Reference talk by Jeffrey R Holland in October 2012 Conference - The First Great Commandment
The
life altering journey of the disciples began with instruction on where
to place the net in order to productive. Jesus finds the discouraged
fisherman on the shoreline and tells them to launch the boat out into
the deep and cast their net. We read in Luke 5:5 that Simon Peter is a
bit frustrated by this suggestion, “Master, we have toiled all the
night and taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the
net.” Following the guidance of Jesus they caught many fish, felt the
spirit of a miraculous event and were filled with humility. Verse 8 goes
on to tell us that in Peter’s emotional unworthiness he fell down at
the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man.”
And in verse 11 we learn that they anchored the ship at the shore, left
it and followed the Savior.
Jesus
explained many times that he would not always be with them. Elder
Holland explains, “they either could not or would not comprehend such a
wrenching thought.” He references Mark chapter 9 verses 31 and 32 - “for
he said unto them, The son of man is delivered into the hands of men,
and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the
third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask
him.”
How often are we afraid to know truth and decide that we are more comfortable now knowing?
The
disciples spent three glorious years with the Savior until his
crucifixion. Once resurrected and physically gone from their presence
the disciples were at a loss, “what do we do now” was the question they
asked Peter.
Today
I ask you to reflect on a life changing experience - giving birth to
and raising children, a family vacation, a special event that you
coordinated, a service project, pursuit of higher education. Do not
think just of the vantage point of that event but ponder instead on the
journey. What did you experience along the path and how were you changed
by that experience?
I
began the pursuit of my degree in August of 2011. While each individual
has their reasons for attaining a degree my reason in the beginning was
simply to satisfy my employer. It wasn’t long before I recognized that
gaining knowledge is a spiritual experience and that what I am learning
now I get to keep forever. This journey has been filled with life
altering conviction and given me new insight into important truths. I am
halfway into this journey and now I see the other end of the tunnel.
Friends will often ask, “what are you going to do once you have your
degree?”
This question is similar to that of the disciples, “what do we do now?”
Towards
the end of his talk Elder Holland explains, “After an encounter with
the living Son of the living God, nothing is to be as it was before. We
can’t quit and we can’t go back.” The essence of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ is to love. The world in which we live was created for us by a
loving father in Heaven. LOVE is in everything and LOVE must be at the
foundation of everything we do. In reflection of your life altering
experience consider the significance of the passion that energized you,
apply what you learned along the way and then recognize that those
moments are customized just for you. Love from a Father in Heaven who
sees your potential and asks only that you love Him back. And this was
essentially what he asked of Peter on that day. “Peter, do you LOVE me?”
