Church, rests as well upon all who hold office, each within the limits of his calling.
It rests upon parents who preside over families, and if we will live for it, it will rest upon each of us.
Like all of my Brethren, I too come from among the ordinary people of the Church. I am the seventy-eighth man to be accepted by ordination into the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation
Compared to the others who have been called, I am nowhere near their equal, save it be, perhaps, in the certainty of the witness we share.
I feel compelled, on this 150th anniversary of the Church, to certify to you that I know that the day of miracles has not ceased.
I know that angels minister unto men.
I am a witness to the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father; that He has a body of flesh and bone; that He knows those who are His servants here and that He is known of them. Ensign 1980
What power did Christ give His Apostles to help them fulfill their mission?
My Thoughts:
Power against Unclean spirits, healing all manner of sickness and disease, basically the priesthood. I do find it interesting that the scripture states power against unclean spirits and not some other word like, power over, or power stronger. The priesthood is the power to act in Christ's name so this would mean Christ has power over the spirits and we are allowed house it against them.
How can you access His power in the work you have been called to do? (see 2 Corinthians 6:1–10; D&C 121:34–46).
My Thoughts:
The spirit is available to everyone inter calling. Doesn't matter if you are a Nursery worker or an Apostle. As we live worthy of the spirit and it's influence we can have it help us plain and simple. The Lord cares just as much about the nursery worker as He does about the Stake President, some days maybe more with the nursery worker.
The spirit is available to everyone inter calling. Doesn't matter if you are a Nursery worker or an Apostle. As we live worthy of the spirit and it's influence we can have it help us plain and simple. The Lord cares just as much about the nursery worker as He does about the Stake President, some days maybe more with the nursery worker.
What Others have said:
Elder Delbert L. Stapley
"The Lord foresaw the evils of our day and the designs of cunning and deceiving men who operate under the influence of Satan and his satanic hosts. Satan's power to deceive and to lead astray the children of men is unquestioned...We, the people of the Lord, cannot afford to be lulled into peaceful security and complacency. The dangers of our day are real and knocking constantly and unrelentingly at our doors. How ably will we meet the challenge of these evil influences and designs of wicked men? The test of true Church membership is here. Can we stand firm and true to the principles, ideals and standards of the gospel, or will we be so naive and unsuspecting as to fall into the traps of evil so cunningly planned and promoted by designing and conspiring men? Those of a religious nature are so often classified naive and innocently unsuspecting. The Savior knowing of this attribute counseled his disciples, 'Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves.' And he added: '. . . beware of men...' (Matt. 10:16-17.)
"Possessing, as we do, the endowment of the Holy Ghost, if worthy, we are entitled to the gift of discernment to guide and help us avoid the pitfalls of scheming and designing men to trap and ensnare us into the meshes of worldly lusts, influences, and pleasures." (Conference Report, October 1961, Afternoon Meeting 21.)
N. Eldon Tanner
We just cannot imagine or calculate in any way what a great influence for good we would have in the world if every holder of the priesthood would magnify his calling, and how much happier and more successful each individual would be if he would always choose the right. How sad it is to see one who would rather be popular than do what he knows is right. I have in mind and remember so well a good member of the Church who was elected to the legislature but who wanted to be a good fellow, popular with everyone. He, wanting to be popular, let down his standards and took one drink at a social and then another. It happened again and again. He began drinking with the fellows at lunch and at dinner. And then, unintentionally I am sure, and contrary to his greatest desire, he became an alcoholic and lost the support of his constituency and the respect of his friends and family who loved him and sorrowed for him. He died an early death as an alcoholic. What a sad situation-all because he sought the praise of men more than the praise of God.This is not a single case. We have examples of congressmen and senators who have lost their positions and self-respect and the respect of others because they wanted to be popular or didn't have the strength to resist the temptations. We have the promise of the Lord that if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all these things will be added unto us, meaning, of course, the things that are for our good. ("For They Loved the Praise of Men More Than the Praise of God," Ensign, Nov. 1975, 75)
Spencer W. Kimball
There is no limit to the power of the priesthood which you hold. The limit comes in you if you do not live in harmony with the Spirit of the Lord and you limit yourselves in the power you exert (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982, p. 498).
John H. Groberg
Thus, we see that while the power of the priesthood is unlimited, our individual power in the priesthood is limited by our degree of righteousness or purity.
Just as clean wires, properly connected, are required to carry electrical power, so clean hands and pure hearts are required to carry priesthood power. Filth and grime slow or prevent the flow of electrical power. Unclean thoughts and actions interfere with individual priesthood power. When we are humble, clean, and pure of hand, heart, and mind, nothing righteous is impossible. An ancient Oriental saying declares, "If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him." [Attributed to Buddha] ("Priesthood Power," Ensign, May 2001, 43)
Matthew 10:17–20
Have you had experiences when this divine promise was fulfilled in your life, perhaps when you bore your testimony, gave a blessing, or had a conversation with someone?
My Thoughts:
I have had experiences that have time and time again shown me that when I am living in tune with the Spirit my life is better. I can't be a help if I don't hear His call or voice. When I have relied on my own self I fail.
What Others have said:
Marion G. Romney
"I always know when I am speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost because I always learn something from what I've said." (Boyd K. Packer, Teach Ye Diligently, 357.)
Matthew 10:34–39
My Thoughts
If you must choose then choose God and all will work out somehow. This is hard, I have not been put in a place where I have had to choose between family or loved ones and the way I am supposed to live. I have heard of some that have had to make this hard choice. But as for me, those in my family that do not follow what I know to be true have allowed me to continue with them and the Church.
What Others have said:
Joseph Smith
"The time is soon coming when no man will have any peace but in Zion and her stakes. I saw men hunting the lives of their own sons, and brother murdering brother, women killing their own daughters, and daughters seeking the lives of their mothers. I saw armies arrayed against armies. I saw blood, desolations, fire, and so forth. The Son of Man has said that the mother shall be against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother. These things are at our doors." (Joseph Smith's Commentary on the Bible, ed. Kent P. Jackson, 86)
J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
"Christ did proclaim a peace-the peace of everlasting righteousness, which is the eternal and mortal enemy of sin. Between righteousness and sin, in whatever form, there can only be unceasing war, whether in one man, among the people, or between nations in armed conflict. This war is the sword of Christ; whatever its form this war cannot end until sin is crushed and Christ brings all flesh under his dominion. Righteousness is peace wherever it abides; sin in itself is war wherever it is found." (Conference Report, April 1939, Third Day-Morning Meeting 105.)
Joseph Fielding Smith
"...the meaning is that anyone who loves his father, mother, wife, and all that is dear to him, even his own life, more than he loves Christ, is not worthy of him and cannot be his disciple. The thought is very clear in this instruction that all who seek eternal life are required to come to Christ willing to give up all that they possess, if necessary. Should they be unwilling to do so, even to the laying down of life in his cause, then they are not worthy of his kingdom. This is reasonable; no unjust demand is made by our Savior, for he came and laid down his life for us that we might have life everlasting. He suffered for us; should we not love him more than we love our own lives?" (The Way to Perfection, 277.)
Matthew 11:28–30
“How do my covenants yoke me to and with the Savior?”
My Thoughts
With the Lord by my side I can get through anything. I have had troubled times and times when things are difficult but as long as I team up with the Lord I seem to be able to get through the troubles easier.
My covenants help make me who I am and who I want to be. The Lord is the core of every covenant we make.
What Others have said:
Neal A. Maxwell
"Happily, the commandment 'Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart' (Matt. 11:29) is a principle which carries an accompanying and compensating promise from Jesus: 'and ye shall find rest unto your souls.' This is a very special form of rest resulting from the shedding of certain needless burdens: fatiguing insincerity, exhausting hypocrisy, and the strength-sapping quest for recognition, praise, and power. Those of us who fall short, in one way or another, often do so because we carry such unnecessary and heavy baggage. Being overloaded, we sometimes stumble, and then we feel sorry for ourselves." (The Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book, 34-35.)
Vaughn J. Featherstone
"He who has borne all burdens has asked that we transfer the horror and terror, the scars of suffering, the baggage we have carried for so many years to Him. This transfer takes place in the same way for the victim as it does for the transgressor. Alma cried, 'O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold.' (Alma 36:18-20.) His soul was filled with joy exquisite and sweet." (The Incomparable Christ: Our Master and Model, 10 - 11.)
Neal A. Maxwell
"Meekness can also help us in coping with the injustices of life-of which there are quite a few...Furthermore, not only are the meek less easily offended, but they are less likely to give offense to others. In contrast, there are some in life who seem, perpetually, to be waiting to be offended. Their pride covers them like boils which will inevitably be bumped." ("Meekness-A Dimension of True Discipleship," Ensign, Mar. 1983, 70)
“What do I need to do to come unto Christ?” or “In what sense is the Savior’s yoke easy and His burden light?”
See above
Do you see yourself in the account in these verses of the Savior’s visit to Simon the Pharisee? Are you ever like Simon?
My Thoughts:
There are times when I get too caught up in the process that I forget the Spirit. Or too caught up in planning the perfect Youth activity that I forget to read daily, pray on other things, help my neighbor. This to me is like Simon.
What Others have Said:
Bruce R. McConkie
"All of the usual amenities of the day had been ignored by the day's host, as Jesus will soon remind him...what the host should have done...[this woman] had now done with a full heart and in a spirit of penitence and thanksgiving. Why did she do it?...She first washed the feet of Jesus with her tears, then anointed them with oil. Why? And was all this done by an evil sinner? No!-not by any means. All this was the work and worship of a devout and faithful woman who had been a sinner but who was now cleansed; who was now free from the crushing burden of many offenses; who now walked in a newness of life because of him whose feet she now kissed and upon whom she now bestowed all the reverent and awe-inspired love that her whole soul had power to possess.
"This we must know if we are to envision what really transpired on this inspiring occasion in the home of Simon the Pharisee. Here is a woman who once was a sinner but now is clean. Jesus is not going to forgive her sins-he has already done so; it happened when she believed and was baptized in his name; it happened when she repented with full purpose of heart and pledged her life and every breath she thereafter drew to the Cause of Righteousness. We are dealing with a convert who has come to pour out, in the spirit of thanksgiving and rejoicing, the gratitude of her soul to him who has freed her...from the chains of bondage and hell." (The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979-1981], 2: 200.)
What can you do to follow the woman’s example of showing humility and love for Jesus Christ?
My thoughts
She was well aware of her sins and how others thought of her. She was honest with herself but yet she still proceeded with the service she felt the Lord needed. She couldn't do much but what she could do she did.What do you learn from these verses about how forgiveness strengthens our love for the Savior?
Throughout all the scriptures the Lord is ready to forgive at that moment. He accepts any who come to Him and since they are ready with themselves He forgives them.
The same can be with us. The Jewish leaders didn't come to Him since they weren't ready to accept and hear Him. We need to be like those "lower folk" that readily accepted the Savior and their own sins and not like the Pharisees and other leaders of the time.
As we consider the messages of the most recent general conference, how are we doing as a family at receiving and following the counsel of modern-day Apostles?
My Thoughts
We need to make conferences become more than just twice a year. We need to study and pray about the messages we hear until the next conference comes around.
What Others have said:
Russell M Nelson
I exhort you to study the messages of this conference frequently—even repeatedly—during the next six months. Conscientiously look for ways to incorporate these messages in your family home evenings, your gospel teaching, your conversations with family and friends, and even your discussions with those not of our faith. Many good people will respond to the truths taught in this conference when offered in love. And your desire to obey will be enhanced as you remember and reflect upon what you have felt these past two days.
Closing remarks April Conference 2018
How is our obedience to their counsel bringing us closer to Jesus Christ?
My Thoughts:
By study and pondering on the talks I get something more out of them due to missing it the first time around.
By study and pondering on the talks I get something more out of them due to missing it the first time around.
Matthew 11:28–30
What does it mean to take Christ’s yoke upon ourselves?
To be yoke means that we don't have to do it alone.
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