Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps

I've been thinking lately about my relationship with Heavenly Father. Not from my view point, but from His. When we make covenants with God and become disciples of Christ we become His. It carries a weight of responsibility to act in a manner that is pleasing to God. We try to build our lives around the teachings of Jesus Christ and live worthy of the blessings the Lord sends our way.

Sometimes I become so focused on how I feel about Heavenly Father, that I almost forget how He feels about me. Maybe that's not quite right. I don't completely forget, it is the central part of my faith and belief that God is a loving Father who wants what is best for me. I guess it's more a feeling of being the middle child. That child does usually know that they are loved by their parents, but they sometimes feel lost in the shuffle of everyday life. They see the needs of those children on either side of them and watch while those needs are met by a loving parent. They spend so much time watching others that they forget that they have a place as well.

I think that this is sometimes the position I find myself in. It's not so much forgetting I am loved as forgetting that love is personal. I see His love and His blessings in all the world around me, I strive to be an instrument in His hand to help and serve those in need. I share my love for the Savior and in my small way try to encourage others to reach their full potential and somewhere in the middle of all of that I forget myself. It's not necessarily a bad thing. When I forget myself, my fears and worries are also forgotten. But sometimes, just sometimes, forgetting myself means that I also forget to ask for help when I need it, or loose sight of my own eternal worth.

That's why I'm so grateful that even when I seem lost, Heavenly Father does not forget about me. I've been appreciating the stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son very much lately. No, I had not strayed from the fold by some great sin or rejection of the gospel; I simply got a little lost. I forgot that when I make covenants to the Lord to do my best, He promises to make my best good enough. I had forgotten how much my happiness and success mean to Him.

That's why I'm grateful for these parables. They remind me that even when I become lost, I am not forgotten. When I get a little lost, a little discouraged, He is there and then while I'm looking around I might see Him beckoning to me to draw a little closer and feel His love. I might hear His voice in the words of another encouraging me on my path and opening ways before me. Then, I remember how personal His love for me is. I'm not just one of many; I hold a special place in His heart, a special purpose in His kingdom. He notices me, even when I may not be as close to Him as He'd like. If I don't turn my back on Him, He'll always find a way to remind me where I belong and how much I'm loved.

Our family is one of God's greatest gifts to us. It can be a source of joy for us, or pain. It is something that is dear to our hearts so as disciples of Jesus Christ, the first place we should carry His name is into our homes. "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" clearly states that happiness in marriage and family is best achieved when the home is centered on the principles of Jesus Christ. After our own conversion, creating a family of disciples should be our highest priority. In fact, within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe a discipleship home creates an eternal home.

How can we do this? What steps can we take to ensure that our spouses and children, or parents, brothers, and sisters have the opportunity to develop their own relationship with Jesus Christ? Here is a brief list that the ancients and modern day prophets have counseled us to attend to with the promised blessing of a happier, richer home life that is centered on the gospel of Christ.

Scripture study. Draw strength from the scriptures. Let your children see you immersed in them because they bring you joy, then help them find that joy as well. No one method is right or wrong, the priority is time spent reading together from God's word not necessarily turning our children into scripture spouting powerhouses. In our family scripture study has taken on many different faces depending on the needs of the children. When one child was struggling with embarrassment in church meetings when they could not turn to the scripture references as easily as others in the class, our family scripture time became random verse readings. Each member of the family opened their scriptures to any given point, then we would look up each person's scriptures together. The verse was read and then we moved on. If they were still tolerant after everyone had shared scriptures, we might ask them which verses they liked best and talk about them briefly.

Though it may seem inappropriate to some, there are times we treat our scripture study as a game. We bribe them with small treats equal to the number of verses we are able to read without getting ants in our pants. We see who can find the silliest or shortest verse, or the longest genealogy, or be the first to locate a scripture on a given subject. The winner gets an extra fifteen minutes before bed. This is how we keep the grumbles out of our scripture time. It works for us; it may not work for another.

Family prayer. After our scripture time, we end with a prayer. On nights where we may be behind schedule or having a difficult time in some other manner, my husband and I will divide forces and visit each child's room separately. We let the child hear us pray for them and our family, then listen to their own prayer. Again, it may not be ideal, but it's a step in the right direction that fits the season of our family.

Family Home Evening. We have been counseled by our modern prophets to set aside one night a week for our family to be together. We play, we get to know each other better, we try to resolve difficulties our family is facing, we study the gospel, we grow closer. True, there are many times when family time is a struggle, whether it is because of outside responsibilities or inside contentions and resistance. These are the things that Satan wants us to focus on, he is trying everything in his power to discourage you and weaken the links between family members. He wants us to only remember the nights when everyone is crying or staring at you sullenly. He doesn't want you to remember the times you drew closer, or things went well, or everyone left smiling. He wants you to believe that family time is impossible, and certainly not worth the trouble.

This is not what Heavenly Father has asked of us. He values our family unit. It is meant to be eternal. He has asked us to put our family first in our lives. When we shove those negative influences aside, when we schedule family time each week, even if it means sacrificing something else, then our family learns they matter. But above all else it creates a home of discipleship and reduces contention. Do not try to follow a formula that is not effective for your family unit. Just because your neighbor can have hour long, in depth gospel discussions with his family does not mean this is what your family needs. Focus your family time around your own family's needs. The point is to draw closer together in love and in the gospel, not to drive more wedges between you with unrealistic expectations.

Family meals. The same advice applies to gathering your family together once a day for a meal, casual conversation, and even reviewing family scheduling for the day. Dinner may be easiest for some families. In others it may be breakfast. Again, elaborate meals and extended amounts of time are not the priority. Touching bases with each family member and feeding them spiritual love and support is the key.

Service. Place the needs of other family members above your own and learn to service them happily. Give each other your best manners and respect, then take your serving hearts to others in your community and the world. Learn to work together to strengthen and uplift others.

It's not a very long list, some may be simpler for you than others, but as in all things, Christ takes the measure we are able to provide and fortifies it according to our needs. It does not provide a guarantee that no family member will stray or that all contention will be absent from our home. What it does provide is the strength to weather the storms of life when you learn to face them together.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we promise to stand as His witness in all times and places, to carry His name as our standard for all to see. Sometimes this is a simple matter of living up to our beliefs on a daily basis and being examples of His ways among our fellowmen. Often it requires something more.

Perhaps one of the scariest things about discipleship is the fact that it requires us to open our mouths and testify of Jesus Christ to our friends and family, sometimes even to the complete stranger. Why is this such a daunting task? It might have something to do with the fears and inadequacies Satan whispers into our hearts. We do not want to offend, we do not want to be rejected, we do not want to create an awkward situation with someone we see every day.

On the flip side, our testimony of Jesus Christ, the power and peace that we feel from living His gospel is the greatest blessing we can have in this life. It is the greatest gift we can share with those we love. Christ has commanded those who love Him to feed His sheep. So, why do we hesitate?

I am just as guilty as many in this department. I'm a very quiet and shy person. I value and cultivate my ability to love and accept those around me as Christ would. Sometimes, it feels like sharing my testimony of Christ and the joy I have found within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is placing a judgment on those that I love; like I am somehow saying I am better than them, or can not appreciate where they are on their own spiritual path. I often hold back because I don't want my friends to feel I do not love and accept them for who they are without requiring them to believe just as I do. It becomes uncomfortable for me to share the belief that I belong to the one true church, Christ's church, on the earth today. It feels a little like saying, I live in a better house than you do, and since you don't live here with me you are somehow of less value than I. If I invite you to live with me, and you don’t, what becomes of the relationship then?

As a disciple of Jesus Christ this is something I need to learn to overcome. I need more practice showing people that I love them first, then that I love them enough to offer them the best path to happiness that can be found on this earth.

This is a lesson I once learned from a neighbor of the Jehovah’s Witness faith. When my family moved into his neighborhood he was one of the first to greet us. Not with a bunt cake and a smile, but with empty hands ready to be put to work. He saw our moving van pull in and immediately changed into his grubbies and came to lend a hand. He did not start a conversation with "what religion are you" or even an invitation to join his faith. He simply introduced himself and asked what he could do to help.
We saw him again a few days later. He stopped by on his way home from work to make sure we were settling in and fill in any questions we had about the house and neighborhood-- trash days, school bus routes, anything he thought we might need to know. Still no mention of an ulterior motive, he simply extended his hand in friendship.

The next time I saw him, I looked out the window to find he was quietly shoveling our driveway, clearing it of the snow that had fallen during the day.

The following week he finally brought over a small gift: a popular children's bible for my children and expressed his firm belief that families and children were happier with Christ in their lives. He then extended the invitation that if we had not yet found a congregation in the area to call home, or if we were searching for a religion, to worship with him and learn more about his faith. I appreciated his thoughtfulness and tactful approach. I was not offended in the least. I'd known him first as a friend, not a stranger at my door telling me his house was better than my own. I told him I was honored that he would share his beliefs with me, then assured him that my family was very active in a different religion, the LDS Church. We had found our truth and weren't looking to change. He was just as accepting of my declaration as I was of his. He ended with a simple offer that if we ever did want to know more, or simply had questions about his beliefs that he would find it a privilege to share these things with us. I shyly extended the same offer and the conversation stopped there.

It was not, however, the end of our friendship. He continued to first be our friend, and second a missionary for his beliefs in Jesus Christ. I have tried to follow his example since then.

When I open my heart to share my beliefs with someone close to me, I try to see them and myself, first in terms of our relationship and second our spiritual journeys. There is good to be found in every religion. Faith in Jesus Christ will always lead a person to a better, happier life, no matter where this introduction to Him begins. If I share my beliefs it is because there is a specific need or question that the truth that I have can help them with.

I have a dear friend in my neighborhood now that is of a different religion. What church we attend on Sunday does not enter into the relationship, it only matters that we each share a deep love for our Savior Jesus Christ and a desire to be like Him. We discuss matters of faith openly between us, sometimes from her perspective, sometimes from mine, but always with Christ at the center. Still, when I began to feel the Spirit nudging me to give her a Book of Mormon I hesitated. Would that one simple act put a strain on our friendship? Satan would certainly have me believe so. It took me weeks to work up the courage to approach her with that precious book in hand. I tried to devise the perfect way to present it. I prayed for strength and a clear path of what I should do. Then one day we were together having a good time, enjoying each other's company when it finally occurred to me: it didn't need to be anything grand, it shouldn't be anything out of the ordinary for our friendship. Like every other religious discussion we have, it was simply about two friends connecting on a spiritual level. It was about me and her, a shared love of Christ, and a book of truth that I wanted to share with her.

How did I finally present the book that day? With love and friendship.

I shared with her the promptings I'd felt from the Spirit to give her the Book of Mormon. I told her how nervous it made me to think she might feel I didn't love and accept her for who she currently was, or what congregation she worshiped in. But I also confessed that part of the reason my love for the Savior was so strong, was because of the peace and joy I find each time I open my scriptures. I admitted I was human, but also that I loved her and wanted her to have a copy of the Book of Mormon, not to pressure her to join my spiritual path, but to add to her own. I knew she had been accessing the church's web site and felt comfortable asking me occasional questions when our beliefs differed. She openly defended my beliefs to others she knew who had misconceptions about the LDS Church, but I felt I had neglected to give her access to the best knowledge of all: another testament of Jesus Christ. I asked if she would accept this book from me, not because I felt she needed to be different than she was, but that I wanted her to understand that if she ever did want to know more, or investigate my church more in depth I would be honored to share those things with her.

It was a sweet moment for both of us. She didn't feel pressured, and I didn't feel I had to magically transform into the world's greatest missionary. I simply had to be who I was: a friend.

Did she take the Book of Mormon I offered her? Yes.

Did it put a strain on our relationship? Not at all.

Did she immediately join the church? No.

But now she knows, when she's ready to know more I want her to learn it from me.

That's the lesson I learned from my Jehovah’s Witness friend. Christ loved everyone during His mortal ministry. He accepted them for where their life was at the moment. He called them friend and opened the door for them to learn more. Friend first, missionary second is the gospel sharing method I'm most comfortable with. Friends share things from their heart.

This past week I have been out of the country touring areas of South America and the Caribbean. During this time I was privileged to meet a wonderful example of discipleship. He was named for a great Book of Mormon prophet, Helaman, and he works as a tour guide at the Mayan archeological site in Tulum, Mexico.

While taking my group to the site, he happily told us about himself and the path that the Lord had placed his family on that would lead him to work as a tour guide in Tulum. He, like his father had completely turned his life over to the gospel of Jesus Christ and went in faith to the place where he felt he could be of most service to his Heavenly Father. He truly left his nets behind and followed Christ and we were greatly blessed for his choices. While in his company, Helaman quietly shared the gospel with us as we walked and talked with him through the ruins. He pointed out symbols and beliefs, shared the common archeological theories concerning them, then pointed out their correlation to things we as members of The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints know because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. He testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, the importance of temples, the plan of salvation, and most importantly of Jesus Christ. Though his words were enlightening, and provided a great amount of insight I never would have gained without his presence, what stayed with me the most was simply his spirit.

Helaman was a disciple of Christ in every best sense of the word. I can only hope that someday I can show the same amount of dedication to the gospel that he showed. I pray that one day my countenance will shine as brightly as his because I have followed his example of inviting the spirit into my life fully and completely.

He taught me much. I'll share a little bit of it with you over the coming days, but the best thing he taught me is how to love the Lord with all my might, mind and strength and to not be ashamed of this love. That's a wonderful gift.

A few nights ago I attended my son’s school program. Though it was focused around nursery rhyme stories, the main message was one I needed to hear: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Yes, it is an old adage, but it’s also one that I hadn’t thought about for a while. If I had to sum up the Plan of Salvation into one sentence, it would be found in the scriptures.

2 Nephi 2:25— Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

Though this life is a testing period for us, it is also meant to bring us happiness now and joy in the eternities if we choose to follow Jesus Christ. We are God’s children, we carry the light of Christ within us, we can be happy. We all have a great capacity for joy within our hearts if we will follow the recipe that the Lord has given us. But, where are the instructions? The recipe is in the scriptures.

If you opened your scriptures at any given point, how far would you have to look to find a reference to happiness or joy? Odds are, not very far. Heavenly Father is very serious about our happiness. We are His children, what parent doesn’t bend over backwards to give their child happiness, peace, safety and love in this life? Our Heavenly Father is no different. Let’s examine some of the instructions He gives us that hold the promise of joy.

Our faith should be centered on Jesus Christ the source of living waters, from whom all blessings flow.

Isaiah 12:3— Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Observe the Sabbath as a time to reconnect with Heavenly Father and replenish our spirits.

Psalms 118:24— This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Develop the talents and blessings that the Lord has given you.

Matthew 25:21— His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Seek for the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Galations 5:22— But the fruit of the Spirit is clove, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Observe the gospel of Jesus Christ within your home, and instill a testimony of Him in your children.

3 John 1:4— I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Endure your trials well, use them to learn and grow closer to God.

2 Nephi 9:18— But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever.

Keep the commandments.

Mosiah 2:41— And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Repent of your faults and sins. Actively work to bring your life in line with the example of Jesus Christ.

Mosiah 4:20— And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

Be willing to forsake the things of the world in favor of the things of the Savior.

Alma 22:15— And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.

Share your testimony of the gospel and the blessing God has given you with others.

Alma 29:9— I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-16— And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

Work for the things you need and those things you desire in righteousness.

Psalms 128:2— For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Value knowledge and seek out learning of all types.

Proverbs 3:13— Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

Love and serve your neighbor.

Proverbs 14:21— He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

As you can see, there is guidance for a happier life for almost any situation we may find ourselves in. So, when life seems to be full of lemons. Go to the Lord’s scriptures for instructions on how to turn you low points into blessings of joy.

When was the last time you witnessed a miracle? In a world full of so much sorrow and evil, it sometimes overwhelms the good. The Lord’s hand is still visible if we look. I have seen Him working in the lives of many that I love. I have seen His miracles.

The other day I ran across an interesting quote from Walt Whitman.

“To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,

Every cubic inch of space is a miracle.”

(Walt Whitman, Miracles)

It’s a beautiful quote that gave me a moment’s pause. I try to look for the Lord’s influence in my life; I seek out His guidance, direction, and comfort. Maybe that’s not enough. In reality God’s goodness and blessings touch everything around me. I think I sometimes take that for granted. I have seen many miracles, but I think I’ve missed many of the quiet everyday miracles that surround me.

Moses 6:63— And behold, all things have their alikeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.

The earth is His; it was created by His hand and still resonates His love for us. As a disciple of Christ I have declared myself to be His. When I allow myself to be molded and guided by that same hand, I too, bare witness of His goodness. The world, and my life, is full of everyday miracles.

Did I notice the blanket of freshly fallen snow that covered winter’s gray, or was I too busy wishing for spring? Or how about the time I went grocery shopping, got everything that I needed, and managed to stay within budget, too?

Think about:
A friend stopping by or sending you a note without knowing how badly you needed to be loved that day.

The birds that delight your two-year-old when they come to the feeder.

The song that touches your heart and lifts your spirit.

All things testify of Him.

These are everyday miracles that if we aren’t looking for them, may be missed entirely. If we put ourselves more in tune to the Spirit of God, it opens our eyes. We become more aware of the blessings that are abounding in our lives. No matter how dark a day may seem, there is always light if we will seek it out. Or, we can choose to turn our backs in favor of the darkness created by dwelling on our trials, fears, pains, and other negative aspects of this world. If we look to that light, and pay attention to the everyday ways God touches our lives, He takes those patches of darkness that find their way into our hearts and lightens them. He is better able to bear our burdens when we are acknowledging all the tiny ways He is all ready doing so.

1. Earth, with her ten thousand flow’rs,
Air, with all its beams and show’rs,
Heaven’s infinite expanse,
Sea’s resplendent countenance—
All around and all above
Bear this record: God is love.

2. Sounds among the vales and hills,
In the woods and by the rills,
Of the breeze and of the bird,
By the gentle murmur stirred—
Sacred songs, beneath, above,
Have one chorus: God is love.

3. All the hopes that sweetly start
From the fountain of the heart,
All the bliss that ever comes
To our earthly human homes,
All the voices from above
Sweetly whisper: God is love.

(“God Is Love,” Hymns #87)

What is the best way for a disciple to develop a close, personal relationship with Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father? We learn who They are through following the commandments. We learn what we mean to Them through prayer.

Prayer is an open line of communication between us and the heavens. It can, and should be, a conversation with a dear friend. It is talking out your joys, your worries, your fears and ambitions with the Lord through prayer that allows Him into our lives. Inviting Him in invites his blessings and guidance.

How do we build this type of relationship? Part of it is remembering that prayer is an active connection with deity. As a result, our prayers need to be active as well.

Because prayer should become a part of our daily lives, it runs the risk of becoming so routine that we forget its true purpose. We go through the motions, but our prayers become repetitive, wandering and empty. A disciple of Christ is trying to focus his life around the Savior in every way possible. Perhaps one of the most important ways is to maintain that focus during our prayers. A disciple’s prayers are prayers of action.

What do I mean by action? I mean taking an active roll in all the aspects of our lives that we include in our prayers: thankfulness, forgiveness, and pleadings.

Here’s a simple example. A typical prayer before a meal includes a thanks for the food and maybe a request to bless it for our nourishment. What difference would it make if we made this prayer a little more active? Perhaps it might include a request for us to express love and gratitude for the hands that prepared the meal. Perhaps it’s a greater appreciation for the blessings of bounty. It might even include a discussion about your health and the blessings of a physical body, a request to help you be more mindful of your physical needs, or support for changes to your diet that you are trying to make. The result is an active conversation and a commitment to action on your part.

The same principle applies to all aspects of prayer. When we pray for forgiveness, are we asking for guidance and strength to do our part in making things right? Are we praying for those involved in our error, or only ourselves? Are we acknowledging the great gift of the atonement that makes our repentance possible? Or are we simply stating a closed request for mercy and grace.

Prayers for our needs and concerns can include requests for specific help and guidance. Including our thoughts and ideas about the situation and what we think we can do to help Him, helps us show a commitment to seek His will. We need to really talk to Him, tell Him every aspect of our fears and concerns, and tell Him our desires— though He knows our hearts already. When we do this we are actively opening our heart and mind, humbling ourselves before Him, and asking for the faith and courage to do His will.

Prayers for others carry the same responsibility. Pray for them with sincere intent. Rather than a trite “Please bless” talk to your Heavenly Father about your concerns for them. Imagine what they must be feeling. Ask Him to provide them with comfort and peace. Ask Him what you can do to be an instrument in that peace. Listen to the Spirit, then obey.

Prayers of action require action. Not only do they require us to approach the prayer itself with focus and purpose, but they also commit us to following through with those things we have brought before the Lord. Prayers of action are conversations with an Elder Brother, a loving Father, an understanding friend. We talk, He listens. He talks, we listen. Prayers of action touch heaven and return with blessings of joy.

What is the power of family? Why are they so important to Heavenly Father? He has placed us here in a loving and supportive family as a central part of His plan for us. Why? Because we are His family.

One of the truths that I treasure most about the gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in the LDS Church is that we are very literally children of God. He is the Father of our spirits, and we are His children. Family matters because He wants us to remember the happiness that we knew in His presence. That is why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focuses its efforts around Christ-like, eternal families.

I do realize that for many this type of family life has not been a possibility. That is why I’m also grateful to realize that Heavenly Father took this into account when He sent us here to earth. He gave us a powerful gift of agency to choose for ourselves the course our lives would take. With this gift He also provided an unspeakable blessing. He gave us an Older Brother.

Each of us will face trials within this life. That is part of why we were sent here. This time away, this time of choices provides us with an amount of spiritual growth that could not be achieved within the presence of our Heavenly Father. Still, the overall goal is growth at the end of our lives that will lead us back into our Father’s presence again. He knew we would not be perfect. He knew many would lose their way. He knew some would never find the path. But He also knew we could come back. That is the power of Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother.

Jesus Christ is our exemplar and our Savior. We look to Him for a pattern of life that feeds our spirits and draws us closer to our Heavenly Father’s love. We also look to Him to bind our wounds and heal our hearts when the sorrows of the world, or our own mistakes, weigh us down. When Heavenly Father presented the plan of happiness to His children, He asked for a Savior. He asked for one who would lead a perfect, sinless life for us to learn from, but more importantly who would atone for our sins. Jesus Christ answered, “Here am I, send me.” He was our Elder Brother before this life and He continued that role during His mortal ministry, atonement and death on our behalf. He watches out for us, still. Pleading with us to hear His voice and come unto Him.

How grateful I am for the call of the Good Shepherd, for His influence in my life, so that in my own way I can answer, “Here am I, send me.” With Jesus Christ as my Elder Brother, I can be equal to any task that the Lord has prepared for my personal growth here on earth. I will be His disciple. I will serve at the Master’s hand until the day that I stand before my Brother and my Father in judgment. I will give Jesus Christ my heart and willingly turn all my sins, doubts and fears over to Him so that I can once again stand pure and worthy before my Heavenly Father. Because of Jesus Christ, no matter what my family life may have been here on earth I can return to God’s family. There’s no greater joy than that.

Do you remember the story of the fiery serpents and the children of Israel as they wandered in the desert with Moses? Among the trials that the Lord’s people faced during this time was a plague of fiery serpents when their faith began to wane. This new test did humble the people and they pled with Moses to beg the Lord for forgiveness.

Numbers 21:6-9— And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

The miracles of God that these people witnessed were many, both great and small. Where did the Lord’s commandment to look and live fall in the spectrum of perceived greatness? It was a very quiet miracle, with a simple commandment. The Lord beckoned His people with a symbol of His love. We learn in the New Testament that the symbol Moses fashioned under the Lord’s direction was an evidence of a greater sacrifice: that of the Savior Jesus Christ.

John 3:14— And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Just as the Israelites, we are admonished to look to the Savior for our hope, salvation and eternal life. The sad thing is that even though many willingly looked upon the serpent, there were also many who did not.

1 Nephi 17:41— And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.

The Israelites had seen many spectacular miracles from the Lord’s hand, their way had been opened before them, their needs were provided for. But when it came down to it— His ways seemed too easy. It wasn’t a matter of whether or not they believed the Lord could heal them, but rather a lack of faith in His commandments through which healing was promised. The answer was too easy. Often we face the same disbelief that cost a number of Israelites their lives. Sometimes we don’t accept what we should do, because in times of trial it seems too easy. Looking, or focusing on the Lord’s commandments, does not seem powerful enough to heal our lives and hearts. Yet, it is. The Lord’s answers are always the way to life.

Developing the faith of a disciple means we must learn to “look to God and live”. It means learning to trust the Lord, no matter what answer He gives to direct our faltering footsteps. Our restricted vision may even worry that He is leading us away from what we need. The answer may be a simple course correction. It may mean a greater challenge that seems too difficult and beyond our reach. No matter the commandment, if we focus on Christ without giving in to doubt and fear the blessings will follow.

The basic standard that the Lord has set up for us is to gain a firm foundation in His gospel through scripture study, prayer, church attendance, and service to others. These principles do not change, no matter the trial. This is where we must first look and make sure our lives are in order, then the Lord directs us, leading our lives back to Him. Everything else in the gospel of Jesus Christ is built on your personal relationship with the Savior. If we are to look to Him for our salvation, we need to understand who He is.

When is the last time you had a “spiritual eye exam”? Take a moment to reflect on how clear your view of the Savior is. Have you forgotten the basic steps of coming unto Christ because they seem too simple? They seem so small and insignificant. It is very easy to let them slip from view and be forgotten in the busyness of life. But if we are not looking, if we are not reading and praying, our souls are dying. Do not let yourself come to the same fate as many of the Israelites. Look and live.

Did you know that the Latin root word for disciple means “learner or pupil”? Very literally, those who choose to follow Christ and want to be named His disciples are those who are willing to learn from Him. A disciple studies the words and life of Christ, trying to understand His divinity and grow in faith and love for Him. But it can’t stop there. An intellect may study the theories and practices, but they may never understand the tiny feelings and motivations that cause the believer to cling to that belief until it sees them through. Faith in Jesus Christ is a principle of action that requires us to move forward with what we have learned about Him. The core of learning for the disciple comes in the doing. Jesus Christ invites us to experiment upon His words, to prove His love for us. If we take that challenge we learn, then we do, then we are blessed.

When the things we know move from knowledge to experiences with God, it changes us through His Spirit. We develop a broken heart and contrite spirit that submits our will to God and declares our discipleship. We become His.

The following has been written about discipleship: “The word disciple comes from the Latin [meaning] a learner. A disciple of Christ is one who is learning to be like Christ—learning to think, to feel, and to act [like] he does. To be a true disciple, to fulfill that learning task, is the most demanding regimen known to man. No other discipline compares … in either requirements or rewards. It involves the total transformation of a person from the state of the natural man to that of [a] saint, one who loves the Lord and serves with all of his heart, might, mind, and strength” (Chauncey C. Riddle, “Becoming a Disciple,” Ensign, Sept. 1974, 81).

The commitment of discipleship requires knowledge and discipline. It requires an ability to practice self-control and maintain behaviors and characteristics consistent with Christ-like qualities. It is a choice. Just as Peter, James, and John “forsook all, and followed him” so must we.

Discipleship is moving from “learn” to “do”. It is showing obedience to the commandments and turning away from things that rob us of the Savior’s light. If we are willing to do this—to actively reach for Christ and carry His name every day of our lives, the blessings we will receive are more valuable than anything we may have given up along the way.

One of the most difficult things for many of us is knowing how to act around those facing major life trials. We worry that our actions or words will bring pain instead of relief. We worry that we will be uncomfortable and that they will be able to feel that. Sometimes, these worries cause us to avoid our hurting friends when they could use us the most, simply because we don’t know what to say.

Don’t be afraid to approach someone, but keep your condolences and well-wishes short and heart felt. “I'm sorry”, “I'd like to help”, “You look nice today” and “How are you” go a lot farther in providing comfort than phrases that begin with “At least it wasn't”, “You will receive blessings from”, “Be grateful for” or any other thought that reflects our own judgments on the situation. Even if you feel the person holds the same beliefs, or has said these words out loud in the past, they may not hold true at the moment. These statements tell the person you expect them to feel or be a certain way. When they are hurting they have no extra energy for meeting other's perceived expectations.

Remember, that often one of the best things you can do doesn’t require you to know what to say at all. Most often it is your quiet presence, not the words you offer that make the biggest difference. Listen, be extremely non-judgmental, laugh and cry with them, hold a hand, give a hug, give them your time and your love. Avoid saying you know exactly how they feel, even if you've had a similar experience we are all still very unique individuals. Don’t offer unsolicited advice or solutions.

When in doubt, the most powerful words in the human language are “I love you.” Couple that with a hug or a firm handshake and you’ve given the most of the Lord’s peace and comfort that you can offer.