I Stand All Amazed (Jan 2016)

I Stand All Amazed By Elder Ronald A. Rasband Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Plain and Precious Truths By Elder Gary E. Stevenson Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Through God’s Eyes By Elder Dale G. Renlund Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

SAY: Three new Apostles call this General Conference.

Q: Who can name the apostles?

Q: Who can tell me about Elder Rasband, Elder Stevenson, Elder Renlund?

SAY: Let us review some parts of each of their talks in General Conference.  Let's start with Elder  Ronald A. Rasband

SAY: The excerpt at the beginning of Elder Rasand's talk is, "My testimony of Jesus Christ has been built from many special experiences in which I have come to know His great love for each one of us."

READ #1

# 1 Ronald A. Rasband

My dear brothers and sisters throughout the world, I’m very grateful to the First Presidency for inviting me to share my humble testimony this Sabbath day. The words of a favorite Latter-day Saint hymn describe my current feelings:

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me. …
I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,
That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify. …
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

Q: What is this love Jesus offers us?
Q: Why would the writer of this hymn be confused at the grace he proffered us?
Q: Is he saying that he is confused that such a wonderful thing we done for him by Jesus?
Q: "To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine".  Do we need rescuing?
SAY: The need to be being rescued by Jesus is a personal awareness that comes to each of us at different times in our lives.  It seems to me that it is a very personal thing.
Q: What could we do if we don't believe we need to be rescued?

READ #2

#2 - Elder Rasband

Now, if I could leave one small message with you today, it would be this: the Lord has said, “Love one another; as I have loved you.” I’m confident that there is no choice, sin, or mistake that you or anyone else can make that will change His love for you or for them. That does not mean He excuses or condones sinful conduct—I’m sure He does not—but it does mean we are to reach out to our fellowman in love to invite, persuade, serve, and rescue. Jesus Christ looked past people’s ethnicity, rank, and circumstances in order to teach them this profound truth.

Q: Why is having the love of God in our hearts the key when inviting, persuading, serving and rescuing our fellowman?
Q: Without this love what happens to our efforts?

READ #3

#3 - Elder Rasband

I have been asked many times when I received my testimony.

I can’t remember not believing in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I have loved Them since I learned of Them at the knees of my angel mother, reading scripture and gospel stories. That early belief has now grown into a knowledge and a witness of a loving Heavenly Father, who hears and answers our prayers. My testimony of Jesus Christ has been built from many special experiences in which I have come to know His great love for each one of us.

Q: What is a testimony?

Q: What do you think Elder Rasband meant by his testimony being built on many special experiences?

Q: Should these assurance and evidences come to us continuously or is it a one time event?
Q: What assurance and evidences have you had increased your faith and brightened your hope?

READ #4

#4  Elder Rasband

As we follow our prophet, I pray that we may have charity in our hearts toward others and that we will become a living witness and indeed “stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers [us].” Oh, may it be “wonderful, wonderful to [you and to] me.”

Q: What does it mean to stand all amazed? (at the love Jesus offers me)

Q: Are we amazed?
Q: Why is it important to nurture and develop our amazement of what Jesus did for us?

SAY: Let us move on to Elder Gary E Stevenson

Plain and Precious Truths By Elder Gary E. Stevenson Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Heavenly Father’s generous compensation for living in perilous times is that we also live in the fulness of times.

READ #5

#5 - Elder Stevenson

Our loving Heavenly Father and His Son, Jehovah, with a knowledge of the end from the beginning,3 opened the heavens and a new dispensation to offset the calamities that They knew would come. The Apostle Paul described the forthcoming calamities as “perilous times.” For me, this suggests that Heavenly Father’s generous compensation for living in perilous times is that we also live in the fulness of times.

Q: What do you think the generous compensation by our loving Heavenly Father for living in these perilous times is?  (temporal aspects, spiritual aspects)

SAY: Let us move on to Elder Dale G. Renlund

Through God’s Eyes By Elder Dale G. Renlund  Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

To effectively serve others, we must see them through a parent’s eyes, through Heavenly Father’s eyes.

SAY: Elder Renlund tells about being a cardiologist and how he developed an emotional distance, seeing so many people die.  He then tells us a story about a young man named Chad.  He had developed heart failure.  Story goes on that Chad died in the emergency room with Elder Renlund and other trying to revive him.

READ #6

#6 - Elder Renlund

"Although sad and disappointed, I maintained a professional attitude. I thought to myself, “Chad has had good care. He has had many more years of life than he otherwise would have had.” That emotional distance soon shattered as his parents came into the emergency room bay and saw their deceased son lying on a stretcher. In that moment, I saw Chad through his mother’s and father’s eyes. I saw the great hopes and expectations they had had for him, the desire they had had that he would live just a little bit longer and a little bit better. With this realization, I began to weep. In an ironic reversal of roles and in an act of kindness I will never forget, Chad’s parents comforted me."

READ #7

#7 - Elder Renlund

I now realize that in the Church, to effectively serve others we must see them through a parent’s eyes, through Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all of His children. Only then can we sense the Savior’s caring concern for them.

Q: How is this done? How do we see someone through God's eyes?

READ #8

#8 - Elder Renlund

We cannot completely fulfill our covenant obligation to mourn with those who mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort unless we see them through God’s eyes. This expanded perspective will open our hearts to the disappointments, fears, and heartaches of others.

Q: Why is it important to be able to open up our hearts to the heartaches of others in doing the Lord's work, rather than maintaining an emotional distance?

Conclusion

Only when we see through Heavenly Father’s eyes can we be filled with “the pure love of Christ.” Every day we should plead with God for this love. Mormon admonished, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.”

As I have developed a deeper gratitude and amazement for what Jesus Christ did for me, my love for Him grow.  As I come prepared to take the sacrament with a heart felt love for my Savior, I have begun to feel His grace.  As I have practiced not judging others, I begin to love myself more.  I hope for my barriers to love others as the Savior loves them to be removed as I embrace the Savior love for me.