“Lovest Thou Me More Than These?”
Open talk in Gospel LibraryContents
Before Reading
Before reading or listening to the talk, consider the following questions:
- What does the question "Lovest thou me more than these?" mean to you personally?
- How can our love for Jesus Christ be reflected in our daily actions?
- What are some ways we can show that we value our relationship with God and Jesus Christ more than the things of this world?
- What does it mean to let God prevail in your life?
- How can we demonstrate our love for the Lord?
Topics
Understanding the Question "Lovest Thou Me More Than These?"
President Ballard discusses the significance of the question Jesus asked Peter after His resurrection. This question can be interpreted in many ways, but essentially, it is about our priorities, our values, and what truly brings us joy and happiness. It challenges us to evaluate whether we value our relationship with the Lord more than the things of this world.
Do you wonder what Jesus was referring to when He asked Peter, "Lovest thou me more than these?"
This may be a question about what we really value in life, who we follow, and how we view our relationships with family members and neighbors. Or maybe He is asking what really brings us joy and happiness.
- What do you think Jesus was referring to when He asked Peter, "Lovest thou me more than these?"
- How can this question be applied to our lives today?
- What does this question reveal about our priorities and values?
- How would you answer the question "Lovest thou me more than these?"
- What are some things in your life that might compete with your love for the Savior?
- What steps can you take to ensure that your love for the Lord is your top priority?
Following Jesus Christ and His Teachings
President Ballard emphasizes the importance of following Jesus Christ and His teachings. When we love and follow Him, we express faith in Him, repent, receive the Holy Ghost, endure to the end, forgive others, strive to keep God’s commandments, and prepare ourselves for His Second Coming.
When we love and follow Him, we have faith in Him. We repent. We follow His example and are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. We endure to the end and stay on the covenant path.
We prepare ourselves for His Second Coming.
- What does it mean to love and follow Jesus Christ?
- How does our love for Jesus Christ influence our actions and decisions?
- How can following Jesus Christ prepare us for His Second Coming?
- What are some ways you can better follow Jesus Christ and His teachings?
- How has your love for Jesus Christ influenced your actions and decisions?
- What steps can you take to prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?
Letting God Prevail in Our Lives
President Ballard discusses the importance of letting God prevail in our lives. He references President Nelson's teachings about the meaning of the word "Israel" and the importance of allowing God to be the most important influence in our lives.
President Dallin H. Oaks, speaking in 2017, noted the following: "These are challenging times, filled with big worries: wars and rumors of wars, possible epidemics of infectious diseases, droughts, floods, and global warming."
We must always remember that our true happiness depends upon our relationship with God, with Jesus Christ, and with each other.
- What does it mean to let God prevail in your life?
- How can we allow God to be the most important influence in our lives?
- How does our relationship with God and Jesus Christ influence our happiness?
- How can you let God prevail in your life?
- What steps can you take to make God the most important influence in your life?
- How has your relationship with God and Jesus Christ influenced your happiness?
Loving and Serving Others
President Ballard encourages us to demonstrate our love for the Lord by loving and serving others. He suggests that as we focus on loving our neighbors as He loves them, we start to truly love those around us.
One way to demonstrate our love is by joining family, friends, and neighbors in doing some small things to better serve each other. Do things that make this world a better place.
As we focus on loving our neighbors as He loves them, we start to truly love those around us.
- How can we demonstrate our love for the Lord?
- Why is it important to love and serve others?
- How does loving our neighbors reflect our love for the Lord?
- What are some ways you can show love and serve others?
- How has loving and serving others deepened your love for the Lord?
- What steps can you take to better love your neighbors as the Lord loves them?
The Love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
President Ballard testifies of the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for us. He emphasizes how Heavenly Father prepared His plan of salvation with a Savior as the central figure, and how Jesus volunteered to be our Savior and Redeemer so that we could become like Them and return to Their presence.
I testify that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. I testify that They love us.
Heavenly Father so loved us that He prepared His plan of salvation with a Savior as the central figure. And Jesus so loved us that in the great Council in Heaven, when Heavenly Father asked, "Whom shall I send?" Jesus, who was the firstborn of all the Father’s spirit children, answered, "Here am I, send me."
- What does President Ballard testify about the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
- How does the plan of salvation demonstrate the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for us?
- How does Jesus volunteering to be our Savior and Redeemer reflect His love for us?
- How have you felt the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in your life?
- How can understanding the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ help you to love and serve others?
- What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
