Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Tuesday devotional, February 20, 2018
Tuesday devotional, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, February 20, 2018
- As Elder Holland began his talk, he said that he knew how he was going to begin (‘to tell you how much I love you’) and how he was going to end (‘testimony and apostolic blessing’), but he was anxious to hear what he was going to say in the middle. In other words, his talk was given to him by the Spirit as he spoke.
- The Hollands have 19 grandchildren, and as of today (2/20/18) they have 1 great-grandchild. (Elder Holland pumped his arm and fist at that announcement.)
- The MTC choir sang ‘Praise to the Man’ and Elder Holland said this hymn has a special place in his heart. The last time he heard it (at a funeral), he spontaneously “exploded” into tears at the thought of our great prophet, Joseph Smith. He said, “I honor the man who communed with Jehovah”.
- I love you, God loves you, your Savior loves you, President Nelson loves you. You are the best, our highest, our most wonderful.
- You are the first sermon your investigators will hear and see — YOU ARE THE MESSAGE!
- You are apostles (with a small a), you are apostolic. You and I are alike in that manner.
- Do not miss the chance to be apostolic, to make a difference. We need every day of your 2 years or 18 months. We are all in this together. Be as serious about your calling as we are about ours! Every moment of your missions, you should be engaged in the salvation of souls.
- I hope you experience every joy and also every sorrow of missionary work. This experience will never come again in your life. Be apostolic – all day every day. Declare salvation, exaltation, joy. Do not allow yourself to be distracted!
- The mission I served as a young man is responsible for every good thing that has happened in my life. You should THRILL at the opportunity to see people embrace this gospel and embrace salvation.
- I never used to talk to missionaries about what would happen when they completed their missionary service, but I certainly do now. YOU SHOULD COME HOME WITH THE MESSAGE OF THIS GREAT GOSPEL BURNED DEEPLY INTO THE VERY MARROW OF YOUR BONES! YOU SHOULD BE SO CONVERTED THAT HORSES COULD NOT DRAG YOU AWAY FROM YOUR FAITH, YOUR OBEDIENCE, AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS CHURCH!
- When I meet a returned missionary that has left this church and left his faith, I AM MAD! I am mad at him but I am also mad at myself. What could I have said that might have made a difference in his life? I am devastated that what means EVERYTHING to me means NOTHING to him! “You do not have the right to damage or tarnish the image of returned missionaries in this church. You may do it, BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO IT!”
- I was recently reminded about how converts view the missionaries who bring the gospel to them. A Sunday School teacher was talking about the Savior’s command to “be ye therefore perfect”. He asked his class if anyone could name a perfect person, with the exception of Jesus. After an awkward moment of silence, an elderly woman who had only been a member of the church for a short time raised her hand. She quietly said, “The two beautiful young men that brought me the gospel were perfect.”
- You are God’s investigators! Whatever you want for your investigators, God wants for you.
- As you teach the gospel, don’t jump right to a discussion about baptism. This gospel begins and ends with faith in our Savior. Don’t skip over that important concept. Start at the start! Jesus is our foundation, our cornerstone, our everything. He appeared to Joseph Smith AND HE WILL CONTINUE TO APPEAR TO HIS PROPHETS UNTIL THE WORK IS COMPLETE.
- He related the story of David O. McKay at a youth. He wanted to KNOW of the truth of the gospel. He prayed for many hours one day and received no confirmation. He determined, however, that he would continue faithful in his duties even without a firm testimony. He accepted a mission call, he served obediently. He served out of loyalty and out of love for his parents. At a conference during his mission, there was an incredible outpouring of the spirit, including the actual visitation of angels. He KNEW at that point. He said, “My knowing was a natural consequence of the performance of my duty. Sincere prayers will be answered, somewhere, sometime, somehow.”
- John 7:17 you must do first, and then you will know.
- Don’t you dare jump ship now! Stay faithful. If you have to lean on someone or something while you are solidifying your faith, LEAN ON ME! I have faith enough and knowledge enough for both you and myself. Miracles come after faith.
- Faith comes due to obedience. Just make the decision NOW that you are going to be obedient in every regard. PERIOD. No more vacillating, no more wondering, no more experimenting. OBEY!
- Never forget that in this work, the spirit is the beginning, the middle, and the end. How do you create a spiritual atmosphere such that investigators can feel something?
- The missionary lessons are designed to do one thing — invite the spirit to witness to investigators.
- REPENTANCE – if any one of you needs to repent, do it now. Repentance is a beautiful thing, it is not scary or negative or ugly or demeaning.
- You are our message to the world. Your integrity, your spiritual image, your presence.
- I bear witness of the bright and morning star (Jesus), the light by which we see everything else. Your mission should be your rendezvous with Deity. I hope you have some anguish on your missions so that you will, in a very small way, better understand the anguish Jesus experienced because of us. The Crucifixion of Friday is always followed by the Resurrection of Sunday!
- I bear witness of the Bishop and Shepherd of our souls. You will always have the Lord and His angels around you on your mission.
- I bear witness of Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He means everything to me.
- I bless you as if I actually had my hands on your heads. May you have a wonderful, successful mission. I bless you with happiness, faith, true repentance, and hope. You are engaged in the most important and inspirational work on this planet!
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