Thinking about People First and Foremost

Jesus explained the importance of helping people very well in Luke 13. He encounters a very sick woman and heals her on the sabbath, though this is against the tradition of the Elders to do this. He basically says, you'd help animals on the Sabbath, but she's a daughter of Abraham (or of God), so do you really think I shouldn't help her? They were ashamed at their mode of thinking.

To relate this to our life, last week we went and stayed at the house of a single woman (roughly 60 yrs old) who is family to one of my best friends. This was Friday night. We try to not travel on the Sabbath at all, so we went home on Saturday. However, she said she would have enjoyed us staying that night and talking with her. I don't think we were bad people for choosing to go home, but I think Pres. Monson or Jesus would have stayed in the same situation, even if it meant missing conference on Sunday and traveling when we don't like to. People matter.

11 ¶And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

13 And he ^alaid his ^bhands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to ^awork: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the ^asabbath day?

17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

Give us this day our daily bread

Sorry for the long layoff - traveling for business.

So, I'm officially as stressed about work/life as I've ever been. There is so much to do, and I don't know how I can get it all done.

Luckily, I just listened to Elder Christofferson's talk about the Lord providing daily bread.

http://lds.org/broadcasts/languages/ces-fireside/2011/01?lang=eng

It was the best explanation of "give us this day our daily bread" and why that is important and necessary. It was very helpful.

Speaking of that, this weekend we get to hear from the Apostles and Prophets themselves. That helps sustain as well. In the New Testament the Apostles are told that they "will do even greater things than these (things Jesus did)."

Elder Holland has commented on this and said that perhaps the only way he could do something greater than the Savior is that he could spread the message further than Christ did during his time. If we have ears to hear, those messages will provide living bread and water.

Enjoy conference. Here's a couple more verses about listening to the prophet:

4Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give ^aheed unto all his words and ^bcommandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all ^choliness before me;

5For his ^aword ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.

6For by doing these things the ^agates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of^bdarkness from before you, and cause the heavens to ^cshake for your ^dgood, and his name’s ^eglory.

7For thus saith the Lord God: Him have I inspired to move the cause of ^aZion in mighty power for good, and his diligence I know, and his prayers I have heard.

8Yea, his weeping for Zion I have seen, and I will cause that he shall mourn for her no longer; for his days of rejoicing are come unto the ^aremission of his sins, and the manifestations of my blessings upon his works.