John 5:17–47
Jesus Christ honors His Father.
How does the Son honor the Father, and how can you follow His example?
Jesus also showed honor to His Father. He taught that the Father showed Him everything He had to do. He always taught that what He was doing was in agreement with he other. Basically the Father was in charge.
What do you learn about how the Father feels about the Son?
As I read these verses I am struck with nothing but respect and honor from the Father toward the son. He trusted Him to continue and fulfill what they had planned together to save us.
How can strengthening your relationship with Heavenly Father increase your willingness to seek and obey His will?
If you know and respect a person you tend to discuss your issues and concerns with them. The same is what our Father wants from us.
What Others Have Said:
Bruce R. McConkie
"We suppose that our Lord's Jewish detractors by this time are completely overawed. How could it be otherwise, so comprehensive are the concepts of which he speaks, so infinite their application! But Jesus continues: 'For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.' 'The Father is an immortal, exalted, resurrected being, who cannot die. He is the Creator of the lives of men. Life dwells in him independently; he has life in himself; all things live because of him. He is the source of life, and the one who upholds, preserves, and continues it. And he has given this same power to the Son; the Son inherits from the Father; an immortal Father passes on to his mortal Son the power of immortality; it comes as a natural inheritance.'
"'And hath given him authority to execute judgment also,' Jesus continues, 'because he is the Son of man.' Why will Jesus be the Judge of the living and the dead? Because he is the Son of Man of Holiness-the Son of an Immortal Man, a Holy Man, who is God-because he is the Son of God who has received the power to do all things, from his Father whose right it is to grant such infinite power." (The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979-1981], 2: 74.)
Joseph Smith
"[The prophet paraphrases the meaning of this verse] 'I do the things I saw my Father do before worlds came rolling into existence. I saw my Father work out his kingdom with fear and trembling, and I must do the same. [Then] I shall give my kingdom to the Father so that he obtains kingdom rolling upon kingdom,' so that Jesus treads in his tracks as he had gone before.
"...He laid down his life and took it up, same as his Father had done before. He did as he was sent, to lay down his life and take it up again." (Kent P. Jackson, comp. and ed., Joseph Smith's Commentary on the Bible [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 131-132.)
Joseph Smith
"It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of as all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did. . . .
"I will go back to the beginning before the world was, to show what kind of a being God is. What sort of a being was God in the beginning? Open your ears and hear, all ye ends of the earth . . .
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens. That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,-I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form-like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345-346.)
Marion G. Romney
"What a difference it would make in the conditions of the world today if all leaders of nations and all peoples were seeking to know and do the Father's will! What peace would come into the world and what peace does come into the hearts of individuals as they acquire such a state of mind and act upon it! The happiest and most successful people in the earth are those who, knowing the will of the Father, are living in harmony therewith. On the other hand, the most contentious, distressed, and miserable people on the earth are those who know his will and who do not live in harmony with it.
"We members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are in a unique position with reference to this matter because we know that the Lord has revealed, and is continuing to reveal, to our generation his will concerning us, and we profess to accept it. This leaves us no excuse and no escape. Each of us is destined to be happy and at peace, or miserable and contentious. Many have already chosen their places; others are moving into position. Our status will depend upon how nearly we do the Father's will now, and how faithful we are in continuing to do it to the end of our mortal lives." (Conference Report, April 1945, Afternoon Meeting 88.)
Neal A. Maxwell
"In fact, while God has given us so many enabling gifts in addition to the gift of life, the only real gift we can actually give Him is to submit our will to His...the one precious gift, our wills! It is the only one we can really give to Him that is not already His!" (One More Strain of Praise [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1999], 93.)
Neal A. Maxwell
"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' (DC 84:38). What an exchange rate!" (Ensign, May 2002, 38)
Neal A. Maxwell
"It is ironic that many in Jesus' time refused to listen to Him because they were so fixed on Moses. To those who persecuted Him because He had healed an invalid on the Sabbath, he said: 'Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?' (John 5:46-47. See also Mormon 7:9.) Yet Jesus had personally called, instructed, and tutored Moses! He told the Nephites, 'Behold, . . . the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses. Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfill the law; therefore it hath an end.' (3 Nephi 15:4-5.)" (Meek and Lowly [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1987], 77.)
Matthew 14:16–21; Mark 6:33–44; John 6:5–14
The Savior can magnify my humble offerings to accomplish His purposes.
How might He magnify your efforts as you serve in the Church?
The Lord can take whatever we have to offer and add to it in order to make things happen. I have seen time and time again where a little effort from Ward members seems to be like the loaves and fishes and great miracles happen.
I have seen with myself that when I do all I can and try to learn all I can to do something for a calling, somehow I am able mohave great effects happen and the results are wonderful.
What Others Have Said:
Bruce R. McConkie
"John tells us that Jesus 'himself knew what he would do' beforehand (John 6:6), and that this foreknowledge applied also to the preparation for the desert feast we cannot doubt.
"And so, before the miraculous banquet can be served, the table in the desert must be prepared. The question, 'Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?' must be answered anew, as it was in the day of Moses when Jehovah served quail to all Israel. (Ps. 78:13-20.)...It should not be thought a thing unreasonable among them that the Son of God would exercise his creative power to give meat to hungering men. Indeed, their tradition was that when the Messiah came he would-as Moses had done-give them bread from heaven, provide them water to drink, feed them flesh according to their needs. Others before had fed Israel miraculously when their needs were great. Should it not happen again?" (The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 2: 341.)
Neal A. Maxwell
"Only by persisting in His questioning did Jesus succeed in getting His disciples to remember that there were actually twelve baskets of 'leftovers' after the miracle of the loaves (see Matthew 14:15-21; Matt 16:9-10). The Bread of Life always gives 'enough and to spare' (D&C 104:17), but we're so forgetful." (That Ye May Believe, 199.)
James E. Faust
"In our time, we seem to have forgotten the miracle of the five loaves and the two fishes in favor of the miracles wrought by the mind and hand of men. I refer to the marvels of modern transportation and the increasing sophistication of all scientific knowledge, including the new electronic highway. We have forgotten that this amazing knowledge comes to mankind only as God chooses to reveal it, and it should be used for purposes nobler and wiser than mere entertainment....A miracle even greater than that of the loaves and the fishes was the vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who saw the Father and the Son in the Sacred Grove near Palmyra, New York. Subsequently the keys, the priesthood, and the saving ordinances were restored in their fulness, and Christ's church was reestablished in our time. Thus God has again 'fed' us and filled our 'baskets' to overflowing." ("Five Loaves and Two Fishes," Ensign, May 1994, 4-5)
James E. Faust
"Some months ago, as Elder Spencer J. Condie and I were in the Salt Lake airport, we unexpectedly met a devoted and faithful couple who have been friends for long years. This couple has spent a lifetime of service, meekly, faithfully, and effectively trying to build up the Church in many places in the world. Elder Condie noted, 'Isn't it remarkable what people with five loaves and two fishes do to build up the kingdom of God.' This kind of quiet, devoted service to me is surely a fulfillment of the word of God 'that the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers' (D&C 1:23). Today I would like to speak of those of us who have only talents equal to five loaves and two fishes to offer the Savior to help feed the multitudes.
"...It has been said that this church does not necessarily attract great people but more often makes ordinary people great. Many nameless people with gifts equal only to five loaves and two small fishes magnify their callings and serve without attention or recognition, feeding literally thousands. In large measure, they make possible the fulfillment of Nebuchadnezzar's dream that the latter-day gospel of Christ would be like a stone cut out of the mountains without hands, rolling forth until it fills the whole earth (see Dan. 2:34-35; D&C 65:2). These are the hundreds of thousands of leaders and teachers in all of the auxiliaries and priesthood quorums, the home teachers, the Relief Society visiting teachers. These are the many humble bishops in the Church, some without formal training but greatly magnified, always learning, with a humble desire to serve the Lord and the people of their wards.
"Any man or woman who enjoys the Master's touch is like potter's clay in his hands. More important than acquiring fame or fortune is being what God wants us to be. Before we came to this earth, we may have been fashioned to do some small good in this life that no one else can do...If God has a work for those with many talents, I believe he also has an important work for those of us who have few." (James E. Faust, "Five Loaves and Two Fishes," Ensign, May 1994, 5-6)
Matthew 14:22–33; Mark 6:45–52; John 6:15–21
Jesus Christ invites me to set aside my fears and doubts and exercise faith in Him.
What do you learn about discipleship from the Savior’s words and actions in these verses?
Some times we may have the chance to experience great spiritual things, if we are willing to just leave the boat.
What do you learn from the words and actions of Peter? (See also 1 Nephi 3:7.)
Peter saw the Savior and wanted to go to Him. Once he was given the ok he left the safety of the boat. He walked on the water, just like Christ. Then he saw the waves and turmoil, which caused him to take his eyes off of Christ and his foundation. Then he sank yet the Lord was there to grab him and bring him back to the surface.
I think a real important part of this story is never talked about. Once Christ lifted Peter up out of his sinking state, what happened then? How did they get back into the boat? I do not see Christ pulling Peter behind him as he walks on water and then throwing him like a fish into the boat. Rather I see Peter, holding onto Christ WALKING on water, equal with Christ. Side by side, entering the boat. We too can walk on water in our lives if we keep our eye on Christ. When the turmoils and waves reach impossible heights then we need to hold fast to Christ and just keep walking.
What is the Lord inviting you to do that might be like stepping out of the boat?
Being a true disciple requires me to think of others. To truly love and minister as HE would.
I need to ignore the world around me and lead my family through the waves and rough seas, keeping our eyes on Christ.
We need to willingly walk in kindness and love on a daily basis.
We need to embrace the changes that are coming and see them for what they are; Preparing us for the Second Coming.
What do you find in these verses that gives you courage to exercise your faith in Jesus Christ?
With my eyes on Christ I can ignore the waves. When it gets extra hard He is there to pull me back to the surface and hold me as we walk together.
Being out of the boat is possible because of Him.
What Others Have Said:Dean L. Larsen
"[The Savior] had great power that he could have used to compel people to follow him and to be obedient to his word. Occasionally he demonstrated this power in miraculous ways, but never with the intent to command a following...It was almost as though he feared that men would follow him because of his power rather than as a result of having learned his truths and having valued them because they were true.
"In no incident in the mortal ministry of the Lord is this concern made more manifest than in the case of the feeding of the multitude with the loaves and fishes...Their reaction to this demonstration of power was to attempt to force him to become their king. The benefits of yielding subservience to one who could care for their needs so easily were obvious. Their intentions alarmed the Savior. He left the crowd immediately, and during the night crossed over to the other side of the sea of Galilee near Capernaum.
"...Obviously the truths that Jesus had taught these people had not penetrated their hearts and their understanding. They were untouched by the influence he had wished to effect...It would not have been difficult for Jesus to continue to command the following of these people. Their welfare and their salvation meant more to him than his own life. A few more public miracles could have held them and augmented their numbers. It would have been an easy thing to do. But the essential parts of the equation were not coming together. He did not wish a following on that basis. It must have been a terribly disappointing, frustrating experience for the Master. If they would not follow him because they believed and valued the truths he taught them, he would not have them follow him at all." ("Let Your Light So Shine," Ensign, Sept. 1981, 23-24)
Jeffrey R. Holland
"Peter's faith began to reach heights virtually without equal in the New Testament record. It so surged within him that upon the Lord's invitation, Peter once climbed down out of his fishing boat and 'walked on the water, to go to Jesus.' (Matthew 14:29.) That fact of faith has never been recorded of any other mortal man. If his faith faltered because of treacherous waves and adverse winds, 'perhaps we should take a few steps on [the] water' before ascending to the judgment seat. (See Richard Lloyd Anderson, "Simon Peter," Ensign, February 1975, pp. 47-49.)" (However Long and Hard the Road, 98.)
Gene R. Cook
"We all know the story of Peter walking on the water. He saw Jesus approaching them on the surface of the sea, and, in a great act of faith, said, 'Bid me come unto thee.' (Matthew 14:28.) Jesus bade him to come, and Peter stepped out of the boat. You can imagine his feelings as he put all his weight on his foot and started to step into the Sea of Galilee. Then all of a sudden he was walking, the second man in the history of the world (as far as we know) to walk on water! Then it appears the devil moved into the picture. The wind stirred up, and waves lifted higher, and Peter began to doubt; he was filled with fear; and down he went into that dark, frightening water." (Receiving Answers to Our Prayers, 55.)
Jeffrey R. Holland
"This scriptural account reminds us that the first step in coming to Christ, or in his coming to us, may fill us with something very much like sheer terror. It shouldn't, but it sometimes does. One of the grand ironies of the gospel is that the very source of help and safety being offered us is the thing from which we may, in our mortal shortsightedness, flee. For whatever the reason, I have seen investigators run from baptism, I have seen elders run from a mission call, I have seen sweethearts run from marriage, and I have seen members run from challenging callings. Too often too many of us run from the very things that will bless us and save us and soothe us. Too often we see gospel commitments and commandments as something to be feared and forsaken.
"Let me quote the marvelous Elder James E. Talmage of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on this matter: 'Into every adult human life come experiences like unto the battling of the storm-tossed voyagers with contrary winds and threatening seas; ofttimes the night of struggle and danger is far advanced before succor appears; and then, too frequently the saving aid is mistaken for a greater terror. [But,] as came unto [these disciples] in the midst of the turbulent waters, so comes to all who toil in faith, the voice of the Deliverer-'It is I; be not afraid' ' (Jesus the Christ [1916], 337)." ("Come unto Me," Ensign, Apr. 1998, 16)
Neal A. Maxwell
"Perhaps it was Peter's failure to keep his eye fixed on Jesus? Like the not fully committed plowman? Instead of looking straight ahead at Jesus, Peter looked around, computed the odds, and was terrified. As any of us would be! How does one ignore wind-whipped whitecaps?...But if we are willing to proceed with our eye upon Jesus Christ instead of upon all that might go wrong, or upon the waves pounding and swirling about us, if we 'go to Jesus' directly, knowing that He can save us, we will not be forsaken either. Even if we seem to be sinking, we are still to reach out to Him...Oh, the fierce interplay of faith and circumstance!...James said it well, didn't he? If we doubt, we become like those very waves, tossed by the wind! (James 1:6.)" (We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ, 18.)
Delbert L. Stapley
"The comparison the Lord makes between the wavering soul and the wave of the sea driven with the winds and tossed has touched the lives of many. Most of us have seen the calm seas, and at other times the damage caused when the winds become intense and the waves rise and become powerful, destructive forces. A parallel can be drawn to the buffetings of Satan. When we are serene and on the Lord's side, Satan's influence is not felt; but when we cross over and are deceived by the winds of false doctrine, by the waves of man-made philosophies and sophistries, we can be drenched, submerged, and even drowned in the depths of disbelief, and the Spirit of the Lord driven completely from our lives. These deceived and wavering souls cannot, because of their incontinence, expect to receive anything of the Lord." (Conference Report, April 1970, Second Day-Morning Meeting 74.)
Gene R. Cook
"Then Jesus reached out and saved him, saying, 'O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?' (Matthew 14:31.) Jesus could also have added, 'Peter, you were tied to my power, as long as you were believing and walking and having faith. But the moment you let doubt in, see what happens?'
"What a great lesson! And how essential! I'd have to say that as my wife and I have tried over the years to increase our own faith and our family's faith, the greatest challenge we've faced is to really believe with all our hearts, to believe beforehand, to not doubt or fear, and to not give up. If you can do that and have an unshakable faith, you'll receive the blessings you seek-assuming, of course, that what you seek is in harmony with the will of the Lord.
"I've heard some people say, 'I'll try it, but I'm sure it won't work.' And they're right. They're filled with doubt. And I've heard others say, 'I don't know how this will work, but the Lord has promised, and I have confidence it will.' And they're right, because they're filled with faith." (Receiving Answers to Our Prayers, 55-56.)
Neal A. Maxwell
"How can we expect to overcome the world if we are too insulated from its trials and challenges? You will experience at times what might be called some redemptive turbulence. Think, for instance, of the Master and the roiling Sea of Galilee, tossed by the 'wind boisterous' and 'contrary,' and the anguished cry of His followers as in the lyrics we sing, 'Master, the tempest is raging' (see Matt. 14:22-33; Hymns, no. 105). Yet that tempest actually occurred on a tiny little sea only 12 miles by 7 miles! Nevertheless, for that moment, Galilee constituted the real world for those anxious disciples!
"So it is with the little sectors of our lives. The sea may be roiling at times with waves of emotion, such as when one is offended, or by billows of anger, or, more commonly, by self-pity that threatens to swallow us up. Then, for us too, the calming of the Master becomes crucial. Remember how it was: after Christ and Peter came back 'into the ship, the wind ceased' (Matt. 14:32). He can do that for us if we will let Him. It doesn't matter how small our Galilee may seem; the boisterousness and the tempest will at times rage, but the remedy is still the same." ("Jesus, the Perfect Mentor," Ensign, Feb. 2001, 8)
Bruce R. McConkie
"At this point Matthew says: 'Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.' We are left to conclude that those so doing were the sailors or other passengers, for the apostles had long since had such a witness in their souls. To the extent the chosen disciples joined in this worship, it was but a reaffirmation of that which they already knew, even as it is common among us to affirm and reaffirm our knowledge of the divine sonship of this same Holy Being." (The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 2: 360.)
John 6:22–71
As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I must be willing to believe and accept the truth, even when it is hard to do.
Being a true disciple of Christ was never meant to be easy, but it was meant to be rewarding. As we stand with he Church and it’s teachings we are becoming more and more out of synch with the rest of the World. Many do not understand why we cant be more easy going, why we cant change to accommodate them and their sins. The Lord doesn’t change but the world does.
I find it sad that when I talk to some they get mad at me for supporting the Church on different issues. They say I should show them love and respect and allow them to force their way of life and belief on me and my family. When I ask why they cant show me the same respect I am told that it is different. They don’t have to honor me but I have to honor them..
What Others have said:
Robert E. Wells
"When we hunger and thirst to come unto the Savior, and hunger and thirst to achieve his righteousness, we are led to seek the companionship of the Saints, to gather on the Sabbath, and to enjoy worship, the sacrament, hymns of praise, and the brotherhood of our fellow members. This hunger and thirst of the spirit stimulates fervent and sincere prayers, fasting, good works, and sacrifice, and our desire to go to the temple increases. These lasting joys are more to be sought after than the fleeting pleasures of the world." (The Mount and the Master [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1991], 44.)
Bruce R. McConkie
"Let all men forsake the tables of carnality and of false doctrine, where the scoffers of the world, 'walking after their own lusts,' are eating and drinking with gluttonous abandon as men did in the days of Noah...But be it known-whatever the ungodly may suppose, whatever views the spiritually untutored may espouse, whatever foods may be eaten at the evil tables of the world-that here at the Lord's table is found living bread; here is the fountain from which streams of living water flow." (The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 1.)
J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
"The bread and water that Christ, our Lord gives, are the spiritual food that can bring salvation and exaltation to every human soul...How blessed are we to have this never dimming, always glowing hope, and the eternal knowledge that belongs to us, to comfort us and to urge us on through life, that we may add to God's declared work and glory by gaining for ourselves, and for all believers and doers, the priceless destiny of immortality and eternal life." (Behold the Lamb of God [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1991], 128.)
Bruce R. McConkie
"'Jesus never met these murmurs about His supposed parentage and place of birth by revealing to the common crowds the high mystery of His earthly origin.' It sufficed for them to hear the witness borne that he was the Son of the Highest; let the details of his coming be reserved for those whose spiritual stature would enable them to receive the mysteries of godliness." (The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979-1981], 2: 376.)
Elder George Teasdale
"We understand that He had drawn us into His fold; for 'no man can come to me,' saith the Lord Jesus Christ, 'except the Father which hath sent Me draw him.'
"My brethren and sisters, do you understand that our Father has drawn you into His fold? Do you young people, who are sons and daughters of the pioneers of this work, realize that God has appointed the bounds of your habitation, and that He hath given you the honor of being the sons and daughters of High Priests, Seventies, Elders, Patriarchs, and Apostles of God? Do you understand that your names are enrolled in the Lamb's book of life, and that it was foreordained from before the foundation of the world for you to be born in the latter days of goodly parents, to have the privileges of the house of the Lord, and to assist in the redemption of the living and the dead? If you do realize this, surely you will manifest it in your works. You will be gentle men, gentle women. You will keep yourselves clean from the iniquities of this unbelieving generation, with all their pride and highmindedness, and you will humble yourselves before our Heavenly Father, and plead before Him, in the name of Jesus Christ, that He will vouchsafe unto you His Spirit and reveal to you your individual missions that you may stand approved of Him both here and hereafter." (Brian H. Stuy, ed., Collected Discourses, 5 vols. [Burbank, Calif., and Woodland Hills, Ut.: B.H.S. Publishing, 1987-1992], vol. 3, March 19, 1893)
Neal A. Maxwell
"...Jesus' followers faced a moment of truth in responding to the Master's teachings...The topics discussed by Jesus included the reality of his Godhood and of the resurrection, which shook then-prevailing beliefs...The full implications of 'hard doctrines' heralded by Jesus will require us to put forth different solutions to the proximate problems of mankind...The basic choice to be made will frame itself in many individual ways with many ironies, but at the testing point it will often take the form of this question: Do I have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in his modern prophets?" ("The Value of Home Life," Ensign, Feb. 1972, 4-5)
Neal A. Maxwell
"[The man or woman of Christ] believes deeply in the Beatitudes, but also in those doctrines which tell him 'who' Jesus is. He does not divorce the Sermon on the Mount from the sermon at Capernaum with its hard teachings which caused many to walk 'no more with' Jesus. (John 6:66.) These latter doctrines are likewise a part of the bracing breeze of the scriptures which must be played upon the fevered brow of mankind. ("The Man of Christ," Ensign, May 1975, 101)
Jeffrey R. Holland
"As the world slouches toward the 21st century, many long for something, sometimes cry out for something, but too often scarcely know for what...In an absolutely terrifying way, we see legions who say they are bored with their spouses, their children, and any sense of marital or parental responsibility toward them. Still others, roaring full speed down the dead-end road of hedonism, shout that they will indeed live by bread alone, and the more of it the better. We have it on good word, indeed we have it from the Word Himself, that bread alone-even a lot of it-is not enough.
"During the Savior's Galilean ministry, He chided those who had heard of Him feeding the 5,000 with only five barley loaves and two fishes, and now flocked to Him expecting a free lunch. That food, important as it was, was incidental to the real nourishment He was trying to give them...But this was not the meal they had come for, and the record says, 'From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.'
"In that little story is something of the danger in our day. It is that in our contemporary success and sophistication we too may walk away from the vitally crucial bread of eternal life; we may actually choose to be spiritually malnourished, willfully indulging in a kind of spiritual anorexia. Like those childish Galileans of old, we may turn up our noses when divine sustenance is placed before us. Of course the tragedy then as now is that one day, as the Lord Himself has said, 'In an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended,' and we will find that our 'souls [are] not saved.' (DC 45:2)" ("He Hath Filled the Hungry with Good Things," Ensign, Nov. 1997, 65)
Vaughn J. Featherstone
"Would you think about that? To whom shall we go if not to him? Where in all the world? In whom could we put our trust? Where could we find the peace that surpasseth understanding? Where, when we've gone to the very limit, to the mountain too high and too wide to get across, where can we go when we need to be on the other side, except to him?
"Now, I suppose we should think how this affects you and me. If we hope to walk with him we need to live a Christlike life...Elder James E. Talmage said that the cost is always the same for every single one of us as we accept Christ and him crucified. The cost everlastingly and always will be the same. It is, simply, all we have. If we are going to be truly his disciples the price could never be less than all we have. Some of us may say, 'I'll go so far, and that's all the farther I can go.' With such an attitude I don't believe we will qualify as true disciples." ("Where Following Him Can Lead Us," Ensign, Feb. 1981, 9)
Dean L. Larsen
"The words of eternal life, while full of transcendent hope and promise, are not easy. The pathway of progress marked by the Lord is filled with challenges and risks. But it is the only way to celestial life. As we move along the path, we have the reassurance of knowing that we follow in the footsteps of one who knows the way, who understands and trusts us to press on, always with his encouragement and supporting strength, but by our own effort and will. He has removed from this path every obstacle that we could not remove ourselves. He now beckons, 'Come to me.'
"On our onward journey, may we draw proper strength and help from each other, and may we be so wise as to avoid any act or desire that would unnecessarily hedge up the way for another." ("Let Your Light So Shine," Ensign, Sept. 1981, 25)
Gordon B. Hinckley
"There was no uncertainty in Peter's mind when the Lord asked him, 'Whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' (Matthew 16:15-16.)
"Nor was there any doubt on the part of Peter when the Lord taught the multitude in Capernaum, declaring himself to be the bread of life. Many of his disciples, who would not accept his teaching, 'went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.' (John 6:66-69.)
"...As it was anciently, so has it been in modern times. Without certitude on the part of believers, a religious cause becomes soft, without muscle, without the driving force that would broaden its influence and capture the hearts and affections of men and women. Theology may be argued over, but personal testimony, coupled with performance, cannot be refuted. " (Faith: The Essence of True Religion [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1989], 2.)
Russell M. Nelson
"Peter's answer defines the real core of commitment. When we know without a doubt that Jesus is the Christ, we will want to stay with Him. When we are surely converted, the power to endure is ours." (Perfection Pending, and Other Favorite Discourses [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 129.)
Harold B. Lee
"Well might we expect, as in the past dispensations, that our worst enemies will be those within our ranks who will betray us. (65-70, p. 1152)
"We pray for our Saints everywhere, pray that they will hold steadfast. But, some of the greatest of our enemies are those within our own ranks. It was the lament of the Master, as He witnessed one of those chosen men, whom under inspiration He chose as one of the Twelve, betray Him with a kiss and for a few paltry pieces of silver turn Him over to His enemies. Judas then stood by and, realizing the enormity of what he had done, took the only escape out to sacrifice himself. And Jesus could only explain that one of the Twelve, meaning Judas, had a devil (see John 6:70-71).
"When we see some of our own today doing similar things, some who have been recognized and honored in the past as teachers and leaders who later fall by the wayside, our hearts are made sore and tender. But sometimes we have to say just like the Master said, 'The devil must have entered into them.' (73-36, p. 379)
"Today the greatest enemies we have are those who, for flattery of the world, would betray the Savior by denying His prophets and making light of Church pronouncements on vital issues that strike at the very foundation of the Lord's work. Such we have among us today-make no mistake." (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, edited by Clyde J. Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996], 392.)
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