Stanfill
Elder Vern P. Stanfill, a General Authority Seventy, speaks to students of BYU–Pathway Worldwide during a devotional broadcast on May 25, 2021. Screenshot courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.
By Rachel Sterzer Gibson, Church News
In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma the Younger describes what happened to the people of his father’s time after they were baptized, saying, “Their souls did expand, and they did sing [the song of] redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved” (Alma 5:7–9).
In contemplating the phrases “their souls did expand” and “they did sing [the song of] redeeming love,” Elder Vern P. Stanfill asked BYU–Pathway Worldwide students during a devotional on Tuesday, May 25, “What does it mean? When does it happen? How does it manifest itself? Who is it for?”
In his address, which was broadcast to Pathway students across the globe, the General Authority Seventy not only explained what it means to “sing the song of redeeming love” but also how to share it with others.
Elder Stanfill began his remarks by speaking of “the precious gift of grace” and shared 2 Nephi 25:23, which teaches “it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”
He then shared a quote from Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who taught that “the Savior’s gift of grace is not necessarily limited in time to ‘after’ all we can do. We may receive His grace before, during, and after the time when we expend our own efforts” (“Take Upon Our Cross,” October 2019 general conference).
This is the grace the Savior describes when He invites individuals to place their burden on Him and accept the load He offers, Elder Stanfill said.
How does He know what individuals can bear? Elder Stanfill asked. In answering, he shared Alma 7:12, “And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know … how to succor his people according to their infirmities.”
Although all of God’s children must face discouragement, disappointment, grief, pain, opposition and distress, “the Savior has felt it all and, through His grace, has provided us a way to overcome the difficulties of this life. Grace not only provides us with redemption after all we can do, but the help needed to do all we can do,” Elder Stanfill said.
The Savior’s mission was not to return Heavenly Father’s children to Him in exactly the same state as they left. “It is His mission to return us better, stronger, changed, having overcome the trials of this life, redeemed and atoned for,” he said.
To sing the song of redeeming love is to feel the pure love of Christ — “to feel the joy and hope that comes from an expanded soul changed by sincere repentance,” Elder Stanfill said.
Alma describes this feeling as exquisite, sweet joy (Alma 36:21), but to sing this song is not just to feel the joy but to share it, Elder Stanfill continued.
The Savior’s grace is available to all, and “you can participate,” Elder Stanfill told students. “The Savior’s love and His grace will become apparent in your lives as you seek Him. Your burdens can be made light. The Savior’s grace will enable you to find discipleship and help others do the same.”
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