WALK IN TRUTH

Assignment:

Read 3 John 1:1–11. Write a brief comparison between the actions of Gaius and Diotrephes.

 

Read the institute student manual Points to Ponder section, “Disobedience to Priesthood Authority” (p.441). List some of the results that come to those who criticize the leaders of the Church. 

Read Alma 39:11. What influence could Gaius’s and Diotrephes’s examples have on others?

When we serve others we follow Christ’s example. When we assist, support, and welcome the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints into our lives and homes we also welcome the Savior into our lives and homes. It is the same as if we have done those things for Him. When we reject them we also reject him.

Gaius received and gave shelter, food, and other support to not only the leaders of the church in his time, but also to others that likewise needed his help. In an opposite contrast, “Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth [them] not” (3 John 1:9), and spoke out publicly in “malicious words” against John and others. Diotrephes  “not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church” (3 John 1:10).

When we rebel against the leaders God has called we need to remember that in doing so we rebel against God himself.  From our student manual we learn Brigham Young said, “You cannot destroy the appointment of a prophet of God, but you can cut the thread that binds you to the prophet of God, and sink yourselves to hell.’”

And also that President Harold B Lee taught: “Those who criticize the leaders of this Church are showing signs of a spiritual sickness which, unless curbed, will bring about eventually spiritual death. I want to bear my testimony as well that those who in public seek by their criticism, to belittle our leaders or bring them into disrepute, will bring upon themselves more hurt than upon those whom they seek thus to malign. …” (in CR, Oct. 1947, p. 67.)

So how do we invite the leaders of the church into our homes and lives today?

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What about in our Wards and Stake? Do we participate in Ward and Stake activities? When the Stake President speaks in Stake Conference do we write down his invitations to change, repent, or other ways he may ask us to serve God by serving those in our stake and our fellowmen? And do we act on those invitations?

Moses Lake, WA Stake Center

Do we listen to the Bishop (or his counselors and auxiliary leaders), counsel with him, and sincerely support the decisions he makes in our Ward?

Do we accept assignments cheerfully and then follow through and complete those assignments?

Do we visit those we are assigned to Home Teach or Visiting Teach every month? Are we sincerely concerned for their welfare?

The New Testament manual quotes President James E. Faust (1920–2007) of the First Presidency cautioning: “There is a certain arrogance in thinking that any of us may be more spiritually intelligent, more learned, or more righteous than the councils called to preside over us. Those councils are more in tune with the Lord than any individual person they preside over” (Finding Light in a Dark World [1995], 121).

President Thomas S. Monson

We believe a prophet lives on earth today.
Do we study his words and implement them?

Do we subscribe to the Ensign so we have access in our home to the monthly messages and teachings of the apostles and prophets? 

Do we access those teachings at all? 

The teachings are instantly available on digital devices anywhere and anytime. Do we bother to peruse those messages? 

Do we regularly review and study the General Conference messages? 

And do we keep our lives and homes in order and prepared to welcome any visitor that needs our hospitality? If the prophet visited our stake and asked to come have a nap at our house for an hour would he feel at ease and rest? And would we? What if it were the Temple President, or the Mission President, or one of their family members? 

Would we be prepared to offer them food or lodging, even if very simply? 

What if it is just another member of the church passing through our area?

Apparently Gaius “doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers” (3 John 1:5). When we love and serve in this way we follow the example of kindness established by Jesus Christ to help our fellow men, particularly our own family members, and members of the church.

The example of our actions influences others to believe in Christ, and the words of his servants, or may detract from their redeeming message.

And I must come in and edit this post: Minutes after publishing this assignment my Relief Society President sent a group text to the sisters in our ward (that have available cell phones) asking for someone to feed our threesome of Elders this week beginning on Sunday. I kind of hoped Sunday would be taken quickly, it is my only day to myself and my only real chance to visit with family and do family history etc. It is also the only day we have time to feed the missionaries. Sunday was available. This Sunday I will spend the afternoon preparing to feed three hungry young men. And this Friday my husband will clean the house while I finish my assignments.

Writing about, and expounding principles is simple, but do my actions align?

Every day is a choice!