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missionbkt1 (Elder Taylor ** )

Elder and Sister Brian K. Taylor of the Seventy

Tuesday devotional,  December 19, 2017


1/ Sister Taylor:

  • Matthew 14 – Jesus comes walking on the water to rescue his apostles, but it was during the FOURTH watch, or from 3 am to 6 am.  Why didn’t he come earlier?  We have a first watch adversary, but a 4th watch Lord. He expects us to toil, to labor, even to suffer, but He will always come to the rescue.  We need to persist through the “early watches”. 
  • Mosiah 4:19 is her “go to “ scripture.  It reads, “For behold, are we not all beggars?  Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?”
  • HARD = HOLY!  Missions are hard so missions are holy.

2/ Elder Taylor:

  • I have now heard apostles and prophets pray for you, pray about you.  You (missionaries) are always in their thoughts and prayers.
  • President Monson is weak and feeble, but his prophetic powers are “being refined”.
  • Your own ‘Sacred Grove’ awaits you.  Your ‘Sacred Grove’ is a special place to be “at-one” with God and to experience a mighty change of heart.
  • Elder Taylor at one time prayed for a “manifestation”, some great sign that the work was true.  Instead, he simply had the impression, “Brian, you already know it is true”. 
  • ‘Sacred Grove’ experiences don’t necessarily need to be the BIG ONE, but can be several small, subtle blessings and rewards along the path of life.
  • Joseph Smith actually reports that he was distressed by his sins and inadequacies before he went to the grove.  He rejoiced with great joy afterwards. Alma describes the same thing.
  • We must LEARN repentance before we can TEACH repentance
  • Expect opposition.  Satan will try to stop us in our worthy efforts.
  • We should seek to become WHITE.  See 3 Nephi 19 – become white like unto Jesus.
  • This Christmas, give Jesus a gift of your own personal whiteness and righteousness.
  • Approach the Lord with your sins and you will have your own Sacred Grove experience.
  • John Taylor is Elder Taylor’s 2nd great grandfather.  Joseph going to the window in the Carthage Jail and falling out as he was shot actuallly saved John Taylor’s life.

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