Hey Elders, You are awesome!
EQ President Dave Black asked if I would teach EQ this Sunday. Chapter 21 is on missionary work from the life of Joseph Fielding Smith whose father JosephFSmith served an alone mission to Hawaii at the age of 14 and 15 and he was the son of Hyrum. General Conference talks on LDS.org go back to '71 so anyone who wants can go and see this kind man in person and listen to his aging, near death voice. That's about all I remember about the prophets when I was a kid. Old, old, slow, soft voices.
My response to Dave Black's text request was, "Fun. Be happy to. Thanks for the trust. V"
Tim Adams is funny. When he has gotten me to sub for him he says, darn I will miss your lesson! : )
I had nightmares Sunday night and Monday night this week after bearing my testimony in SS, EQ and praying for the Singles fireside and choir practice. I often have nightmares after I have been courageous spiritually in this temporal world. We'll see what it will be like next Sunday after I teach. . .
I checked out the lesson. I wrote down 16 pre-lesson ideas. Things that have impressed me about this topic lately. After I have studied the lesson I'll see if I use any of them.
So this entry is another example of how adventurous a regular old life can be for me. I get maxed out regularly. The nightmares are a good barometer. So now you can see how appropriate my chosen alias and title are! More a d v e n t u r e to you, salutations.
10:15 am 9/25/16 4th Sunday
Yesterday Tim Gardner asked if I would teach from Elder Ronald A Rasband April '16
I use the printer at the FHC so it is too late to prepare a handout.
I absolutely love the down hominess of Elder Rasband. Once he got permission to share with us what it was like to try to assign new elders to their missions while helping Henry B Eyring.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE CONTEMPLATED AND WONDERED HOW MISSIONARIES ARE ASSIGNED TO THEIR COUNTRIES OR MISSIONS?
DOES ANYONE REALLY KNOW?
The Divine Call of a Missionary
"As Sister Rasband and I had the privilege of presiding over the New York New York North Mission several years ago, I marveled as the missionaries arrived in New York City.
As I interviewed them on their first day in the mission, I had a profound sense of gratitude for each missionary. I felt that their call to our mission was divinely designed for them and for me as their mission president."
After finishing our mission assignment, I was called by President Gordon B. Hinckley to serve as a Seventy in the Church. Part of my early training as a new General Authority included an opportunity to sit with members of the Twelve as they assigned missionaries to serve in one of the 300-plus missions of this great Church.
With the encouragement and permission of President Henry B. Eyring, I would like to relate to you an experience, very special to me, which I had with him several years ago when he was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. Each Apostle holds the keys of the kingdom and exercises them at the direction and assignment of the President of the Church. Elder Eyring was assigning missionaries to their fields of labor, and as part of my training, I was invited to observe.
I joined Elder Eyring early one morning in a room where several large computer screens had been prepared for the session. There was also a staff member from the Missionary Department who had been assigned to assist us that day.
First, we knelt together in prayer. I remember Elder Eyring using very sincere words, asking the Lord to bless him to know “perfectly” where the missionaries should be assigned. The word “perfectly” said much about the faith that Elder Eyring exhibited that day.
As the process began, a picture of the missionary to be assigned would come up on one of the computer screens. As each picture appeared, to me it was as if the missionary were in the room with us. Elder Eyring would then greet the missionary with his kind and endearing voice: “Good morning, Elder Reier or Sister Yang. How are you today?”
He told me that in his own mind he liked to think of where the missionaries would conclude their mission. This would aid him to know where they were to be assigned. Elder Eyring would then study the comments from the bishops and stake presidents, medical notes, and other issues relating to each missionary.
He then referred to another screen which displayed areas and missions across the world. Finally, as he was prompted by the Spirit, he would assign the missionary to his or her field of labor.
From others of the Twelve, I have learned that this general method is typical each week as Apostles of the Lord assign scores of missionaries to serve throughout the world.
Having served as a missionary in my own country in the Eastern States Mission a number of years ago, I was deeply moved by this experience. Also, having served as a mission president, I was grateful for a further witness in my heart that the missionaries I had received in New York City were sent to me by revelation.
After assigning a few missionaries, Elder Eyring turned to me as he pondered one particular missionary and said, “So, Brother Rasband, where do you think this missionary should go?” I was startled! I quietly suggested to Elder Eyring that I did not know and that I did not know I could know! He looked at me directly and simply said, “Brother Rasband, pay closer attention and you too can know!” With that, I pulled my chair a little closer to Elder Eyring and the computer screen, and I did pay much closer attention!
A couple of other times as the process moved along, Elder Eyring would turn to me and say, “Well, Brother Rasband, where do you feel this missionary should go?” I would name a particular mission, and Elder Eyring would look at me thoughtfully and say, “No, that’s not it!” He would then continue to assign the missionaries where he had felt prompted.
As we were nearing the completion of that assignment meeting, a picture of a certain missionary appeared on the screen. I had the strongest prompting, the strongest of the morning, that the missionary we had before us was to be assigned to Japan. I did not know that Elder Eyring was going to ask me on this one, but amazingly he did. I rather tentatively and humbly said to him, “Japan?” Elder Eyring responded immediately, “Yes, let’s go there.” And up on the computer screen the missions of Japan appeared. I instantly knew that the missionary was to go to the Japan Sapporo Mission.
Elder Eyring did not ask me the exact name of the mission, but he did assign that missionary to the Japan Sapporo Mission.
Privately in my heart I was deeply touched and sincerely grateful to the Lord for allowing me to experience the prompting to know where that missionary should go.
At the end of the meeting Elder Eyring bore his witness to me of the love of the Savior, which He has for each missionary assigned to go out into the world and preach the restored gospel. He said that it is by the great love of the Savior that His servants know where these wonderful young men and women, senior missionaries, and senior couple missionaries are to serve. I had a further witness that morning that every missionary called in this Church, and assigned or reassigned to a particular mission, is called by revelation from the Lord God Almighty through one of these, His servants.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BB: ON A SCALE OF 1-10 HOW BRIGHT WAS YOUR HOPE YESTERDAY? DO YOU HAVE A PERFECT BRIGHTNESS OF HOPE? WHY NOT? HOW CAN YOU SHINE IT UP? WHAT SPIRITUAL GOAL ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
Are you standing with the leaders of the Church in a darkening world so that you might spread the Light of Christ?
DO YOU STOP AND PAY MORE ATTENTION WHEN OUR LEADERS CRY AND EXPRESS EMOTION IN THEIR TALKS? PAUSEpause CAN YOU THINK OF A LEADER WHO ALMOST ALWAYS SEEMS ON THE EDGE OF TEARS WHEN HE TALKS? PAUSE pause WHEN DO YOU THINK RAR BECOMES TEARFUL AND ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL IN THESE NEXT 2 PARAGRAPHS?
We extend a warm welcome to the newly called General Authorities, Area Seventies, and the wonderful new Primary general presidency. And with deepest appreciation, we thank those who have been released. We love you, each one. My dear brothers and sisters, we have just participated in a most blessed experience as we have raised our hands to sustain prophets, seers, and revelators and other leaders and general officers called of God in these very days. I have never taken lightly or casually the opportunity of sustaining and being guided by the Lord’s servants. And being just months into my own new calling as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, I am humbled by your sustaining vote and confidence. I treasure your willingness to stand with me and with all of these great leaders. WHAT WORDS DID VERN UNDERLINE? HOW DO YOU RAISE YOUR HAND IN CHURCH? *Tim Gardner read.
Soon after I was sustained last October, I traveled to Pakistan on an assignment (PLEASE HAVE ELDER JARED BATES, OUR ITENERANT GEOGRAPHY BEE WINNER!, COME UP AND TRY TO DRAW PAKISTAN AND ITS SURROUNDING COUNTRIES ON THE BOARD IN 1 MINUTE.) and, while there, met the magnificent and dedicated Saints in that country. They are few in number but large in spirit. Shortly after returning home, I received the following note from Brother Shakeel Arshad, a dear member I had met on my visit: “Thank you, Elder Rasband, for coming to Pakistan. I want to tell you that we … Church members …sustain you and love you. [We are] so lucky that you were here and we heard from you. It was just a golden day in my family’s life that we met an Apostle.”1 SHAKEEL ARSHAD IS JUST ONE OF THE YOUTH RAR
MENTIONS IN THIS TALK. WHY DO YOU THINK HE DOES THAT? *Steve Muir read.
Meeting Saints like Brother Arshad was an overwhelming and humbling experience and, using his words, “a golden day” for me as well. WHY WOULD IT BE OVERWHELMING AND HUMBLING TO RAR In January, Church leaders participated in a Face to Face broadcast with youth and their leaders and parents from around the world. The broadcast was streamed live over the Internet to many locations in 146 countries; some locations had large audiences in chapels, and others were a single home with one youth tuning in. In total, many hundreds of thousands joined in. TELL ME THREE 3 THINGS THAT COME TO MIND AS YOU READ THAT PARAGRAPH.* Jesse Bird read.
In connecting with our vast audience, Sister Bonnie Oscarson, Young Women general president; Brother Stephen W. Owen,Young Men general president; and I—supported by our youth hosts, musicians, and others—answered questions from our youth.
ANALYZE THAT POSTER. TELL US SOMETHING YOU THINK IT MEANS. WHY WOULD THE CHURCH GO TO ALL THE EXPENSE TO CREATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR THE YOUTH? WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT US? WHAT COLORS WERE CHOSEN? WHY? *Universal language says Fernando Sotomayor!]
Our purpose was to introduce the Mutual theme for 2016,“Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ,” from 2 Nephi, which reads: “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope,and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”2
By reading many hundreds of our youth’s questions, what did we learn? We learned that our youth love the Lord, sustain their leaders, and desire to have their questions answered!Questions are an indication of a further desire to learn, to add to those truths already in place in our testimonies, and to be better prepared to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ.”
The Restoration of the gospel began with a youth, Joseph Smith, asking a question. Many of the Savior’s teachings in His ministry began with a question. Remember His question to Peter: “Whom say ye that I am?”3 And Peter’s response: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”4 We need to help eachother find Heavenly Father’s answers through the guidance of the Spirit.
At that broadcast, I said to the youth:
“The leaders of this Church are no strangers to your issues, to your concerns, and to your challenges. (please do the next one too. vj)
“We have children. We have grandchildren. We are oftenmeeting with youth all over the world. And we’re praying foryou, we’re talking about you in the most sacred places, and welove you.”5
I would like to share one of the many, many responses we received from that event.
Lisa, from Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, wrote: “This Face toFace event was wonderful. What a strength to my testimony and convictions of the gospel. We are so blessed to have inspired leaders who have been called to serve in so many different capacities.”6
Liz, from Pleasant Grove, Utah, wrote on an earlier post: “I amgrateful for my personal faith and the opportunity to sustain aprophet of God and the men and women who serve with him.”7
We have sustained leaders today who, by divine inspiration,have been called to teach and guide us and who are calling outto us to beware of the dangers we face each day—from casualSabbath-day observance, to threats to the family, to assaults onreligious freedom, and even to disputing latter-day revelation.Brothers and sisters, are we listening to their counsel?
Many times in conferences, sacrament meetings, and Primarywe have sung the tender words, “Lead me, guide me, walk beside me.”8 What do those words mean to you? PAUSE Who comes to mind when you think of them? Have you felt the influence of righteous leaders, those disciples of Jesus Christ who have in the past and continue today to touch your life, who walk the Lord’s path with you? PAUSE *Jason Chappell read from fusia through orange to red! So cute! The end. That was as far as we got in Elder's Quorum!] They may be close at home. They may be in your local congregations or speaking from the pulpit at general conference. These disciples share with us the blessing of having a testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, the leader of this Church, the leader of our very souls, who has promised, “Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, andwill stand by you.”9
I remember President Thomas S. Monson sharing the story of being invited to his stake president Paul C. Child’s home to prepare for advancement to the Melchizedek Priesthood. What a special blessing for President Child, who did not know at the time that he was teaching a young Aaronic Priesthood boy who would one day become the prophet of God.10
I have had my own learning moments from our dear prophet,President Monson. There is no question in my mind or in my heart that he is the Lord’s prophet on the earth; I have been a humbled recipient as he has received revelation and acted upon it. He has been teaching us to reach out, to protect each other, to rescue one another. So it was taught at the Waters of Mormon. Those “desirous … to be called his people” were willing “to bear one another’s burdens,” “to mourn with those that mourn,” and “to stand as witnesses of God.”11 HOW HAVE YOU BEEN A HUMBLE RECIPIENT? ARE YOU ONE OF HIS PEOPLE?
I stand today as a witness of God the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I know our Savior lives and loves us and directs His servants, you and me, to fulfill His mighty purposes on this earth.12As we press forward, choosing to follow the counsel and the warnings of our leaders, we choose to follow the Lord while the world is going in another direction. We choose to hold fast to the iron rod, to be Latter-day Saints, to be on the Lord’s errand,and to be filled “with exceedingly great joy.”13 WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE FILLED WITH EXCEEDING GREAT JOY?
GAY PRIDE! Every time pride is mentioned in the scriptures it is sin. Jesse Bird. v- how appropriate!]
The growing question of today is clear: are you standing with the leaders of the Church in a darkening world so that you might spread the Light of Christ? ARE YOU? LONG PAUSE. . . ISN'T IT WONDERFUL THE CHURCH, THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST NEVER CHANGES SOME THINGS, LIKE THE SACREDNESS OF THE FAMILY AND SEX relationships with leaders are so important and significant. WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH HF'S LEADERS?No matter what age leaders may be, (DO YOU THINK BISHOP Q ADAMS IS YOUNG? WHAT ABOUT A DEACON'S QUORUM PRESIDENT? how close or far away, or when they may have touched our lives, their influence reflects the words of the American poet Edwin Markham, who said this:
There is a destiny that makes us brothers:
[No one] goes his way alone:
All that we send into the lives of others
Shakeel Arshad, my friend in Pakistan, sent his support to me,his brother and friend. So have many of you. When we reach out to lift one another, we prove those powerful words: “[No one] goes his way alone.”
Most of all, we need our Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ. One of the accounts from scripture that has always spiritually moved me is when Jesus Christ walked out on the water to meet His disciples who were traveling in a ship on the Sea of Galilee.These were leaders newly called, like many of us on the stand today. The account is recorded in Matthew:
“But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with [the]waves: for the wind was contrary.
“And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them,walking on the sea.
“And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they weretroubled, … and they cried out for fear.
Peter heard that wonderful call of encouragement from theLord.
“And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid mecome unto thee on the water.
Pretty bold. Peter was a fisherman, and he knew about thehazards of the sea. However, he was committed to followingJesus—night or day, on a ship or on dry land.
I can imagine that Peter leaped over the side of the boat, notwaiting for a second invitation, and began to walk on the water.Indeed, the scripture says, “He walked on the water, to go toJesus.”17 As the wind increased in strength and force and as thewaves swirled about his feet, Peter became “afraid; andbeginning to sink, he cried [out], saying, Lord, save me.
Such a powerful lesson. The Lord was there for him, just as Heis there for you and for me. He reached out His hand and drewPeter to Him and to safety.
I have needed the Savior and the rescue of His hand so many times. I need Him now as never before, as does each of you. I have felt confident at times leaping over the side of the boat,figuratively speaking, into unfamiliar places, only to realize that I could not do it alone.
As we discussed during Face to Face, the Lord often reaches out to us through our families and leaders, inviting us to come unto Him—just like He reached out to save Peter.
You too will have your many moments to respond to frequentinvitations to “come unto Christ.”19 Isn’t that what this mortallife is all about? The call may be to come rescue a familymember; come serve a mission; come back to church; come tothe holy temple; and, as we have recently heard from ourwonderful youth in the Face to Face event, come, please helpme answer my question. In due time, each one of us will hearthe call “Come home.”
I pray that we will reach out—reach out and take the Savior’shand that He is extending to us, often through His divinelycalled leaders and our family members—and listen for His callto come.
I know that Jesus Christ lives; I love Him, and I know with all my heart that He loves each of us. He is our great Exemplar and the divine leader of all of our Father’s children. Of this I bear my solemn witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. BROTHER VERN JENSEN ONCE TAUGHT EQ THIS LAST YEAR WHEN HE COULD BARELY PULL IT TOGETHER TO SPEAK AS HE BORE HIS TESTIMONY AT THE END OF THE LESSON. IN YOUR OWN MIND, GUESS WHAT HE WAS TESTIFYING OF?
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Post comments:
1- I love to teach the gospel. Thank your for the the opportunity.
2- I admire, respect, honor and love my brothers in the quorum and I hope they can feel my feelings towards them. We are journeying together!
3- Elder Rasband has been on my favorites list since he shared his missionary assigning story in our area conference before he gave that talk in 2010. I am so pleased he is the oldest of the new 3 apostles.
4- I listen to general conference talks everyday. I am currently stuck repeating April'75. I was in Guatemala.
5- I do II at the family history center everyday it is open. italian indexing
6- I am trying to memorize all of Moroni 7! Feed your spirit everyday! When you need peace and reassurance quote your heartfelt scriptures or hymns. If it is in your mind, you had to put it there and isn't that evidence of how you value the gospel of Jesus Christ?
7- I am lonely and alone, so HF and I visit regularly. If you want to talk to God, pray. If you want to hear back from him, read the scriptures. Service in the kingdom brings joy.
8- Many of us have handicaps. All of us have extremity. God does not upbraid. He does not mock. He never makes fun of us nor say we are wimps and we just need to cowboy up! Big boys don't cry is not from HF! When your reach the end of your rope, how will you turn more to God? In my handicap and extremity I decided to profess my dependence on him by attending the temple every week no matter what! It is a peaceful place. It is a refuge from the storms. After a year of weekly attendance I felt worthy enough to start using the prayer roll at the temple. Names stay on the prayer roll for 2 weeks. My wife's name was always at the top of my list. How about you?
9- Keep the SABBATH day holy. Moses enforced the death sentence for Sabbath breakers! How serious is that? Nap if you need to, but write in your journal-tell about God's influence in your life and your challenges that you deserve a spiritual medal for! It is OK to honor your difficult successes, even if it is just keeping your mouth shut when your wife says something stupid! Contact your home teaching partner and families by texting and email. That way they don't have to respond and you can still share your love, interest and testimony. Write and call and visit your loved ones! There is time for one on one on the Sabbath. Keep that stinkin' TV off unless you are being spiritual. Don't waste your precious, dedicated Sabbath worship time. Does your Sabbath begin and end at midnight?
10- Tag team prayers. Frank Haney believes in tag-team prayers. Do you? The 3 witnesses wanted to see the plates. They were kneeling taking turns praying. Nothing happened. How many times did they go around the circle before Martin Harris opted out? How much longer did Martin pray before Joseph joined him? A long time.
11- Enough from me today. I love you! Hang in there! Varlo's home teacher and substitute. Vern
Visual aids: black board, battery and battery tester, Giant BoM with 3rd Nephi missing!
Visual aids: black board, battery and battery tester, Giant BoM with 3rd Nephi missing!
