Dr. Ryan Sharp - Follow Him Podcast - New Testament 2023 - Episode 11
President Nelson just recently reiterated the teachings from President Benson. "Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can."
Elder Maxwell once said, "It would change the entire church." By the way, when an apostle says that I perk up, "It would change the entire church, if in every ward we could have just three or four more families who became truly consecrated disciples of Jesus Christ instead of just being active in the church." We sometimes differentiate between less active, and active. Elder Maxwell is saying the goal is not just to be active in the church. The goal is to be a consecrated disciple of Christ. "Lord, I will follow Thee withersoever Thou goest."
Story of Ryan Sharp's mission president and his wife, president Dirk and Carrie Smibert, from Australia
"Elder sharp, always make yourself available to serve the Lord."
"And at the time I thought, "Thanks president. That's that's really good counsel, and I appreciate it." And it wasn't until later that I realized how impactful that phrase has been in my life. Always make yourself available to serve the Lord. Since that day, that phrase has been the primary filter through which I've made almost every decision in my life, beginning with who I chose to marry.
"I chose to marry my wife because she was somebody who was as committed, and consecrated as I hoped to be, and she inspired me. I knew that if we were married, we collectively, together, would build a family, making ourselves available to serve the Lord. And then every decision we've made as a couple since that day has been made through that filter. "Is this going to help us be more available to serve the Lord?"
It's impacted us physically. We try to stay active, and fit, because we want to make sure that if God wants us serving with the young men, or young women, that we can go on these hikes, and camp outs, and things like that. It impacts us spiritually, certainly, we strive to be worthy, so that we can serve when and where He wants us to serve.
Financially, we try to make smart financial decisions, so that doesn't get in the way. Even intellectually. One of the primary motivators in pursuing graduate school, and a PhD was we thought this may put us in conversation with some people that we may not otherwise be able to be in conversation with, and may have opportunity to build the Kingdom, and to be available to do some good. All of these things.
"Make yourself available to serve the Lord. God is going to make more out of your life than you possibly can." And he just emphasized that there's nothing as thrilling as the work of the kingdom of God.
