28: “Ye Shall Be Witnesses unto Me” (Acts 1-5)

Tammy 0:01

Are you ready? Ready for the second half of the New Testament? Okay, you guys, the books of Acts through- Revelation is a record of the acts and the revelations of the leaders of the church that Christ established during His ministry. Now, when it comes to the book of Acts, here's what Elder Holland said it could be titled: The acts of the resurrected Christ, working through the Holy Spirit in the lives and ministries of his ordained apostles." Today, we begin our study of these acts by looking at Chapters 1-5, which is the beginning of the Holy Spirit working in the lives of these men.

Welcome to the Sunday on Monday study group, a Deseret 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 Uzelac Hall. Now, if you're new to our study group, we just want to make sure you know how to use this podcast, so please follow the link in our description. It's going to explain how you can best use this podcast to enhance your Come, Follow Me study, just like my friend Charlene Jones from Idaho, and her sister Rena Peacock, who's a listener. Hi, ladies. Now another really great thing about our study group, and it's my favorite thing, is that we're joined by 2 of my friends, so it's always a little bit different each week. And today, how excited am I to have: Hello, Tamu (Smith) and Holly Butterfield Rawlings - HB! Hi, ladies.

Tamu 0:37

Hey girl

HB 0:37

Hey

Tammy 0:01

Are you ready? Ready for the 2nd half of the New Testament? Okay you guys, the books of Acts through Revelations is a record of the acts and the revelations of the leaders of the church that Christ established during His ministry. Now, when it comes to the Book of Acts, here's what Elder Holland said it could be titled: "The acts of the Resurrected Christ working through the Holy Spirit in the lives and ministries of His ordained Apostles. Today we begin our study of these acts by looking at chapters 1-5, which is the beginning of the Holy Spirit working in the lives of these men.

Tamu 0:38

I think Tammy tries to get in trouble by bringing us on at the same time. She knows that you're just not ready for this.

Tammy 0:10

Okay. I'll refer to Holly as HB throughout this whole episode, cuz that's what she's been my whole life. So, there you go.lAnd you two are my favorite duo; how much fun are we going to have today!

HB 1:29

Buckle up, buckle up.

Bakula?

Tammy 1:49

Buckle up indeed. I couldn't think of better words for this discussion of Acts 1-5. Oh my gosh, it's crazy! I mean, we are going to have some fun today. So I hope you guys are ready for this. If you want to know more about HB and Tamu, if you haven't already heard them before or know anything about them, go check out their bios which are in our show notes at LDS living.com/sunday on Monday. Okay, everybody. Grab your scriptures, like you're really going to for sure want to use your scriptures for this discussion. We're going to mark it up, and get a journal or some paper to write with and something to mark your Scriptures with and Let's Dig In. Okay, you two, I'm just curious. Did anybody ever say this to you, or have you said this to your own kids? "Remember who you are and what you stand for?"

HB 2:35

Oh, no, you know, that's so funny. Because I always, when did that come out? Like, was it in the 80's?

Tammy 2:41

Yeah, I think so.

HB 2:42

But I remember seeing it like in a Seminario or something. And I always wish my parents had said that to me.

Tammy 2:48

really?

HB 2:49

But um, yeah, I always did. I was like, hmm, might be a nice little pep talk. I mean, I'm going to but yeah, and so, but I don't think they had seen the video and were converts. And so, you know, they didn't know when I left or when I came home.

Tammy 3:04

Well, what's, tell me, what's the implication of that saying, "Remember who you are and what you stand for?" What are they trying to tell us?

HB 3:13

I mean, just don't go out into the world and act like an idiot.

Tammy 3:18

Don't act like an idiot?

Tamu, do you ever say it to your kids?

Tamu 3:22

I say it jokingly, But Zandra Vraines' husband Nick, he says, "Don't be an idiot and don't be a floozy." He would say they don't have to. So he says that to my kids, "Don't be an idiot, and don't be floozy." I think that I'm saying it right. And so that is really the thing that my kids take to heart, like, "Uncle Nick says this, Uncle Nick says." And so, and the whole, that's our edited version of "remember who you are and what you stand for."

Awesome. I think living with Holly we may have slightly changed that when we were together as roommates. I think we started saying "Remember who you are, and don't let it get you down." (Laughter)

HB 4:08

You're right. We did say that.

Tammy 4:11

I think we did. Because sometimes I'd say that to my kids, because my kids will say, "Mom, remember who you are." And then I'll say "and don't let it get you down." And then we'd laugh, ah, just kidding. Okay. Well, I wanted you to think about that term if it was ever said to you, or if you've said it, because like you said, Holly, you said because it really kind of has an effect on the way you act and how we act and what we do. And we're going to join here in the story with the book of Acts, because it's a record of the acts of the Apostles, what they did and what they stood for. And some of these stories are so awesome. And then some are kind of ones that maybe you might not want written in the book of Acts, especially if you were Paul, or Saul. But as all three of us have come to agree and learn in our old age, that every story has a purpose, right?

Tamu 4:59

Yes, God does not waste anything, right?

Tammy 5:03

And nothing's wasted in the Book of Acts. So here's a couple things you want to know, let's turn to the Book of Acts, the very first page. And what we're going to do is mark a couple of things. First of all, highlight the word "apostles" where it says, "the Acts of the Apostles." The word "apostle" in Greek means "one sent forth". So go and just write that next to that word, "one sent forth." Now, Luke is believed to be the author of this book. And apparently, for historians who wrote around the first century, it was very common to begin a second volume or a sequel to the original work. So we have the Gospel of Luke, and scholars believe that this is his sequel, the Acts of the Apostles. Now these acts, this is what I think I loved learning. So we have the book of Acts. Now, as part of our glue-in this week, within the book of Acts we have listed all the letters that are written in chronological order, according to the Acts of the Apostles.

HB 5:03

And do you mean the letters, the letters to the church?

Tammy 5:09

Yes. So for instance, I mean, 1st & 2nd Corinthians, Romans, and Galatians. This is where those books fit in, they fit into the book of Acts. So when we get done with the book of Acts, and you start with Romans, 1st & 2nd Corinthians, those aren't in order of how they were written, they're simply put in order of biggest book to smallest book. That's the order of those. They actually go in the book of Acts, so you kind of want to put this at the front of your book of Acts so you know where the letters or the Epistles fit in that were written by the apostles.

HB 6:41

Oh, so as the story of Acts is told here, then these letters are part of that narrative.

Tammy 6:50

Yes.

HB 6:51

Ah, never knew that. I never knew.

Tamu 6:55

I learned that today at this age.

Tammy 6:58

'Today years old.'

Tamu 6:59

'Today years old', yes,

HB 7:01

Viewers, listeners. That's worth your Deseret Bookshelf Plus subscription price.

Tamu 7:06

For real!

Tammy 7:07

Right there. Yes

HB 7:08

Yeah, right there.

Tammy 7:11

Well, because when you go through, and then you start to read the book of James and Hebrew and Timothy and everything, you're like, wait, but they wrote this, but who'd they write it to? They wrote it to the people they saw throughout the acts.

HB 7:23

Are you kidding me? There you go. They're making this a sequel.

Tammy 7:28

I'll tell you what.

HB 7:29

That's good.

Tammy 7:30

So go back to the first page of Acts and let me just kind of help you out a little bit more with the structure of Acts. So turn the page and let's go to Acts 1:8, and verse 8 says, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." That is the structure. Chapters 1-7 of Acts is Jerusalem. Chapters 8-10 is Samaria. And then chapters 11 -28 is the uttermost parts of the earth. So verse 8 is the structure for this book.

Okay. Now knowing all of that, then, Luke starts to write and he says in verse 3 after the Lord was with us for 40 days, and taught us, he then commanded us to go and preach to all of these people, but before they can do that, they have a meeting the apostles meet in an upper room. In chapter 1:13, it says, "And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room..." All the apostles met there because they had to fill a vacancy, Judas's vacancy, and so the vacancy they fill is Matthias, in verses 23-26. You can just mark that and highlight his name in verse 26. There it is, Matthias. He was numbered with the 11 apostles. So that's the history you need to know before we start talking about the acts of the Apostles. That is Acts chapter 1, and in the next segment, we're going to jump into Acts chapter 2.

Segment 2 9:03

.....

Tammy 9:18

Okay, I want to know if either one of you can understand what I'm saying. Are you ready for this? Here we go. Vi una columna de luz mas brilliante que el sol. Directamente arriba de mi cabeza.

HB 9:33

Oh, oh, I know that. Yeah.

Tammy 9:36

What did I say Holly?

HB 9:38

"I saw a pillar of light directly above my head. Brighter than the...."well, I think I got that out of order but, "brighter than the sun."

Tammy 9:48

Fantastic. Now Holly, how are you able to understand me?

HB 9:52

I mean, that was, that was showtime on the mission, you know? Like, I prepared to share that story of The First Vision, you know. That, and I think every missionary is the same, like, you really, really worked to be able to share that.

Tammy 10:10

And did you share it in Spanish? Like, how did you understand what I was saying in a different language?

HB 10:15

Oh, yeah, I mean, you know, I shared that a million times and, and when you're in the MTC you think, you know the angels are going to appear the minute you say "Vi una columna la luz." Then dogs start barking, phones start ringing, stove catches on fire, you know. And Patricia from Vanuato comes walking in. And, but as you keep going, if you keep you know, you just kind of like close your eyes and muscle through it, then the Spirit comes in every single time you share that.

Tammy 10:47

Every single time. But I'm asking, let me ask you this. How did you know how to say that in Spanish?

HB 10:55

I mean, I had it translated

Tammy 10:59

Did you take Spanish in high school? Did you know Spanish coming into your mission?

HB 11:03

I did. I did take Spanish in high school. I did.

Tammy 11:06

So were you fluent when you went on your mission?

HB 11:08

No, no. In fact, I bore my testimony the first day of my mission that "Joseph Smith was a tree."

Tammy 11:16

Oh, sure. A tree

HB 11:19

I did. I, with all my little missionary heart, and I had tears in my eyes, and the people laughed. And I thought, Man, I did not sign up for this. These are the rudest people in the world. I can't believe I'm sharing my testimony. But yeah.

Tammy 11:37

So I'm curious to know from either one of you, what term in our religion do we use that explains the unbelievable ability for young men and young women in our church to learn a foreign language?

Tamu 11:50

The gift of tongues?

Tammy 11:52

Yes

Tamu 11:53

The gift. You got the gift.

Tammy 11:55

You got the gift. Okay, turn with me to Acts chapter 2. This is how Holly and myself were able to understand Vi una columna de luz, and how we were able to learn it and speak at when neither one of us, I mean, listen. Sure I took a little Spanish, I could ask where the bathroom - 'Donde esta la biblioteca?' (laughs) And I could say, I like hamburgers: me gusta hamburguesa.' That's all I knew. But we have this amazing thing that happens in Acts chapter 2. Let's go to verse 1. And Tamu, hit it, read verse 1 for us.

Tamu 12:26

2:1 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place."

Tammy 12:32

Okay, highlight the word "Pentecost." What do you already know about the day of Pentecost? Because when I asked you about Acts 1-5, you both said, Day of Pentecost, like you, you knew it was somewhere in here. Tell me what your thoughts are about this day, or what you know, or what you grew up knowing? Maybe for you Tamu?

Tamu 12:53

Well, I can say this, that I grew up knowing that it was the day that the Holy Ghost visited the Earth. And I also just like, I want to say a few hours, but I think it was a day or two prior to you asking me to do this episode, we have a family group chat that me and some of my cousins, who we still are affiliated with the Church of God in Christ, but we're not actively in the Church of God in Christ. And so my aunt, the matriarch of the family, sent out a text message. And she said, I just want to remind everybody that you need to be in a church on the 28th of May, because that is the day of Pentecost.

HB 13:40

Oh,

Tammy 13:40

yes!

Tamu 13:42

So May 28th is the day of Pentecost this year, just so you all, just for anyone who's wondering.

Tammy 13:47

Awesome.

Tamu 13:47

And so that is the day that you're going to be in prayer, you're going to be worshiping. Growing up, that's what we would do is, it comes 50 days after Easter.

Tammy 13:57

Wow, awesome, Tamu. Yes. In fact, next to the word Pentecost, I want you to just put that - 'it is 50 days after Passover.' That's exactly what it is. Counting, you can go count it out, that's why it's May 28.th. And, listen. The purpose of this celebration, I thought this was interesting, the purpose of it is to celebrate the first harvest of the season, which is the wheat harvest. And so the winter crop is planted, and then it's harvested in May. And it really is 50 days after Passover. So that's what's, that's the celebration that's taking place right here. So everybody's gathering for this right here, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come." Now let's go in and read verses 2-4 and find out what happened on this day of Pentecost. So HB, read verses 2-4. And as you do there's a couple of weird words that I want us to kind of just pull out so we can discuss. So go ahead.

HB 14:51

Okay, so Acts 2:2-4 "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

Tammy 15:19

Thank you. Is there a word that stood out to you then? Like, what does that mean?

HB 15:23

I mean, I love the imagery of the wind and you know, the rushing mighty wind, and it filling...um. What's curious to me is the cloven tongues, like, as a fire.

Tammy 15:39

Yeah.

HB 15:39

And, and also that verb that, that those tongues sat upon each of them, right, when you, that imagery of something sitting upon you, like it engulfs you, you know?

Tammy 15:52

Well, it's so cool, Holly. The word "cloven" in Greek means "to divide or to distribute." Now, in context of this, look at this: Cloven tongues. Then it says "they all began to speak with other tongues." And one of the things that Joseph Smith taught is you can't have the gift of tongues without someone to interpret it. Look at verse 6. The end of verse 6 it says "that every man heard them speak in his own language." And then verse 8 they say, "And how hear we every man in our own language wherein we were born?" And then verses 9, 10, and 11 say all the different places where people heard their own languages from.

HB 16:32

Wow

Tammy 16:33

The cloven tongue is what divided it or distributed the message to all these people in their own language? Isn't that awesome?

HB 16:41

You know, Tam and Tamu, I had an experience with this exact same thing that you just reminded me of when I taught middle school, - Butler Middle, home of the Bruins many, many years ago, over 20 years ago. I had a boy, a seventh grader in my class who was hearing impaired. And he had an interpreter and I was a first-year teacher and, and so, you know, I just really wanted him to, to feel heard and for him to understand. And, and I remember, I remember saying my prayers and, and asking Heavenly Father to help me be able to do that with this boy who was just cute as a button. And over the next, really, it was less than a week, all of a sudden when he would, when he would sign, I could sign back to him. I didn't know any sign language. None. And I could understand him and the interpreter was there. And you know, of course, I didn't get all of it. But I could totally, and by the end of that year, I could totally understand them.

And the second he was out of my class, I can't, I mean, I can, I got about half the letters in the alphabet. I don't know any, and Thank you. That's all I have. But during that time, then, it was distributed upon me. And it was the most marvelous thing.

Tammy 18:16

Yeah. Well, because you have the gift of the Holy Ghost. It really, you just testified of the truthfulness of this moment right here, that every one of us

Tamu 18:26

What do we know about the Holy Ghost - that it will teach us all things that we should know? All things.

Tammy 18:33

All things, not just spiritual.

Tamu 18:36

One of the things that we would do during our day of Pentecost worship - and this is a really important that we know this about other religions - is that during their day of Pentecost it is very significant to them, because it is the day that they have a rebirth in their church because that's the day that the church was born, they believe. And the Holy Ghost visited the Earth, it gave birth to the church because we didn't have the church when Christ was alive. And so we have and I think I sent you that video, we have the "shut-in" and you just, you're in the church for anywhere, I mean, as I got older, I realized that they had 24 hours shut-ins where they would go into the church. And you know, every 12 hours they, they open it back up and they would let the kids out but the adults stayed in.

Tammy 19:27

Yeah.

Tamu 19:28

And they, you just pray and worship and call on the name of Christ and you're just in there praying and worshiping and inviting the Holy Ghost to renew you. And so it's like a rebaptism and that's so beautiful. And I love what you said though, I mean, when you said, what you said. It, it helps to bring some, it helped to fill in some pieces for me because the Holy Ghost will teach us all things that we should know.

Tammy 19:56

Okay, Tamu, I love that you just taught us that it is a time to be renewed, because back here in Acts - oh my gosh, this is so cool - because back here in Acts chapter 2, bracket off verses 15-36. This is sort of Peter's little "shut-in". Verses 15-36, Peter is going to teach and testify through all of these verses. And the people are feeling the Spirit so strong. Tamu, you have to read verse 37. Look what happened to them. I just put in my scriptures a new word next to this because you taught it to me right now. Okay, so 15-36 is a little Peter shut-in. He's preaching to the people, and now look at verse 37.

Tamu 20:31

"Now they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

Tammy 20:42

Could there be a better renewal verse? I mean, I just put the word "pricked." I put a little line and put "renewed". Like, they just came alive, like "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Okay, what do we do? Here's Peter's response. It's simple, it's verse 38. And he says, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Right there. Just the first covenant we make, just get baptized. Now just from that covenant, which the three of us have done, we have received the gift of the Holy Ghost; we are covenant keepers, but look what the promise is in verse 39. HB, will you please read that.

HB 21:26

Acts 2:39 "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

Tammy 21:39

I want you to underline "afar off." What does that mean to you today in the world we live in? Like that, that struck me.

HB 21:48

It struck me that the promises to me and to my kids, I can just see it penetrating throughout the whole earth, right? Just like, I can see the globe just a-washed by that renewable. And listen, someone can be afar off and be sitting in the same room with us.

Tammy 22:08

Amen.

HB 22:09

I have been, right?

Tammy 22:11

Yeah

HB 22:12

Could be someone sitting next to you in church, or you? Right?

Tammy 22:18

Right. I mean, I'll never look at it, that word "afar". Every time I've read afar off, I thought, oh yeah, in other lands. But now in my life, some of my closest family members and friends that I love, are afar off. I have been afar off. And I look back at that promise, the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all their afar off, just because you kept your first covenant, that baptismal covenant. And you have the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Tamu 22:48

That also speaks volumes to those who, maybe they're the only ones in their families that they're clinging to the Gospel, they're clinging to Christ. And we live in this world where things are just a little bit crazy. Just kidding, they're a lot crazy. And I've come. And so the Holy Ghost is not just something that is for you. Even though it's personal. It's something that that you share your presence being around other people they partake of the Holy Ghost that is in you, they've taken the Spirit that's in you. And there are times where I've walked in rooms, and had people just cling to me, and I don't know them. And they, you know, There's something about you, which is like, really? But now, like reading this, it really puts things into perspective, because the gift is not just mine. It's for what I wrote down is the Holy Ghost isn't just for us, it's for all who take claim to us.

Tammy 23:49

Amen. Oh, I like that, who take claim to us.

Tamu 23:54

Like it's your friends, it's your relatives. It's people that are, it's almost like the woman with the issue of blood. She found Jesus and she partook of the Spirit that was just even on His clothing.

HB 24:10

I love that. I mean, I think each of us can picture that person or a loved one that we just feel like they're lost. And you know, what what can we do? But we can just show up.

Tammy 24:25

Yeah,

HB 24:25

Right, because

Tamu 24:26

Just living, living within your promise, living within. Keeping your covenant is a blessing to those around you.

Tammy 24:33

Yeah.

HB 24:34

So this reminds me of something that the Prophet Joseph Smith taught about when we have someone we love who has left the fold or is wandering. He said "Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later, they will feel the tentacles of divine providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold, either in this life or the life to come, they will return."

Tammy 25:04

Why does that make you emotional HB?

HB 25:07

You know, I think as a mom, and as a sister and a daughter, you know, people have agency and I've certainly exercised my own from, for my good and for my ill. And I just, that last part "they will return."

Tammy 25:23

Yeah, well, and Holly, look why they return. At the beginning of that quote it says "The Prophet Joseph Smith declared, and he never taught a more comforting doctrine, that the eternal seaings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the cause of truth would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity." I mean, that boils back to covenants, keeping your covenants. So thank you for bringing that up HB. Well, and remember, this is the day of Pentecost, we're celebrating the harvest, remember, 50 days after Easter? Could there be a better harvest than verse 41? Look at verse 41, how many people were added to the group of saints?

HB 26:03

3000. Ooh.

Tammy 26:06

There's a harvest for you - 3000. And so we have this experience, and then, just kind of bracket off verses 44-47 - we're gonna come back to it - but they also enter into this law of consecration, which is important too. They're like, we want more, what else can we do? And they enter into this. And so the people and Peter and John, they then go to the temple. And in the next segment, we're going to discover another act that took place at the temple

Segment 3 26:48

.....

Tamu 26:48

Okay, this next act is an incredible act by Peter and John. Let's turn to Acts chapter 3. Okay, here we go. Acts 3:1, and it starts out in verse 1 by saying, "Now Peter and John went together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour." Now the ninth hour in Scripture is 3:00. So I kind of laugh I'm like, this is like the 3:00 session of conference for these people. They've listened to Peter talk, they have this incredible holy experience and now they're going to have this, another amazing experience. So, 3:00. Verse 2. Tamu, will you read that for us. "And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they carried daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;". Okay, underline "lame from his mother's womb." And just look at Acts 4:22, it's going to tell us how old he actually is. Acts 4:22 gives us a little more insight into this lame man. And verse 22, HB, how old is he?

About 40.

Yeah, so it's not a little child or teenager; this grown man, somewhere above 40 they lay at the gate every day to ask of alms. So there he is at the gate - and I love how it's called Beautiful - and he's sitting there asking for alms. And Peter and John walk up to him. And in verse 4 of Acts chapter 3, it says, "Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us." So this man looks up to Peter and John thinking, Oh, he's going to give me arms, these two men are going to help me out, and is fully expecting to receive something of them. In verse 5 it says that. In verse 6 Peter says, Listen, silver and gold, I don't have any, but such as I have, I give to thee. And then he says, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And then he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. "And then I love verse eight, Tamu, can you please read Acts 3:8.

Tammy 28:57

Awesome.

Tamu 29:00

Amen.

"And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God."

Tammy 29:00

Why do you love that story? Tell me why you Amenned that.

Tamu 29:12

I Amenned that because he, he, he realized that he was blessed. He got up walking, and then he started leaping. This is someone who never walked, he started leaping. And he also began to praise God, and just the visual of that is beautiful to me, because it is, it's loud. It's loud, like you're leaping where other people are walking, and now you're praising God. It's a big gesture. And of course, I love to praise God.

HB 29:45

Like a dancer.

Tamu 29:46

Yes. And I can't think

HB 29:47

dancers leap.

Tamu 29:48

like David, danced.

HB 29:53

I did.

Tammy 29:49

Yeah. Well, you know, when I read this miracle and I'm like, Oh, this is all well and good. That's awesome, but doesn't really happen that often today, and then I thought, wait a minute, I'm going to ask you two. Have you recently had an experience that has caused you to walk or leap or praise God? Where maybe a prayer was answered that you wanted so bad? And then you got it. And you were like, YES! HB, you were walking, praising, and leaping the other day.

I know it. Tell us about that.

You know, something that I really needed and that I prayed for happened the other day. And I, I, I did. I called, I called Tammy and, and we did leap and dance, and, like, celebrated. And that's what, like, Tamu, I love how that part touches you. And I love that he immediately, right?

Yeah

HB 30:51

He immediately and entered into the temple like, like a dancer. Right? And just celebrated. And I think that must bring our Heavenly Parents joy when They know that we know that They helped us out.

Tammy 31:11

Yeah, yeah. In fact, I remember texting because you texted us immediately after you got the good news. And we texted you back. And we're like, You are God's favorite. Oh, my gosh, He heard your prayer.

HB 31:23

Yeah.

Tammy 31:24

I've always said that about you, though. God really does hear your person answer you. And so

HB 31:29

He does.

Tammy 31:29

So as a group of friends, we were leaping and praising God with you. It was so cool. It was a good day .

HB 31:35

And you know, I love that in a friendship in the Gospel, where if you can find a friend or a group of friends who can genuinely be happy for you, it just strengthens your faith because you always remind me Tam, that God always answers my prayers.

Tammy 31:56

Yeah, He does.

HB 31:57

And I'm the biggest doubter on the block. My go-to is, Well, it's probably never gonna work out, you know. But when I show even the tiniest molecule of faith, I'm rewarded a billion-fold.

Tammy 32:15

So true. Oh, Holly, thank you for sharing that. Tamu, do you have a story of leaping and praising?

Tamu 32:21

Oh my gosh. My testimony in the gospel here is a story of leaping and praising God. I did come from a very religious background already and I've always felt blessed that God, I felt, heard. I felt heard and I felt seen by a God that chose to listen to me as a, as a kid. I mean, I got my first witness of the Holy Ghost at our day of Pentecost worship when I was nine years old. And I just really have just been a believer, just a believer in trusting God since then. But just praying at the age of 10 or 11, that there must be something more and for God to reveal it to me.

And I know that this is not a "why you stayed" episode. But I mean, people ask all the time, Why do you stay in that church? Because God led me here. And while I'm here, I'm going to leap and praise and worship, and thank God. And I just, since then I, when I do recognize my prayers being answered and recognize that there has been a miracle in my life, I am going to everytime say, "Thank you Jesus" out loud. And I'm going to praise. And so and it looks different at different times. But this is my praise. This is my worship. And this is my story. And so this is what I do. And I just being here in this gospel is part of my praise and worship, and this is what it looks like, today.

Tammy 34:01

Beautiful, I'm so thankful. From the bottom of my heart. I just have to say how thankful I am to God, that you both are part of His harvest. I wouldn't know you. Like, I just, it's the greatest blessing to me. I love you both so much. So thank you. Wow,

HB 34:19

Thank you, love you both. And Tamu I'm just picturing, I'm picturing little nine-year old Tamu and little nine-year old Holly Butterfield, right? And I remember the day I got baptized, I was 10. But I was learning about it when I was nine. And I remember going into my room, and I had this feeling come upon me, kind of like you just described, and I know now was the Holy Ghost. And I knew that for the first time in my life, that God had a plan for me, and that there was something special about me. And that He loved me.

Tamu 35:01

Amen.

HB 35:02

I never even knew God had that connection with us personally. And that's where the Holy Ghost and. I lose sight of it sometimes. But Tamu, just hearing you talk just then about how, yeah, you're not, you're not, you're a lifer.

Tammy 35:22

Yeah,

Tamu 35:22

A lot of Saints, especially people who have been here, who were baptized at the age of eight, they don't realize that in order to follow Christ, you have to give something up. You have to sacrifice something you, your life becomes a consecration to Christ iand to following Him.

Tammy 35:40

Yeah.

Tamu 35:41

And so I've been thinking about that a lot. Because being here in the Gospel, a lot of us who are converts, we gave something up, we gave up this old life, we gave up these old traditions to join the gospel of Christ. I didn't give it up to join the Mormon Church, I just gave it up to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and because I wanted to partake in the gospel of Christ. And when I look at this, the stories that I've been following in the, in the scriptures, you know, I get on these tangents where I'm just like, I'm trying to, I start scratching it things. And even in the story of this man, he gives something up. His life, him sitting at the doors of the temple, and asking people for whatever they could give, that actually helps support his family.

Tammy 36:34

Yeah.

Tamu 36:35

And, and giving that up for this blessing, for this miracle, it still is a sacrifice to his family. And I wonder if they were truly happy for him. He was happy.

Tammy 36:50

Interesting. Yeah.

Tamu 36:51

We're happy, but sometimes when we're leaving, when we're in our happiness and our worship, there are people that we leave behind.

Tammy 36:59

Right.

Tamu 37:00

And you changing your life, your life change is a sacrifice because you're giving something up, and you're following Christ. And when you're following someone, other people who are not following are being left behind.

Tammy 37:16

Wow, Tamu. I'd never considered that aspect of the story. Thank you for pointing that out. You're absolutely right. That is a sacrifice to follow Him. So thank you for sharing that. Like the fact they're calling the temple Beautiful, makes it even more beautiful that it happened here at this temple Beautiful, so. Thank you.

Tamu 37:33

Absolutely. And so just a reminder to people that, you know, it's not always easy to do the right thing, but we do it because we follow Christ.

Tammy 37:43

Yeah. And it will be beautiful. Awesome.

Tamu 37:45

And it will be Beautiful.

Tammy 37:47

Okay, thank you. Oh, okay, do this everyone: bracket off verses 12-26. And just write "Peter teaches and testifies". And you can put in parentheses ("again"), he's continuing on with the 3:00 session. And as a result of Peter preaching, the rulers, the priests, the Sadducees, they did something to Peter and John, and we're going to find out what that is in the next segment.

Segment 4 38:07

.....

Tammy 38:19

So Acts 4:1, here we have it: the priests, the captain of the temple, the Sadducees, they come upon him. They do not like what Peter and John are doing. And as a result in verse 3 it says "....they laid hands on them and put them in hold", Highlight that. It means that they were arrested and they're put in jail. But you know what? This is interesting, because the harvest is still continuing. Look at verse 4. Look how many more people believed in verse 4. Highlight that number. How many is it Tamu?

Tamu 38:46

Girl now it's 5,000.

Tammy 38:49

5,000 more are harvested.

Tamu 38:51

So I mean, if we started to accumulate, is, what is it eight?

Tammy 38:56

Yeah,

Tamu 38:56

we're adding?

8,000 people!

HB 38:59

That's as big as my hometown.

Tammy 39:01

And there you go. So we have all these powers that be, you can bracket off verses 5 and 6 and write "the powers that be." They do not like what is being taught. And Peter is going to testify. And what they want to know is how are you able to heal this man? And I really love that Peter teaches that in verses 8-10, he says it's through the power of Christ that I was given. And then he says to them in verse 11, by the way, This man Jesus, He is the stone, in verse 11. ":This is the stone" (or the Cornerstone is what it's translated as) "which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner." And then he says, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." And then verse 13, and "when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."

So as they're doing this, they decide, well, what can we do? What are we going to do about this Peter and John duo. And they think, Okay, here's what we're gonna do, in verse 18. "And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus." That's their answer. You know what, you two? You're just not even allowed to do it anymore. Don't talk about Him and you just

HB 40:16

It's a gag order.

Tammy 40:17

It's a gag order. HB, we just love Peter and John's answer, will you please read for us verses 19 and 20. And then I want you to just rephrase into terms we can understand today.

HB 40:28

Acts 4:19 and 20. "But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." So I mean, basically, whether or not it be right in the sight of God for us to to obey your gag order, more than obey God's command that we share this, we can't do anything but we're going to testify.

Tammy 41:06

Yeah. How would you rephrase that Tamuy?

Tamu 41:10

You want me to,you want me to urban translate it?

Tammy 41:12

You know, it's my favorite thing you do? Urban translate it for us Tamu.

Tamu 41:17

Oh, let's see. Look, y'all can do y'all. I'm gonna do me because God, God put something in me. And so if you don't like it, you don't like it. But this is what I'm doing with God.

Tammy 41:28

I LOVE it! That is exactly it.

HB 41:32

Oh, so much better than my paraphrase.

Tammy 41:37

Oh, it's powerful. I love it. That's exactly what I was hoping you would say.

Tamu 41:41

Also, if we go back up to verse 14, these are the ones where I love it because they come alive, because they're real for me,

Tammy 41:49

Hit it, read it

Tamu 41:50

14: "And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it." So they had no answers for that. And when people like what I'm saying, This is what the Scripture says, what do you say about that? Well I don't want to talk about that part, I just want to talk about this part. Well, you can't talk about this part without saying, you can't talk about my fingers without talking about my whole hand.

HB 42:11

Yes.

Tamu 42:12

So let's talk about the hand. And

HB 42:15

Oh I like that.

Tamu 42:16

It's like, and so because they could say nothing of the man that they, everybody knew that he'd received this healing, they could say nothing of him. They said nothing against him. They're just gonna say, Shut up. Stop talking about Jesus.

Tammy 42:28

Right

HB 42:29

That's ridiculous.

Tamu 42:30

We don't want to even address this guy. We want you just be quiet.

Tammy 42:37

And why is it ridiculous HB?

HB 42:39

I mean it's just ridiculous. I mean, 8000 people are all standing around, all the people are talking about it. And they're, they're so panicked that they think, Well, we'll just tell Peter and John to just shut it. It'll go away. It'll go away if these 2 don't talk about it. But they're terrified. It's like a wave; you can't stop a wave.

Tammy 43:04

Right.

Tamu 43:05

And can we talk about why they're terrified?

Tammy 43:07

Yeah, tell me why.

Tamu 43:09

Because in the previous chapters, we see that they get to have their own access, they get to have their own witness to the Holy Ghost. So now we don't have to go through the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the leaders of that time. We don't have to go through them to get access to God. And so now you have first it was 3000. And I mean, so okay, whatever is 3000. But now was five more thousand. And this thing is growing. And now, because they have access instead of us meeting together and having this Spirit, this spiritual awakening, now, we have the scrolls, we have the books. So how can they have access to the same things that we have access to, but by the power of the Holy Ghost that is teaching them?

Tammy 44:00

Yes. I love that.

Tamu 44:03

Now, are we becoming irrelevant? Because they have no faith, they have the records.

Tammy 44:08

right

Tamu 44:09

I have the faith, which is giving me access to the records, even though I don't have access to the records. So does that make the record-holders irrelevant? Instead of working together, and having these places where we can intersect and teaching each other through the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, now we're at a standoff because they're getting this information. How are they getting it? Peter and John must know something that I don't know. And how do they know this thing? And it's more than what I have over here?

Tammy 44:46

Yes

Tamu 44:47

But also when you have the power of the Holy Ghost and the scriptures together, it just invigorates you .wWen you only have the scriptures and not the power, you just have words.

Tammy 44:56

Okay Tamu. I love that you just taught us that it invigorates you. That is exactly what happens here in Acts chapter 4. Look at this, holy cow. It's like you and I got together and planned this. and we didn't even do that. That is the perfect explanation for what happens next. Because in verse 23, it says, "And being let go, they went to their own company." So Peter and John are let go, they go back to their company, the believers, the 8000, and they are so happy. They're praising God that Peter and John were able to go free. In fact, let's read in Acts chapter 4. Tamu, will you please read verse 31 and 32. Talk about an invigoration! Hit it.

Tamu 45:33

"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed, and the multitude of them that believe, were of one heart, and one soul, neither said of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common."

Tammy 46:09

Thank you. I bracketed off 31 and 32 and I just put "invigorated" next to that. I mean, the amazing thing about this is as believers they've already entered into their first covenant, and now they're going to level up. Now, what does this mean, level up? In fact HB, is your son a gamer?

HB 46:26

Well I was at the Bangor Mall - the Pac Man, Miss Pac Man game. I spent several $100 of quarters there when I could get a ride. All you wanted to do was level up.

Tammy 46:37

What does it mean to level up in the gaming lingo?

HB 46:40

Oh, you know, you beat the level, you beat, you beat the level so you go on to the next level, go on to the next level and keep getting that fake dopamine.

Tammy 46:48

Ah, and it just gets better and better and more, yeah, I like that, the fake dopamine.

HB 46:53

Oh, yeah,

Tammy 46:53

Okay. This is awesome because this dopamine isn't fake. This is real, these Saints level up. And bracket off verses 33-37, because they enter into the law of consecration. Just put that to the outside - "law of consecration", the covenant of covenants to make sure that all things are common. Verse 34, "Neither was there any among them that lacked:" and then verse 36 and 37, we have this just nice man named Barnabas, which being interpreted is the son of consolation. He's a Levite and verse 37, "Having land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet." Sold all of his land so that he could be one with all of the believers. I mean, that is a level up. HB, what were you gonna say?

HB 47:40

I just think it's amazing when Tamar was reading verse 32 that not one of the people said there that, This is mine, or, or like, Oh, you put your tent too close to my tent, or You're stepping on my, this is my section. There's no jostling for position. They, they're linking arms.

Tammy 48:01

I like that - linking arms.

HB 48:03

They have this experience. It didn't separate them, it unified them, this incredible spiritual experience.

Tammy 48:12

Okay, well think about this for a minute. I like that linking arms idea. For those of us who have been endowed in the House of God, in the Temple, how can keeping this covenant today help us level up?

Ooh I like that. Yeah, like going back to we're linked in arm in arm, we level up together. That's what, that's what that covenant does. It levels us up together. Oh, Holly, I like that.

HB 48:22

Man. I mean, I think it's back to what Tamu said, that the Pharisees and the Sadducees and head honchos were worried because the people saw this transformation of these 8000, that they're all unified in this one experience where they see a man who has weighed in the dust and the dirt and the grime, leap up. And then go dancing and leaping into the Temple. And that like transformed all of them and together. You know, playing PacMan at the mall is really lonely. Right? And it's really lonely, but having these kinds of experiences with your brothers and sisters, with your neighbors. And there's no loneliness. You're engulfed. And when we level up we don't level up alone. Right?

What does it do to me? What good, what good is it to me to go live with my Heavenly Parents and Jesus by myself? I mean, I'm sure we'd have some good times.

Tamu 49:43

That actually sounds boring. I mean,

HB 49:47

Right? Yeah, I'm like, Oh, okay. What are we going to talk about now?

Tammy 49:51

Wish my friends were here.

HB 49:53

Right? It's always better when you have a friend over.

Tammy 49:56

Amen. Oh, so good.

Tamu 49:59

What leveling up is to me is just thinking about what what HB said is sharing information grows us. And we shouldn't be embarrassed by what we don't know. Because we do know that "where two or three are gathered, there I am also." And when I'm thinking of the "there I am," I know that the spirit of the Holy Ghost is representation on the earth. And what we what do we learn in this lesson, that the Holy Ghost will teach us all things that we should know. And so we should not be, I mean, I think about the the priest and the leaders at the time and their embarrassment by not knowing because they lack the Spirit of the Holy Ghost is what caused the whole calamity. It caused a movement.

Tammy 50:49

Yeah, amen. So good, you guys. Oh I love discussing Scriptures with friends. This is awesome. Okay, well, for those of us who have leveled up, and if you're kind of thinking about this, then apparently Acts chapter 5 has a story in there that serves as a warning, but we all agree that every story has a purpose. So we're going to find out the purpose of this story in the next segment.

Segment 5 51:10

....

Tammy 51:24

Okay, everyone, let's go to Acts chapter 5, this story is crazy. And again, if you're like, why would this be in here? In fact, I thought that, like, maybe we'll just skip this story. I don't want anybody to feel bad if they find themselves in this predicament. But then I was blow drying my hair one morning, thinking about this story, and it hit me, again: every story has a purpose. And we've just come off the heels of the people feeling the Spirit, the earth was shaken. They're all joining together, everybody, one heart, one mind. And then we have cute Barnabas, who lays at the feet of the people all of the money for his land, right? We've all linked in arms, we've all leveled up. And then we have the story of two people. Acts 5:1 "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession." But look what they did in verse 2. HB will you read that for us.

5:2 "And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet."

Okay, underline "certain." They didn't bring their all, they kept back some of it for themselves like, well, maybe the law of consecration doesn't mean everything. Maybe what the Lord met was just as much as we want to give. So they only brought a certain part of it. And Peter calls out Ananias and says in verse 3, Satan filled your heart. Why did you lie to the Holy Ghost? Isn't that interesting? Why did you lie to the Holy Ghost and keep back part of the price of the land? You know, we're living this law of consecration, you have not just lied,in verse 4 it says, You've not just "lied unto men, but unto God." Very last line in verse 4 says that. And when Ananias heard this, look at verse 5: "hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all them that heard these things." Why'd you say that HB?

HB 53:14

I mean, I wonder if he was taken or if he died from remorse?

Tammy 53:23

Yeah,

HB 53:24

We'll never know. Well, I hope someday,

Tamu 53:27

Or just that he was taken since it happened in that moment.

HB 53:31

Yep

Tammy 53:31

Just taken. Yes. In fact, verse 6 says,""....the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him." without his wife even knowing what had happened. Look at verse 7. "....it was about the space of three hours when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in." And Peter questions her and says, So tell me about this land that you sold for so much. And what did you do with that money? And he then gives her just kind of the 'what for, why no' like he did to the husband? Why did you tempt the Spirit of the Lord? like says that in verse 9. And then verse 10. Tamu, will you read that for us.

Tamu 54:06

Then

10: "Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost and the young man came in." I'm sorry.When you think about what I, I mean, when you, when you can see this story is a little bit like wack-o.

Oh,

HB 54:25

Okay. I'm horrified.

Tammy 54:28

Right?

Tamu 54:28

Then she fell down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young man came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband."

Tammy 54:39

Okay, now tell me why that's playing out in your mind. Tell me how it's playing out in your mind.

Tamu 54:45

I mean, when, for me, the first thing I would have said when I walked in the room was, Where is my Boo? Because I know he came here and as soon as Peter started asking me questions, either I would have been like, I'm just gonna be dead with him or I'm gonna be in prison with him, wherever they put him. Or I'm gonna start coming up with some reasoning.

Tammy 55:06

Yeah.

Tamu 55:06

Like this, okay, this is what I was out. I thought, okay, I thought that the law of consecration was optional since we have free agency,.I would have been throwing in words like free agency, we wanted to, we'd rather live the law of offering. So this was our offering. But if the law of consecration is that serious, we're gonna live it. Now go get my husband. We go with the flow.

Tammy 55:27

I'm imagining he'd be like, Oh, we're doing this for real? So this is a real thing?

Tamu 55:30

Oh, this is real real.

HB 55:32

There's no trial here?

Tamu 55:32

I thought it was just real.

Tammy 55:33

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Tamu 55:35

I thought it was real, but it's real real. Okay.

Tammy 55:37

It's real real. Yes. And so this story may seem absurd, like why, I mean, come on, second chances? But let's look at the results. Here we go, verse 11. "And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things." Now, the word fear right here, it can mean dread and terror, but it can also mean in Greek'reverence or respect.' So in context of the people, and if you had heard this story, I think you would feel both levels of fear, right? A little bit scared, but then a little bit of like, oh, this is real real, like you said, Tamu. We're really, really doing this, right?

Tamu 56:15

Yes.

Tammy 56:16

I mean, it's for sure a lesson. I think the primary lesson is for those of us who have leveled up, the importance of covenants. Now I was very surprised to find this. I was kind of just researching some different things about covenants and the importance of covenants. And I came across this, January 16, 2018 was when President Russell M Nelson gave his first message as president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was set apart as our Prophet on January 14, of that, but two days earlier. So on the 16th he has a press conference and this is what he says to us. And I have this quote right here, and we're going to each read a paragraph. I didn't even know this was said. I remember watching it on the news. I didn't hear anything, I just thought, oh, that's our new prophet. Listen to what he said to all of us at this press conference. So we'll start with me, and then HB and then Tamu.

"Now to each member of the church, I say, Keep on the covenant path. Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him, and then keeping those covenants, will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women and children everywhere.

HB 57:25

"As the new Presidency, we want to begin with the end in mind. For this reason, we're speaking to you today from a Temple, the end or which each of us strives is to be endowed with power in the house of the Lord sealed as families, faithful to covenants made in a temple that qualify us for the greatest gift of God, that of eternal life. The ordinances of the temple and the covenants you make there are key to strengthening your life, your marriage and family, and your ability to resist the attacks of the adversary. Your worship in the temple and your service there for your ancestors will bless you with increased personal revelation, and peace that will fortify your commitment to stay on the covenant path.

Tamu 58:12

"Now, if you have stepped off the path, may I invite you with all the hope in my heart to please come back. Whether your concern, whether your challenges, there is a place for you in this the Lord's church. You and generations yet unborn will be blessed by your actions now, to return to the covenant path. Our Father in Heaven cherishes His children, and He wants each of us to return home to Him. This is the grand goal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, to help each of us come back home."

Tammy 58:48

Thank you. I mean, there he is. He's been a prophet for two days. And right out of the gates, it's about covenants. And so I just want to know from both of you, the candid conversation about staying on the covenant path. What are your thoughts about that? Or how have covenants blessed you? And it says in there "will bless you and generations yet unborn?" What are your thoughts on that?

HB 59:13

I just had a really clear witness that I need to go to the temple regularly, and I haven't bee. I'm looking at the temple out my front window. And I am reminded that I've been promised that if I keep my Temple covenants that my children will never depart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And like what Joseph Smith said, like they, they will be, they will be mine. And that's true for all of us. I need that.

Tammy 59:51

Wow. That's powerful. Holly.

Thank you for sharing that.

Tamu 59:55

Yes. Um, I think that as a younger person I used to think, especially as a younger person who was endowed and sealed in the temple, it meant, you know, keeping this promise to my family, to my earthly family. And really, as I've gotten older and I've watched friends and loved ones wrestle with the gospel, staying on the covenant path is personal. And, and even as we have gone through Acts from the very beginning, it's, it talks about your relationship and how if you keep your relationship, it will bless the lives of those around you. And so for me, staying on the covenant path means staying close to Christ, you know, following Christ and keeping my covenants, the covenants that I have made in sacred places, as opposed to covenants that WE have made in sacred places. And so, staying on the covenant path is a personal, is a personal journey.

Tammy 1:01:07

I absolutely agree. And everyone's going to be struck with a different way to do that.

Tamu 1:01:12

Absolutely.

Tammy 1:01:13

Yeah. And what that looks like for them personally, and what they're capable of doing. That's what I love about God. He knows us. He knows our hearts, and He knows what we're capable of doing. And that's enough. I really do believe that.

Tamu 1:01:23

He uses it.

Tammy 1:01:24

Yeah, he does. He uses it for our gain. You know, I was talking to my husband about this the other day. And we had a great conversation, because there was a time when we were really struggling with one of our daughters. And the only thought I had was to go to the temple. And my husband and I were talking because we, we've looked back now, you know, we've 'Monday morning quarterbacked' that about a million times. And we just keep talking about how we didn't handle it well, things we would have done differently. And there's plenty of things we should have done differently. But I did look at him and I said, But I'll tell you what. The only thing that we did do right is we doubled down on our covenants. We went to the temple, and we started to pray for that child every morning together as a couple.

And you know what? It did not change my child at all. Like that was what I was going for was that we'd have this miracle moment where she'd be changed. And she didn't change, but I did. And that's what it did for me. And it really did give me the promptings, the ideas. Things came to my mind that were not my own, and that was what ultimately was able to help this kid is that my husband and I both had impressions and ideas that were kind of maybe even off the beaten path of what we were being told to do. And it worked for her. And it was a rough couple of years. HB, you remember.

HB 1:02:44

I'll tell you what, I'm just thinking if, if people really knew how awful it was, they, like, I can't believe you stayed.

Tammy 1:02:56

It was tough.

HB 1:02:58

Yeah, it was. It was ugly. And, but you're absolutely right. It didn't change, it didn't change her one bit. But you changed. And now she has changed.

Tammy 1:03:17

Yes. Yes, definitely.

HB 1:03:19

That's the interesting, that's the interesting thing. And right, that's the covenant path. That's what it looks like, staying on that covenant path when you don't want to be on it at all. That, or just maybe just want to sit down for a while. That sounded good about that time. Like I just ,like to take a big ole break here and eat some Twinkies and drink a Coke. So whatever. It was like, and maybe I did that. Sure. I probably did that for a little bit. And then I got back up and

Oh, you have to.

Tammy 1:03:48

Yeah, you have to, so

Tamu 1:03:50

I have this little calendar and it says, "I can't say that you'll never be weary. I can't say that it doesn't get tough. I can't even say you'll always know where your next smile is coming from. But what I can say is that I've tried Jesus, andHhe works."

Tammy 1:04:08

AMEN.

HB 1:04:10

Mic drop. You tried Jesus,

Tammy 1:04:13

and it works. In fact, this is awesome. Tamu, that was like the best thing you could have said because in the next segment, we're gonna see truly how it works. And Peter and John are gonna show us that in the rest of Acts chapter 5. We'll do that next.

Segment 6 1:04:45

.....

Tammy 1:04:45

Wow, this has been so much fun. Okay, we're still in Acts chapter 5. Now I'm going to read out loud verses 12-16. I want you to underline or highlight anything that stands out to you that helps us understand what Peter and John's ministry continued to look like, here we go. "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on the beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by them might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed everyone."

Okay, what stood out to you about their ministry?

HB 1:05:46

The shadow of Peter passing by,

Tammy 1:05:50

right?

HB 1:05:51

Just a -boop- of that power. Sometimes we feel like we have to have the Red Sea parted for for something to work out. But it's just like a whisper, just a shadow of, of the power of God. And all those people are healed.

Tammy 1:06:11

Yes. And that's literally what it means. It's not a metaphor for anything. It's not translated differently in Greek. It really is. If just the shadow of Peter would pass by us, we would be healed. Oh, I like that Holly. "Just a little - boop.-

Tamu 1:06:25

I know. I love this. She said boop. Yeah. And, and the fact that there were multitudes you know, multitudes at it. Magnifying. I mean, there are a lot that stood out.

HB 1:06:44

I'm picturing a stadium full, right? I was thinking, how big is a multitude?

Tammy 1:06:49

OOh,

HB 1:06:50

you know. I'm picturing a, you know, I'm picturing a football stadium full of people.

Tammy 1:06:58

I'm putting that in my scriptures. That is cool - a stadium of people. Yes, so many people. Oh, that was good. Okay, well, all of this is going on, and it goes back to your point Tamu, that the leaders are freaking out. Like the Sadducees, all of them are like, We've lost control. No one's gonna follow us anymore. They're so furious, that in verse 18, they laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in common prison. So they're in jail.

HB 1:07:24

They're such bunch of Cry Baby Pee Pee Pants. (laughter) Uh

Tammy 1:07:29

They are and they won't let it go.

HB 1:07:32

Call the whamulance.

Tamu 1:07:35

Well. I mean, you got to understand why they're freaking out. It's, it's almost like as parents, when our children start start going out on their own and start seeking the advice of others and start, you know, start developing their own minds, which, really, as a grandparent, I see that that happens way sooner than what I thought it was happening. And so as a parent, you're just kind of like, instead of, instead of leveling up with your kids, you are, you're freaking out. Because especially depending on how far they're straying, and, you know. I used to say to my kids, if you can't see me, that means I can't see you. So stay within ieyesight. And then when they started getting out of eyesight, I began to panic, you know. But outa eyesight at 3 is different than outa eyesight at 15.

Tammy 1:08:29

Oh, so true.

Tamu 1:08:31

Yeah. So I'm panicking, really for nothing. Because at 15 they know their way home, they know how to start reasoning, like, you know, for the most part, they can reason and logically make some decisions. But I'm still panicking. And I'm looking at the Sadducees. And I'm looking at the priests and I'm like, Yeah, I can see why they're freaking out to a certain extent. But if you don't allow some room, if they don'tevel up, they lose the people. Because now it just seems like what you're saying, is what you're doing is trying to control me. And what I do know about the Holy Ghost, is that nobody controls the Holy Ghost.

Tammy 1:09:12

Nobody.

Tamu 1:09:13

You talk about free agency. Nobody's controlling the Holy Ghost. You can't say who gets it, who doesn't.

HB 1:09:20

Yeah, and these leaders have been controlling the people. Yeah, they like you said, they were giving them access. You know, they they believed they were the access point. And that is what, I mean look at, look at, there are whole countries where girls are not allowed to go to school, because when a person can read, right?

Tammy 1:09:42

Right.

HB 1:09:43

They know the power.

They have freedom.

Tamu 1:09:46

So now they're having freedom, the Holy Ghost is is is giving people freedom, and that's where for me sometimes when people are like the church is so confining, and I'm saying the church using that term very loosely because they say that in every religion, but the church is so confining. And I'm just like, Isn't, that's not, that hasn't been my experience. Like I have, anything that I've wanted to do, has actually been magnified because of the church.

Tammy 1:10:14

Um-hmm. Well, and that's exactly what happens in this story. I mean, Peter and John are magnified. Oh, I like that word. Here they are in prison, and then look at verse 19: "But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of (this) life." So they do, they go to the temple. And when they come back in the morning, when the Sadducees and the guards come back in the morning and they notice that the prisoners are not there, they run. They're like, Well, they're not there and what happened and everyone's wondering, like, well, who let them out? And they're explaining their situation. Nobody did. We were there and, and now they're gone.

But then we have this nice man in verse 34, his name is Gamaliel, highlight his name. He's going to come into play a little later on in Acts, but he actually has, he, it says he's a doctor of the law and he has a reputation among all the people. He stands up for Peter and the apostles. And he convinces them, Listen, don't kill the apostles, it's just gonna cause an insurrection, people are gonna freak out. We have this multitude, right, this whole stadium filled with people, it's going to be a terrible decision to kill them. So just let them go free. Let them go and do their own thing. And the Sadducees and the leaders agreed. But then we have verse 40, they get beaten up before they go. It says, "And to Him, they agreed: and when they had called the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and (then they) let them go."

HB 1:12:11

And then verse 41, and 42. HB, will you read that for us, please. "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceasd not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."

Tammy 1:12:27

Thank you; talk to me about those verses, that they were, that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. How does that strike you?

Tamu 1:12:36

Look at God.

HB 1:12:37

I mean, yeah, right. Brings us back to a few months ago with "but God," right?

Tamu 1:12:44

"But God", Yeah, I almost said that.

Tammy 1:12:46

"But God". Old Testament right there.

HB 1:12:50

And, and like, I mean, when you, Tammy, you asked me this a few days ago and I thought, I don't really want any part of suffering, you know, shame and persecution, and like these people faced. But just reading this, like, they, they just saw an angel, right? who opened up the prison doors and the chains we later, and we hear from Peter, but the chain fell off his wrist, right? I think they're pretty pumped up. And they've seen this transformation. And all these people and they're rejoicing and, and they're like, it was worth it. It was worth it.

Tammy 1:13:28

Yeah. It kind of makes me think of what it will be like when we see God again. I hope we say that. I hope we're rejoicing, saying, It was worth it. Boy, it was hard. I gotta tell you, Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother, that was tough down there. But maybe many of us are gonna be breathing heavy at that line, like, Okay, can I catch my breath for a minute?

HB 1:13:50

Right.

Tammy 1:13:50

That was hard

HB 1:13:52

Yeah

Tammy 1:13:53

you know, but we'll be rejoicing. In fact, I like it, going back to the man who was healed. I hope I'm leaping and rejoicing when I make it, I hope I make it. I'm talking like I'm gonna make it. I don't even know yet.

And then in verse 27, they find them, they bring them to them, and I love how they said, "Did we not straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name?" Like, I thought we told you, you're not allowed to preach anymore. And like, Peter's the best. Read verse 29, Tamu, Acts chapter 5, here's Peter's response. "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Oh, I think they're so awesome. And so, then we have this final act. So in verse 33, when they heard that,they were cut to the heart, and they took to slay them, like they wanted to kill the apostles.

Tamu 1:14:05

I think we're gonna make it. I, when I, reading that scripture actually just, I'm not gonna lie, I felt a tinge of shame. Because there are many times that I lament relationships with family members that I could have had had I stayed, had I continued in my worship in the Church of God in Christ. Because I know that leaving that Christian sect really changed my relationship with a lot of the members of my family. And I look at them and I look at relationships that they have with each other. And I long for that, but also and, and there are times where I, I'm content here, but I don't feel like I rejoice. I don't have that, that spirit of Wo, thank you, Jesus. I'm here. But here's where I've been blessed. And here's where I've been. Here's where I've been called and here is where I have been blessed. But when it says "and they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name."

I should I should rejoice more in this journey and stop looking at other people's lives and saying, But it's so green over there and just start watering my own. Right here.

HB 1:15:24

And you know, Tamu, I'm so grateful. I'm so grateful you did, because I know you, you did leave that community. But I feel like you brought it with you. And now I get to have a part of that beautiful Church of God in Christ. And you wouldn't be you without that. Right?

Tammy 1:15:45

I totally agree.

Tamu 1:15:47

Thank you.

Tammy 1:15:48

Yeah. Oh my gosh. Wow. Okay, this was such a fun discussion. Oh, I can't believe how fun it was to talk about Acts 1-5 with you, two. Thank you so much. That was fantastic. I love you both. Oh, so fun.

HB 1:16:04

Love you girls.

Tammy 1:16:05

K. Take a minute and just think about your takeaway. What is your takeaway from today's discussion?

Tamu 1:16:10

I love that you asked the question, What is the day of Pentecost? Because honestly, I think every year I get a text from my aunt and, and she reminds us of the day of Pentecost because that's her way of helping to save souls, you know. We're the people who who don't, because they don't count this church as really real church. So we're the people that don't go to church, and I'm considered one of those people. But just to remind you that whatever you're doing, take at least an hour and and and dedicate one hour to praising God, to to His rebirth, to renewing your soul. And every year I get the text, and every year I'm just like, Agh, not doing it.

She doesn't listen to this. So I mean, I think I'm pretty safe right here.

Yeah

Every year I'm just, I'm not doing that. I do it every Sunday, you know, I take the Sacrament every Sunday. This conversation and just this lesson in the way that it was taught with you through the Spirit, I think that that's something that I'm going to dedicate myself to doing this year because of the Spirit that I felt during this whole lesson, and really wanting to focus on and taking this opportunity to see the spirit of Pentecost and the spirit of harvest. And renew and see what God has for me to harvest in this next season, in this next year, this next season. And I will return and let y'all know what's happening, what happened. How it went.

Tammy 1:17:49

All right, I'm gonna hold you to it. We'll check in with that.

HB 1:17:52

I love that.

Tamu 1:17:53

Okay.

Tammy 1:17:54

I think for me, I'm gonna, I'm gonna look to that man who's crumpled in the dirt and the grime. And because I think all of us, in many ways, got that's us. Right? And that just the shadow of Peter would be, would have been enough for him to leap up. And so I'm going to believe in just the shadow, the power that that's going to have, to help me. And then when I'm up, everyone around me, right? linked arms, they're going to be up. And I'm going to link arms, and the people who have also been touched by the Spirit and your stories today, all of you. They were like the shadow of Peter for me. Yeah, the boop.

HB 1:20:08

And you can fall off the path.

Tammy 1:20:10

Yeah

HB 1:20:10

You can, you can run away from the path. And you, the door is always open. Right? The Angel will open the doors to the prison.

Tammy 1:20:19

Yes, the Angel will open the door and we're still seen, even if we can't see them. We know the way back. So, thank you ladies, love you both. That was a great discussion. Love you guys. Bye.

The boop, boop. I love that how you said that. Yeah, thank you to both of you, I think for me our just, just overall the discussion about the truthfulness of all of this. And you know, Tamu as you were saying, how you'd say to your kids, If you can see me, then I can see you. And when they're 2 and 3, that's really easy to do. But when they're 15 and older, it's not. And in my mind, I have this vision of my Heavenly Parents. Like, If you can see me, I can see you. But then you said, But when they're 15 and 16, they know the way home and I just got to let them figure it out. And I, I vividly have this image of Heavenly Parents just saying, You know your way home, and I can see you. And you may not be able to see me, that's the reality. But knowing your way home, that really struck me. Like we, every one of us, we know the way home, we do. It's the covenant path. And there are many times that we're going to just sit and have a tantrum, and that's okay. Eat some Twinkies and drink a coke and then get back up.

And I think that that's happened several times in my life. And I'm just, I'm grateful for both of you for sharing your stories and your experiences and for the Spirit that we felt today, because it just reminded me of, that what the covenant path - sometimes I feel like it's so restrictive and harsh - but it's not. It is, you can sit down for a minute, it's okay. But you're still on the path. And that's and I'm still trying to move forward so

Tamu 1:20:30

Love you guys. Bye

Tammy 1:20:36

Oh my gosh, that was such a fun discussion. I love those ladies. Okay, listen to this. If you haven't already joined our discussion group on Facebook or Instagram, go do it. It is so much fun. You can post all this week anything that you've learned or questions that you have to ask, and then on Saturday we post a question from this episode. So 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 our show notes at LDS living.com/sunday on Monday and go there anyway. It's where we're going to have links to all the references we used, as well as a transcript of this whole discussion and the glue-in that we talked about at the very beginning. You're gonna want it for the book of Acts.

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 - so fabulous study group participants were Holly Butterfield Rawlings and Tamu Smith. And you can find more information about my friends at LDS living.com/sunday on Monday. Our podcast is produced by Cole Wissinger and me; it is edited by Hailey Higham, and recorded and mixed by Mix At Six Studios, and our executive producer is Erin Hallstrom. Thanks for being here. We'll see you next week.

And please remember, oh please remember, He sees you because you are His favorite.

HB 1:21:43

I'm gonna be a really good dancer when I'm resurrected. I just, like

Tammy 1:21:48

leaping

HB 1:21:49

I don't know. Yeah, oh, I don't know about you, but you guys are gonna come to heaven and be like, Oh, what's that show going on over there?

Tammy 1:21:57

That's HB and some moves.

HB 1:21:59

Yeah. You can come and look out. I, "So You Think You Can Dance"? Um-hmm.

Tammy 1:22:07

Please tell me you'll do a clogging number.

HB 1:22:08

I'll dance the Celestial version. Why you doing a clogging number? Cuz Clogging's hard. Hello. I don't wanna dance hard. I want to be like, I want to do a Mia Michaels where my foot is flexed.

Tammy 1:22:22

Oh, okay.

HB 1:22:23

Oh, all right. Yeah,

Tammy 1:22:25

Well you can have a repertoire. You can do any dance moves you want.

HB 1:22:28

Well, yeah, I'm gonna spin on my head.

Tammy 1:22:30

Yeah, a little break dancing.

HB 1:22:32

Oh yeah.

Tammy 1:22:33

I come in.

Tamu 1:22:36

Whatever that was. I just want to see it so I could do it.

Tammy 1:22:39

You guys are awesome.

Tamu 1:22:40

I'll go find it on Tiktok. Yeah

HB 1:22:44

You know what? We're gonna start our own Tiktok. There we go.

Tammy 1:22:47

There's something that wouldn't go viral.

HB 1:22:50

Middle

Middle-Aged Mormon Mothers.

Tammy 1:22:52

There you go. M-cubed. M-3. M to the 3. You guys are hilarious.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai