Sisters and Brothers,
Greetings to you! We, as your stake presidency, send our love. We pray for you. We feel your love and prayers as well. God bless each of you, especially during this continued time of confusion and uncertainty. "Though deep'ning trials throng your way, press on, press on, ye Saints of God!" I hope everyone is "pressing on" in your efforts in your gospel studies. We have been so blessed to have Come, Follow Me to assist us in our personal and family studies. Once again I encourage you, if you have been unable, to include Come, Follow Me in your studies. Start now. Next week we will be studying Mormon chapter one through six.
This week we finished 3rd Nephi and 4th Nephi. In 3rd Nephi chapter 28 we read about Christ asking his disciples what they desired of him after he had gone to the Father (verse 1). We read that all, save three, desired that they "may speedily come unto [him] in [his] kingdom" (verse 2). Jesus blessed them because they desired this of him. Then he turned to the three and asked them what they desired of Him. We read "they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak unto him the thing which they desired" (verse 5). He told them he knew their thoughts, they desired the same thing John, his beloved, desired. He blessed them that they would never taste of death "until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father". In verse 9 we read why, "for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me". In verse 10 we read the promised blessings (I'll leave that up to you to read *smile*).
Is to desire all it takes? In Come, Follow Me it refers to the talk by then Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from April 2011 General Conference titled "Desire". He said "Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming." Then toward the conclusion of his message, "Let us remember that desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. In addition, it is our actions and our desires that cause us to become something, whether a true friend, a gifted teacher, or one who has qualified for eternal life.
Circling back to the beginning of his message, "I hope each of us will search our hearts to determine what we really desire and how we rank our most important desires." What wonderful council from one of our prophets, seers, and revelators! I hope we will all search our hearts and determine what we truly desire. I know that as we allow the righteous desires of our heart become our priorities, and these priorities shape our choices, and as we exercise our agency in changing, achieving, and becoming more like our Savior Jesus Christ we will have true joy in this life and "qualify for eternal life". God be with and bless you in your righteous desires!
President Jackson Stake Presidency First Counselor.
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