Feed my Sheep

My dear sisters,

Yesterday I cried. Perhaps it was the funeral that was still fresh in my mind or perhaps it was just that I was attempting to know my Savior better and He, through the Holy Ghost, taught me more because I asked of it.

In the scriptures, Peter was asked "Lovest thou me?" three times. Aside pondered the phrase I suddenly realized why. Three times the Savior could of been saved or the Apostle could of sealed his testimony early by saying the very thing he had come to know. Said he, "Thou art the Christ". He knew and when his deer friend was at his weakest state, he, Peter, turned his back.

So when the Savior, the resurrected Lord asked him, his friend, that question I imagined it went like this...

"Lovest thou me?"

Peter is startled by the question but looks into the Masters eyes and says, "Yes, Lord thou knowest I love thee." He says it almost nonchalant like he aims to go back to something. Then the Lord says, "feed my sheep".

Then the Lord says it a second time maintaining the eye contact. Peter suddenly remembers his shame of denying his friend and horror and pain fill his soul. He breaks down sand refuses to look at him. Yea, Lord, thou..  nowest..."  He can barely utter the words and finishes with tears now running down his face, " I love... thee," He hurts so much inside that he cannot look upon his friend.

The gentle reply comes, "Feed my sheep."

The tender forgiving Savior takes this broken hearted man's face in his tender hands, those hands that were pierced for Peter's sake and Ramses Peter's face to looked at Him who redeemed him and asks him that third time. 

"Peter, lovest thou me?"

Peter expecting chastisement looks on the face of his friend with tears and sees forgiveness. His lips tremble.

"Yeah Lord, thou knowest I love thee."

The Savior pulls the man to his feet and in an embrace whispers into the man's ear.

"Feed my lambs."

He then holds this grown hardden man who has spent three years as an Apostle because the man is weeping like a little child. His heart broken and now truly contrite. 

Sisters, the Master is asking us to do the same. I teach nine year old children. They are restless and goofy at time but they are my lambs.i know their names and am really working to know them as the Savior knows them. Treat everyone you meet as a precious lamb and it will change your mission more so. The Savior loves each of us. We may at times turn our backs at the moments we should of been a true friend to a stranger. The Lord has called you and set you apart to be His servants. Catch the vision. Teach of Christ in a things as Nephi encouraged.

Know that the Binghams love you both and constantly pray that you will find the lost sheep no mater where you go. Thank you for choosing service. I know it is hard not to be at grandma's funeral bit I too lost love ones while serving and it helped that I stayed in the field and dug harder and served harder so that those spirits could see and hear my work.

Pray often and again we love you but more importantly the Savior loves you so very much as does our dear Heavenly Father. Be good and do good.

Love Nathan Bingham