I hope you all had (or are having) a great Easter! I'm not going to lie, my companion and I thought that Easter was next week. It wasn't until we were reading emails today that we realized we had missed it, and hadn't celebrated it at all. How ironic that missionaries, people that are called to preach about Christ can forget to celebrate Easter! But in all reality, I know that we celebrated it in the best way I can possibly imagine, by helping people come unto Christ and make sacred covenants with their Father in Heaven. My companion gave a talk in Sacrament meeting yesterday, and shared a story that I absolutely love. Many of you have probably heard it, but please bear with me if you have.
After death, three men wait to be judged of their works during their lives. The first is brought before an angel standing in front of two gates. The angel asks the man one question, "Do you know Jesus Christ?" The man responds that he never had an opportunity to know Christ, but that he lived an honorable life, and had done many good works throughout his life. After he related all this, the angel gestured to one gate, saying, "you had no opportunity to learn of Christ during your life, and you did much good during your life, so you will be given an opportunity to learn, but for now, you will pass through this gate," and the man departed. The next man came, and was asked the same question. He replied confidently, "I have studied of Christ all my life, and I know all about Him. I went to church, and I did everything that was asked of me." The angel thanked him for all that he had done, but then gestured to the same gate as before. "You have truly done good throughout your life in learning of Christ, but I believe you still have a little more to learn. Please, continue on this path," and the second man departed as well. Finally, the third man approached the angel. The angel asked the question once more, "do you know Jesus Christ?" The man fell down before Him, crying, "Yea, Lord, I know thee!" The angel was none other than Jesus Christ, and the man had recognized Him for who He was. With tears in His eyes, Jesus pulled the man to his feet. "Thou hast truly learned of me, and you shall receive of all that I have."
The true test in this life is not to know all that there is to know about Jesus Christ, but to develop a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior through relying on His Atonement. I would invite you all to ask yourselves, "Do I know Jesus Christ?" If we truly develop that personal relationship with our Savior, we will be able to look upon Him without fear, knowing as the third man did that we will receive of all that He has to offer us. I say these things in the name
of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Winegar長老より
After death, three men wait to be judged of their works during their lives. The first is brought before an angel standing in front of two gates. The angel asks the man one question, "Do you know Jesus Christ?" The man responds that he never had an opportunity to know Christ, but that he lived an honorable life, and had done many good works throughout his life. After he related all this, the angel gestured to one gate, saying, "you had no opportunity to learn of Christ during your life, and you did much good during your life, so you will be given an opportunity to learn, but for now, you will pass through this gate," and the man departed. The next man came, and was asked the same question. He replied confidently, "I have studied of Christ all my life, and I know all about Him. I went to church, and I did everything that was asked of me." The angel thanked him for all that he had done, but then gestured to the same gate as before. "You have truly done good throughout your life in learning of Christ, but I believe you still have a little more to learn. Please, continue on this path," and the second man departed as well. Finally, the third man approached the angel. The angel asked the question once more, "do you know Jesus Christ?" The man fell down before Him, crying, "Yea, Lord, I know thee!" The angel was none other than Jesus Christ, and the man had recognized Him for who He was. With tears in His eyes, Jesus pulled the man to his feet. "Thou hast truly learned of me, and you shall receive of all that I have."
The true test in this life is not to know all that there is to know about Jesus Christ, but to develop a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior through relying on His Atonement. I would invite you all to ask yourselves, "Do I know Jesus Christ?" If we truly develop that personal relationship with our Savior, we will be able to look upon Him without fear, knowing as the third man did that we will receive of all that He has to offer us. I say these things in the name
of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Winegar長老より
 |
| Izumo District! |
 |
| Our late Easter "celebration" |
No comments:
Post a Comment