Luke 23-24

Lesson Quotes:
President Gordon B. Hinckley

“I plead with you to ask the Lord for strength to forgive. … It may not be easy, and it may not come quickly. But if you will seek it with sincerity and cultivate it, it will come” (“Of You It Is Required to Forgive,” Ensign, June 1991, 5).”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson 

“The central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ. …

“… Faith comes by the witness of the Holy Spirit to our souls, Spirit to spirit, as we hear or read the word of God. And faith matures as we continue to feast upon the word. …

“… Study the scriptures carefully, deliberately. Ponder and pray over them. Scriptures are revelation, and they will bring added revelation” (“The Blessing of Scripture,” Ensign, May 2010, 34, 35).

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“In the hours following His Crucifixion, [the Savior’s Apostles] were consumed with despair and grief, unable to understand what had just happened. But one event changed all of that. Their Lord appeared to them and declared, ‘Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself’ [Luke 24:39].

“When the Apostles recognized the risen Christ—when they experienced the glorious Resurrection of their beloved Savior—they became different men. Nothing could keep them from fulfilling their mission. … They changed the lives of people everywhere. They changed the world” (“Grateful in Any Circumstances,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 76).

True to the Faith

“Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected—saved from physical death (see 1 Corinthians 15:22). Resurrection is the reuniting of the spirit with the body in a perfect, immortal state, no longer subject to disease or death (see Alma 11:42–45). …

“An understanding and testimony of the resurrection can give you hope and perspective as you experience the challenges, trials, and triumphs of life. You can find comfort in the assurance that the Savior lives and that through His Atonement, ‘he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory’ (Alma 22:14)” (A Gospel Reference [2004], 139, 140).

Forgiveness Handout Quotes & Stories

Elder David E. Sorenson

“When someone has hurt us or those we care about that pain can almost be overwhelming. It can feel as if the pain or the injustice is the most important thing in the world and that we have no choice but to seek vengeance. But Christ, the Prince of Peace, teaches us a better way. It can be very difficult to forgive someone the harm they’ve done us, but when we do, we open ourselves up to a better future. No longer does someone else’s wrongdoing control our course. When we forgive others, it frees us to choose how we will live our own lives. Forgiveness means that problems of the past no longer dictate our destinies, and we can focus on the future with God’s love in our hearts” (“Forgiveness Will Change Bitterness to Love,” Ensign, May 2003, 12).

Story from Jon Huntsman about President Howard W. Hunter

“I went over and saw President Hunter the night I was called and said, “President, could you train me how to be an effective, sensitive, and compassionate stake president?” The president paused for some time, and I wondered if he had heard the question correctly.  Finally he said, “Visit the less active and the ill.” I wrote that down in my notebook and waited.  There was a long pause, and I said, “President, would you care to continue your training session?” He said, “No, that’s all you need to do to carry out your assignment and your duties.”  I have utilized that advice since then, remembering his compassion, his sweetness, and remembering those who may be less fortunate, remembering those who may be ill, remembering those who may have been left behind somewhere in life’s way.  So it is a great honor to have been a part of the construction of the Howard W. Hunter Law Library.”

“I must just tell you one other story about President hunter, because h had such a dramatic impact on my life and was such a clear and cherished friend, particularly during the time after his wife Claire’s passing until he remarried.  I would try to go over to the president’s home every night, because he was fairly lonely at times.  But one night I decided to stop by after he had remarried. I knocked on the door, and Sister Hunter answered the door and said, “Can you come in? He’s very ill once again.”  Remember that President Hunter had illnesses come and go almost constantly over a 20-year cycle.”

“I went in and visited briefly with him.  HE was lying on his back, and I kissed him on the forehead and said, “President Hunter, it’s such an honor to be with you, dear friend, but you look ill.”  He said, “I am, Jon.  My boy is terrible painful, and I feel like I need a blessing.  Would you be kind enough to offer one?” I said, “Oh, no, President, I don’t know if I am worthy to do that.” He said, “OF course you are.” I said, “Can you tell me what the ailment it? Can you tell me what’s caused this illness?”  He said, “Today I had an ill thought about another man, and its made me sick all day.”  I said, President, you had a negative thought, an ill thought about another person, and that very thought made your physical body to become sick?” He said, “Yes.  I cannot continue my work if I have any thoughts that are negative toward any man or woman.”

(Jon Huntsman Sr., Clark Memorandum, J. Reuben Clark Law School, THIS ADDRESS WAS GIVEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005, AT THE FOUNDERS DAY DINNER.)

Elizabeth Smart

“What she said was ... ‘Elizabeth, what these people have done to you is terrible, and there aren’t words strong enough to describe how wicked and evil they are. They’ve stolen nine months of your life from you that you will never get back. But the best punishment you could ever give them is to be happy, is to live your life, is to move forward and do all of the things that you want to do. Because by feeling sorry for yourself and holding onto the past and reliving it over and over and over again, that’s only allowing them to steal more of your life away from you and they don’t deserve that. They don’t deserve another single second more of your life. So you be happy and you move forward,”

Bishop Keith B. McMullin about Corrie Ten Bomb 

“On one occasion, she had just spoken to a group of people in Germany suffering from the ravages of war. Her message was “God forgives.” It was then that Corrie Ten Boom’s faithfulness brought forth its blessing.

A man approached her. She recognized him as one of the cruelest guards in the camp. “You mentioned Ravensbrück in your talk,” he said. “I was a guard there. … But since that time, … I have become a Christian.” He explained that he had sought God’s forgiveness for the cruel things he had done. He extended his hand and asked, “Will you forgive me?”

Corrie ten Boom then said:

“It could not have been many seconds that he stood there—hand held out—but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

“… The message that God forgives has a … condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. …

“… ‘Help me!’ I prayed silently. ‘I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.’

“… Woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. As I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

“‘I forgive you, brother!’ I cried. ‘With all my heart.’

“For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely, as I did then.” (“Our Path of Duty, April 2010)

Elder Richard G. Scott

“If as an innocent victim you have been seriously wronged, don’t harbor feelings of hatred, anger at what appears to be unjust. Forgive the offender even when you are innocent. To do that may require an enormous effort on your part. Such forgiveness is most difficult, but it is the sure path to peace and healing. If there is discipline required for a serious transgression against you, leave that to the Church and civil authorities. Don’t burden your own life with thoughts of retribution. The Lord’s mill of justice grinds slowly, but it grinds exceedingly well. In the Lord’s economy, no one will escape the consequences of unresolved violation of His laws. In His time and in His way full payment will be required for unrepented evil acts” (“Peace of Conscience and Peace of Mind,” Ensign, Nov. 2004, 16–17).

Elder H. Burke Peterson

“I suppose we have all had someone do something to us that we didn’t like, and that made us mad. We can’t forget it, and we don’t want to be around that person. This is called being unforgiving. Now the Lord has had some very strong words to say to those who will not forgive one another. Many years ago I had an experience with being unforgiving. I felt I had been taken advantage of, and I did not like the person. I did not want to be around him. I would pass to the other side of the street if he came down the side I was on. I wouldn’t talk to him; and long after the issue should have been closed, it was still cankering my soul. One day my wife, who is very astute and knows when I’m not doing everything I should, said, “You don’t like so and so, do you?”

“No, I don’t,” I said, “but how could you tell?”

“Well, it shows—in your countenance it shows. Why don’t you do something about it,” she said.

“Well, like what?”

“Why don’t you pray about it.”

I said, “Well, I did pray once, and I still don’t like him.”

“No,” she said, “Why don’t you really pray about it?”

Then I began to think, and I knew what she really meant. So I decided that I was going to pray for a better feeling about this person until I had one. That night I got on my knees, and I prayed and opened up my heart to the Lord. But when I got off my knees, I still didn’t like him. The next morning I knelt and prayed and asked to have a feeling of goodness toward him; but when I finished my prayers, I still didn’t like him. The next night I still didn’t like him; a week later I didn’t like him; and a month later I didn’t like him—and I had been praying every night and every morning. But I kept it up, and I finally started pleading, not just praying, but pleading. After much prayer—and I can’t tell you a specific time because it didn’t happen like that—the time came when without question or reservation I knew I could stand before the Lord, if I were asked to, and that He would know that at least in this instance my heart was pure. A change came over me after a period of time. Now that stone of unforgiveness needs to be removed from all of us, if it happens to be there, and I suggest that persistent prayer might be a way to remove it. (“Prayer—Try Again,” BYU fireside 2 March 1980)

President Gordon B. Hinckley

“I plead with you to ask the Lord for strength to forgive. … It may not be easy, and it may not come quickly. But if you will seek it with sincerity and cultivate it, it will come” (“Of You It Is Required to Forgive,” Ensign, June 1991, 5).”