It can be hard to maintain faith when things don't go as expected. (Come Follow Me)

Matthew

28:19-20

Let's assume that the first thing that Jesus said after his resurrection was very, very important. We should consider his few sentences carefully. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." The primary responsibility that Jesus is giving to his apostles is to preach the gospel to those who do not know.

We should take this to heart. If Jesus appeared to a congregation, what would he say? I have to assume that his main point would be to direct us to teach the gospel.

Christ's gospel is the source of lasting and true happiness in this life and the pathway to eternal progression in the next. It's true that everyone is going to hear the gospel at some point (in this life or the next), but to learn about it in mortality is a huge advantage to having a happy, productive time while on earth. We should want that for our friends and neighbors.

The phrase, "every member a missionary" began when Jesus was first resurrected. I don't think this has changed in any way since then.

Mark

16:3

The women acted. They bought sweet spices to anoint Christ's body. They were marching towards the sepulchre. Along the way, they did some thinking. "And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?" They didn't really have a plan but were moving their feet towards Jesus.

I think this is an example of how we can be in our discipleship. I think we think too much about how we are going to do things. I think we need to just move our feet more.

Thinking can derails us. For example:

• We receive the prompting to call someone but we hesitate and talk ourselves out of it.

• We have a new idea but then our brains consider all of the obstacles.

• We want to make improvements to our lives but are waiting for the stars to align or conditions to be perfect.

I heard recently that Jewish people have a philosophy of "act and then the faith comes" and Christians are more "have faith and then act." Both are good but I think we need a little more acting.

In the case of Mary, the problem that they were imagining didn't exist. I think it's that way for us.

16:9

"Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils." The first human to see the resurrected Savior was Mary who "he had cast seven devils."

Two things:

1. This demonstrates the importance and significance of women and specifically Mary. It wasn't happenstance that Mary was the first. Women are special. Mary was special.

2. The fact that she had a past didn't disqualify her for greatness and prominence later. She didn't need to be perfect to have future glory. Jesus could have appeared to someone with a near-spotless "record." He didn't and that says something.

16:11, 13

The apostles didn't believe. Mary ran to tell them what she had seen. "And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not." It's our nature to not believe fantastic stories that we didn't witness with our own eyes.

After two other apostles saw the Lord, "...they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them." I can't judge the apostles. Seeing Christ crucified was shocking to them. He was supposed to be the Messiah and they had seen him executed like a common criminal. They were likely VERY confused. As I would be.

We should recognize this mortal tendency to not believe. It's probably some physiological protection baked into our DNA. We often believe what we see only.

This mortal test is based on our ability to believe things that cannot be verified with our eyes. The point of leaving our Heavenly Father's presence was to see how we would do on our own - without proof! If God showed himself to us each day, it wouldn't be much different than the spirit world was!

We just need to be aware of this tendency and be more willing to believe and live our lives in faith.

16:15-16

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Again, the primary direction from Jesus was to preach the gospel. It is the same for us. I dont think many of us are taking that very seriously.

On the saved vs. damned thing, I don't see this as a pronouncement on the future destination of anyone who doesn't believe the gospel when they hear it.

However, I do believe that the gospel is what opens the door to progression. The gospel is what allows peace. The gospel is what allows us to overcome the trials that each of us must endure. Knowing the gospel allows us to move through life with the right perspective - allowing us to make decisions that will bless ourselves and others. The gospel = progression.

Those to don't believe the gospel are, in a way, damned. They are not instantly damned to hell but are damned in that their progress is frustrated. Where they could be making spiritual progress each day, they might simply be running in the hamster wheel of this life - going nowhere. That's literally the definition of damnation.

24:10-11

"It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not." The apostles weren't listening very well. I believe that the women got a few sentences in and the men turned off their hearing.

We probably do that too much. We listen until we get the gist of what someone's saying and then start working on our rebuttal or thinking about something else.

A trick to making yourself a better listener is to listen and then say back to the person what they just said in your own words. This has at least four benefits:

1. You really have to pay attention.

2. The person feels good that you're really listening.

3. If you are misunderstanding, they get a chance to further clarify.

4. When someone hears their words back and it doesn't sound quite right, they will often amend what they've just said.

Try this next time someone is talking to you. It is especially helpful if it's an emotional conversation.

24:25-27, 31-32

Jesus meets two men on the road to Emmaus. They explain the details of what had been happening over the last three days. "Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself."

These men were considering the past few days without considering these events in the context of millennia of prophets' writings. They were seeing what happened to Jesus completely disconnected from past prophecy.

How many of us would do the same? How many of us do this very thing right now? The signs of the times are all around us. How often to we connect what we see in the news to what has been prophecied? It's easy to forget the past when faced with a current event that is astounding. As we see world conditions twist and turn, we should remember to see things in context.

Jesus takes the time to expound on what "Moses and all the prophets" had said "concerning himself." Why did these two get an extended lesson? Who knows. There must have been a good reason for Jesus to do it.

It's interesting that they didn't recognize him right away - especially when he started instructing them. But, in verse 16, we read, "But their eyes were holden that they should not know him." The footnote on holden suggests "restrained." What happened exactly I am not sure - but they didn't recognize him.

In verse 31, we read, "And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight." Whether this was a physical change or their thinking became more clear, I'm not sure.

One thing is sure, recognition or not, was how they felt when Jesus talked. "And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" I think it's likely that they didn't really remember all that Jesus had taught them. But, they would never forget how his words and presence made them feel. We can learn from this. It's not what we say when we teach but what the learners feel from the Holy Ghost that will make an impact.

24:41

This is an interesting phrase. "And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered." What does this mean? I think a similar, current phrase, could be "it's too good to be true." Sometimes, something happens that is so good, we have a hard time believing it.

I think our brains are wired to anticipate the worst possible outcome. We have an easy time believing bad news but, for some reason, we struggle with believing good news. We are still afraid that what we are hearing might not actually be true. It may be a defense mechanismm that protects us. By hoping that something good is actually happening, we're making ourselves vulnerable to disappointment.

These men had faced a substantial disappointment. The person they believed to be the Messiah had just died. To actually believe that he wasn't dead was to get their hopes up again.

24:44-48

He teaches them some core principles:

• "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me." He points out that this isn't happening out of the blue. This death and resurrection had been foretold. They didn't just need to believe their eyes - they could lean on the prophecies of past prophets.

• "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." It was key that they understood the scriptures. Certainly, they needed to connect the dots between the scriptures and Christ's death and resurrection. "And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day."

• "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things." He is now giving them their specific assignment. They were to be missionaries, beginning in Jerusalem.

John

20:17

"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." I love the JST of this verse. Joseph changed "touch me not" to "hold me not." It communicates a level of closeness between Jesus and Mary. It's one thing to be prevented to touch the Savior. It's another that she has him in full embrace and he's explaining that she needs to let go so he can ascend to his Father. This holy embrace must have been a beautiful sight.

I also like how Jesus is explaining that his Father is also our Father. We are Christ's brothers. We can have a close relationship with God too. He isn't some distant, unknowable force. He is our father.

20:19, 21, 26

Three times, the Lord tells his apostles, "peace be unto you." Why were these four words so important that they had to be repeated?

• The apostles were in a state of turmoil. Their leader had just been executed. They had believed in something glorious and it appeared that it had ended. They had left their lives for this mission and now they didn't know what to do. Truly, their lives were in upheaval and they needed someone telling them to have peace.

• Christ was successful in his mission. Christ had overcome the world.

• They were going to be asked to do hard things. Christ knew that they were all going to suffer and die for the gospel. He needed them to feel peace while they suffered. He needed them to have an eternal perspective to withstand the upcoming trials.

20:29

"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." Thomas had faith. He also had the benefit of witnessing the Savior with his eyes and touching him with his hands. This didn't disqualify his belief - but his belief was easier to come by. Truly, seeing can be believing - but faith is not involved.

Those who do not see, but still believe, are arguably more blessed. We must exercise faith to believe. Because we are acting in faith, not sight, our spiritual character is enlarged.

It is true that every knee shall bow. Every tongue shall confess that Jesus is the Christ. For some, it will be about faith. Others, it will be because they finally see and hear the Savior. It is better if we can believe without seeing. If God has to literally tell us everything for us to believe, it's going to be a long, frustrating eternity for all of us.

21:3

"Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing." These men didn't understand the mission and purpose of their call. They didn't understand the commitment they were making when they first accepted the request to follow Jesus.

They likely assumed that the job was done. Jesus had fulfilled his mission. He had died and was resurrected. They believed that it was finished.

I don't blame them. We'd all probably think the same thing. I would have assumed that I had served a three year mission and that my call was over. I've served two missions and my service as a missionary is definitely different than my life as a "fisherman." There seems to be a line. It's that way for me and it appears to be that way for these early apostles.

21:15-17

Jesus asks Peter the same question three times. "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."

This conversation always hits me. I empathize with Peter. It would have been uncomfortable to hear this question three times. Jesus was making the point that, if Peter loved him, he would continue God's work rather than pursue Peter's work.

Couldn't we imagine Jesus asking that same question over and over again as we go about our lives. The problem is priority. What do we give priority to in our day, week, month or year?

Surely, if asked, we would all admit that we love Jesus - just as Peter did. Imagine if Jesus kept repeating that question but followed up the question with "gather Israel." How would we respond? Would we push that aside and keep doing what we regularly do? Or, would we repent like Peter and focus on gathering Israel?

President Nelson said that gathering Israel was "the most important work" we could do. After he said that, how many of us made gathering Israel a priority? Forget priority - how many of us made it a single item on our daily to-do?

There are a myriad of ways that we can gather Israel:

• Share the gospel in normal and natural ways. We should, at least, not be embarrassed about talking about our church activity with others.

• Sort out our family history and submit names to the temple.

• Visit the temple to stand as proxy for those who can't.

• Strengthen the members we associate with. Follow promptings in and outside of the church building.

• Be an example of a disciple of Christ. Look for opportunities to serve.

We all need to take care of our temporal needs. We all can't abandon our jobs and gather Israel full-time. However, all of us can step up our efforts in doing the most important thing we can do.

21:25

"And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen." John is saying that he didn't write but the smallest fraction of what Jesus did and said. Jesus must have taught and served and healed continuously. He was never idle.

His early life was, no doubt, busy with preparation. His knowledge of the scriptures was built during this time. His effort towards his progression was unmatched.

His ministry was certainly continuous. It was three years of morning until night. He didn't take vacations. He showed his love for us in every way. One was was the effort he put into his life.

He didn't only die for us. He lived for us. He lived deeply. He worked hard to make the biggest impact possible during his life.

As in all things, it's a good example for us in attempting to make every day as full as possible. His was a beautifully full life.