Instruction from Elder Zeballos

Yesterday I had the rare opportunity to attend Church in the ward where Sister May and our daughter Sarah attend. It is also the ward that Elder Zeballos attends with his family. What a blessing to have the opportunity to be taught by him. I testify that he is called of the Lord as one of His chosen servants to teach and instruct us in the ways of the Lord.

In Sunday school class, we talked about the importance of having a living prophet to guide and direct us in these latter days. Elder Zeballos shared with us some wonderful insights regarding the importance of following the prophet. He explained that during the week before conference, he has the opportunity attend with other members of the Seventy a training meeting with First Presidency and another meeting with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In the meeting with the First Presidency, President Monson introduces a key point of emphasis or theme as a focus for the Church. In 2009 it was rescuing our less active members by visiting them to invite them to come back. Elder Zeballos said this year´s focus from President Monson was just three words, “Obey the commandments.”

Elder Zeballos went on to share some powerful counsel given by President Spencer W. Kimball in regards to obedience. President Kimball stated that they are three basic things that keep us from progressing in this life:
1. Sin.

2. Lack of faith.

3. Lack of desire to serve.
In Preach My Gospel, it defines sin as disobedience to God’s commandments and results in becoming separated from God (Preach My Gospel pg. 61). We are disobedient because we lack faith in Jesus Christ and when we lack faith in Christ, we have less of a desire to serve Him.

Why do we sin, lack faith, and have a lack of desire to serve? If we put this question in the positive, it would be, “Why are we obedient, have faith in Jesus Christ, and desire to serve Him? Elder Zeballos shared with us the following scriptures found in Moroni 7:42-44 that provides the answer:
42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.
43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.

If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

In other words, it all goes back to the two basic commandments to love God and love our fellowmen. Was not love the motivating factor for Heavenly Father to create the plan of happiness He did so that we could progress by coming to earth to learn and progress and someday become like Him and return to His presence? Was not love the motivating factor that Heavenly Father sent His only begotten Son to atone for our sins so that we could be saved and return to His presence?
We love him, because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).
So as we can see, it all began with Heavenly Father´s profound love for us, His children. So much that He sent His only begotten Son to the world to stand in our place to satisfy the demands of justice for all those who repent and strive to keep all of His commandments by suffering for our sins.

Our Christ like attribute that we are focusing on for the month of October is charity. What greater thing can we do to show our love for God and others than by being obedient with exactness to the commandments and to help our companions, fellow missionaries, members, and investigators do the same?

We love you and pray that each of us can develop greater love of God and others,
President May