Wonderful Talk Mom

Jeffery R. Holland—Nov 5,2011

--Missionary Fireside in Anchorage

The Plight of the Apostles after Christ died.

· How much could they really know? They had been in the church three years or less. They probably felt so inadequate, so humble, and did not fully comprehend what was required of them. And then He was gone. He has repeatedly tried to tell them, I am going to leave. Possibly they didn’t quite believe it. Now he was gone.

· One thing the twelve did—they went to the temple

Why do we go to the temple? To get fortified, so Peter and John went. On the way, there was a man sitting on the steps of the temple about 40 years of age who had been crippled since birth. He was a beggar. The temple is a good place to find people who care where he could get alms. He was carried there every day to beg. (Acts 3:1-13) (Elder Holland uses literary license here) He probably asks for alms and many move past him into the temple. When he saw Peter and John were about to go into the temple he asks for alms. They stopped. Peter said, “Look on us.” The beggar looked expecting to receive something. Probably a dinare-n “widow’s mite or if he was lucky he might get two. And then wow, what did he get. “… Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee; In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6) And he took his hand and lifted him up and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. “And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping and praising God.” (Acts 3:8) Elder Holland said notice those verbs—the man deserved those verbs, he had never walked and now was leaping and praising God. A crowd gathers; they have known this man for years, and they marvel in amazement at what they see. This is probably an understatement. Peter is offended and asks why they are amazed. Why weren’t you amazed before? Then Peter rails on the crowd. Why do you look on us as if we had done this thing.

“the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his son Jesus; who ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

“But denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

“And killed the Prince of life, who God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, who ye see and know; yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. (Acts 3: 13-16).

Peter goes on to say they are offended because they think the apostles have done this. We are fishermen except when we are given the authority that Christ gave us. He tells them to repent and be baptized and prophesied the coming of a great prophet whom we know to be Joseph Smith. Christ will return, repent until He comes again, until the time of restoration of all things.

Five thousand people were baptized. These apostles were untrained, unlearned Galileans—unprepared, illiterate, common, religious ordinary leaders. Much like today

Now the Pharisees and scribes have a problem. The problem didn’t go away when they crucified Christ. It is still here. They are doing miracles, and now the worst scenario is here. They are being done by fishermen, ignorant and illiterate.

Symbolic Problem: A man is healed, praising God all over the area, and the Pharisees can say nothing. They can’t do anything about this active visual aid who is leaping around. Their problem didn’t go away when they killed Jesus.

Another example also exists. In John 9, we read of Jesus healing a man who has been blind since birth. He spit and made clay and anointed his eyes. The man’s sight was restored and Christ tells him to tell no man. The man was so excited to have his sight he tells everyone. The Pharisees go to his parents and tell them to constrain their son. The parents fear the Jews and tell the Pharisees their son is of age, and they should talk to him. So the Pharisees do, and the man says,” Whereas, I was blind, now I see.” They can’t deny it.

There are three applications we can find here:

1. You can’t argue with the evidence. You can walk away; maybe you don’t care; you can say it’s not for me; but the evidence continues to speak throughout eternity-- this is true.

· You don’t have to do anything about it; you can be through with it.

· This is God’s truth, and you have heard it! We are all a little blind, a little deaf, a little lame, a little damaged, but light changes your life. It can be yours if you want it to be

· By their fruits ye shall know them. The church grows despite persecution. The church is the first into any disaster area; faster than any other organization. It doesn’t ask if you are members or not. We’re there. Can’t argue with the evidence.

2. When you come to the truth, you get a lot more than you bargained for.

· Think of what the man felt in the temple. He thought he would get a coin—What did he get? In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth he walked. No coin but strong ankles.

· How about Joseph Smith.? He wanted an answer to a simple question. What did he get? The responsibility to restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

· You have not yet imagined what the Lord promised to those who love him. No idea what this gospel will mean to you. You haven’t seen anything yet. Both here and in eternity.

3. You can’t kill this.

· James the brother of John was the first apostle martyred for the church.

· Paul was beheaded. He was drawn and quartered and parts of his bodies were put on the four corners of Rome, and his head placed on a stake in the center of Rome as a warning to other Christians.

· Peter was crucified upside down so as not to appear to be the equal of the Savior.

· The Lord said to Alma in a pivotal point in the Book of Mormon. “I can do my own work. This is for you.”

· This is the last time. These are the Latter Days. It is a culminating time.

· Joseph Smith was killed, but it didn’t end. It is history. Some believe if you are violent enough, you can destroy righteousness. Violence can’t destroy righteousness.

· Now I (Elder Holland) am a witness. I don’t just witness. I am a witness. You can walk away or walk in. But you have been told. He bore his testimony of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This was a profoundly moving talk. You felt the apostolic mantle on Elder Holland. He spoke with power and authority. He did not mince words. There was urgency in his speaking. There were new converts, and investigators in the audience. I pray they were as moved as I was. To have been told and not “walk in” would be a tragedy.