Follow Him: A Come, Follow Me Podcast - Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13 Part 2 • Dr. Camille F. Olson • May 29 - June 4

Episode Date: May 24, 2023

Dr. Camille Fronk Olson continues to examine sacrifice in the Hebrew Bible and its connection to the sacrament and renewing covenants and commitments in the “most sacred and important meeting of the Church.”00:00–Part II-Dr. Camille Fronk Olson00:10 President Oaks speaks about sacrament00:53 Hymns as part of sacramental worship03:51 Torn bread vs whole pieces07:45 The Savior and eating with various people11:05 The power of singing together12:03 Thoughts on Peter’s denial20:34 Judas’s betrayal in John 1322:44 Peter refuses to allow Jesus to wash his feet24:46 Jesus teaches service needs to increase 31:44 Peter proclaims Jesus can wash all of him34:49 Covering and the Atonement37:20 Jesus’s new commandment39:01 Contention vs compassion44: 54 End of Part II–Dr. Camille Fronk OlsonPlease rate and review the podcast.Show Notes (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese): https://followhim.coFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followhimpodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FollowHimOfficialChannelThanks to the followHIM team:Shannon Sorensen: Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesJamie Neilson: Social Media, Graphic DesignWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish Transcripts"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com/products/let-zion-in-her-beauty-rise-piano

Welcome to part two with Dr. Camille Franck Olson Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22 and John 13. This has been alluded to previously, but I wanted to read this from other Oaks, President Oaks, but this is November 2008, Enzign. It's a short statement, but it's important. The ordinance of the sacrament makes sacrament meeting the most sacred and most important meeting in the church. And then Elder Holland goes on, do we treat it that way like you quoted him? Do we attach that kind of meaning to our weekly sacramental service? How

of both of you made sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the church? Because I know for me sometimes it can fly right by. I participate, but I don't really, it doesn't sink in. Well, I'll tell you a couple of things. One, the hymns. The hymns we sing for the sacrament, right before the sacrament. Those words are so remarkable.

And when I can really focus on those, oh, Savior thou who wearest a crown. The very foes that slay thee have access to thy grace. I mean, there are just so many beautiful. There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin. He only, only he, get open the gates of heaven and let us in. That's very powerful. And to sing that together with people that I know and love in a congregation, the priests who offer the prayers can really help me. And when they pray that I know that they are hearing what they're saying, these are sacred words. Yeah, they'll slow down sometimes. It makes a difference. Can I tell you about my Easter Sunday this year? I attend and serve

in an assisted living retirement center. My husband's in the brunch presidency and I teach Sunday school. It's such a glorious gig. In the months of April and October, they have the residents that live there administer the sacrament. And this Easter, two men, and again, they have some physical challenges. Sometimes of mental challenges. I heard one of them as he prayed over the blood of our Savior and blessing the water. And he needed to have some help along the way. I felt that so powerfully in so much what they were giving and how much it meant to them. And then I saw four other men, some of them that didn't move very fast and some of them that had to be very careful to not fall over while they brought the sacrament to each one of us.

Older men, or some case a younger one, but with some other challenges, and I suddenly had a thought again of feeding the 5,000. Jesus has blessed this and magnified him and them and they are bringing us the Savior. They are His servants and bringing us Him to renew my covenants with Him. I just think that the manner in which those that administer the sacrament do that. And that's asking a lot, especially when we're talking these young teenage boys, when they do that, and I've seen it in so many different ways, I am so touched and empowered to recognize that with Jesus Christ, in his strength, I can do all things and keep my covenants with him that week. That's fantastic. Thank you for sharing that. That was beautiful. I had an experience after I was home from a mission. I was acting as the priest at the table as an

elder. The Richard's building at BYU and I was singing the hymn while breaking the bread. And I guess it's hymn number 181, bruised, broken, torn for us on Calvary's Hill. And I had connected what I was singing with what I was doing with my hands. And my mind just started to race. We could have broken the bread before. We started the meeting.

We could have bought bread already in small pieces manufactured that way, but look what the Lord does. We put it in front of everyone. We sing about it. Those beautiful words you mentioned. And everyone watches us as we break bread. And here's Jesus who called himself the bread of life. It was never the same for me after that experience.

Being the priest and Bruce broken torn for us. And I started connecting some of those dots and felt super reverent. I've read those prayers to myself every time we read. I mean, women don't read those prayers out loud. And once I when I was serving as a young woman leader in my ward, we did a Book of Mormon marathon and read the entire Book of Mormon in 24 hours or something or 26.2 miles hours or something like that. And it came my turn and it happened to be one of the sacrament prayers.

And so here we are, all these women reading together and I got to read that. And it hit me so hard. It felt truly, this was, hmm, sacred ground. And I just cried. I was crying as I'm trying to read this that we hear every single week, but it was different to read it out loud. Even more powerful to hear myself. Reading scripture out loud anyway is a very powerful experience, I think. But that prayer, I could not remember ever having done it before. President Hinckley said, when you was a priest kneel at the sacrament table

and offer up the prayer which came by revelation, you placed the entire congregation under covenant with the Lord. Is this a small thing? He said, is the most important and remarkable thing. Now my dear young brother, if you're going to kneel at sacrament table and offer up that prayer,

you must be worthy to do so. I mean, it was a great thing to share with the young men that what at priest a 16 year old, a 17 year old has powered a place in entire congregation under covenant with the Lord. And who should we have do that? Let's choose our teenager. That's just awesome to me that we have our boys do that and hope that they start connecting sensing what they get to do. You know. Yeah, I appreciate them. I appreciate them tremendously. I come to receive their service. I remember a day when we had both of our boys for the first time our younger son doing the sacrament with his brother. Just like to my wife, like, do you believe this? These moments don't happen very often, so it was really fun to see that. Yeah. Now, one of my boys says, once I like home sacrament,

what did he say? I like it home sacrament because the pieces of bread are huge. Well, and you look at third Nephi, they ate and were filled. Build, yeah. As they were at this very one, right? This one was a a supper, you know, the sacrament of the Lord's supper. That's the actual name of that ordinance. The decrement of the Lord's Supper, that's the actual name of that ordinance. And I love that we've read so often in the New Testament about the criticisms leveled at the Savior that He actually eats with these people, because that was a sign of fellowship and acceptance, and the fact that the Lord invites us to the sacrament table every week

and says, I come and eat with me. The last supper with me is beautiful that he's invited. Every single week, come back to this table. You know, I just do Luke 22. And I think it really does kind of fit still with the sacrament. Luke 22 verse 31, the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desire to have you, that he may sift you as wheat That's also in third Nephi 18 that the Savior says that to the people of the Book of Mormon the Nephites

And it's not just one or two of them, but all of them he tells them and I thought a lot about what does it mean that Satan wants to sift us like we? And I can't remember which one said which, but when President Bateman was president of BYU and elder oches speaking at BYU, within a short period of time brought this up and one of them said, what happens when you sift something? One of them said, it isolates you. You become separate from everyone else, like the air that goes all around each granule. The other one said, you become common, you become like everyone else. And when I think about what Jesus is going to teach through so much of those five chapters

in John at the last supper, the importance of unity to become one, even as he and the father are one. I think you're just saying, we've got a force that is trying to do just the opposite, and that is terrace apart, and make us just like everyone else. So isolate. Yes, isolate and make common. But he says, I have prayed for the that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Remember that talk, the elder Oaks gave where he talks about when thou art converted and that idea that you think

isn't Peter already converted. But there's something different. I mean, as far as where he is now and where he is going to be and it's one thing to have a testimony and to have a basic understanding, but to say no matter what, I will be here, I am not going anywhere. There is no plan B for me.

And Peter becomes that. I remember teaching Book of Mormon one year at BYU and students asking when we read about the original 12 being our judges and that's, are you kidding? They had all kind of problems. Peter was always making mistakes. He's going to be judging me. And I think, oh my goodness, I'm most grateful that he will be

one because he understands. And it's in that context that in Luke, we read and we see this in Matthew and Mark as well. He said, I tell the Peter, the cock, she'll not crow this day before thou shalt deny thrice that thou knowest me. Can we go back to Matthew and let's go back and finish up with John 13. But I just think this part with Peter is an important piece to understand and appreciate him. I'm going back to Matthew 26 verse 30. Mark says this as well. They sang a hymn before they left to go to the mount of olives. And again, I just think the power of hymns and singing together, it's one thing to hear the music. Sometimes during

COVID, we were not allowed to sing out loud. We just listened to the music and read the words. And there's something different about singing aloud. Maybe the same as reading scripture aloud. about singing aloud, maybe the same as reading scripture aloud. It is very powerful. In Matthew, look at this, I think verse 31 is something that we don't always catch. Then say, if Jesus unto them, all ye shall be offended because of me this night. For it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. Not just Peter, but all of you are going to be offended. Another way to say it, you are going to be so confused.

You'll not know what you should be doing. You're like sheep without a shepherd, you're lost. You're going to be lost. But he said in verse 32, after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. And Peter answered and said unto them, though all men shall be offended because of the yet will I never be offended.

And Jesus said, verily I say unto thee that this night before the cup crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter said, though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee, likewise also said all the disciples. So we follow and we know and see Peter later when Jesus is at the house of Caiaphas and that terrible trial and scourging and beating that he's receiving there.

Peter is right there close by. I think still trying to figure out what am I supposed to be doing? I think you did feel lost. And three times he denies knowing Jesus and then the cockroaches and he weeps bitterly, right? That's, well, I guess we can get it at the very end of chapter 26. We won't go into a lot between that. But just kind of fitting this piece of it together, because this happens a little later that night, or quite a bit later, the cock is crowing the next morning, isn't it? But in Matthew 26, 69 to the end of the chapter, there's when you have Peter right outside

Caiaphas's palace and people asking, oh, thou also was with Jesus of Galilee. Oh yes, you're from Nazareth. I can hear it. Yes, you know him. And three times, he said, no, no, no. And then 74, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew, and Peter remembered the word of Jesus,

which said unto him before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice, and he went out and wept bitterly. It's been a point of discussion, hasn't it? A lot of different suggestions. Let's just review and see if you can think of how many others. I know one of them is saying that what Christ was telling him there at the last supper was a commandment. I need you to deny me because I need to keep you safe. That you will do this. And even though it's gonna be hard, you need to because I'm gonna be gone and you need to be in charge. So that's one that has been suggested.

President Kimball, I just love President Kimball's talk Peter, my brother. Remember that one. And I don't have a copy of it here, but I remember him talking so much about Peter trying so often and being fearless and stepping out and doing what he thought was the right thing, only to find it wasn't. You know, he's wants to make three tabernacles or booths for Jesus and Elijah and Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration. And that wasn't right. Later, he's going to cut off Malcus's ear. They're on the Mount of Olives in Gethsemane. He's ready to take on, I mean, that's one thing President Kimball said, you can't call him a coward. He's ready to take on this whole army that's come to arrest Jesus.

And it's not right. He says, no, far be it from me. They will never take thy life. Remember back in Matthew 16 and Jesus says, get the behind me Satan. I mean, it is constant that he is trying and it hasn't been right. As I read President Kimball, he just seem to say, the confusion, but he's willing. He is so ready and he's following wherever Jesus is taken, almost looking for some way that he might be able to help or what he should be able to do, but not understanding what it is. And in that confusion, he is doing that.

Do you remember other things from that wonderful talk of President Kimball? The essence of it was, don't judge Peter because you just don't know. And that's a good lesson for life. Don't judge other people. You just don't know what they're going through. What's going on in their mind.

I did bring this article that President Hinckley wrote. It was for the Insign March 1995. Remember when they used to get those first presidency messages, the first article in the Insign. I just want to read of maybe three paragraphs. As I have read this account of Peter and him weeping bitterly. He just quoted here, Matthew 26 verse 75, He said, My heart goes out to Peter. So many of us are so much like him. We pledge our loyalty. We affirm our determination to be of good courage.

We declare sometimes even publicly that, come, what may, we will do the right thing, that we will stand for the right thing, that we will stand for the right cause, that we will be true to ourselves and to others. Then the pressures begin to build. Sometimes these are social pressures. Sometimes they are personal appetites. Sometimes they are false ambitions.

There is a weakening of the will. There is a softening of discipline. There is capitulation. And then there is remorse followed by self-accusation and bitter tears of regret. He gets us, doesn't he? And then listen to this, now may I go back to Peter who denied and wept, recognizing his error. Repenting of his weakness, he turned about and became a mighty voice in bearing witness of the risen Lord. He, the senior apostle, dedicated the remainder of his life to testifying of the mission,

the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the living son of the living God. We follow Peter after the resurrection and he becomes, he is such an incredible type of Jesus Christ. Even his very shadow falling on people, blesses and heals them. Joseph Smith said of his writings, Peter panned the most sublime language of any of the apostles.

And some people have said, Peter couldn't have written those epistles. This is not the same man and I'd say, yep, but what is Peter will continue to try. This is not the same man. And I'd say, yep. But what is Peter will continue to try? He does not get offended. He does not get upset and saying, if they're going to talk, if he's going to talk to me that way, he just gets up again. He repents faster than anyone else. I know in scripture. And I think an incredible example to us of how to be an instrument in the Lord's hands in whatever he needs us to do. That's a beautiful lesson for anyone who might need it who has made a major mistake.

And think, is that going to be the rest of my life? Is that what I'm going to live under this? And Peter goes on and he is not defined by this moment. Absolutely not. I mean, we're going to find him soon in the book of Acts healing. He's going to become more like the Savior than almost anyone in Scripture. He's incredible. Yes, I say, oh, maybe we be like Peter in every way, because we do make mistakes too. Even we say, I'll never do it. No, like Peter said, I will never, ever do it.

Then you go, Lord, is it I? And yep, I will. I will never do it. No, like Peter said, I will never, ever do it. Then you go, Lord, is it? I will. I will make those mistakes. Presently said in that talk, one of the tragedies we witness almost daily is the tragedy of high aim and low achievement. I was like, oh, goodness, is that my life? The tragedy of high aim and low low achievement. That quotation, I had programmed to wake me up in the mornings. One of the great tragedies we witnessed almost daily is the tragedy of men of high aim and low achievement. Their motives are noble, their proclaimed ambition is praiseworthy, their capacity is great,

but their discipline is weak. Appetite robs them of will. Hard to stay at bed after that. When I was working on a project, that woke me up at five in the morning. I couldn't stay in bed. It reminds me of the sermon on the Mount when he said, blessed are the pure in heart, not just the pure, but the pure in heart. We have good desires that we really do want to do good. All right, should we go to John 13?

Let's go there. Camille has been so good. Yeah, this is great. Wonderful lessons. Yeah. John 13. As I mentioned before, John's covering of the last supper is so very different

with the exception of Judas and his betrayal and leaving, it's pretty much a whole different account. And so much of it is teaching. In chapter 13 verse one, we start off even with the idea that in John's account, they did a Passover feast before the rest of the community did the Passover feast. You find that even more in John 19 because when Jesus is being crucified, it's the day of preparation for the Passover. In a beautiful, a remarkable way, John does it that Jesus lambs are being slaughtered for Passover all over Jerusalem. Jesus is hanging on the cross, the Lamb of God. Truly. It is beautiful.

But you get that first hint here in John 13 verse one. This is before the feast of the Passover. When Jesus knew that his hour was come and he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world and he loved them unto the end. That's beautiful, isn't it? And we read in verse 2 and separate beings ended. Actually the Greek it is and separate beings served. And that agrees with the Matthew account. It's still while the dinner is being served. The devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot's Simon's son to betray him. Jesus knowing that the Father had

given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God. Rose from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded him. So here's you get this setting. Judas already knows what his deal is. Jesus is filled with love for every one of these. And he stands up during the feast. They're sitting at that triclinium, three-sided table on the floor that they are able to recline around.

They've been eating this feast. Their feet are behind them. And Jesus comes up starts pouring water in a base and verse five to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel that he has around his waist and You remember again here we are speaking of Peter its Peter's voice we hear and He just pipes up. He sees what's happening and we hear, and he just pipes up. He sees what's happening. And he said, Lord, does thou wash my feet? And Jesus answered and said, what I do thou knowest not

now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Okay, what is Jesus trying to teach? And why would Peter be so adamant about him not washing his feet. I think, haven't you thought that before? Yeah, I mean, never. That's what his servant does. And we read at the end after he finishes, he gives an explanation over here. Look at verse 13 of chapter 13, you call me master and Lord, and you say, well, for so I am. And if I then, your Lord and Master have washed your feet, he also ought to wash one another's feet, for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord.

Neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. Yeah, the idea. he's gonna be gone and they're gonna be in charge, but don't get full of yourself. Don't get high-minded. You have won over you. You are not in charge, but the Lord is. And don't be ashamed to go and be a servant to those.

What I have done for you, you go and do for others. So that's the explanation that he gives. And it's a fabulous, it's a wonderful one. And I think we feel it so often when we see someone that we so highly admire, that will humble him or herself and come and do something that would say, oh, we could get anybody to do that, but they are willing to do it. And not no task is so lowly. I put him in my margin, do unto others as God has done unto you. Here he was serving them that way. Like, whoa, and I think King Benjamin does something similar. Hey, if your earthly King serves you like, yes, how you ought to serve your heavenly King. And

look what he's done for you about lending you breath and everything. I've noticed in the business world this seems to be sometimes the opposite. The higher you go, the more perks you get, the less you serve. That's not always the case, but I have a friend who runs his law firm basically from the golf course. They call him when they need him to make a big decision or something, but for the most part, good for him. But it seems in the Lord's Church he's going to say, that's not how this works. The higher you go, if there is a higher, the more work you do. I remember President Hinckley was in his office on what? Thursday and then died on Sunday, just unbelievable. And we all watched President Monson just serve himself to where he couldn't stand up anymore. We saw that last talk of his where he could barely hold himself up, same with Elder

Warthland. I remember that same way, he could barely stand up. And to his credit, President Nelson doesn't seem to ever, he's ever going to go in firm. But we're watching him give his life. It's a servant. And then you get to the point where you don't want to lose any of them. I just love him so much. Please don't go. Speaking of one of them, our dear Elder Holland, again from his latest book, he said, he read this story of Peter saying, no, don't wash my feet. And Jesus saying, you don't understand now,

but you later will understand. And he says, I know there's got to be something more besides being an example and being willing to do that for others. And he started reading and he picked up. He just happened to have history of the church right there by him and started leaving through. And he found this quote from Joseph Smith.

He said, Joseph Smith wrote, the item to which I wish the more particularly to call your attention to tonight is the ordinance of washing of feet. We have not desired as much from the hand of the Lord through faith and obedience as we ought to have done, yet we have enjoyed great blessings and we are not so sensible of this as we should be. And he was speaking specifically of washing of feet. Then he gave this explanation of why they were going to do it. It is calculated to unite our hearts that we may be one in feeling and sentiment, and that our faith may be strong so that Satan cannot overthrow us nor have any power over us here. And Elder Holland said, when I read those words, Bell started to ring and rockets went into the air

because I felt I knew then what Jesus meant when he said to Peter, what I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. And the idea again, that purpose of uniting, it goes back to the Luke 22 account when he said to Peter, Satan has desired to have thee that he can sift you as wheat. And then if I could just do a little bit more from Elder Holland, then everything else that followed came alive for me, the institution of the sacrament, that great unifying, accessible opportunity we have every Sunday to keep us united in our own souls with each other and with God, the atonement, the atonement, which would keep us together and free us from evil, the great high-priestly prayer, John 17, in which Christ prayed that we could be one

even in this world. I think that is another beautiful way to look at this and that ties John 13 into some of the things with the sacrament that he doesn't talk about in his account. Similar to Elder Holland, I was thinking more, why would Peter say, no, you'll never wash my feet, which he says that in verse eight, thou shalt never wash my feet.

Kind of like I'll never deny you, right? Yeah. Yeah. Lord is it I? Yes. Here's my experience that you made the rockets go off in my mind. Some years ago, I decided to give my friends that had everything it seemed like, something different for Christmas and experience. This experience I came up with was a pedicure. I just thought, we can have some time together and I had a whole array of nail polishes and I took my little foot washing bucket and some oils and some soaps and I didn't tell

them ahead of time. I just showed up at their house when I knew they would be there and I ring the doorbell and say, hi, Mary Christmas, I'm going to give you a pedicure and they're going, how fun! They were all excited, but almost every one of them after I first got there and I was filling up bold for their feet with warm water in their kitchen sink, they disappeared in the other room. They go, I'll be right back. And that happened almost every time I went and then I had all the sudsy water and we were ready to start and they put their feet in and we had a wonderful time. And I just kept after it happened so many times, you start putting it together.

wonderful time. And I just kept after it happened so many times, you start putting it together. Hmm, what are they doing? And I go, I know exactly. No one told me, but I knew. What are they doing? They went back in their bathroom and washed their own feet, right? So you didn't have to wash dirty feet. Their feet were dirty. And then I thought something else. They knew they didn't want me to see their feet, and it was kind of embarrassing to them, too, because they can wash their own feet. That's kind of a menial task to ask someone to touch someone's feet and wash it. And it also got me thinking about Elder Packer reminding us to find the Atonement of Christ wherever we can.

And I thought, this is teaching his Atonement as well. Another way that we could look at this or another lesson that the Savior could be teaching is, yes, Peter, you are dirty. And he could say, yes, Camille, you are dirty. Not just your feet, but all of you. I mean, and we're not talking physical dirt, we're talking spiritual, we are tainted. This is a fallen world and we are part of it. And we think we can clean ourselves. We think if I just do this and this and this, I'll be okay. And I'll be clean. I think what the Savior could be teaching here is also no. There's certain things you cannot do. I can give you power that you can go out and feed the 5,000. I can give you power and you can heal the sick, but you cannot clean yourself. I am the only one

who can clean you. And if you won't let me do this, you have no part with me. That's another aspect of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And here is Peter now when he says, you'll never wash my feet. Jesus says, if I wash the knot, thou hast no part with me. And then Simon, Peter, say, if I am, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. I think once we get that, and not only that Jesus is the only one to clean us, we don't appreciate just how clean we will be when he cleans us.

And when we recognize that, it's not saying, don't stop just with my feet. All of me, all of me. And then Jesus sayeth unto him, he that is washed, needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every wit and year clean, but not all. In the Joseph Smith translation back in the appendix, it says, that was according to their law.

Now, I don't know. I'd somewhere I read and I can't find. That's what happens when you retire. You know, you kind of don't have all your stuff. But somewhere I remember that there was something that they found that if you went to the temple, you know, they had those big places they found now on the southern end of what had been the temple mount where people would wash in mikfabads

before ascending to the temple. But in this, there was some little indication, and why do I think Stephen Robinson is the one that showed it to me, that if they didn't leave Jerusalem, if they didn't leave the area around the temple, and they returned to the temple, all they needed to do was wash their feet, to ascend up to the temple. Which in some ways I think I remembered it because I thought to the temple. In some ways I think I remembered it because I thought in many ways what Jesus is teaching, especially from the John account, from John 13 through John 17, is like a temple experience it has been called. And it is a very holy teachings that he is giving to those 11 men that are there with him,

and that will be carrying on after him. They've gone to an upper room and he washes feet. These are all symbols of temple and teaches them remarkable things. After they've had the sacrament, after washing their feet, and it is holy sacred ground and to be okay with letting your whole life right your feet letting your whole life good and bad and all and everything

between just lay it out in front of him right don't go try to wash your own feet it's the same lesson I think nicodemus was taught in john 3, wasn't it? When he said, if you prevert evil, you don't want the light to come. You just want to stay and not see where there is evil in your life. But he that do with truth will open our selves to the light so that we know how to change and what we need to change. That's kind of a precursor to what is happening here where he now says, I'll clean you. You've opened yourself to me. I will clean you.

You said you can't clean yourself, Adam and Eve, trying to cover themselves when cover means kefar atonement. Let me make you a code of skins because you can't cover yourself. And that's atonement the same thing, yes. But there's some things we cannot do for another person. We cannot do for ourselves.

I think this lesson in servant leadership here is so profound that this is how we work in the church. This is from a talk from Elder Uptorff, April of 2017. This is a section of his talk, The greatest among you. And here it is from presiding to the parade. And I really like this story because I actually know the man involved. During the 150th anniversary of the Pioneers arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, Brother Myron Richards was serving as a stake president in Hanna for Utah. The celebration included a reenactment of the Pioneers passage through his town.

President Richards was heavily involved with the plans for the celebration. He attended many meetings, which on all authorities, to discuss the events he was fully engaged. Before the actual celebration, President Richens' stake was reorganized, and he was released as stake president. On a subsequent Sunday, he was attending his word priesthood meeting when the leaders asked for volunteers to help with the celebration. So he'd been involved in the plans of this celebration, and now they're asking for volunteers to help with the celebration.

And President Merichand's, among others, raised his hand and was given instructions to dress at work clothes and bring a truck and a shovel. Finally the morning came at a big event, and he reported to volunteer duty. Only weeks before he had been an influential contributor to the planning and supervision of this major event. And I'll tell you, no one knows more about the pioneers track through that area than myron richens. I know him personally.

Only weeks before it had been an influential contributor. On that day, however, his job was to follow the horses in the parade and clean up after them. President Richens did so gladly and joyfully. He knew and put into practice the words of the Savior, he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. It's not a great story. That is really good. Bless him. What a great example. He still is. You follow the horses and do what needs to be done. Yeah. You were once in charge and now you're going to do this and he was fine with it. Don't you love that? He was fine with it. Anything else on this John 13, you want to touch Camille before I wrap it up? Yes. I think we need just do those last verses that are the

beginning of his teachings and are some of the most quoted, but to see it in context, as he's told them, you know, I'm not going to be with you long. He calls them little children, these 11 little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek me. And as I said into the Jews, whether I go, you cannot come. So now I say to you, a new commandment, I give unto you that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have loved one to another.

I've thought about that too because you think what is new about this commandment? Remember, it clear back from the law of Moses, and Jesus is just reminded that Jewish leaders of this, that the first great commandment is to love God with all your heart, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. But he's saying here now, just a couple of days later, probably a new commandment I give unto you. And what is new about this, what is different about this, he's putting him, self as the example. Do you love as he loves? Not as I love myself, not as I've seen other examples.

I've just shown you what true love is. And he'll go on to say that it will mean sometimes to lay down your life for your friends. But it's how we show we are true to Cyples of Christ is that we show Christ like love, which is charity, right? The pure love of Christ. Last little thought I had on this was thinking of President Nelson's talk from this last General Conference April 2023. We live in a day where there's so much intention and anger and accusations and statements of hatred, disagreement, in angry and unkind tones. As I read his talk again, it was so powerful to me.

I can hear him telling us today, this is still the commandment to be his disciples. President Nelson said, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be examples of how to interact with others, especially when we have differences of opinion. One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people. Here's another one. My dear brothers and sisters, how we treat each other really matters. How we speak to and about others at home, at church, at work, and online really matters.

Today, I'm asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way. Please listen carefully. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or a good reporter praiseworthy, that we can say about another person, whether to his face or behind her back, that should be our standard of communication. And one more from him, brothers and sisters, the pure love of Christ is the answer to the contention that ails us today. Christ is the answer to the contention that ails us today. Charity propels us to bear one another's burdens, rather than heat burdens upon each other. The pure love of Christ allows us to stand as witnesses of God at all times in and all

things, especially intense situations. Charity allows us to demonstrate how men and women of Christ speak and act, especially when under fire. While we live in fiery times, with what we're studying this week and come follow me in the Savior's tremendous example and teachings, the love he showed, not only in giving the sacrament, but in what he taught in washing feet, including Judas Iscariot's feet. It was with as much kindness and love as he, if not more so than even any of the others and his teachings to come follow him, to love others as he loved them. What we have though is his spirit and his gospel

to strengthen us and enable us to do that. I just want to commit I'm going to be better. I am trying to be better, a better disciple by loving better and more closely the way the Savior has loved me and all others. Thank you for allowing me to speak through and feel again and bear witness of these powerful chapters in the New Testament. We love having you, Camille. It's been just an honor and a treat for you to be back with us. Thank you for being here. Thank you for taking a viewer time to be here. We know you are enjoying retirement, as you should.

John, what a great job we have. I know I've been looking forward to this. And I love Camille. I remember watching her on those round table discussions and always loving her insights. And so I was like, oh good. Camille's coming today. We get to learn this. So thank you for being with us. We loved it. We want to thank Dr. Camille Franck Olson for being with us today. We want to thank our executive producer, Shannon Sorntson,

the amazing Shannon Sorntson. We want to thank our sponsors David and Verla Sorntson and we always remember our founder Steve Swanson and we hope all of you will join us next week. We have more new testament coming up on Follow Him. Today's transcripts, show notes and additional references are available on our website followhim.co Followhim.co and you can watch the podcast on YouTube with additional videos on Facebook and Instagram. All of this is absolutely free so be sure with additional videos on Facebook and Instagram. All of this is absolutely free, so be sure to share with your family and friends.

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and I listened to specials that come follow him podcast. And I was really difficult time when I was coming back early. I was not expecting to be home, but me and my mom were able to listen to this podcast together. And I was able to help me to feel the spirit. It was able to help me to feel like I still had value in the eyes of the Lord, and I could continue to learn even when circumstances were not ideal.

And I've listened to the Come Fall Me podcast almost every week since, and it's been incredibly impactful for me, and it's helped me to understand my safety and you can better.