We Teach about Christ

   Recently, I have begun to study the New Testament in greater detail.  In particular, I have been reading the four Gospels.  Many of my friends that are not part of the LDS faith may not know this, but we have a very firm belief in Jesus Christ.  We worship Him as our Savior and Redeemer.  We read and study the Bible often in order to learn more about Him and His plan for us.  We believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, the only perfect person that ever lived on the Earth.  We believe in His Atonement: He suffered, died, and was resurrected for us.  He did all of that so we could repent, be cleansed from our sins, and return to live with God again.  Our religion is based around Christ, as you can tell from the name of our church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

   So, naturally, we believe in the Bible.  My recent studies in the New Testament have been helping me come to know Jesus Christ a little more personally.  My faith in Him has grown the more I study about Him and think about Him.  He truly was perfect, but in a different way than I had before realized.  Most people see Christ as a Being that was perfectly meek and kind.  And He is.  But there is more to Him than that.  Many people overlook and forget about the Man that threw the money-changers from the Temple on two different occasions.  He was a Man of passions.  He felt, just as we do.  Only far more tenderly.  He loves us to an extent that we cannot imagine, and yet His righteous anger can sweep the unrighteous from before His face.  He has emotions, but He is in perfect control over them. He has all power.  Including over Himself.

Jesus Calms the Storm (Picture found on lds.org)

  Learning more about the nature of Jesus Christ can translate directly into our lives.  He set the perfect example for us.  When we follow that example, we find true happiness and satisfaction in this life and in the life to come. So naturally we must learn about Him in order to follow His example.

   And for those that haven't had the opportunity to learn about Him or for those who could learn more (which is everyone), that is where missionaries come in.  We teach about Christ.  We preach the Gospel that Christ Himself taught.  We help people build their faith in Christ and learn more about Him so that they can live more like He lived.

   The message we share is important.  It is so important that Jesus Christ commanded His disciples, saying "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 28:19)  And thus we bear the good news of Jesus Christ to all we can.

   So if you want to build your faith in Jesus Christ, "Ask the missionaries!  They can help you!" (Elder Russell M. Nelson, October 2012 General Conference)

Missionary Pie

  A lot of people wonder why we missionaries go out and talk with everyone about God.  Why can't we just mind our own business and let them mind theirs?  Why would we bother?

  Well let me answer that.  I'll need your imagination for a moment.

  Imagine a pie.  Your favorite kind of pie in the world.  Cherry, apple, pumpkin, peach... whatever you love the most.  Now picture it in front of you.  It's fresh and warm from the oven.  And it is an enormous pie.  There is no possible way that you can finish it.  You sure try.  You dive into that pie and eat until your stomach feels like it is going to burst, your taste buds exploding with delight.

  But that pie is just too big.

  So now you have to decide what to do with the rest of that pie.  You don't want to throw it away.  With a pie as good as that, that would be tragic.  And you don't have a fridge or a freezer anywhere nearby, so you can't really store it.  Blast.  What are you supposed to do?  And as you are pondering what to do with this amazing pie, your best friend walks past.

  Bingo.

  Naturally, you call out for them to come over and try that exquisite pie.  So they wander over and you prevail upon them to take a bite.  From the moment that pie touches their lips, their eyes light up with amazement and delight.  They ask if they can have more and you assure them that they most certainly can.  They dive into that pie just like you did and they look just like a kid on Christmas.  Your heart starts to glow seeing how happy they are.

  At that point, another one of your friends walks past.  You and your first friend look at the second friend, then at the pie.  Then you both look at the friend again and back to the pie.  There is plenty of pie left and more to spare.  Both of you call over to the second friend to come over and try that pie!

  So the friend takes a few steps toward you, but quickly stops.  "Are you trying to get me to eat something?" they demand.

  "Well, yes," you and your first friend reply.

  Their eyes narrow as they glance at the pie.  They can't see it very clearly from how far away they are, but they don't step any closer.  Their nose wrinkles as though they are smelling garbage.  "I'm not trying any of that!" they firmly declare.

  You and your first friend are taken aback.  You both understand that some people have different taste.  You sure weren't trying to push it on them at all.  You just wanted to offer.  But the second friend won't even come close to try.  They're not being mean with how they turn you down, they just really don't want to try for some reason.

  "Are you sure?" you ask.

  "Definitely," they respond.

  So you and your first friend shrug your shoulders and accept their choice.  There don't seem to be any harmed feelings on either side.  They don't want the pie so you aren't going to make them eat it.

  So that friend continues on their way.  Eventually another friend walks past and you and your first friend give each other a look.  "Should we?" seems to be the question each of you is thinking, shortly followed by "Of course!"

  As soon as they are invited, the third friend comes over and tries the pie.  Their eyes light up just like your first friends eyes did and just like you are sure your eyes did.  As soon as that look blossoms on their face, you and your first friend both get a warm feeling and you feel glad you were willing to invite somebody to try that pie again.

  Now think about that feeling.  Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know the feeling I am talking about.  It is the joy that comes from knowing and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It has brought us incredible joy and we know it can do the same for others.  So we go out and take that "pie" to others.  Many will reject it without trying.  Others will take a sniff or nibble a corner and then lose interest.  But the joy of seeing somebody embrace the Gospel is more than worth it.

  That is why we missionaries go out.  That is why members of our Church talk about their beliefs so much.  We want everyone to taste this pie.

  Wanna bite?