NT Come Follow Me Individual May 6-12

May 6–12

Luke 12–17; John 11

“Rejoice with Me; for I Have Found My Sheep Which Was Lost”

Luke 12; 14–16
Why would God say “Thou fool” to a hardworking, successful man who had built great barns and filled them with the fruits of his labors? (see Luke 12:16–21).

 Because he did not have his heart in the right place. He set his worth based on what he had and not what he was or how he treated others.

 The foolish rich man (Luke 12:13–21)

My Thoughts
We are told we can only take our knowledge and our relationships into the next life. We also take what and who we become. The spirit we have about us rises with us. I do not think the Lord is saying riches or earthly success is bad, it is all in how we use it and let it use us.

 
What Others have said:

Hugh B. Brown
"So many men spend their lifetime accumulating this world's goods, and sometimes they are not particular how they get them; but most men, if they live to old age, get a new sense of values, but too often it is too late.
"May I illustrate my point by referring to an experience I had in 1917 as I was returning from my first trip overseas in World War I where I was serving with the Canadian Army. I arrived in New York and while there learned of the presence in the hospital of an aged man whom I had known. As I had some time before the train left for the West, I called on him in the hospital. He was a very wealthy man, had racing stables in Cuba, in the Northwest, and in California, had millions invested in various places, but at the age of eighty he was lying at death's door.
"As I stood by his bedside and thought over various parts of his life as I had known it, as I thought of his divorced wife, of his five children, all of whom were estranged, and none of whom cared enough to come to the hospital to see him, as I thought of the things he had lost which money could not buy and noted his tragic situation and the depth of his misery, I asked him what he would do if he had the privilege of living his life over again and could start it with the wisdom which had come through the years, what he considered the real values in life as he stood near the end of it. I asked him what he considered the most important things in life, and if he would tell me as a young man how I could get the greatest riches and enjoy them when I grew old.
"This old gentleman, who died a few days later, said to me, 'As I think back over life the most important and valuable asset which I might have had but which I lost in the process of accumulating millions, was the simple faith my mother had in God and in the immortality of the soul.'
"...That was the dying testimony of a man who was born in the Church but had drifted far from it. That was the brokenhearted cry of a lonely man who could have anything that money could buy, but who had lost the most important things of life in order to accumulate this world's goods. He realized as he lay upon his deathbed that he could not take any of it with him." (Continuing the Quest [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1961], 33-34.)

 Sterling W. Sill

"So far as we are informed, the rich man mentioned in the scriptures who died while his barns were bulging with goods that he couldn't use was not an evil man. Jesus didn't say that he was dishonest, immoral, or lazy. Certainly, he appears to have been very successful in his occupation. He must have been an intelligent and industrious worker to have accumulated such a great amount of wealth. The Lord didn't call him a sinner; he merely said he was a fool. Apparently, this man had misunderstood the real objectives of life and was therefore unprepared for death. With his wealth stacked around him he heard the Lord say, 'Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.' ("Luke 12:20Luke 12:20.) Certainly anyone is foolish who exhausts his energy on those things that can never bring him any benefit, and yet this is exactly what so many people do. Our testing is being given in a world of opposites where we see the contrasts of good and evil, success and failure, right and wrong side by side. The wheat and the tares are frequently allowed to grow together until harvest time. These contrasts can help us to develop our judgment and our righteousness." (Principles, Promises, and Powers [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1973], 121.)

 Dallin H. Oaks

"A modern illustration of that principle is suggested in the apocryphal story of two men standing before the casket of a wealthy friend. Asked one, 'How much property did he leave?' Replied the other, 'He left all of it.'" ("Tithing," Ensign, May 1994, 35)

 John H. Vandenberg

"How can we be rich toward God? Does this refer to the laying up of treasures in heaven by living his commandments-love of God and of our fellowmen? Wouldn't living each day with these objectives in mind bring into our lives that peace spoken of by the Savior? Aren't we all too much inclined to be encumbered about by many things and forget those things that are most needful?

"Henry David Thoreau thought so, for we read in his book Walden: 'The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. ... Most of the luxuries, and many of the so called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind.'

"And Joshua Liebman wrote similarly in his little book Peace of Mind: 'A man may have a home, possessions, a charming family, and yet find all these things ashy to his taste because he has been outstripped in the marathon race by some other runners to the golden tape line. It is not that he does not possess enough for his wants, but that others possess more. It is the more that haunts him, makes him depreciate himself and minimize his real achievements.'" ("Whence Cometh Our Peace?" Ensign, July 1972, 127-128)

 Gordon B. Hinckley

"...greed is an insidious trap that has the power to destroy those whose eager search for success becomes the driving force of their lives. Greed is the devious, sinister, evil influence that makes people say, 'What I have is not enough. I must have more. And I will do whatever it takes to get it.'" (Stand a Little Taller, 334 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the New Testament: The Four Gospels, by Pinegar, Bassett, and Earl, p. 236-237)

 The great supper (Luke 14:12–24)

My Thoughts:

 While the Lord will never force us to come to Him He does put events and invitations of all forms in front of us to help us decide. I truly believe that when we reach the judgment we will be able to see everything the Lord has done for us and with us that it will be hard to say He never gave us ample warning or invitation to come unto Him.

What Others Have Said:

Bruce R. McConkie
"According to Jewish tradition, the resurrection of the just, and the subsequent setting up of the kingdom of God, was to be ushered in by a great festival in which all of the chosen people would participate. Hence their saying: 'Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.' As a response to this very statement, Jesus tells of a certain man who gives a great supper. The guests who are bidden excuse themselves for frivolous and foolish reasons. Thereupon the master of the house, being angry, turns away from the covenant people, to whom he first offered the good things of his gospel table. Now he invites the Gentiles, in their spiritually halt and lame and blind status, as well as the pagans and foreigners who live at a great distance-he invites all these to come and eat at his table. (Luke 14:12-24.)

"And thus it is reaffirmed that the blessings of the gospel profit only those who feast upon the eternal word, and that the alien and the foreigner who feast on the good work of God shall be blessed when the Supper of the Great God is prepared to usher in his millennial reign. It is of that feast of good things that the elders of Israel are now inviting all men to partake." (The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 346.)

 James E. Talmage

"The covenant people, Israel, were the specially invited guests. They had been bidden long enough aforetime, and by their own profession as the Lord's own had agreed to be partakers of the feast. When all was ready, on the appointed day, they were severally summoned by the Messenger who had been sent by the Father; He was even then in their midst. But the cares of riches, the allurement of material things, and the pleasures of social and domestic life had engrossed them; and they prayed to be excused or irreverently declared they could not or would not come. Then the gladsome invitation was to be carried to the Gentiles, who were looked upon as spiritually poor, maimed, halt, and blind. And later, even the pagans beyond the walls, strangers in the gates of the holy city, would be bidden to the supper. These, surprised at the unexpected summons, would hesitate, until by gentle urging and effective assurance that they were really included among the bidden guests, they would feel themselves constrained or compelled to come. The possibility of some of the discourteous ones arriving later, after they had attended to their more absorbing affairs, is indicated in the Lord's closing words: 'For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.'" (Jesus the Christ, 420)

F. Burton Howard

"If the Lord is providing his own commentary on the parable of the great supper-and it seems that he is-then it is frightening to note that those who declined the invitation were those more concerned with temporal problems-for example, a piece of ground, a yoke of oxen, or a wife who did not understand the significance of the supper. As we look at the part riches play in this parable, we can see that there is great risk in them-risk that concern for material things may cloud our view of what is eternally important." ("Overcoming the World," Ensign, Sept. 1996, 13)

 Orson F. Whitney

"But you are wondering what the Lord of the Feast meant when he sent his servant to 'compel them to come in.' I believe this to be the solution: God will never coerce the human mind-never fetter the human will. He will force no man into heaven; no man into hell. But he has never said that he would not create compelling situations, and so shape human affairs as to induce men and women to do things of their own volition that they would not do if circumstances remained unchanged." (Conference Report, April 1918, Afternoon Session. 76.)

 The prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32)

My Thoughts:

 This is another one of those passages that has so many level to it. I get different meaning depending on what is going on in my life at the time I ponder on it.
A couple of points that I think are important.
1- Even though the son basically wished his father was dead (This is how ancient Israel would have understand him asking for his inheritance) the father never lost hope. He spent each day "Watching far off" for his sons return
2- When he saw his son he threw restraint to the wind and ran to him. Back then it was very unacceptable for a older man to run and un dignified.
3-He threw his arms around him and made great noise about his sons return and his acceptance of him. This not only showed his love for his son but also sent a message to all around that his son was to be accepted and not treat poorly because of his bad decision's.
4-The older son felt offended only because he did not understand. I know that the heavens rejoice over the sinner but I also know they rejoice and are well pleased when we do what we need to.
5-By staying close to his father the other son never had to know or experience the pain of separation from the father or the shame that comes with sin. We too can have that as we avoid sin.

What Others Have Said

Gordon B. Hinckley
"I know of no more beautiful story in all literature than that found in the fifteenth chapter of Luke. It is the story of a repentant son and a forgiving father. It is the story of a son who wasted his inheritance in riotous living, rejecting his father's counsel, spurning those who loved him. When he had spent all, he was hungry and friendless, and 'when he came to himself' (Luke 15:17), he turned back to his father, who, on seeing him afar off, 'ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him' (Luke 15:20).
"I ask you to read that story. Every parent ought to read it again and again. It is large enough to encompass every household, and enough larger than that to encompass all mankind, for are we not all prodigal sons and daughters who need to repent and partake of the forgiving mercy of our Heavenly Father and then follow His example?" ("Of You It Is Required to Forgive," Ensign, June 1991, 5)

Bruce D. Porter

"The parable of the prodigal son is a parable of us all. It reminds us that we are, in some measure, prodigal sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven. For, as the Apostle Paul wrote, 'all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God' (Rom. 3:23).
"Like the errant son of the Savior's parable, we have come to 'a far country' (Luke 15:13) separated from our premortal home. Like the prodigal, we share in a divine inheritance, but by our sins we squander a portion thereof and experience a 'mighty famine' (Luke 15:14) of spirit. Like him, we learn through painful experience that worldly pleasures and pursuits are of no more worth than the husks of corn that swine eat. We yearn to be reconciled with our Father and return to his home." ("Redeemer of Israel," Ensign, Nov. 1995, 15)

 Neal A. Maxwell

"We know who we are and where our 'home' really is. Hence, life, when properly lived, is really a journey 'back home.' In this narrow sense, we are somewhat like the prodigal son. As we come to ourselves, we, too, with determination will say, 'I will arise and go to my father.' (Luke 15:18.)" ("I Will Arise and Go to My Father," Ensign, Sept. 1993, 65)

 Neal A. Maxwell

"...do we naively expect Christ to come to us-instead of our going to Him? Truly He waits 'all the day long' with open arms to receive the repentant. (2 Ne. 28:32; Morm. 6:17.) There are no restrictive 'office hours.' But it is we who must arise and go to Him! (See Luke 15:18.)" ("Lest Ye Be Wearied and Faint in Your Minds," Ensign, May 1991, 90)

 Gordon B. Hinckley

"I am satisfied that there are thousands across the world who in their loneliness and hunger for truth are crying out for help... And in addition to these there is another group who are members of the Church in name, but who have left, and who now in their hearts long to return, but do not know how and are too timid to try. They, too, in moments of quiet reflection, ask, 'Why am I here? Why am I so lost? Please, please help me find my way."
"As I think of them I think also of one of the most beautiful stories ever told. (quotes Luke 15:11-24.)
"To you, my brethren and sisters, who have taken your spiritual inheritance and left, and now find an emptiness in your lives, the way is open for your return. Note the words of the parable of the Prodigal Son: 'And when he came to himself.' Have you not also reflected on your condition and circumstances, and longed to return?
"The boy in the parable wanted only to be a servant in his father's house, but his father, seeing him afar off, ran to meet him and kissed him, put a robe on his back, a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and had a feast prepared for him. So it will be with you. If you will take the first timid step to return, you will find open arms to greet you and warm friends to make you welcome.
"I think I know why some of you left. You were offended by a thoughtless individual who injured you, and you mistook his actions as representative of the Church. Or you may have moved from an area where you were known to an area where you were largely alone, and there grew up with only little knowledge of the Church. Or you may have been drawn to other company or habits which you felt were incompatible with association in the Church. Or you may have felt yourself wiser in the wisdom of the world than those of your Church associates, and with some air of disdain, withdrawn yourself from their company. I am not here to dwell on the reasons. I hope you will not. Put the past behind you. Said the prophet Isaiah in another age, with words that fit our own:
'Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
Learn to do well. ...
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.' (Isa. 1:16-19.)" ("Everything to Gain-Nothing to Lose," Ensign, Nov. 1976, 95-96)

 Neal A  Maxwell

 "The Holy Ghost preached to the prodigal from the pulpit of memory" (Not My Will, But Thine, 98.).

Vaughn J. Featherstone

"There is a great purging and humbling that comes from the wells of despair. False pride is stripped away. The light of home flickers dimly through the dark miles of distance. In the despair of this great, humbling experience, the young man 'came to himself.'" ("However Faint the Light May Glow," Ensign, Nov. 1982, 71)

 Orson F. Whitney

"The Prophet Joseph Smith declared-and he never taught more comforting doctrine-that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father's heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God." (Conference Report, April 1929, Third Day-Morning Meeting 110.)

 Brigham Young

"Let the father and mother, who are members of this Church and Kingdom, take a righteous course, and strive with all their might never to do a wrong, but to do good all their lives; if they have one child or one hundred children, if they conduct themselves towards them as they should, binding them to the Lord by their faith and prayers, I care not where those children go, they are bound up to their parents by an everlasting tie, and no power of earth or hell can separate them from their parents in eternity; they will return again to the fountain from whence they sprang." (Discourses of Brigham Young, selected and arranged by John A. Widtsoe [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1954], 208.)

 Robert L Millet.

"We can be Christians, followers of the lowly Nazarene who ate and drank with sinners. We can reach out, welcome people back, and help them feel the warmth and security they once knew. Alma the Younger took a major detour. But he returned and was welcomed back. Corianton left the strait and narrow path for a time, but he came back... (see Alma 49:29-30; 63:10). We can be forgiving and allow people to change. If Johnny strays from the path for a few years and disqualifies himself for a mission but eventually returns to the path, we can greet him joyfully. God can forgive him, and so must we. If Jennifer leaves the strait and narrow, loses her virtue, has a baby out of wedlock, but chooses eventually to come back to church, we can rejoice in her return. God can forgive her, and so must we. When people have repented, they want desperately to put the past behind them; we as followers of Christ are under covenant to help them do so." (When a Child Wanders [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1996], 48 - 49.)

 Neal A. Maxwell

"...[prodigal sons and daughters] need a warm welcome. Let us emulate the father of the prodigal son, who ran to greet his son while the son was still a great distance away, rather than waiting passively and then skeptically asking the son if he had merely come home to pick up his things!" ("The Net Gathers of Every Kind," Ensign, Nov. 1980, 14-15)

 Jeffrey R. Holland

"The tender image of this boy's anxious, faithful father running to meet him and showering him with kisses is one of the most moving and compassionate scenes in all of holy writ. It tells every child of God, wayward or otherwise, how much God wants us back in the protection of His arms." ("The Other Prodigal," Ensign, May 2002, 62)

Neil L. Andersen

"Do we understand our Heavenly Father's anxiousness at our every effort to return to him? Even when we are still a great way off, he welcomes our return. We experience joy as the love of our Savior assures us that we can yet be clean, that we will one day be home again. This happiness comes only through repentance. As we leave wrongdoing behind and exercise faith in Jesus Christ, we receive a remission of our sins. We sense that our Savior is doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves." ("The Joy of Becoming Clean," Ensign, Apr. 1995, 51)

 Jeffrey R. Holland

"...being caught up in this younger son's story, we can miss, if we are not careful, the account of an elder son, for the opening line of the Savior's account reads, 'A certain man had two sons'-and He might have added, 'both of whom were lost and both of whom needed to come home.'

"The younger son has returned, a robe has been placed on his shoulders and a ring on his finger, when the older son comes on the scene. He has been dutifully, loyally working in the field, and now he is returning. The language of parallel journeys home, though from very different locations, is central to this story." ("The Other Prodigal," Ensign, May 2002, 62)

 Howard W. Hunter

"Both brothers in the parable desperately need the Lord to free them of their burdens. This is the message of the parable. We learn from this parable that all of us, regardless of our status or condition, have an absolute need of the Lord's saving grace." (Latter-day Commentary on the New Testament: The Four Gospels, by Pinegar, Bassett, and Earl, p. 255)

 Jeffrey R. Holland

"This son is not so much angry that the other has come home as he is angry that his parents are so happy about it. Feeling unappreciated and perhaps more than a little self-pity, this dutiful son-and he is wonderfully dutiful-forgets for a moment that he has never had to know filth or despair, fear or self-loathing. He forgets for a moment that every calf on the ranch is already his and so are all the robes in the closet and every ring in the drawer. He forgets for a moment that his faithfulness has been and always will be rewarded.
"No, he who has virtually everything, and who has in his hardworking, wonderful way earned it, lacks the one thing that might make him the complete man of the Lord he nearly is. He has yet to come to the compassion and mercy, the charitable breadth of vision to see that this is not a rival returning. It is his brother...
"Certainly this younger brother had been a prisoner-a prisoner of sin, stupidity, and a pigsty. But the older brother lives in some confinement, too. He has, as yet, been unable to break out of the prison of himself. He is haunted by the green-eyed monster of jealousy. He feels taken for granted by his father and disenfranchised by his brother, when neither is the case. He has fallen victim to a fictional affront. As such he is like Tantalus of Greek mythology-he is up to his chin in water, but he remains thirsty nevertheless. One who has heretofore presumably been very happy with his life and content with his good fortune suddenly feels very unhappy simply because another has had some good fortune as well.
"Who is it that whispers so subtly in our ear that a gift given to another somehow diminishes the blessings we have received? Who makes us feel that if God is smiling on another, then He surely must somehow be frowning on us? You and I both know who does this-it is the father of all lies. It is Lucifer...
"...Brothers and sisters, I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I testify that He loves each of us-insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all. He doesn't measure our talents or our looks; He doesn't measure our professions or our possessions. He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other. I know that if we will be faithful, there is a perfectly tailored robe of righteousness ready and waiting for everyone, 'robes ... made ... white in the blood of the Lamb.' (Rev. 7:14) May we encourage each other in our effort to win that prize is my earnest prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. ("The Other Prodigal," Ensign, May 2002, 63-64)

 Spencer W. Kimball

"In the impressive parable of the Prodigal Son the Lord taught us a remarkable lesson. This squanderer lived but for today. He spent his life in riotous living. He disregarded the commandments of God. His inheritance was expendable, and he spent it. He was never to enjoy it again, as it was irretrievably gone. No quantity of tears or regrets or remorse could bring it back. Even though his father forgave him and dined him and clothed him and kissed him, he could not give back to the profligate son that which had been dissipated. But the other brother, who had been faithful, loyal, righteous and constant, retained his inheritance, and the father reassured him: 'All that I have is thine.'
"...the father might have said something like this: 'Son, this is your estate-all of it. Everything is yours. Your brother has squandered his part. You have everything. He has nothing but employment and Our forgiveness and Our love. We can well afford to receive him graciously. We will not give him, your estate nor can we give him back all that he has foolishly squandered.' He did say: 'For this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. . .' And he said also: 'Son, thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine.'
"Is there not significance in that statement of the father? Does not that signify eternal life?" (The Miracle of Forgiveness [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969], .308-309)

 Joseph Fielding Smith

"'Son thou art ever with me, and ALL that I have is thine.' Is not that a glorious promise? That is what the Lord has promised us if we live as he has commanded us to do. He said we would become heirs of the celestial kingdom and become his sons and daughters.
"We learn that there is rejoicing in heaven over every sinner who repents; but those who are faithful and transgress not any of the commandments, shall inherit 'ALL that our Father hath,' while those who might be sons and daughters but through their riotous living waste their inheritance, may come back through their repentance to salvation to be servants, not to inherit exaltation as sons and daughters of God. Some people think that wealth of worldly good is all that they need, others want power and position among their fellow men, but there is one inheritance which is worth more than all, it is the inheritance of eternal exaltation." (Seek Ye Earnestly [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1970], 89.)

 Carlos E. Asay

"It is important that you keep in mind the miracle of forgiveness through the goodness and grace of our Savior. Many rejoice when the sinner comes to himself and repents. But it is also very important that you remember this unchanging truth: 'That man [or woman] who resists temptation and lives without sin is far better off than the man [or woman] who has fallen, no matter how repentant the latter may be. Ö How much better it is never to have committed the sin!' (The Road to Somewhere: A Guide for Young Men and Women [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1994], 123.)

 Neal A. Maxwell

"Seeing a prodigal return. To be a small part of seeing that happen is a marvelous thing. To see someone, in the words of scripture, who comes to himself and resolves that 'I will ... go to my father' [Luke 15:18] is a marvelous journey for someone to make. The joy comes in seeing someone who has been crusty and difficult to deal with become more meek, or to see a family really come to love and appreciate each other. Those are the real miracles. ... The most lasting miracles are the miracles of transformation in people's lives. These give one much joy, and while we can't cause these to happen, the Lord lets us, at times, be instrumental to that process." (Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, "The Incomparable Blessings of the Priesthood," Ensign, Oct. 1997, 49)

 

 The unjust steward (Luke 16:1–12)
My Thoughts:

 I read this several times and at the end came away with the same thought, "Huh?!" I just didn't get what this had to do with the people Christ was talking to or what it had to do with me and my life now. Finally I think  it boils down to several simple things:
1-we are to have friends that are not members and treat them well
2-People who can mange earthly affairs well can do so with the spiritual if they choose.
3-We are to be careful with our stewardships.
 

What Others Have Said:

Heber C. Kimball
"'The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.' They make preparation for that which is to come, more so than many of this people do." (Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot, 1854-1886], 8: 109 - 110.)

 James E. Talmage

"Our Lord's purpose was to show the contrast between the care, thoughtfulness, and devotion of men engaged in the money-making affairs of earth, and the half-hearted ways of many who are professedly striving after spiritual riches. Worldly-minded men do not neglect provision for their future years, and often are sinfully eager to amass plenty; while the 'children of light,' or those who believe spiritual wealth to be above all earthly possessions, are less energetic, prudent, or wise...If the wicked steward, when cast out from his master's house because of unworthiness, might hope to be received into the homes of those whom he had favored, how much more confidently may they who are genuinely devoted to the right hope to be received into the everlasting mansions of God! Such seems to be part of the lesson... Take a lesson from even the dishonest and the evil; if they are so prudent as to provide for the only future they think of, how much more should you, who believe in an eternal future, provide therefor!" (Jesus the Christ, 430)

 Harold B. Lee

"The Master praised not the morality of the transaction but its farsighted prudence, and it is only this that the Master holds up for imitation. For the children of this world, the worldly people, are dealing with worldly people; they are sometimes wiser, more prudent, and more farsighted than some of the children of light, that is, the spiritually enlightened who are supposed to be making provisions for their own heavenly welfare. That is what the parable is trying to tell us.

"Surely, brethren, the souls in our charge are worthy of as much planning and attention as businessmen give their business... We may not be 'of the world,' but in the spirit of this parable, we can learn from the world." (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, edited by Clyde J. Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1996], 71.)

 Neal A. Maxwell

"The 'children of this world' are, in fact, often more 'anxiously engaged' in their causes than some of us are in God's cause." (We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1984], 113.)

Robert E. Wells

"Being in the world and having to earn enough for our family's needs sometimes places us in a difficult position. Some would even justify their poverty, reasoning that they are more spiritual than those with more. Such comparisons are risky. The Lord expects us to be wise and provident providers. He expects us to be frugal and prudent and good managers. He expects us to work hard, to study well, to develop skills, and to use our gifts and talents. He wants us to be wise stewards over all that he gives to us in this world-to faithfully manage our worldly wealth-so that we can demonstrate to him what kind of stewards and managers we will be over his worlds in the eternities to come. Jesus told us: 'If . . . ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon [worldly riches], who will commit to your trust the true riches?' (Luke 16:11.)

"I have seen very wealthy Latter-day Saints who put the things of the kingdom first, yet they have been blessed materially because of their vision and skill. We should not be jealous of them nor judge them. I dare say that the ones I am aware of are totally dedicated to the Lord and spiritually oriented, and they certainly have their priorities in order. The moment the Lord wants all they have, they are ready to consecrate it to him. They are not serving mammon but God, and they are ready to make any sacrifice." (The Mount and the Master [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1991], 157.)

 Sterling W. Sill

"If we do not develop wisdom in our own affairs, our own thinking, and our own families, certainly it will not be available when a crisis comes along. And if we cannot be profitable to ourselves, how can we expect the Lord or anyone else to trust us with their affairs?

"In carrying on the work of the world, we actually develop many of the skills that will enable us to be more effective in carrying on the work of the Lord, and vice versa. At their best, the work of the world and the work of the Lord can be closely related, for the Lord has said that to him all things are spiritual. Our skills should be directed toward success and should be capable of being profitable in any place when they are properly employed...To qualify for the title of children of light, we ought to be wiser, better informed, more dependable, and more profitable in our associations than any other people. Wisdom will make us rich toward God. It will make us rich in our associations with other people. It will make us rich in our material affairs." (The Wealth of Wisdom [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1977], 100-101.)

 The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31)

My Thoughts
I find it interesting that the Lord uses a name for the beggar in this parable. This comes more important when you think of not to much in the future that Lazarus did come back from the dead to warn people but the leaders did not change their ways.

 

What Others Have Said:

Robert E. Wells
"[In Jesus the Christ] Elder Talmage presents Lazarus and the rich man as extremes of contrast between wealth and destitution. The rich man was clothed in the costliest attire; his everyday meals were sumptuous feasts. Lazarus, on the other hand, although honored in the scriptures with a name while the rich man was not, was a poor, helpless beggar, sick and covered with sores.

"Then the scene changes dramatically. The same two men are on the other side of the veil, both having died. Lazarus's festering body was probably thrown into a pauper's unmarked grave, while the rich man probably was given an elaborate funeral with pomp and ceremony befitting his status. He is now suffering in hell, but angels have borne Lazarus's immortal spirit up to paradise. Their roles and conditions are completely reversed from what they were on earth... There are a lot of lessons to be learned from this parable. Apparently in the Savior's mind, those who are rich and who are also selfish and proud can look forward to a time of torment after death, while many of those faithful ones who have suffered poverty and afflictions and wretchedness in this life can look forward to compensation in the next, with freedom from sickness, hunger, oppression, and torment.

"We should point out that the rich man's fate was not necessarily the consequence of hard work and the success and goals he achieved, nor was the paradise of Lazarus totally the reward of his poverty. Evidently the rich man failed to use his wealth properly and gave in to self-indulgence and sensuous enjoyment of earthly things to the exclusion of concern for the needs of his fellowmen. Conversely, Lazarus apparently obeyed the commandments and worked hard when he had good health, and in every way he deserved the blessings he received." (The Mount and the Master [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1991], 3.)

 Bruce R. McConkie

"Until the death of Christ these two spirit abodes were separated by a great gulf, with the intermingling of their respective inhabitants strictly forbidden. (Luke 16:19-31.) After our Lord bridged the gulf between the two (1 Pet. 3:18-21; Moses 7:37-39), the affairs of his kingdom in the spirit world were so arranged that righteous spirits began teaching the gospel to wicked ones. (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., pp. 473-476.)

"Thus, although there are two spheres within the one spirit world, there is now some intermingling of the righteous and the wicked who inhabit those spheres; and when the wicked spirits repent, they leave their prison-hell and join the righteous in paradise. Hence, we find Joseph Smith saying: 'Hades, sheol, paradise, spirits in prison, are all one: it is a world of spirits. The righteous and the wicked all go to the same world of spirits until the resurrection.' (Teachings, p. 310.)" (Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966], 762.)

 Joseph F. Smith

"In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, when the latter, looking beyond the yawning gulf that separated him from Paradise, saw Lazarus enjoying bliss in Abraham's bosom, and wanted an angel sent to warn his friends on earth, the Lord Jesus said if they will not believe the Prophets and Apostles, neither would they believe though one should be raised from the dead. So in these days, if the Prophets, Apostles and Elders called of God and commissioned to preach the Gospel are not believed by the people, neither would they believe an angel, or one raised from the dead. I once felt that this was a pretty hard saying, but I am now convinced that it is true. I always, perhaps, conceded that it was true, yet at times I felt, would it not be possible for an angel to convince the people when we could not.

"Since then I have seen and conversed with men, have known the feelings of their hearts and seen that they were just as full of the darkness of hell as they could be. So full and firmly rooted were they in darkness and ignorance and in a determination not to receive the truth that, though angels and ministering spirits had taught them, they would still have preferred to remain in ignorance and unbelief. I was forcibly reminded of this a short time ago, when in conversation with Alexander H. Smith. Do you suppose an angel would convince him? He said that no human testimony could convince him. Affliction and the chastisement of God might affect his body, but could not touch his heart; it is like adamant, and there are thousands and thousands in the same condition-shutting out the very possibility of truth's reaching their understandings. They will not receive the testimony of men, yet they will quote and reiterate the testimonies of men whom we know to be as wicked and corrupt as the devil; but when Prophets and Apostles ordained under the hands of the Prophet Joseph, and who are carrying out the very plans and purposes made manifest through him, bear testimony of these things, their testimony is rejected, for they will not receive the testimony of men. It is simply this-we will not have the truth, we can not bear it, and you cannot force it upon us-we do not want it." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 11, Feb. 17, 1867)

 N. Eldon Tanner

"It is sad but true that many, many people are not acquainted with the words of the prophets, and many refuse to believe, and others often scoff and ridicule the teachings of the Savior. It is extremely sad that many, through their own learning and their sensuous knowledge, become self-satisfied and think that they are sufficient unto themselves and need not heed the word of God; and often, because they have not heard, seen, touched, or talked to God, they deny even his very existence, and use their influence to dissuade others.

"But all of this ignorance, derision, scoffing, and ridicule does not destroy the truth, which finally will triumph. We must learn to live by faith and believe in the words of the Lord, especially in those things which we mortals do not and cannot fully comprehend." (Conference Report, October 1969, Second Day-Morning Meeting 49.)

 LeGrand Richards

"I pray that God will put it into the hearts of our loved ones and those of the Saints of Zion who are not as faithful as they should be... that they will realize that we do not only have Moses and the prophets, but also the living prophets of God who are sent to show us the way; that they will listen unto them. When I think of all the Lord has revealed in the establishment of his Church and kingdom on the earth in these later days, to me it is all Isaiah described it to be when he said the Lord would proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder, and the wisdom of their wise men should perish, and the understanding of their prudent men should be hid. God help us to touch the hearts of those who cannot see and who are walking in darkness." (Conference Report, October 1950, Afternoon Meeting 154.)

 Luke 15

My Thoughts:

 

What Others Have Said

Milton R. Hunter
"In spite of the actions of his children, God has continuously retained his interest in them... With open arms he cried, 'All ye who are sick and weary come unto me, and I will give you rest.' Never before had the downtrodden, the outcast, and the discouraged of the human family received such a powerful ray of light to heal them of their afflictions and to turn them unto God and unto a better life as when they felt the power of the message of the Master. Even the sinner learned that he and life were important, and that there was hope for him to receive something more beautiful, more joyous, and more godly than he had hitherto experienced." (Conference Report, October 1945, Afternoon Meeting 109.)

 Joseph Smith

"[The] dealing of God with individual men [is] always righteous. [They] always have access to [the] throne of God. . . . Servants of God of the last days, myself and those I have ordained, have the priesthood and a mission-to the publicans and sinners." (Kent P. Jackson, comp. and ed., Joseph Smith's Commentary on the Bible [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 124.)

 Howard W. Hunter

"The Prophet Joseph Smith significantly altered one verse in the Joseph Smith Translation [of Luke 15:4-7]. It reads: 'What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine, and go into the wilderness after that which is lost, until he find it?' (JST, Luke 15:4; emphasis added.)
"That translation suggests that the shepherd leave his secure flock and go out into the wilderness-that is, go out into the world after him who is lost. Lost from what? Lost from the flock where there is protection and security. I hope the message of that parable will be impressed on each of us who has priesthood responsibility.
"We should help those who have lost their way. What should we do to help those who have lost their way in the wilderness? ...We invite you to become involved in saving souls. Reach out to the less active and realize the joy that will come to you and those you help if you and they will take part in extending invitations to come back and feast at the table of the Lord.
"The Lord, our Good Shepherd, expects us to be his undershepherds and recover those who are struggling or are lost. We can't tell you how to do it, but as you become involved and seek inspiration, success will result from efforts in your areas, stakes, and wards." (The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, edited by Clyde J. Williams [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997], 218.)

 Alexander B. Morrison

"Note the attention paid to the individual. It must have been at best a nuisance, and most likely dangerous, for the shepherd to leave the ninety and nine and go out into the wilderness to find the lost sheep. For one thing, wildernesses tend to be dangerous and lonely places, where unwary travelers can get into a great deal of trouble. And what about the worries the shepherd must have had as he thought about the flock left behind without a shepherd's care to safeguard its members from predators, accidents, acts of nature, and so on? After all, anyone who knows anything about sheep understands just how prone they are to get into trouble spontaneously, without anyone having to help them. I learned as a farm boy many years ago that sheep and trouble go together! Come to think of it, so, too, do people and trouble often go together!

"Whenever I think of the shepherd's loving and caring efforts on behalf of the one, I'm reminded of the Savior's deep and abiding love for each of us. Oh, how He rejoices when a lost soul is found by a faithful undershepherd and then is tenderly and lovingly brought home again! 'The worth of souls is great in the sight of God.' (D&C 18:10.)" ("Nourish the Flock of Christ," Ensign, May 1992, 14)

 Gordon B. Hinckley

"Now, brethren, I ask each of you to please help in this undertaking. Your friendly ways are needed. Your sense of responsibility is needed. The Savior of all mankind left the ninety and nine to find the one lost. That one who was lost need not have become lost. But if he is out there somewhere in the shadows, and if it means leaving the ninety and nine, we must do so to find him. (See Luke 15:3-7.)
"Now, I think that is all I will say this evening about this, except to say that in my view nothing is of greater importance." ("Converts and Young Men," Ensign, May 1997, 48)

 

David O. McKay
"I ask you tonight, how did that sheep get lost? He was not rebellious. If you follow the comparison, the lamb was seeking its livelihood in a perfectly legitimate manner, but either stupidly, perhaps unconsciously, it followed the enticement of the field, the prospect of better grass until it got out beyond the fold and was lost.
"So we have those in the Church, young men and young women, who wander away from the fold in perfectly legitimate ways. They are seeking success, success in business, success in their professions, and before long they become disinterested in Church and finally disconnected from the fold; they have lost track of what true success is, perhaps stupidly, perhaps unconsciously, in some cases, perhaps willingly. They are blind to what constitutes true success." (Gospel Ideals: Selections from the Discourses of David O. McKay [Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1953], 535.)

 Luke 16:1–12

What was Christ teaching in the parable of the unjust steward?
My Thoughts

 Again my first thoughts and still are in some ways...Huh?

What Others Have Said

See Item Above

 Luke 17:11–19

James E. Faust
"Leprosy was so loathsome a disease that those afflicted were not permitted under the law to come close to Jesus. Those suffering from this terrible disease were required to agonize together, sharing their common misery (see Leviticus 13:45-46). Their forlorn cry, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us' must have touched the Savior's heart. When they were healed and when they had received priestly approval that they were clean and acceptable in society, they must have been overcome with joy and amazement. Having received so great a miracle, they seemed completely satisfied. But they forgot their benefactor.
"It is difficult to understand why the nine lepers were so lacking in gratitude. Such ingratitude is self-centered. It is a form of pride. What is the significance of the fact that the one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan? As in the story of the good Samaritan, the point seems to be that those of lesser social or economic status often rise to a greater duty and nobility.
"In addition to personal gratitude as a saving principle, I should like to express a feeling for the gratitude we ought to have for the many blessings we enjoy." (Finding Light in a Dark World [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1995], 81.)

 David B. Haight

"As I've read that story again and again, it's made a great impression upon me. How would you like to be part of the 'nine society'? Wouldn't that be something-to be numbered among those who failed to return and acknowledge the Savior for the blessings He had given them? Only one returned.
"It's so easy in life for us to receive blessings, many of them almost uncounted, and have things happen in our lives that can help change our lives, improve our lives, and bring the Spirit into our lives. But we sometimes take them for granted. How grateful we should be for the blessings that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings into our hearts and souls." (Ensign, Nov. 2002, 25)

Joseph F. Smith
"I believe that one of the greatest sins of which the inhabitants of the earth are guilty today is the sin of ingratitude, the want of acknowledgment, on their part, of God and His right to govern and control. We see a man raised up with extraordinary gifts, or with great intelligence, and he is instrumental in developing some great principle. He and the world ascribe this great genius and wisdom to himself. He attributes his success to his own energies, labor and mental capacity. He does not acknowledge the hand of God in anything connected with his success, but ignores him altogether and takes the honor to himself; this will apply to almost all the world.
"In all great modern discoveries in science, in the arts, in mechanics, and in all the material advancement of our age, the world says, 'We have done it.' The individual says, 'I have done it,' and he gives no honor and credit to God. Now, I read in the revelations through Joseph Smith, the prophet, that because of this, God is not pleased with the inhabitants of the earth but is angry with them because they will not acknowledge His hand in all things." (Gospel Doctrine, 5th edition.)

 Bruce R. McConkie

"The sin of ingratitude, how common it is! As Jesus cleansed ten lepers physically, so he cleanses all his saints spiritually from the leprosy of sin. Are we more grateful for our blessings than were the healed lepers who hastened on their ways, heedless of the beneficent goodness of the One whose words had made them new creatures?
"Well might we remember that he, who in his life healed men physically, is the one who, in his death, made it possible for all men to be healed spiritually. Well might we rejoice because he who cleansed the lepers, when he dwelt on earth, is the one who, through his atoning sacrifice, enables all men to cast off their leprous bodies of corruption, exchanging them for those glorious bodies which are refreshed and renewed in immortality." (The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979-1981], 3: 285.)

 George Albert Smith

"Now, my brethren and sisters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which of these would we be? Shall we not be numbered among those who recognize the gifts of God and the mercy extended to us? Or will we be among the nine, and take the blessings as they come, and accept them as belonging to us-with very little gratitude? I am grateful to my Father in heaven. I know that I have been healed by the power of God, and received all my blessings by that power." (Sharing the Gospel with Others, selected and compiled by Preston Nibley [Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1948], 94 - 95.)

If you had been one of the ten lepers, do you think you would have returned to thank the Savior?

I would hope so.

 What additional blessings did the thankful leper receive because he gave thanks?

Gratitude brings with it a peace that settles on one and makes them fill happy and complete

 

 How does expressing gratitude affect you spiritually?

My Thoughts

 This is one of the most enduring traits that one can develop. A person who is truly grateful to others is one that others want to be around, be like and help when needed.

 What Others Have Said

Thomas S Monson
"My brothers and sisters, to express gratitude is gracious and honorable; to enact gratitude is generous and noble; but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven, “Conference April 2011

Gordon B Hinckley

The grateful man sees our society as afflicted by a spirit of thoughtless arrogance unbe-coming those who have been so magnificently blessed. How grateful we should be for the bounties we enjoy. Absence of gratitude is the mark of the narrow, uneducated mind. It bespeaks a lack of knowledge and the ignorance of self-sufficiency. It expresses itself in ugly egotism and frequently in wanton mischief…Where there is appreciation, there is courtesy, there is concern for the rights and property of others. Without appreciation, there is arrogance and evil.Teaching of Gordon B Hinckley. 247

 Spencer W Kimball

 “Too often we take blessings for granted, like the sun, the air, health, and opportunity. Or we accept favors, honors, and privileges day after day … , without a word of thanks. We would thank the person who gives us a seat in the bus, the person who offers a ride, the friend who picks up the check after dinner, the person who does the baby-sitting, or the boy who cuts our lawn, but do we express gratitude to Him who gives us all?” (Faith Precedes the Miracle [1972], 202).

Gordon T. Watts

Gratitude begins with attitude. While to some every apple shines, to others the remain-ing blemishes after the polishing process are all that’s visible. We must use caution not to be drawn into the growing populous of ungrateful people who have become calloused to blessings as they bicker in misery. (“Gratitude,” Ensign, Nov. 1998, 83)

 Thomas S. Monson

We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. ( “An Attitude of Gratitude,” Ensign, Feb. 2000, 2)

 Robert D. Hales

Gratitude is also the foundation upon which repentance is built… Gratitude is a state of appreciation, an act of thanksgiving, which causes us to be humble because we recognize an act of kindness, service, or caring from someone else which lifts us and strengthens us.
Ingratitude is the attitude of being unaware or not recognizing when someone has as-sisted us or helped us or, even worse, when we know we have been helped and have not given thanks privately or publicly.
In some quiet way, the expression and feelings of gratitude have a wonderful cleansing or healing nature. Gratitude brings warmth to the giver and the receiver alike.
Gratitude expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have brings a calming peace—a peace which allows us to not canker our souls for what we don’t have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of adversity and failure.
Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future. A recognition of and appreciation for our gifts and talents which have been given also allows us to acknowledge the need for help and assistance from the gifts and talents possessed by others.
 Gratitude is a divine principle (“Gratitude for the Goodness of God,” Ensign, May 1992, 63)

 James E. Faust

As with all commandments, gratitude is a description of a successful mode of liv-ing.  The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually sur-round us. ( “Gratitude As a Saving Principle,” Ensign, Dec. 1996, 2)

 Ezra T Benson

“The Prophet Joseph said at one time that one of the greatest sins of which the Latter-day Saints would be guilty is the sin of ingratitude. I presume most of us have not thought of that as a great sin. There is a great tendency for us in our prayers and in our pleadings with the Lord to ask for additional blessings. But sometimes I feel we need to devote more of our prayers to expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving for blessings already received. We enjoy so much.” (God, Family, Country, Salt Lake City: Deseret  Book Co., 1974, p. 199.)

 Henry B. Eyring

You could have an experience with the gift of the Holy Ghost today. You could begin a private prayer with thanks. You could start to count your blessings, and then pause for a moment. If you exercise faith, and with the gift of the Holy Ghost, you will find that memories of other blessings will flood into your mind. If you begin to express gratitude for each of them, your prayer may take a little longer than usual. Remembrance will come. And so will gratitude.( “Remembrance and Gratitude,” Ensign, Nov. 1989, 11)

 John 11:1–46

My Thoughts:
When I was teaching older primary classes and we discussed this that the only way I could get the kids to understand why Christ waited was to explain that He wanted to make sure everyone knew that Lazarus was not just dead, but was dead dead. No way to say this wasn't a real miracle.
The Lords caring for the one also comes out. He knew he was about to raise their brother but still He grieve and mourned with those that mourned. Again His thinking and serving to the one. 

What Others Have Said

Bruce R. McConkie
"At least twice before Jesus had raised the dead, but neither time under such dramatic circumstances or with such a display of divine power as was evidenced in the case of Lazarus. The daughter of Jairus had been called back to mortality in a matter of hours and before her body had been prepared for burial (Luke 8:41-42, 49-56), and the widow's son in Nain had lived and breathed again after most of the burial preparations were complete and while the corpse was being carried to the grave. (Luke 7:11-17.) In neither of these instances had Jesus courted any especial publicity, and in the case of Jairus' daughter he had even enjoined secrecy on the part of those who witnessed the miracle.
"But with 'our friend Lazarus' it was different. Jesus with full knowledge of Lazarus' sickness, did nothing to prevent his death; allowed his body to be prepared for burial; waited until the funeral was over and the entombment accomplished; permitted four days to pass so that the processes of decomposition would be well under way; tested the faith of Mary and Martha to the utmost; came to the rock-barred tomb under circumstances which attracted many skeptics and unbelievers; conducted himself in every respect as though he were courting publicity; and then-using the prerogative of Deity to give life or death according to his own will-commanded: 'Lazarus, come forth.'" (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-1973], 1: 530.)

Russell M. Nelson

"There is great significance to the four-day interval between the death of Lazarus and his being called forth alive from the tomb. A portion of that significance was that, according to some Jewish traditions, it took four days before the Spirit finally and irrevocably departed from the body of the deceased person, so that decomposition could then proceed. The Master, in order to demonstrate His total power over death and His control over life, knowingly waited until that four-day interval had elapsed. Then He raised Lazarus from the dead!" (Perfection Pending, and Other Favorite Discourses [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 180.)

 Carlos E. Asay

"I wish all young women would emulate the loyalty and commitment of a Ruth, the sense of destiny of an Esther, the depth of testimony of a Martha, and the love of God such as Mary showed. Just imagine what a young lady might become if she sought diligently to acquire all the virtues associated with the great women mentioned in holy writ." (The Road to Somewhere: A Guide for Young Men and Women [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1994], 53.)

 Matthew Cowley

"Jesus spoke those words which have ever since carried comfort and hope to the hearts of every believer who has mourned the death of a loved one: 'I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.' (John 11:21-25.)
"It was to the woman that he addressed the words which could have been uttered only by a divine Personage...Here was witnessed by the women a miracle which was performed by one who had at his disposal the power of an omnipotent being. Here was made manifest to them the power of the Redeemer to restore mortal life to the dead. But even greater and certainly more important than this miraculous manifestation which they beheld was the resurrection of the Son of God himself, which the women were to be the first to witness; the redemption of a Personage from mortality to immortality. This was to be the resurrection of him who had the power not only to lay down his own life, but also to take it up again." (Matthew Cowley Speaks [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1954], 319.)

 Bruce R. McConkie

"The whole purpose of the plan of salvation is to provide immortality for all men and to make eternal life available for those who overcome the world and qualify for such a high exaltation. 'For behold, this is my work and my glory,' saith God, 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.' (Moses 1:39.) This is accomplished through the redemption of Christ, by virtue of which all men are 'raised in immortality,' thus being redeemed from the temporal fall, and by virtue of which the saints are 'raised [also] unto eternal life,' thus being 'redeemed from their spiritual fall.' (D&C 29:43-44.)
"Immortality/Salvation is in Christ. Immortality comes through him; his resurrection brings to pass the resurrection of all men. Eternal life is his gift to those whose sins he has borne. 'I am the resurrection, and the life,' he said. 'Both immortality and eternal life come because of my atoning sacrifice.' 'He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.' Temporal death and spiritual death are both swallowed up in Christ. 'And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.' (John 11:25-26.)" (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], 153.)

Thomas S. Monson

"The passage of time has not altered the capacity of the Redeemer to change men's lives. As He said to the dead Lazarus, so He says to you and me: 'Come forth.' (John 11:43.) Come forth from the despair of doubt. Come forth from the sorrow of sin. Come forth from the death of disbelief. Come forth to a newness of life. Come forth." ("The Paths Jesus Walked," Ensign, Sept. 1992, 6)