"DO YOU LOVE ME"

We have a life of devoted discipleship to give in demonstrating

our love of the Lord

 --Elder Jeffery R. Holland

After the crucifixion of Jesus, some of the disciples returned to their former life, that of fishing. They fished all night and didn't catch one fish.  With the rays of dawn, they disappointingly turned toward the shore, where they saw in the distance a figure who called out to them, "Children, have your caught anything?"  They muttered, "We have caught nothing!"  "Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find," the stranger calls out. They let down their nets and drew a "multitude of fishes," enough that their nets broke, the catch filling two boats so heavily they had begun to sink.  As Peter recognized Jesus, he leaped.  Jesus asked Peter, "Peter, do you love me more than you love all this?" Peter said, "Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee."  He asks again, "Peter, do you love me?"  Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee."  Jesus asks the third time, "Peter, do you love me?"  Peter answers:  "Lord, ....thou knowest that I love thee." Jesus responds: "Then Peter, why are you here?  Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets, having this same conversation?  Wasn't it obvious then and isn't it obvious now that if I want fish.  I can get fish?  What I need - Peter, are disciples - and I need them forever.  I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs.  I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith.  I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven  has commissioned me to do.  ..........Peter, I am asking you to leave all this and to go teach and testify, labor and serve loyally......."

The first and greatest commandment of them all is  "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind."  Can we answer our Savior, our Lord thy God  -- "Yea, Lord thou knowest that I love thee."
                                                                                            -end of ariticle by Elder Holland

LOVE IS LOYALTY

"Do you love me?"   I must confess I had an experience similar to this and never recorded it on paper, but it sticks in my mind every since that moment when this same thing was asked of me.  I had constant inspirations or promptings for over a year to serve a mission.  They were quiet and I heard them in my mind and in my heart and sometimes while playing the organ in the Bountiful Temple.  And my reply was always this:  "I want to serve another mission Lord, but later -- I have a new business I want to grow -- I want to be financially in a better place -- Christy still lives at home with me --- I don't have the money -- I don't want to go as a single sister."  I am sure there were more reasons -- more excuses -- yet time went on and my situation didn't change -- my business wasn't growing,  I wasn't finding a better job, Christy was comfortable living with me, I was still single, I still didn't have the money --- I WAS IN A RUT!!!!! -- still hoping, still praying, still seeking for what I thought would change things for me.  I continued to fill out job applications, I continued to be a substitute teacher for Davis County, I continued to teach piano, but I wasn't that happy, and I was in a rut -- I knew it -- and nothing was changing -- except that I was getting more depressed and agitated.  And this whole time -- I am still getting promptings to go on a mission. On evening in January of 2015, I was earnestly praying to my Heavenly Father --  I was pouring out my heart to him asking him why I wasn't finding employment -- I was working hard at it, being consistent, feeling qualified for something good -- yet nothing was  being offered to me.  As I was praying -- I heard a still, small voice say to me -- I have already told you what I want you to do"    ------   Do you love me?????  I have already told you what I want you to do. Go find and teach my people -- go feed my sheep!"  Go on a mission.  You know what I have asked you to do." I didn't sleep much that night -- he was right and he had blessings yet to come --  blessings in store for me to help me prepare for this mission -- blessings to help me financially, blessings to help lighten my load and brighten my spirit -- things to still challenge me and cause me to pray more earnestly -- things that would cause me to exercise my faith and put my whole trust in him.  But the question was  "Do you love me? ---- do you trust me???? --- go to the other side of the boat and throw your net in ----- I will fill your net with fishes of opportunities, people to influence, people to teach - people to lift their spirits - I need you to show your love to me and serve me....

...leave your family, sell your furnishings, shut down your business-- go teach -- go testify -- go be a great influence for the young missionaries -- labor with all your heart.....Go Sister Cope  --- show me that you love me!