That the Lost May be Found

Every so often, it turns out to be my turn to give a talk at church. I gave this talk about two weeks ago. I figured I'd share - if you don't like churchy stuff, stop reading now (just a warning).

My topic today is the talk "that the lost may be found" by Elder Ballard. He gave the talk with more authority, articulation, and grace than I could, so I recommend you read it again. What I will focus on was one line from the talk. He said, "If for any reason you individually or as a family have lost your way, then you need only apply the Savior's teachings from Luke, chapter 15." He went on to explain that this was the chapter discussing the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. 

Each of us loses our way from time to time. I will tell some stories from personal experience and relate them to the Savior's teachings in Luke 15. 

A young man from rural Idaho was drafted into the Army in WWII. Through his time in France, he lost sight of the church. When he returned home, he found a beautiful young woman and they married. In the course of a few years they had children. That was when their Bishop visited. He sat down with the young father and asked, "What are you teaching your children about God?" The young father didn't have much of an answer. The inspired Bishop then invited him to bring his family to church. My grandfather agreed. The Bishop quickly made sure he had a calling and was watched after. 

My grandparents raised their 11 children in the church. They served in many church callings, including Bishop and a couple mission. Grandpa and his bishop became close friends. That friendship has sustained them through the loss of spouses, illness, and now old age. 

"What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety-and-nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing."

In my last branch, I worked with the young men. We had one particular young man who had been active as a child, but when he turned 13 church became boring. I can sympathize. His parents could no longer force him to attend. 

He was now 17. Our relief society president was trying to find ways to help the family. She had also just sent her son on a mission, and she decided the best way she could help the family was by encouraging this young man to come to church. At first she strong-armed him. She showed up at his door on Sunday morning and forced him to come to church with her. He came, but he refused to come to class. Instead he sat out in the lobby couch for 3 hours. The next week she brought him again. And again. He started coming to class. 

Then he started coming on his own. This sister was his advocate in ward councils - she made sure that people knew who he was. He was eventually ordained a priest and started helping with the sacrament. Before I left he even had started talking about the possibility of a mission. 

"What woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she had found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbors together saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost." 

The next parable, I have no story. I will just read: (I didn't type it out - just click here to read Luke 15: 11-24). 

Brothers and sisters, each one of us is at some level a lost sheep, a lost coin, or a lost child. The call to come back is not a call of punishment. It is a call to escape punishment. It is a call of love. At times it is hard, but remember 

"[there is] joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance."

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

"It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad; for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." 

I testify that repentance and forgiveness is real. Christ is real. His mercy and love knows no bounds. Remember verse 1 and 2 of Luke 15 - 

"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." 

Yes, Christ receiveth sinners and eateth with them. Let us hear His gentle calls to repent and come unto Him.