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[00:00:00] Tammy Uzelac Hall: In 1987, President Ezra Taft Benson, in his talk called The Savior's Visit to America, said this, Third Nephi contains some of the most moving and powerful passages in all scripture. It testifies of Jesus Christ, his prophets, and the doctrines of salvation. I love that quote so much because I don't know that anything encapsulates how I also feel about 3rd Nephi, specifically the chapters we get to study this week, which are 3rd Nephi chapter 17 through 19. Now last week's guest called it Christmas. And I could not agree more. And we're going to study a couple of these chapters. Again, we did it last week and we're doing it this week because in all honesty, who doesn't love Christmas to last more than one day. I am so excited to discuss these chapters with my guests and for all of us this week to feel the power of these moving messages.

Welcome to the Sunday on Monday study group, a desert bookshelf plus original brought to you by LDS living, where we take the come follow me lesson for the week, and we really dig into the scriptures together. I'm your host, Tammy. Use a lack hall. If you're new to our study group, please follow the link in our description, and it's going to explain how you can best use this podcast to enhance your come follow me study.

Just like my friend Amy Gillespie, and she's from Alpine and Amy. I loved your Summer of Joy posts on Instagram all summer long. You guys need to go check it out. It was so much fun. It was amazing to read. Okay. Now the other awesome thing about our study group is each week we're joined by two of my friends.

And so it's always a little bit different. And today is a lot of bit different. I have two guests who've never been on, but I've been begging them to be on for a while. And they finally agreed. I caught him. I caught him in a moment of weakness. Huh, ladies.

[00:01:44] Penny Taylor: That's right.

[00:01:47] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I have Amy Stokes and Penny Taylor. Hello.

[00:01:50] Amy Stokes: Well, hi.

[00:01:51] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Okay. This is so fun. All right. Let's just say how we know each other. Cause it's such a good story.

[00:01:57] Amy Stokes: Yeah. So this is Amy and I went to junior high with Tammy and I don't know what year that was. Will it, do we need to go back that far? But we became fast friends. And if anybody needs any dirt on her, I've got some great pictures, junior high pictures of her.

[00:02:15] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, do we have a dirt? Um, Amy was one of my favorite friends because she had a video camera and I know there's all of these fun TV shows now that go back and chronicle all the videos they made. But boy, if people could get ahold of the videos we made, that's right. It's embarrassing.

[00:02:34] Amy Stokes: We did do a talk show, so

[00:02:37] Tammy Uzelac Hall: We did, but what did we call the talk show?

[00:02:39] Amy Stokes: It was the Roan Jivers talk show,

[00:02:41] Tammy Uzelac Hall: and we had big red glasses, didn't we?

[00:02:46] Amy Stokes: I don't know. I'm going to find this video. I swear I'm going to find this video before. We end this time on earth, probably take that long.

[00:02:57] Tammy Uzelac Hall: It will. Somewhere in the annals of the Stokes family. That's right. How fun is this? So here's how I reconnected with Amy because I moved in high school and went to Missouri and went to high school there. And then, you know, mission BYU career, everything hadn't seen Amy in a very long time. And then I got invited to a Christmas party by another mutual friend and I show up and there's Amy and Penny. So that's the first time I met them. And that was like 20 years ago, I think. Yes. Right about that. Yeah. A long time ago.

So we rekindled our union. It was so exciting to see Amy. And then I got married and I moved into the house where I'm living in right now. And we get these new neighbors across the street and his name's Max and Max Stokes and his wife, Emily Stokes. And I didn't even connect that you, you guys were related until like a year after they'd been here.

And then I don't know how I found it out, but I realized that Max was your brother. And I walked right over to his house, rang the doorbell. He opened the door and I hugged him and I said, you're related to Amy. She's one of my favorites. We are friends for life, Max.

[00:04:01] Amy Stokes: Well, isn't he lucky? Ah,

[00:04:03] Tammy Uzelac Hall: so now every time Amy comes over for a family party, she does a little drop by and I get to see her and it makes me happy. Okay, now Amy, how do you know Penny?

[00:04:11] Amy Stokes: So Penny and I met in 1997. She moved into the college housing place I was living. It was funny because Um, far more outgoing, Penny, would you agree? That's true. I'll give you that. We are very different in this. And I wanted to be friends with her, and it took her about four months to decide that she wanted to be friends with me. But after that, it was like kindred spirits from there on, so.

[00:04:41] Penny Taylor: Yes. And I, I. Was wanting to move in with a couple of friends of mine and all I heard about was this girl that Couldn't make up her mind if she was gonna move or buy a house So I initially start off like this girl needs to make up her mind So we can we can move in and and it it turned out to be Amy was the the girl Usually very decisive was indecisive, but luckily she stayed

[00:05:06] Amy Stokes: and she wanted me out. Yeah. She told me that she wanted me out

[00:05:11] Tammy Uzelac Hall: and now you guys have been best friends. In fact, they own a business together. That's right. Just tell us about your business. I think it's the coolest

[00:05:21] Amy Stokes: Penny. What do we do?

[00:05:23] Penny Taylor: We do corporate gifts. And, uh, we've been doing this for, for many years. We actually started out of, um, college housing at, at BYU.

We're 24 years in, 24 years in, we had a little shelf of all of our products. I think it, it, um, it was on just one shelf by itself, you know, when, when someone called and from there we, we grew and grew and finally moved into a building that, that we actually thought we were big time at that point, because it was little.

Single office that we had rented and we have a building that we bought in South Salt Lake And it's just been amazing to see how it's grown over the years

[00:06:04] Tammy Uzelac Hall: and they do the cutest gift baskets. They're so Cute and every time you guys were throughout the years Since I'm not about this business. It's funny because every time you post that you're hiring, I always see the posts and I say to Jim, I'm going to apply to work for them.

And he's like, you can't, you don't have enough time, but I just want to work with Amy and Penny. Can you just hire a mascot? Can I just come and sit in your warehouse? Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. It's so cute. Their company is called Gift Hounds. How adorable is that? So this is going to be fun. We have years of friendship, years and years and years.

And so when I thought about doing these next three chapters, you just came to my mind and I can't wait to find out why and what you guys have to share because I don't know. I just. We don't talk a ton about religion. We're religious people and we're, we're friends and we love each other, but this is a, this is kind of new for us.

So it'll be fun for us to just sit and talk about Jesus and we're all three of us are nervous. We've all said that at the very beginning, um, how nervous we are. But the reality is, is we're talking about Jesus, so it can only be good.

[00:07:12] Amy Stokes: So Tammy, do you want me to tell them how I finally said yes to this?

[00:07:17] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, well we have to hear, maybe we'll, you know what, let's share that story when we talk about prayer. in our last segment. Okay. That's our teaser because it's a good story. I thought about it. Should we do it now? But then I thought. Actually, we're to talk about prayer at the very end, and then I'm going to have you tell us your story because it's so good. Okay. Stay tuned, everybody. Okay. If you want to see pictures of my guests and read their bios, you can find those in our show notes, which are at ldsliving. com slash Sunday on Monday. So everyone grab your scriptures and no matter how you're studying, you're studying with us right now. And let's dig into third Nephi chapter 17 through 19. Okay, you two right out of the gates. Tell me what did the Holy Ghost teach you as you read these three chapters?

[00:08:00] Penny Taylor: I initially noticed just love like Christ. I mean this this really was one of the most moving Examples in the scriptures to me of true compassion true desire to teach, you know and to lead people People to happiness. And so that was the first initial thought that came to my mind. And then as I got reading further into, uh, 35, 18, be the light of light.

Christ was an example that jumped out to me. And I love the 35, 18, 24, where it says, therefore hold up your light, that it may shine into the world. Behold, I am the light which ye shall hold up, that which ye have seen me do. And I just, I love this example that he's saying, I'm the light, use my example. You know, we are the, basically the means, we are not the savior ourselves, but we are the means of bringing others, um, to the savior.

And we are, we can be the light and the darkness, um, for people that, that when they're finding a, that they need a way out, that they need to overcome this darkness. So I love this example of him being the light.

[00:09:15] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Absolutely. for sharing that Penny. What about you, Amy?

[00:09:20] Amy Stokes: Yeah. Um, I. I immediately, I wasn't immediately, but as soon as I was like, okay, what is it?

It was that he wants everything for us and that his joy is full, um, when his father gives us these great blessings and he loves seeing us have faith and trusting that everything is there for us. And when I say everything, that's what I got out of this more than any other time in my life. I was like, he doesn't want us to be, he doesn't want anything kept from us.

And, uh, I'll share in third Nephi 19 verse 29, when he says, father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou has given me out of the world because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou father art in me, that we may be one that I may be glorified in them to make that comparison.

That as close as he is to his father that we could do that with him. That was just like, that's everything

[00:10:28] Tammy Uzelac Hall: it is. That's everything. I'm putting that next to that verse. That's awesome. That's everything. And that it's not a trick, right? He's not trying to get you. He's so sincere with his words. Here it is.

Just take it. And this is what you have to do. And, and it in his, it's almost to me, he seems like, and it's easy and car hard, but you can do it because I'm going to help you, right? Like, and you get everything. I have this thought coming into my mind because I want to go back to what Penny said. And I'd love to know both of your thoughts on this.

I want to know how you, or maybe someone, you know, Is a light, like, what does that look like in everyday life?

[00:11:13] Penny Taylor: Initially, what jumped out in my mind is my dad, um, he's struggling a little bit right now with, with some dementia, but he is such a powerful light in my life that I feel like, uh, many times growing up, um, I leaned on him for my testimony.

That there were times in my life that, you know, maybe I was not pointed in the right direction. And I always came back because that light was so strong in my life. And he, he's the light for me. Both of my parents are, are very strong lights, but he, he was one that I could never fully turn away because I felt like this light was something I desired.

And, he, you know, wasn't, wasn't one to sit down and, and give us lectures or anything like that. He, he led by example. And he, He loved and he cared for others and he, he's constantly helping others, but this light that he was in my life and still is, was a very important part of growing up.

[00:12:34] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. I felt that as you said it, I believe that and how important that is to be the light for people.

Like, I love that you just testified of that, that what that light did for you. Thanks Penny. What about you Aime?

[00:12:46] Amy Stokes: Yeah, uh, to speak to her father for a minute. He's one of my favorite humans on earth. And for, to hear Penny talk about him, you can tell I'm cheering up as well. He's, uh, he's, he's a less talk, more do kind of person.

And everybody want, you want to be like him. Anyway, I echo her on that one. I'll add a few more. Um, our friends, we, we did a cruise. I think there were six or eight of us that went on a cruise and I don't know why this just came to me right now, but. Everybody's drinking quite, not our friends, everybody on the cruise is drinking quite a bit, and we're not, and we are having the best time.

And everybody can just, not everybody that's looking, but whoever's looking can see we're having a great time. And these guys just kept coming over going, what is it? And they just wanted to be around us. Anyway, and it wasn't, I'm not talking about like anything weird, nothing like that, but we all said amongst each other, they see something in us that they're not seeing anywhere else.

We just knew it. We're like, it's just different. We just shine a little bit differently.

[00:13:55] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I like that so much. We do shine a little bit differently. So thank you for pointing that both of you and for sharing what the Holy Ghost taught you because here's the cool thing. And as we were talking, I think every one of us.

We're taught by the Holy Ghost just in this one segment and testifying that what you said is true. So to those of us listening who shine just a little bit differently, it's important to know that yes, Jesus is talking to the Nephite people, but the reality is, is today he's speaking to us. He's speaking to us who shine a little bit differently.

And so in the next segment, we are going to dive into the words that he has for all of us. We'll do that next.

Segment 2

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[00:14:41] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Okay. My friend HB and many listeners know who that is. It's short for Holly Butterfield or Holly Butterfield Rawlings. Now she's married, but she found this really unique Bible at a thrift store and she gave it to me. And I'm wondering if either one of you had one of these growing up or have seen one of these.

No. It's like an old school Bible. I had one in my house. It was always open on this, like curio, it had our genealogy in the front of it. It was so crazy. I'd love to know where that ended up, but here's something unique about this old Bible. So I'm going to open to this page and I want you to describe to the listeners what you see when I open right up to the new Testament.

It's so much, right? It's so much red and writing notes. Yes. A ton of red lettering. Okay. Here's the reason it's red. It's red. In this type of Bible, anytime the Savior speaks, it's going to be in red. Oh, wow. Now, this is Luke chapter 16. And how, what would you say about the page? Is it mostly red or black?

It's 90 percent red. Yeah. Absolutely. So much red. And so these are kind of fun Bibles because you get to read actually what he said and that's all in red. And then the black is sort of the narration. So I showed that to you because I wanted to know after reading third Nephi chapter 17 through 19, how much would you say would be in red?

[00:16:05] Penny Taylor: Wow. I would say the majority of it.

[00:16:07] Amy Stokes: Yeah.

[00:16:08] Penny Taylor: 75%. Yeah.

[00:16:09] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah, absolutely. Right. It's really fun because if we did just third Nephi, I would say yes, 75, maybe more would just all be in red, but it was so shocking to me to just think of this Bible as I was reading third Nephi 17 through 19 because these chapters just seemed so.

me. It's literally what he said to the people. So knowing this, there's one word that he's going to say often, and I want us to mark this. So let's go to third Nephi chapter 17. We're going to look at verse one. Cause he says this word twice and then all throughout. And I want us to notice this as you're reading these chapters.

So here we go. Third Nephi chapter 17 verse one, Amy, will you read that for me?

[00:16:52] Amy Stokes: Behold, now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he looked roundabout again on the multitude and he said unto them, behold, my time is at hand.

[00:17:02] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Highlight the word behold. This is a really significant word in Hebrew.

Anytime you see the word behold in scripture, and we taught this a couple of weeks ago with Tamu and it was so much fun. The word behold is whoa. Like it is the way to grab your attention. Um, a Hebrew scholar once said in modern terms, he would say, dude, behold. You're not going to believe this. I mean, he wants a lot of emphasis.

What we're about to hear. Tamu a couple weeks ago said today her language of her son would be bruh. Pay attention, right? We have this behold, and there are so many beholds throughout this, and we're going to look at a couple of them. But one of the things I wanted us to pay attention to is right here in verse one, he says, behold, Jesus is saying, pay attention.

Like what I'm going to say next is super duper important. Behold, my time is at hand. And I, I wanted to know from the two of you, and I asked you to kind of think about this in light of this chapter, why do you think Jesus would give us a behold my time is at hand?

[00:18:07] Penny Taylor: Envisioned like he spent a quite some period of time, you know, teaching, teaching the people and the disciples and everything.

And they seem a little overwhelmed, um, with what he's teaching in it. And it kind of reminded me of like kids being in a classroom. They start to. You know, they're, they're listening, but they're kind of not. And it was very much like, Hey, this is really important stuff when I'm about to tell you, because I'm, I'm about to give you further instructions because I'm going to, to leave at this time.

Um, Amy makes fun of me because I, I, uh, sometimes zone in and out of, of her conversation or other conversations until I hear something important. And I'm like, wait, Wait a minute, back up, you know, and so she'll, I, I always, um, joke with her. You got to like, if it's important, you got to tell me it's important in the beginning, you know, like, but I, uh, yeah, that's, that's my own little issue problem there I need to work on, but it's, it just kind of reminded me of this, of like, okay.

Hey, I need your attention now because what I'm gonna tell you is it's gonna be really important.

[00:19:18] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, that's so fun. Amy from now on you can just say behold penny. Oh, I am so gonna use that.

[00:19:26] Amy Stokes: I think everything I say is important. Turns out she thinks about 10 percent of what I say was worth listening to.

[00:19:35] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah, there's gonna be a lot of beholds rolling around at Gift Hounds.

[00:19:38] Amy Stokes: From now on. Yeah, absolutely. Uh, I just thought that again, I mean, I didn't go, I guess deeper, but my time is and it's, it's now guys, it's now behold, it's this moment. Like don't put it off. We're here. It's, and I actually kind of, But now it's now or never. And then I was like, no, he's not a never guy. It's never, he doesn't use that. So it's like, it's now,

[00:20:05] Tammy Uzelac Hall: well, and I think it's so cool when we read this because now I'm wondering, cause he says, behold, my time is at hand. We know what's going to come. We know he's about to leave. So he's sort of prefacing it, like I'm about to leave, so you better pay attention.

I got to go back to the father. But then I wondered in our terms. If he's saying to you and I today, Behold, my time is at hand. He kind of switches it. He's not leaving. Instead he is He's coming. Behold, my time is at hand. What are you going to do with the time? Are you preparing? Are you ready? Are you the light?

I mean, he's, he's in fact, look at his first piece of advice to us in third Nephi 17 verse three. He says, therefore go into your homes. And I love that. Like, go back to your house, go back to your homes and your families. And then these words. Ponder upon the things which I've said, ask the father in my name that you may understand and prepare your minds for tomorrow.

And I come into you again. All right there. Great advice. So pay attention, dude, brah, the holes. We got some stuff to say. So knowing that that word is significant. Um, pay attention to it as we read throughout these three chapters because he says it often, but he says it when it's really important. And so in the next segment, we're going to read about a behold that actually incited emotion among the people.

We'll do that next.

Segment 3

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[00:21:40] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Okay. You too. This is a fun question. Um, when was the last time you saw someone in tears or maybe when you were in tears except for just recently, Amy, because you said you were emotional.

[00:21:51] Amy Stokes: Yeah. You mean five minutes ago? Yeah.

[00:21:55] Tammy Uzelac Hall: When was the last time you saw someone in tears?

[00:21:58] Amy Stokes: Uh, I don't know. I, I, I've worked with a lot of women and I would say almost every day there's somebody that's having a rough day, but yesterday it was me to be honest.

I was completely overwhelmed and, uh, had just gotten back from a little meeting and said, Penny, get in the car, let's go get a drink. Cause I just needed to like calm down, but I was on the verge of tears.

[00:22:22] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Absolutely. Penny, you cry often. Is Penny a crier?

[00:22:27] Amy Stokes: Oh, that's a great, there's so many stories to that.

Yes, but she doesn't let people know.

[00:22:36] Penny Taylor: That is, that is true. I am, uh, I don't know, I grew up kind of a tomboy with, uh, older brothers. And so it was kind of always, you know, don't, don't let them see you cry, just be tough and, and act like that didn't hurt and you'll be okay. Not that I was, I've heard all the time they're wonderful brothers, but I just, I kind of grew up with this mentality of, you know, that's all right, shake it off. I'll be fine. And, but yes, they're definitely those that are close to me. See me cry. Okay.

[00:23:08] Tammy Uzelac Hall: That is sweet. That's tender. In third Nephi chapter 17, we actually get to read about people who were in tears and who were willing to show their emotions so much so that it's written about. Let's go to third Nephi.

We're still in chapter 17 and now we're going to just read through verses two through five and we'll each take a verse. So we'll start with Amy and then we'll go Penny and then we'll go me.

[00:23:33] Amy Stokes: I perceive that ye are weak, that you cannot understand all my words, which I am commanded of the father to speak unto you at this time.

[00:23:41] Penny Taylor: Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow. And I come unto you again.

[00:23:54] Tammy Uzelac Hall: But now I go unto the Father, and also to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them.

[00:24:04] Amy Stokes: And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and, beheld, they were in tears. And did look steadfastly upon him as if they would, as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.

[00:24:21] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Highlight that, that they are in tears. And I think that verse tells us a little bit about that, but I want you guys to talk to me about why are they crying?

[00:24:30] Penny Taylor: I felt like when I was reading this, I almost felt like I was in the multitude with the people. It just, it's almost like a day that you just never want to end. That you're. Um, you're, you know, not necessarily that they're understanding everything that the teachings and everything, but they're taking it in as quickly as they can.

And it's just the feeling, the feeling that they have of having him there and having him nearby. And it's just like longing for more, you know, and it's just feeling that love that you don't want it to leave.

[00:25:08] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah, absolutely. I think many of us can relate to this experience where, especially in light of death when someone's about to leave and you just are crying because you want them to tarry with you a little longer.

Yeah, absolutely. So they're in tears. And then we have verse six, we have a behold right here, Amy, will you read verse six for us?

[00:25:30] Amy Stokes: Yeah. And he said unto them, behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.

[00:25:36] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Okay. Now, this often seems like a weird verse of scripture when you read this, because when you hear the word bowels, you immediately think of bowels.

But in scripture, it's a much different term. It's more broad. And so here's what you want to know about the word bowels. When you read that, it's the innermost part of your body. It's the organs and the muscles. that fill the space between the hip bones and your ribs up to your heart. So everything from your hip to your heart.

So name some of the things that are in your innermost parts. What does that all include?

[00:26:07] Amy Stokes: Well, my six pack abs are in there.

[00:26:10] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Fantastic. Six pack abs rock hard. Yeah.

[00:26:14] Amy Stokes: But I, I, I definitely thought my gut and I use that term a lot. It's just my gut.

[00:26:20] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah. Everything. What do you got, penny?

[00:26:24] Penny Taylor: Yeah, I was thinking of gut and heart, you know, it just. Within, just deep into the core.

[00:26:31] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Perfect. Deep into the core. It's all of that. Okay. So now that we know what bowels are, then it says they are filled with compassion. And I asked you two to think about this. Tell me, how would you describe the word compassion?

[00:26:44] Amy Stokes: I actually, I was glad you asked because once I really got thinking about that, I'm like, it's not feeling sorry for someone. Uh, it's loving them and seeing through all of the barriers and blocks that they put up to their vulnerability. But it's loving because we see the whole person. Hmm. And

[00:27:04] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I like that. I got to write that down. What about you, Penny?

[00:27:10] Penny Taylor: I think it's connecting with their suffering almost in a way that you suffer together because you're wanting, you're wanting to help.

You feel so deeply for this person and what they're, they're going through that you want to help them and to. Feel what that you feel what they're feeling as well. Gosh, these are great answers.

[00:27:32] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I'm writing everything you guys are saying what they're feeling. Okay. So let's just take a moment. We're going to take a break from the scriptures because here's the question I have for the two of you.

You've known each other forever, Dayton clear back to the nineties and you have been friends. You've been in thick of it for each other. And I want you to, I just want you to tell me. Have either one of you experienced having your bowels filled with compassion for each other? Your innermost parts just loving the person because you see that whole or you've connected with them and you feel what they're feeling.

Have either one of you felt that or having a story you could share about feeling that?

[00:28:10] Amy Stokes: If we haven't felt that, I'm not sure how we made it this long, right? I mean, I, so, so many, it's, there's no way I could count, but I mean, I could definitely tell you of a few. Um, I remember the first, my first memory of this was that in 2001, we started our business in 2000.

And so shortly after I was like, yeah, this business isn't going, I mean, it's, it's not really doing what I thought it would do. I think we should probably call it quits. And she looked at me with just this, are you, are you kidding me? Like I, she just had no, uh, no idea that that's how I was feeling. She was broken hearted about it.

I just thought, ah, we'll try this thing. I, I just, we just came at it differently. And uh, she burst into tears and it's one of the, I will never forget it cause it was my fault that I put her into tears. It was some of the worst tears I'd seen and I was like, okay, can we go, can I have a time machine? Can I go back and not say that?

And can we just, Okay, let's do this. And I'm like, let's go all in it. It probably changed us to just regarding business. It's like, we're all in, we're just all in. And no matter what we go through, we're going to be all in because we made that decision so long ago. That's, that's the first, I have a lot of them, but Penny, you take one. I mean,

[00:29:33] Penny Taylor: um, I think when Amy initially got diagnosed with diabetes, it was, um, it was My dad had, had been recently diagnosed at that time. And, and so I was kind of familiar with it and it was just this. Worry and compassion for her and wanting her to be okay. And I remember, you know, because she was, um, diagnosed type one, it was a little different with the low sugars and everything.

And I was constantly, I think I set my alarm about every hour to go check on her and just make sure she was doing okay. We were roommates at the time. And, and it was just one of those things that I just, I wanted so badly to just take it away from her, but I couldn't do that. And so I did what I could to help this suffering.

And, um, kind of lighten this burden. I even at times would, uh, eat sugar with her to make her feel better. All right. It was just, it was mostly me that felt better at that point, but it was just one of those things. I just, I wanted her to know that, you know, she's, she's like a sister I never had that we're, we're in this together and we can, as friends, we can lighten each other's burdens.

[00:30:51] Amy Stokes: Oh my gosh, the first like nights or night that I had to, I was released from the hospital. I had to go to the hospital, um, and stay a night and find out how to take insulin and all that. And I think it was that night that I got home. And I didn't know she'd set her alarm for every hour and I don't know what you were checking.

If I was still breathing, I'm not exactly sure. I don't remember waking up, but I think she just want to know I was, we were going to, we had this, but yeah, I couldn't have gotten through that without her.

[00:31:25] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I am grateful for the stories that both of you just shared because I, and I was hoping it would go in this direction.

And at Penny, as you were talking, I wrote down many of your answers. You said you checked in on her. And you wanted to take it away, and you wanted to help the suffering and lighten the burden and that you were in this together. And I love how Amy, you said, I couldn't have gotten through that without her.

That is such a level of friendship. Going back to this idea where your bowels were filled with compassion for her and for each other. And I go back to this verse in verse six, when the Savior says, behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you. I want to read that again, because he's saying that to every one of us right now.

My bowels are filled with compassion towards you. It's a level of friendship that I think we underestimate with the savior. He is our savior. He is our redeemer, and he is our friend. And he is saying to every one of us, I'm going to check on you. And of course I want to take it away, but there's just some things he can't.

So in the meantime, he's going to help us in our suffering. He's going to lighten our burden, and he's in this together with every single one of us. Amen. Amen. It is such a beautiful moment of friendship that I've just, I wrote friendship next to verse six, because I want to remember that Jesus is my friend and these people are crying because someone they love is about to leave and he has so much compassion towards them that he decides, okay, I'm not going to leave yet.

So here's what I'm going to do for you. And then we have verse 7, 8, and 9, which are like 3 of the greatest verses ever in 3rd Nephi chapter 17. And when he says this, I just want to know, I'm going to read these 3 verses and then I want to get your reaction. So here we go. I'll read the 3 and then I want your reaction.

Have ye any that are sick among you, bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner, bring them hither, and I will heal them, and I have compassion upon you. My bowels are filled with mercy, for I perceive the desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you.

And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude with one accord did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner, And he did heal them everyone as they were brought forth unto him.

Tell me, what did you mark and what stands out with those three verses when it comes to friendship and compassion?

[00:34:03] Penny Taylor: I think, um, the one thing jumping out at the end is afflicted in any manner. I mean, he, he didn't ask for those that are, are physically afflicted. He, he wants any manner. He wants emotional, spiritual.

It's, it's. Bring forth those that are afflicted and just in our own lives. Um, you know, we, we look at this as him healing the, the blind and the sick and whatnot, but our own lives. It is, it, it can just be emotional. It can be something like that. And that's a, that's a huge part that affects us. Um, I also love that it was one by one.

It wasn't like a mass healing that he did for everyone. It was. One by one, and I know you personally, like bring forth each person and I will bless the, you know, and it was just another testament that he, he knows each and every one of us personally.

[00:35:03] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yes. Well done, Penny.

[00:35:06] Amy Stokes: Yeah. You said it quicker than I could ever.

I'm so curious. I'm like, what are, how do you follow that up? But, but I do think when I think about Jesus healing, uh, all the healings he did, I do picture the town street or the field or wherever he was. And I just picture that over and over and over and, and this time through, I was like, Oh, my gosh. How many times did he do it for me?

And I joked with Penny, I was going to use this. It doesn't have to be my bum leg, you know, it could be my, it's my heart. It's my soul. It's my worries. It's my, you know, testimony. It's all the ways that he healed me. And it's been so many, uh, And I didn't, I don't know why I didn't picture it the same way until these chapters.

[00:35:55] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Well tell me about a time. Have you been, have you felt the healing power of the savior in your life?

[00:36:02] Amy Stokes: Yeah, absolutely. Um, I'm going to tell you if it's okay, I'll tell a couple of them. One is the most prominent of my life and it was, I was not active in the church, uh, through my twenties. So mind you, I went to BYU, seems like that might be where you would be active, you know, I went to BYU and there's some excuses, but there's also some reality there.

And one is that I would go to church and I remember it being like, we all know the story of da, da, da, da, da. And I was like, what we do, you know, I just felt like everybody knew stuff I didn't know and just was so far ahead of me. And anyway, somewhere along the way, I just kind of stopped going to church and then you stop going to church and you start doing other things.

Whatever. Well, then when I was 28, I was just like, you know, I want to, I think I was starting to want to get back to church. And the Bishop in that singles ward at that time, he was somebody that finally I felt like I could go talk to, but I got to preface it with, I also, was totally against the idea that you have to go tell a Bishop what you've done.

I was, I just was like, nothing about that makes sense to me. And I was really kind of angry about it. Like, let me just handle this with the Lord. I don't need to do this. And finally got the courage to do that. And you know, I got 10 years worth to go talk about. And, uh, I got to experience the, he took it all from me.

It was gone. And I was like, this is what everybody's been talking about. Isn't. You need to go make a fool of yourself or be ashamed or something. It was, Oh, this is what you're asking for. You're asking for me just to come talk to you and it's all going to be lifted. So that changed the entire direction of my life.

Um, whatever that is, 25 years ago. And then I want to share just one more because it was more recent. It's probably about five years ago and it was more. casual. So I'll back up just a little bit. So that's 28 years old through my thirties. I was trying, I really was trying to do the right thing. And I went to the temple and I see my own endowments when I was like 32.

And, but through my entire thirties, uh, I'd say even a little bit into my forties, I was just like on the fence about a lot of things. And there were so many things that just didn't resonate with me. And I thought it had to be all or nothing. I thought I had to understand everything or it couldn't be true.

And. It was tiring. It was super tiring for me to constantly not know, uh, where to settle. And I was at Chili's with a friend on a Saturday night and she was sitting there telling me, I just don't know. I don't know if I believe this or this or this. And I said to her, you know what? I, somewhere along the way, I just, I stopped worrying about it.

I stopped, um, I was able to finally go, you know what? I know enough and what I don't know, I'll learn in time and it's okay. And I heard in that moment in Chili's, that was a gift I gave to you. And it never occurred to me that he did that for me. I thought I just finally got there and I stopped in my tracks and told her exactly what happened in that moment.

I'm like, by the way, yeah, I just got this answer, you know, this is like the full compassion and healing that. I mean, that's the most recent that was just like so big to me.

[00:39:37] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Amy, I'm feeling the spirit so strong when you said that. I'm grateful that you, you shared that second story because I think so many of us struggle with that.

To think that it's a gift that you were okay with what you knew and that you didn't know you would eventually learn and that what you did know was enough for you at the time. I needed to hear that. So thank you so much. What a great example of his healing power and his compassion for little Amy Stokes.

[00:40:05] Amy Stokes: I just didn't want to be on the fence anymore. I was tired.

[00:40:08] Tammy Uzelac Hall: It's so tiring, isn't it? The constant debate back and forth in your brain. And I, I have reached that point in my life too, where I finally had to go, what I know is enough and what I don't know, I will eventually learn. And it's okay. It's okay. Yep.

Wow. Oh, Amy, powerful. Thank you. In fact, before we move on to Penny's story, I just want to read this quote. It is from our prophet in a talk called the answer is always Jesus Christ. And here's what he has to say about these specific verses, how the savior will heal us. Amy, can you read this quote?

[00:40:45] Amy Stokes: Yes. Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ extends that same invitation to you today. I plead with you to come unto him so that he can heal you. He will heal you from sin as you repent. He will heal you from sadness and fear. He will heal you from the wounds of this world. Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

Learn more about His atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him. Follow Him.

[00:41:20] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. And Amy, your stories are spot on with this quote. Absolutely true. So Penny, Penny, tell us, do you have a story about the healing power of the Savior?

[00:41:31] Penny Taylor: Yeah, I, uh, you know, I think there's a lot of healing stories in my life. Um, the one that, that jumps out to me is, um, It was the birth of my first child, my son. He was my first, so I was kind of oblivious of what to expect and what not.

[00:41:48] Tammy Uzelac Hall: And you were older when you got married.

[00:41:50] Penny Taylor: Yes. Yep. I did wait for the perfect man and I found him. So first child, I go into one of my last doctor's visits and my, my blood pressure is high.

I've lost weight. This was a concern for my doctor. So she immediately checks me into the hospital. Um, you know, I'm there that night and they're monitoring stuff. The next morning, Amy and another friend of ours, Laurel, were, was there and, um, you know, my husband was by my side. We were all excited, and then things kind of went south quickly.

I started having really horrible contractions, uh, didn't realize that this wasn't normal. Went to the bathroom, had a, a gush of blood into the, into the toilet. Um, it was. It's pretty amazing that at that very moment, my doctor who was not scheduled to be at the hospital until later that day, she happened to walk in at that very moment to check on another patient.

And within minutes she came in and checked me and within minutes we were frantically wheeling me into the OR. And so after hearing me call, you know, hearing them call every nurse and doctor around and back up and whatnot. You know, she starts to inform me that just so you know, we're going to have to sedate you so your husband won't be able to, you know, be a part of this, this process.

And we're going to have to have an emergency C section and, you know, I'm hearing all this stuff and it's getting real very quickly. She also mentions, I also need to tell you that there's a possibility you may have a hysterectomy. So be prepared for that. So this hit me quite hard because I thought, Okay, Heavenly Father, if, if I'm not going to be able to have more kids after this, please save the one kid that is in me right now.

Please let him be okay. So after seeing this prayer, I had a psalm come to my head, which is a child's prayer. And I just started seeing that over and over, you know, Heavenly Father, are you really there? And do you hear and answer every child's prayer? And it was such a powerful song, and it was actually one that Amy had Brought up a couple, uh, months before and it just stuck with me.

And so at that moment it jumped out and it was such a sense of comfort to me. And my prayer was such a reassurance that I felt this like overwhelming peace come into my soul, that it was going to be okay. And I just remember there laying on the. On the table, you know, open to the world and I'm shaking and I was in this piece and I, I felt like I could envision angels circling around that they were helping the doctors that they were assisting, you know, and it was, it was such a sense of, of comfort to me.

And. Shortly before they were going to sedate me, the doctor finally said, okay, slow down everyone, baby's heart rates back up, let's do this right, you know, and she, she then said, let's, let's get your husband in here and share this moment. And so he came in and, and held my hand. And after that, everything went fine.

And despite his low birth weight of. five pounds, four ounces, he was relatively everything seemed to be just fine and he was healthy. And I later learned that I had experienced a placental abruption, which had, you know, I had not been at the hospital at that moment or nearby could have resulted in brain damage or even death for one or both of us.

So that was, uh, I was feeling a lot of gratitude at that moment. I also went, um, for a follow up visit to my doctor, uh, a couple of weeks later and, and she revealed to me, she said, you know, I'm not a religious person, but there was divine intervention that day. And that really, really stuck with me. Um, then fast forward about two and a half years later, my little boy is just growing by leaps and bounds.

He's, he's getting huge and he's. He's waiting for his sister. To now be born into this world because, um, you know, I was, I was very blessed in that everything went well. And so I was able to have another child, but, um, a couple of weeks before she was to be born, he came to me with a very concerned look on his face and asked him what was going on.

And he, he told me, I'm very scared, very scared for my sister to be born. And I was like, you know, it's okay, buddy, we'll, we'll work through it. We got this, you know, and I just tried to, tried to do what a parent does and reassure and he's, and he, you know, you could tell he was still very concerned and upset.

And he said, I don't want her to be scared like I was. And I was like, well, I'm not. You know still thinking because he's so young I would I would never have discussed his his birth with him because this was Such a you know sacred thing and it just too young to even understand or comprehend Um, so I was still a little confused and I said, it's okay, daddy and I will help her, you know, don't worry.

We'll take care of her. And the, the next thing that he said, just sent chills through my body. And he said, no, you couldn't. Daddy was in another room and you couldn't help me because I was in your belly. And I realizing at this point. He's, he's talking about the birth and he goes on to say, I couldn't help myself and I was so scared and I couldn't get out until Grandma June and Aunt Gloria helped me out and they helped me not to be scared.

And I just. I mean, these, these chills are going everywhere. And these two amazing women that he's referring to is my, my grandma, um, June and my aunt Gloria that were such important parts of my life that. Um, from a from birth. I mean, we were close by him and and stayed close ever since. But they these amazing women were there at that moment.

And these, these wonderful women had passed away several years before his birth. So he and I thought back to the time of. You know, laying on that bed in the operating room and envisioning the, the spirits and the angels around me, and they truly were there, they were to help, and that was such a powerful experience to me to, to experience the, not only physical healing, but the spiritual, emotional healing.

That it's, it's a experience that is a testament that I, I can never deny.

[00:49:01] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Wow, Penny, that's an amazing story. Thank you. I appreciate you sharing that with us. And it is something that the other side of the veil is very aware of us. And in fact, So in the next segment, your timing of that story is perfect because in the next segment in 3rd Nephi 17, we are going to share a story about angels and the role that they played in the lives of all of those that the Savior's ministering to.

And we'll do that next.

Segment 4

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[00:49:37] Amy Stokes: So do people always cry this much on these Tammy?

[00:49:40] Tammy Uzelac Hall: They do when they're feeling the spirit. In fact, this is a crying episode I've noticed. And that's kind of the theme. There's a lot of tears. The people are crying here in 3rd Nephi 17. And now we have another example. Jesus Christ. And so we're going to find out why he is crying.

I think this is so beautiful. So the first thing we want to do is we want to go to John chapter 11 verse 35. You can go there on your phone or in your New Testament. Because this is the classic scripture. Anytime I'd ask my seminary students to share their favorite scripture, inevitably you're gonna get one of two.

You're gonna get either my father dwelt in the tent, or you're gonna get this one, because it's the shortest verse of scripture of all scripture. And you don't even probably have to look it up, but if you want to you can. You wept. Yes, very good. It's in John chapter 11 verse 35, and it just says Jesus wept.

Now this story, what I have loved about it is, here it is. So here's the story. Lazarus, his friend has died and Lazarus is the brother of Mary and Martha. Mary and Martha are devastated that their brother has died and they've sent word to Jesus and Jesus is coming, but on the way he kind of gets stopped.

Isn't that interesting? One of the things I've noticed recently is that anytime Jesus is on his way to perform a miracle, people stop him and he performs many others along the way. Like nothing's urgent to the savior because he knows it's all going to work out. I would love to live my life like that.

I'm writing that one down. Honestly, like nothing's urgent. It all works out for him and it always does in the New Testament. He always gets stopped on his way to perform a miracle, doing other things for other people. And that's what happens. So he doesn't make it to Lazarus in time to heal him. And so Mary and Martha are devastated.

They take the body and they wrap it up. So now, according to Jewish law, Lazarus has now been dead for three days because now he's buried in the tomb. And that's it. That's, that's like a final, that's a finality for death is the three day period. Then Jesus shows up and he sees Mary and Martha weeping and he is so sad.

And then we get that verse. He wept. But what's so fascinating to me is he's not crying because Lazarus died. He knows what's going to happen. He knows he can bring him back to life. And remember, he didn't resurrect Lazarus. He just brought him back to life, to the regular body that he was in. If he's not crying because Lazarus is dead, why do you two think he's crying?

[00:52:11] Amy Stokes: I mean, I hadn't given thought to Lazarus when we were reading these scriptures, but Uh, I've got to think he feels the pain of everybody that's mourning.

[00:52:23] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Absolutely. He's, he's weeping with those who are weeping, even though he knows, like, isn't, if he's not like you guys, it's going to be fine. Stop crying.

There's no crying in baseball. Right? Yeah. Classic line. Like, why are you weeping? He doesn't say anything. He just weeps with them because that's what friends do. Friends, we put their friends and they just sit there and we put them. And so now we have this story. Let's go in back into third Nephi 17, because we're going to see this level of friendship again among the people on the Western hemisphere, the Nephites.

And we have this time and now he's going to weep here. So let's go to third Nephi chapter 17. He gets done healing all of them. In verse 10, the multitude kisses his feet and they bathe his feet with their tears. Verse 13 says it came to pass that when they had all been brought and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.

Now, just so we can have some context for All had been brought and all kissed his feet and bathed his feet with their tears. Just go down to verse 25 real quick, because it's going to tell us how many people that were there that all brought verse 25 down to the very bottom. And what's the number we should write next to these versus for all?

[00:53:41] Amy Stokes: Yeah, it's 2,500,

[00:53:43] Tammy Uzelac Hall: 2, 500 people all. And I like Penny, how you said one by one, he took the time to heal them. 2, 500 people are going to be there in this multitude. 2, 500. So there he is. He's speaking to all of them. And then we come to verse 18 and we're going to read verses 18 through 22. And we'll each take a verse again.

We'll start with Amy, then Penny, then me.

[00:54:07] Amy Stokes: And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose, but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.

[00:54:17] Penny Taylor: It came to pass that Jesus spake unto them and bade them arise.

[00:54:22] Tammy Uzelac Hall: And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them, Blessed are ye because of your faith, and now, behold, there it is, behold, my joy is full.

[00:54:33] Amy Stokes: And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. And when he had done this, he wept again.

[00:54:46] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. I want to know from the two of you, what What does Jesus ability to weep teach you about him?

[00:54:54] Penny Taylor: I think it shows his character and his heart. Just the type of being he is. I mean, here we have a resurrected, glorified God that still feels these human like attributes. He still feels the pure hearts and the the tender desires of others. And, you know, it's, it's something that he never wavered on. I mean, he had this compassion, um, before and now he's resurrected and he still feels this compassion and this deep love that, that others feel.

[00:55:35] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Well, I like that is compassion and deep love going back to that bowels filled with compassion. Like these are his friends. What about you Aime?

[00:55:44] Amy Stokes: Yeah. I, my first thought was he's a living being weeping. He is a living being and we, we kind of forget that sometimes. And then the second thing I thought was that where the Holy Ghost spoke to me about this entire thing was he wants everything for us and everything is really all consuming and overpowering.

And of course it's going to bring tears.

[00:56:09] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Absolutely. I like how you reminded us of that, that he is a living being and as a living resurrected being, we can still feel emotion. That kind of changes the whole idea of the resurrection, doesn't it? Like we will still get to feel and love and have all of those emotions.

I like how Marvin J Ashton in a 1987 general conference talk, he listed a bunch of the spiritual gifts and one of them is the gift to weep. And I thought that was, isn't that awesome? Amy, you have that gift.

[00:56:40] Amy Stokes: Ah, yes I do.

[00:56:43] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Penny has it. Penny, you just gotta let people see you have the gift. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's brilliant.

The gift to weep. And of course it would be a gift because it would come from the spirit. From our, from the savior Jesus Christ. And here he is showing us it's okay to weep because these are his friends and he's with them and his joy is full. And then after he has this, Oh my goodness. Then we have the story and Penny, we have angels.

And he says in verse 23, behold your little ones. And then you just want to highlight verses 24 and 25 and let's just, Penny, can you read those for us? Since you told us your cool story.

[00:57:20] Penny Taylor: And as they looked to behold, they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of the heaven, as if it were in the midst of fire, and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire, and the angels did minister unto them, and the multitude did see and hear and bear record, and they know that their record is true, for they all of them did see and hear every man for himself.

And they were in number about 2, 500 souls, and they did consist of men, women, and children.

[00:57:57] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. Those verses just strike me. Did they strike you when you read them?

[00:58:01] Penny Taylor: Yes, such a powerful thought of just to envision as though you're there. I mean, the heavens opening, the, The angels coming down the, the fire and circling these little ones.

I mean, beyond powerful to even think of for sure.

[00:58:24] Amy Stokes: And I'm going to wonder how much is that happening all the time? How much is that happening today? You know, it's because we don't see it and it's not written in scripture or the angels are the heavens opening. The angels are coming down. We're being protected by fire.

You know?

[00:58:43] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yes. Okay. I want to talk more about this. So in segment six, we are going to talk more about the fire because I have the same question. Does this happen? So this is going to be really fun. Mark this versus 24 and 25. Make sure you have those because we're going to come back to it. But when we talk about this idea about how the savior had this incredible experience, he's weeping with his friends.

They feel the spirit. All of this is going to roll into then third Nephi chapter 18, because after he has this moment with them, he's going to do something with the multitude. And so in the next segment, we're going to talk about what the very next thing was he did after the angels ministered.

Segment 5

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[00:59:31] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, I want to share something with you because a few months ago, a woman in my ward, shout out to Tami Snow. She pointed out something I had never noticed or considered. She said. Hymn 185. Now turn there. Everyone go there in your gospel app. Go to hymn 185. It's called reverently and meekly. Now you want to see this because she said it like she'd always known it.

And then of course I'm like, what? So I had to go back. Okay. So we go to the hymns, not the hymns for home and church. Those are the new ones. Just hit the hit regular hymns, green button, and you're going to go to hymn 185. This song reverently and meekly. Now this is what she said. It's the only sacrament hymn that's written in first person.

The lyrics are with the words of Jesus, as if he were speaking to us. So we go back to that idea of wording being in red that the savior said, then this whole hymn should be in red. I just look at some of the lines in this bread now blessed for the emblem of my body. In this water or this wine, emblem of my body divine, oh, remember what was done, that sinner might be one.

Um, there's another read another verse, Amy or Penny. Yeah.

[01:00:51] Amy Stokes: Did thine heart all strife to cease with thy brethren be at peace? Oh, forgive as thou wouldst be in forgiven now by me. In the solemn faith of prayer cast upon me all thy care. My spirit's grace shall be like a fountain unto

[01:01:10] Tammy Uzelac Hall: thee. Well, could you imagine how if it's sacrament on Sunday, you really did cast upon him all by care.

Like just let it go. Thanks friend. All. Read a line. Penny. What one do you have? Uh, let's say at the throne

[01:01:25] Penny Taylor: I intercede for the ever do I plead. I have loved thee as thy friend. It's a love that cannot end be obedient. I implore, prayerful, watch forevermore and be constant unto me that thy savior I may be.

[01:01:46] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. I love it. I love how you said it right there. I have loved thee as thy friend.

[01:01:53] Penny Taylor: Now. Fits perfectly, doesn't it?

[01:01:55] Tammy Uzelac Hall: It absolutely does. So go into 3rd Nephi 18, because this is the chapter where he then teaches the sacrament and administers the sacrament to the people for the very first time on the American continent.

Remember, they have been practicing the law of Moses up to this point. They've never done the sacrament. And here the savior is, all right, let's do this. We are going to have a sacrament. So I asked Amy and Penny. To go through third Nephi chapter 18 and almost read it, read, take a red or highlight anything that stood out to you that the Savior personally taught about the sacrament to these people.

What'd you guys have? What can we redline?

[01:02:36] Amy Stokes: Well, I mean, the very first thing is commanded. He commanded them. Okay. And then verse four, and when they had eaten and were filled, and I really marked that one because of it may mean in this, like, Their bellies were filled. I didn't get that. I was like, they were filled.

I love that He commanded that they should give unto the multitude So what I also got out of verse 4 is a little bit like on the airplane put on your mask first and then and then Put your mask on the other person. It's that they are to do it first and then give unto the multitude Neat. I I love that part Um, maybe I'll do a bit more and then Penny, you can, but, um, the always do it is verse six.

And this shall we always observe to do, even as I have done.

[01:03:30] Penny Taylor: Yeah. And I, in five, one be ordained among you, you know, in, in the gospel, we have kind of a proper. Way of doing stuff in an order and, you know, making sure it's the proper priesthood authority that has been designated, that that was important part of, of this prayer.

And then in verse seven, and this ye do in remembrance of my body, and it goes on to say, remember two more times, you know, that you do always remember me. And if you do always remember me, You shall have my spirit with you. And it's such a powerful thing that if you're carrying this with you and remembering him that you're going to have the spirit with you.

[01:04:16] Amy Stokes: And Penny, I, I echo that. What I wrote down about verse seven was it's a promise. And I love when we're given a promise and the promise, remember me and my spirit will be with you. I mean, if that's all we have to do, we get the better end of that deal. Yeah. Well, oh, I like that. Um, I was, uh, curious about the more or less.

[01:04:45] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, okay. I love that you asked this question, Amy. So what you're specifically talking about is found in third Nephi chapter 18 verse 12 and in verse 13. And I have a story from my mission that I think will help explain this. When I was on my mission, I got a brand new mission president. And one of the things that I like to do, Is when we really wanted to show the Lord that we were serious about just asking for help so that we could find people to teach and get them baptized.

We, my companion and I invented this thing called dura week. I actually still have the card in my missionary journal. And on Dura week, we just set the most outrageous goals and we decided that we were just going to show the Lord we were willing to do everything. So that meant we were going to get up.

Normally you had to get up at six 30 in the morning. We're going to get up at six and we're going to study 30 minutes extra. And we gave up our lunch breaks and we just tracked it through lunchtime and we gave up our dinnertime and we just took snacks and we just had these crazy outlandish goals that were way beyond what we were just asked to do as missionaries.

Well, my mission president caught wind of this. And in one of our interviews, he said, Oh, cause I wrote it every week. You had to write your mission president about what you were doing. So we wrote a letter to him saying, sister, so and so, we're doing Dura week cause we're showing the Lord how much we're willing to do.

And we just really want his help. Well, he called us and he said, I'd like to talk to you about your Dura week. And I was like, yeah, isn't that awesome thinking this is so cool. I'm like, we're killing it out here and the Lord's really going to bless us. And he said to me, and I've never forgotten this. You are not required to do more.

You've been asked to be obedient. Just do what the rules say. There's a reason for a lunch break. There's a reason for a dinner break. There's a reason we've asked you to wake up at 6 30. So doing more than what you've been asked, you're not going to be blessed and doing less than you've been asked. You clearly, obviously the less makes sense, right?

It's so simple because here's the Lord saying, I'm not asking you to do any more or any less. Just remember me. In fact, in verse 11, it says, And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name. And ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me.

And if you do always remember me, shall have my spirit to be with you. And I give unto you a commandment that the, that ye shall do these things. I underlined these things and I drew a line to the word baptized. I drew a line to the word repent. I drew a line to remember. It's that simple. He's not asking any more of you.

So if you're out there thinking you got to look beyond the mark and that you're missing something, he's just like, let's take it back to the basic sister. All right. And I will never forget that moment. My mission president just said, No, he's not going to bless you for giving up your lunch break. You're just going to be hungry. So does that make sense?

[01:07:40] Amy Stokes: Oh my gosh. It is. I'll tell you what it makes sense. It definitely makes sense. And it immediately took me to a journal entry that I, I wrote in this morning. Okay. So I have a five line journal every single day I write five lines. And last night I was too tired to do it. So I wrote in it this morning, but I was writing about yesterday.

And the last thing I wrote, which I was like, huh, there wasn't even space for it. I'm on my sixth line here. But I'll, I think I can read the whole thing. It's five lines. So I said, I did not enjoy the bulk of my work day. I was overwhelmed before it even got started. I'm surprised and bummed that after all the good efforts and hard work that I've done all year, that we aren't more prepared.

Grr. I stayed until about 830. As I'm writing this, I feel like I'm getting the answer. Grr. More doesn't do more. It just steals my time. Wow. Spirit is so strong

[01:08:33] Tammy Uzelac Hall: right now. Yeah. Wow. Yep. Amy, that is it. I'm putting your name next to that verse. More doesn't do more. And that's what he's saying. I don't need you to do.

It's this easy. Just the basics.

[01:08:49] Penny Taylor: I think also just what popped in my mind is our callings that a lot of times we get so overwhelmed and I'm, I'm as guilty as anyone that, you know, basically what he's saying is. Love those that you're over, you know, like love everyone. But when you're, you know, in a certain calling, it's simple.

I'm telling you to love them and bring them unto me. And all this other stuff that we're caught up in the logistics and, and everything, I had a, uh, awesome experience in the temple when I first was called to be a primary president. And I, I was just, I mean, I really thought the, uh, the second coming was right around the corner because there's no way that this would be happening to me.

I was trying to like figure out all the logistics and overthinking everything. And my husband and I went to the temple and Um, we ended up making a wrong turn somehow and we ended up going up to a place where these temple workers were there and, and they immediately were like, Oh, how did you get here?

Like you, this isn't where you're supposed to be. Let us help you. And right then a woman kind of popped out from among them that I knew from an old ward and you know, I, we joked around that that was the reason we, we took the wrong path because we needed to see her, but it truly was because it hit me later that.

When she said to me, Hey, and, and be sure to say hi to my, my best buddy Quinn. And that's my son that was under her, under her direction in the primary, when she was primary president in that ward. And it just hit me like a ton of bricks. We love them. Don't try and do more. Just love them and the logistics and everything else that you're worried about, stressed about will come.

But that's what, that's what he's put you in this spot to do.

[01:10:43] Tammy Uzelac Hall: And could there be any better way to remember the savior than to just love his children and love his people that you're serving with? Great example, Penny. Thank you. Wow. I'm so glad you asked that question. Isn't that fun when you just ask things and then the spirit, that is neat.

That was a great experience. So everyone listening, do this, take your red pencil and our challenge to you is just to then continue to read in verses 15 all the way through 39. Highlight all the beholds because there's a lot. So notice when he says behold in this awesome explanation of the sacrament and why it's so important for every one of us.

The other thing that I would say for me, circle every time you see the word father in 18 and 19, that's what stood out to me. That was what the Holy Ghost taught me this time as I was reading is how many times the savior uses the term father to talk about God. And there's a great quote by Boyd K. Packer.

He says of all the other titles. That God could have used. He chose to be called father. The Savior commanded after this manner. Therefore, pray he our father who are in heaven. His use of the name father is a lesson for all as we come to understand what it is that matters most in this life. And so he just wants to be he is our father.

And when we pray to him, but sometimes that's maybe all you can say. I remember a time in my life where I got on my knees and the only word I could utter was father just help me. And so I think that is notice the fathers and notice the beholds. But going back to that quote from Boyd K Packer, where he said in third Nephi chapter 13 verse nine, we are instructed after this manner, therefore pray ye our father who art in heaven.

In the next segment, we're going to talk about the significance of prayer. In these three chapters, and we'll do that next.

Segment 6

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[01:12:38] Tammy Uzelac Hall: All right, you two, I have a fun question. I just want to know, right, Kay, I want you to tell me the very first thing that pops into your head when I ask you this question. What's something that makes you smile?

[01:12:49] Amy Stokes: Friends.

[01:12:50] Penny Taylor: Seeing others happy.

[01:12:52] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Perfect answers. Everyone's thinking about what makes them smile. Now, the reason I asked you this question is because 3rd Nephi chapter 19 actually tells us what makes Jesus smile.

And I love this so much because it's something every one of us can do. But before I show you what makes Jesus smile, we first have to discover what is taking place leading up to Jesus smiling, because I want to show you a really cool Hebrew word. So let's go to third Nephi chapter 19. Amy, will you please read verses 13 through 15.

So they, the 2, 500 people, they run out and they find all the other people who weren't there and said, you have got, you're not going to believe what happened. And we got to tell you about this experience with angels and fire and the savior. And it was awesome. And so everybody gathers verse four. We got, you know what the two, we just have to say the two of us got a kick out of this.

Because it says Nephi, who's the prophet, he gathers together with the twelve. Why do we love this verse? Because of Timothy. It has all these Nephite names of the twelve. And then it says, oh, and Nephi's brother Timothy, who he brought back from the dead. I wonder if it went by Timmy for short. That name just kills me.

I don't know. We laugh because I'm like, Like it was his name. Greg. Did they have a Greg in that time? I don't know. Anyway, we have the multitude. It's so great in verse five that when everybody finally gathered together that they had to separate into 12 bodies so that everybody could be told and that everybody could be taught.

They were taught how to pray. They had this incredible experience. They started to pray and now we have this story versus 13 through 15. Amy, will you read those verses?

[01:14:26] Amy Stokes: And it came to pass, when they were all baptized, and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

And behold, they were encircled about, as if it were by fire, and it came down from heaven, and the multitude did witness it, and bear record. And angels did come down out of heaven, and did minister unto them. And it came to pass that while the angels were ministering unto the disciples, behold, Jesus came and stood in the midst and ministered unto them.

[01:14:55] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. So Jesus returns and they have this moment. Now I have a question for the two of you, because in the story that Penny read, it tells us that it was as if they were, as if there were fire, they were encircled about by a fire as if they were in the midst of fire. Penny read for us back in third Nephi 17 verse 24, it says, descending out of heaven as if it were in the midst of fire.

And then they were encircled about by fire. So my question for the two of you is, when it comes to these spiritual experiences and we're, you know, back to what Amy said, does this happen today? I want to know, why do you think fire is used as a way of describing spiritual experiences?

[01:15:35] Penny Taylor: Well, it's funny cause initially I thought of fire as.

You know, kind of a negative connotation, but as being harmful. And so I was, I was picturing, you know, these, these little precious ones that he loves so much being encircled in fire. And I realized it's, it's a protection and glory that they're encircled in that at that moment, um, no one could reach them.

No one could harm them that he was, he was, uh, put this ring around them as a sign of protection and glory. Um, a symbol of, of the glory and I, I thought that was such a powerful thing.

[01:16:16] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I like how you said a symbol of the glory. That's awesome. What about you?

[01:16:22] Amy Stokes: Yeah. Well, in verse 13, when, uh, they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire that, cause I agree.

I had thought about protection, but in that one I was like, Oh, filled with like desire. Like I got the fire burning in me, but also thought of fire as desire. And then as we go and, and the angels come down and, and they're in circle the fire, I'm like, it's, I feel like it's for sacredness.

[01:16:48] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, I, Oh, I like how you described that.

You both are right. And I just want to add to your description, a Hebrew word that describes these two experiences. It's in your Bible dictionary and I want to show it to you. So if you can go to your Bible dictionary, if anyone ever is bored at church, not that I'm saying you would be, but if you, if you are, maybe the Bible dictionary, cause it is so much fun.

So on the gospel app, you, you're going to hit the black scriptures. That's at the top. And after you're in scriptures, go to study helps and then click on Bible dictionary, the third square over, and then go to the S's. And in the Bible dictionary, the word you want to look up is, it's either Shekina or Shekina.

But I think in Hebrew it's Shekina. S H E C H I N E. Ah, this is the Hebrew term for the fires that we just read about. Here's the definition of Shekinah or Shekinah. And Penny, can you read this for us?

[01:17:53] Penny Taylor: The presence, a word used by the later Jews and borrowed from them by the Christians to denote the cloud of brightness and glory that marked the presence of the Lord as spoken of in Exodus, Kings, Isaiah, Matthew, and Acts.

The Prophet Joseph Smith described this phenomenon in connection with his first vision as a light above the brightness of the sun. And said that he saw two personages whose brightness and glory defy all description standing in the light.

[01:18:25] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you, Amy. I am immediately drawn back to your definition.

And when you explained what the fire was, both of you said it was a way to protect, um, a sacred experience or sacredness. Cause I always wondered when Joseph Smith was having the first vision, nobody walked into the forest. Nobody walked into the grove. And I just wonder if that's true. There was this incredible protection and he saw this fire in this brightness.

Maybe other people didn't, but I think it does. I think you're right. It protects these sacred, incredible experiences. And that's what it's doing right here. These saints are having a sacred, incredible experience. The savior has now returned. They've received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Verse 18 says they did pray unto Jesus calling unto him their Lord and their God and the people pray and then Jesus starts to pray and you're going to see the name father throughout third Nephi 19.

There is so much praying going on. Look at third Nephi chapter 19 verse 24. It says it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the father, he came unto his disciples and behold, they did still continue without ceasing to pray unto him. So they're still praying. And then verse 25, Amy, will you read that for us?

[01:19:36] Amy Stokes: And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them. As they did pray unto him and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them. And behold, they were as white as accountants and also the garments of Jesus. And behold, the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness.

Ye even there could be nothing upon earth, so white as the whiteness thereof.

[01:19:58] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. Highlight in the very beginning. Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him, and his countenance did smile upon them. He smiled because they prayed. Verse 26, Jesus says unto them, pray on. Nevertheless, they did not cease to pray.

So they keep praying and then the savior starts to pray again. And then we have verse 30 penny read verse 30 for us, please.

[01:20:21] Penny Taylor: And when Jesus had spoken these words, he came again unto his disciples and behold, they did pray steadfastly without ceasing unto him. And he did smile upon them again and behold, they were white even as Jesus.

[01:20:35] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. Isn't that beautiful? But right there, what we were to ask Jesus, what makes you smile? He would say, when my people pray, when my saints pray, and it's something every one of us can do. And I just have to say that Jesus has smiled. Steadfastly on Amy, because Amy has a great story about a prayer.

And I just feel like right now, Jesus is smiling on this conversation, but he was smiling on Amy with a specific prayer about this. So now Amy, you get to say your story. Tell us about your story with prayer.

[01:21:06] Amy Stokes: They've been waiting for this one. It's a good one. So Tammy mentioned that my brother lives across the street from her.

So I was over, uh, I don't know. I think it was in May. Add a family thing. And I popped over to see Tammy. She's like, I need you on one of my podcasts. We got to get you on my podcast. And I about died. I was like, Oh, you have got the wrong person. You are so up in the night. If you think I would do well on this and no, no, no.

It's really easy. It's good. It's good. And I really kept just saying no, no, no, no. And I was positive. That was the wrong thing for me. So anyway, I'd said, no, I'd forgotten about it. We're done. And then, uh, I don't know if it was about a week, week and a half ago, I was In, uh, I was, I was praying in the morning as I do kind of, uh, getting ready for work.

And I always start with like, who do I need to pray for? And for some reason that day I was like, you know what Heavenly Father, I don't, I need nothing. I really don't. So today we're going to do it a little differently. You tell me what you need. So you just, whatever you need today, put it in front of me.

And I'll do that. And to be honest, I expected it to be like a homeless person needed a dollar is what I was thinking was going to happen that day. But it just, that was my, and then again, I'd forgotten about it, gone to work in the middle of work. And I get a request from Tammy to be on the, this podcast.

And I was like, ah, no, I've told her, I've told her it's a no. And she's like, would you and Penny want to do this? And Penny was there. She's like, no, and so I, I have this room at my office that, uh, my building that I can go. It's anyway, it's super quiet. I can shut the door and I went in there and I started to read the chapters.

I'm like, I better at least read these three chapters and see if I feel differently. And I wasn't even halfway through 18 and I was, and I got a total picture of my prayer that morning that I said, you tell me what you need and I'll do that. So I stopped reading, text Tammy. I would be happy to, and then I had to convince Penny, but I was like, you bet.

[01:23:18] Penny Taylor: Yeah. You're, you're the reason I got circled on this. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[01:23:24] Tammy Uzelac Hall: And. I think that is the greatest story ever because I just feel like Jesus is smiling, maybe chuckling a little bit. Good sense of humor. Yeah. Good. You got what you asked for aim. Yeah. But isn't this awesome that if we go back to this idea and Amy, I'm so grateful you brought that up to not do more or less than this, that it really is so easy for his countenance to smile upon us when we pray.

These three are some of the greatest chapters that you could just constantly cover in red. And I think it would be great if we just ended with verse 33. And so Amy, will you read that for us?

[01:24:02] Amy Stokes: And the multitude did hear and do bear record and their hearts were open and they did understand in their hearts the words which he prayed.

[01:24:10] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. And so just kind of take that with you. And as you go throughout the rest of this week, just kind of remember he's your friend and have your hearts open like Amy's was to being a guest on the podcast. I love you both. Thank you so much for this discussion. That's it. We're done. Thank you for getting us to dig into the scriptures.

This was so good. It was. We fought it, but we loved it. Oh, I'm so glad because I learned a lot from both of you. Look at all the notes I have. So here's what I do. Then I asked my guests at the end of the episode, just share what you learned. What is your takeaway from this episode?

[01:24:45] Amy Stokes: I think mine is just, it all matters.

Just like I said, when it tied to that journal entry and I was like, wait a minute, that was not less, not more than two hours before this. And I'd written down this question about more earlier in the week. And then I ask you and then as you're talking, I'm like, wait a minute, I wrote down the word more today.

Where did I write that down? Anyway, it's just kind of like, he's constantly showing us, he's constantly with us and it just all matters. Everything we're doing, he sees it, he cares. That's what I'd say. I'll amend that. Absolutely. Sister. That's good.

[01:25:23] Penny Taylor: I loved what you said at the beginning that the speaking to us that shine differently, but he's speaking to all of us.

And it just reaches us in different ways, but we each have this personal relationship with him. And, you know, as much as we sometimes doubt that he's listening or we get frustrated on his timeframe that he's never, he's never turned his back on us. He feels those emotions. He feels that pain. He feels the, uh, You know, the, the anger that we have sometimes when it's not on our timeframe, but we can never, uh, look back and think he doesn't care.

I mean, just from Christ and his, and his weeping, they feel every emotion that we do and that they feel the highs and lows and they, the joy, I mean, the pure joy from this that he. That Christ had, um, when he prayed with the multitude or he prayed at the end, you know, his people, and it was just the pure joy that, that he felt and knowing that he's with us. He's always got our back.

[01:26:40] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Hmm. I like how you summed all of that up. Great job, Penny. My takeaways from you, Amy. When you, and I don't even, I didn't even bring this up again until now cause I wrote it down and I loved it. But here's when I, I felt the spirit so strong when you told your story about going and seeing your bishop and how the Lord took everything away and the atonement worked.

And you said, so this is what everyone's been talking about. I just, that hit my heart with so much weight because I feel the same way after I had that experience. I'm like, so this is what it's about. And it is just the best feeling. I loved it when you said that. And then Penny, I loved how you described your friendship with Amy when she got diagnosed with diabetes and how you said you checked on her.

You wanted to take it away. You wanted to help the suffering and lighten this burden and you were in this together and you just perfectly defined the savior Jesus Christ. He has all of those things for us because he's our friend. So I thought it was really cool.

[01:27:38] Penny Taylor: Well, thank you. Thank you. so much Tammy . So good.

[01:27:42] Tammy Uzelac Hall: We're done. Love you guys. Love you very much. Thanks again. Wow. That was a great discussion. I love it. When everything comes together, I want to know what your takeaway was. So go and join our Facebook group or follow us on Instagram and share what you have learned. I would love it if you just created a post and typed out some cool things that you experienced from this episode, and you can even ask questions, which I try to answer throughout the week.

And then at the end of the week on a Saturday, we post a question from this specific episode. So go and comment on the post that relates to this lesson and share your thoughts. You can get to both our Facebook and Instagram by going to the show notes for this episode at ldsliving. com slash Sunday on Monday.

And it's not a bad idea to go there anyway, because it's where we're going to have links to all the references and a transcript of this whole discussion. So go check it out. The Sunday on Monday study group is a Deseret Bookshelf plus original brought to you by LDS living. It's written and hosted by me, Tammy Uzelac Hall. And today our incredible study group participants were Penny Taylor and Amy Stokes. And you can find more information about my friends at LDS living. com slash Sunday on Monday. Our podcast is produced by Cole Wissinger and me. It is edited and mixed by Cole Wissinger. And our executive producer is Erin Hallstrom.

Thanks for being here. We'll see you next week. And please remember. That your father, our heavenly father loves you and you are his favorite.