"I Am the Bread of Life"

In speaking at a BYU Education Week conference, John Bytheway shared the following story:

Sister Ardeth Kapp, who was the Young Women General President at the time, met a little boy who came up to her and asked, "Have you ever met the prophet?" "Yes," she replied. The little boy shared with her his great longing to someday be able to meet him as well. Sister Kapp, wanting to encourage the boy in his love for the prophet, took the boy's hand and told him that he could now say he had shaken the hand of someone who had shaken the hand of the prophet. The boy looked at his hand with great reverence and said, "I am never going to wash this hand again!"
Sister Kapp, knowing that was probably not going to work, suggested that the boy could go ahead and wash his hands and just try to remember instead. The boy said, "Okay, but I'm saving the water," and off he ran to the bathroom. When he returned, he was carrying a bag containing the water he had washed his hands with. Apparently, the boy soon realized that a bag full of water could be somewhat difficult to handle and he made his way back to the bathroom. When he returned, the bag of water was gone, but the front of his shirt was damp. Sister Kapp asked him what had happened. The boy proudly stood up and announced, "I drank the water!"

This week we celebrate the most important and miraculous event in the whole of our existence. The atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. A perfect life given so that we might have a perfect life eternally. A chance to become "at one" with our Father, free from our enemies, sin and death.

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Moses 1:39

One atonement;  two gifts. Immortality AND eternal life.

Immortality -  a free gift to us all. The resurrection of the body to its perfect form, never again subject to death or illness.

Eternal life - where and with whom will we spend eternity in our perfect resurrected bodies? We decide. That is our gift. Conditional so far as each persons individual faith, repentance, and obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. A chance to be free from sin forever. A chance to grow and progress and become like our Father. To become like our Savior.

Two gifts, purchased willingly. Two parts to the sacrifice, blood shed and a body given. Two places, Gethsemane and Golgotha.

How can we ever, ever thank Him for such a gift?! How is it possible to ever show enough gratitude to someone who willingly gives their life so that we might have ours?!!

Remember. 

Always remember Him.

How?

First he taught us:

Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.    John 4:14

and

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.                                                                              John 6:51

Then he showed us:

Bread and water? Why?

Without constant nourishment and hydration, our physical bodies quickly become weak, malnourished, dehydrated and die. Without constant spiritual nourishment from Him we become spiritually weak. To cut ourselves off from Him, refusing to accept and use the gift of His atonement through faith, repentance, and obedience is spiritual death. Two symbols to help us remember both gifts that were given. His body and His blood.

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

“Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day”  (John 6:53–54).

The boy who drank his handwash water wanted to remember his handshake experience so much that he put the water inside himself. He wanted more than just the memory. John Bytheway mentioned in his talk that the Savior could have just had us listen and think about the sacrament prayers each Sunday as they are read. Instead, he gave us two symbols that we are to take inside of us. Symbols that could be prepared and ready to pass out before sacrament meeting even starts. Instead, as we sing a hymn about the Savior, we watch as the priests tear the bread in pieces, just as Christs body was bruised, broken and torn for us. We then watch as this sacred symbol is covered gently by a white cloth, just as Christs body was wrapped in a cloth before it was placed in the tomb. Then, each sacred symbol, both the bread and the water, are blessed individually with a prayer asking us to witness that we remember. And then we take those symbols inside of us. Christ hopes we will also take his gift of the atonement inside of us where it will strengthen, nourish, change, and sanctify us.

As strange as this sounds, it occurred to me this week that Easter always falls on Sunday. I knew that of course, but there is something significant about that I had not realized. Christmas falls on any day of the week. Easter, however is always on the Lord's day, the Sabbath. On the day we celebrate his gift to us, the atonement, we always have the opportunity to receive  the sacrament. To witness that we remember. 

Jesus' teaching about the Bread of Life occurred the day after he fed the five thousand from five loaves of bread and two fishes. Many of the people had continued to follow him hoping for more food. He taught them that his purpose was not to nourish them physically but to give them Living water and the Bread of Life. Many people then left when they realized they were not going to be fed again. Jesus turned to his disciples and asked them, "Will ye also go away?"

Simon Peter's reply touches my heart:

Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the ^awords of eternal life. And ^awe believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the^bSon of the living God.      John 6:67-68

I too believe and am sure.

I want Him to know that I remember.

Posted by Sister Montgomery

Family Home Evening Ideas:

Watch or listen to the talk, "The Best Three Hours of the Week: Getting the Most from your Sunday Meetings," by John Bytheway   http://soa.li/Y86vQoU

Read  "Blessings of the Sacrament," by Elder Don R. Clarke from the last General Conference

Pick an Easter hymn or a hymn about the sacrament. Learn the words and talk about the meaning. Sing it together

"He that Receiveth Whomsoever I send Receiveth Me"

Nothing that is worth anything in life comes easy. It is often the struggle that adds the value and makes it important. There are so many examples of things that are tough but worth it that I don’t think I could list them all.

Many of you are mothers and know of the months of discomfort and intensity of pain of child birth. And yet each of you can also express the amount of joy and love that child immediately brought into your life

The same can be said for the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has asked us to spread his word and bring this truth to all who will hear it and for many that is not an easy task.

While it may be hard to get out of our comfort zone, we all know the joy that this gospel brings into our lives. We all know how important the church and its teachings are. And we know that to bring that truth and joy into the lives of others is worth every struggle.

Now I am not giving specifics of how to do this for a reason. Mostly because the opportunities to spread his gospel come in many forms and often the timing can be unpredictable. It could be that a friend asks, or you’ve been impressed to approach a friend. It could be doing your visiting teaching and offering help when asked. It could be saying yes to making a meal for someone else in need. All of these examples and many more are ways in which we live the gospel, and when others see that we are therefore spreading it.

Thankfully we find additional examples that we can read, learn, and grow from. With it we can see that this calling is not as scary as we need make it be.

In this week’s readings, Christ asks this same task of his twelve disciples. He gives them the power and authority to fight against unclean spirits and to heal the sick. He then tells them to go immediately and tell everyone.

What I really found incredible is that Christ asked his apostles to do this with absolutely nothing but the shoes on their feet and the clothes on their back. No money, no food, just faith. Their example is one we should study. If they can leave everything and trust in Christ that he will provide them with everything, then surely I can do my best to help others and share my testimony.

The words that help me the most are found in Mathew 10:19-20

“ But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh for you.”

This scripture allows me to get out of my own head and realize that I am not the one coming up with the message. That has already been done. I am simply the servant, I am the messenger and our Father in Heaven will provide me with all that I need to spread his word.

I will admit this is MUCH easier to type than to do and I’ll tell you why…

I’m going to make a small and not so shocking confession. I have a feeling that many will agree with me. I like control. And by that I mean I like to determine the outcomes of my decisions and of those around me. If I could I would never have heart ache, I wouldn’t have struggles, I would protect everyone I love and everyone would do what I say. Ha!

But as we know that is not Heavenly Father’s plan and I don’t have control. Not over everything. What I can control are my actions and my thoughts. I can decide how I act and how I react, but that is it. So what is the best way to deal with my lack of control? How can I let go and set my need for control aside to be who Heavenly Father needs me to be?

The answer is in the scriptures.

“He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”
 (Matt 10:39)

It’s a humbling thought to know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and I know that plan includes the influence and interactions with others. It is equally as humbling to know that Heavenly Father has a plan for others and it includes me in their lives.

.

In conclusion, I look at the title of this message in two ways: The first is that we need to be the servants as representatives of Christ for others to receive. The second is equally as important, we need to do the receiving. Those who come to us are sent to us from Him and to deny them is to deny him.

Sisters we need to be putting our insecurities aside and trust in Heavenly Father’s promise to provide us with all we need to deliver to the needs of our neighbors. We also need to put aside the insecurities that keep us from accepting help.


Posted by Hannah Aeby

"He spake many things Unto them in Parables"

Have you ever had to endure a storm of life?
Something that knocked the breath out of you, tore at your heart, made you feel as if you would be crushed beneath the weight of it?

Maybe you are right now.

Most of us have experienced this to some degree .

There was a night when Christ and his disciples found themselves caught in a terrible storm in the dark in the middle of the sea, "insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves." The disciples were afraid for their very lives. "They were filled with fear and were in danger." Terrified.

Christ, "was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow." The disciples ran to him pleading for help. "Master, carest not that we perish?!" And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, "Peace, be still." And the wind ceased.

And then the scriptures tell us what followed the storm:
A gift from the Master to his  frightened disciples. A gift that could only be received once they had remembered to turn to him - "and there was a great calm."

 

Once the disciples had calmed they could be taught. Christ gently asks, "Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:23-24 with JST)

The disciples had forgotten that Christ had directed them on this journey. That is the only reason they were there in the first place. And they had never been alone for even a second. Christ had been right there with them the whole time. Fear had replaced faith.

 

It is so easy to let fear in. To feel alone. To feel like Christ is asleep to what is happening in our lives.

Even prophets feel like this sometimes. Joseph Smith and several of his companions had for months been held prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri. Their petitions and appeals directed to the executive officers and the judiciary had failed to bring them relief. Joseph was in despair. He had done all he could do on his own. He cried to the Lord for help. Pleading.

 

1 O God, ^awhere art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy ^bhiding place?

2 ^aHow long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries?

3 Yea, O Lord, ^ahow long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful ^boppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with ^ccompassion toward them?

4 O Lord God ^aAlmighty, maker of ^bheaven, earth, and seas, and of all things that in them are, and who controllest and subjectest the devil, and the dark and benighted dominion of Sheol—stretch forth thy hand; let thine eye pierce; let thy ^cpavilion be taken up; let thy ^dhiding place no longer be covered; let thine ear be inclined; let thine ^eheart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward us.

5 Let thine ^aanger be kindled against our enemies; and, in the fury of thine heart, with thy ^bsword ^cavenge us of our wrongs.

6 Remember thy ^asuffering saints, O our God; and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever.

(D&C 121:1-6)

 

 

The Lord did not take away the afflictions Joseph and the others were experiencing but gave him this gentle reply:

7 My son, ^apeace be unto thy soul; thine ^badversity and thine afflictions shall be but a ^csmall moment;

8 And then, if thou ^aendure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy ^bfoes.

(D&C 121:7-8)

  

The storms of life are many. Some are brought by nature, others are manmade. Some are of our own making. None are easy. All of them change us.

Again, the Lord speaks to Joseph while still held prisoner in Missouri:
7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

(D&C 122:7) 

 

Not always does he calm the storm for us. Although we may be terrified, it may be better for us to experience the storm so that we can be changed. So that we gain experience. So that we turn to him and faith can grow.

 

Sometimes God calms the storm.

Sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms his child

 

Always, no matter what, He is there. He never forgets us, his children. It is we who forget; who let fear in. No matter how terrible the tempest we find ourselves in, he can put those same comforting words in our hearts, "Peace be still," and we can receive the same gift he gave to the disciples, "and there was a great calm." Even in the midst of the storm.

Posted by Sister Montgomery



"Whosoever Shall do the Will of the Father"

“And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!"
“For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Matthew 12:49, 50.)

In Matthew 8:5-13 we read about a centurion who asked Christ to heal his servant. His faith was so great that he said all Christ would need to do is say the word and the servant would be healed. Jesus took this as a teaching opportunity to point out this great faith of the centurion.

 So now, I would like to pose the question here, “How strong is our faith?” Would we be able to hand our lives over to Jesus and say “thy will be done”? It isn’t easy in this world of do-it-yourself to just let go and allow our Father to mold and shape our lives. How different would each day be if we were able to follow Him 100% without question?
 
In Mark 3:25 we read, “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. It is impossible to follow Christ and follow Satan at the same time. We hear it all the time, that we need to be in the world but not of the world. How can we do this? In a world where we are being pulled in so many directions, it is so important for us to remember to study our scriptures and pray to our Father in Heaven for the strength to endure the stress and trials we meet on a daily basis.

John the Baptist sent 2 of his followers to Jesus to find out whether he was the Messiah or not. In answer, Jesus cured many of the people right in front of them. “Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” (Luke 7:22-23)

He spoke to the people of their need for signs instead of faith. It is so important for us to remember that our faith is enough. We don’t need, and probably will never have, big miracles and signs to strengthen our faith. Sisters, I believe that miracles are happening each and every day. They are not as grand as the miracles of Christ’s ministry on this earth, but that is because we do not need them. We have the scriptures to teach us about Him. And we have a living prophet on this earth today. And we have been blessed with the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We do not need anything else, except the strength to be able to say to our Father in Heaven, “thy will be done” and allow Him to mold and shape our lives. I know that as we read these scriptures together each week, we can strengthen each other. We need to be able to lift each other up, and to help each other to become true followers of Jesus Christ.  In Luke 8:21, Jesus says “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. He is waiting for us to come to Him, so that he can share the happiness that He has to give. He wants us to become his “mother and brethren.”
 
This is what I took from the reading assignment for this week. What are your thoughts? Will you join me in following the will of the Father?

 

Posted by Kim Brown