As I Have Loved You

A sacrament meeting talk based on the popular Primary Song, and scripture.  I delivered this in December 2018.  At places it is in outline with my telling the story suggested.  It included a tribute to my sister and grandmother.  It also has quotes from President Monson and Jeffrey R. Holland.  Also a mention of Vern Wardle and the "I love you squeezes."  This was also the meeting where Baby Hadley was blessed, Caleb and Annie's baby.

Introduction: Last Supper

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

1. A New Commandment I Give Unto You:  A divine mandate

Jesus said love ev’ryone (outstretch arms);

Treat them kindly, too (turn to neighbor and shake hands). Three squeeze four squeeze

When your heart is filled with love (place hands on heart),

Others will love you (hug self).

I’ll Walk with You

If you don’t walk as most people do,

Some people walk away from you,

But I won’t! I won’t!

If you don’t talk as most people do,

Some people talk and laugh at you,

But I won’t! I won’t!

I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.

That’s how I’ll show my love for you.

Jesus walked away from none.

He gave his love to ev’ryone.

So I will! I will!

Jesus blessed all he could see,

Then turned and said, “Come, follow me.”

And I will! I will!

I will! I will!

I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.

That’s how I’ll show my love for you.

We Are Different

I know you, and you know me.

We are as diff’rent as the sun and the sea.

I know you, and you know me,

And that’s the way it is supposed to be.

I help you, and you help me.

We learn from problems, and we’re starting to see.

I help you, and you help me,

And that’s the way it is supposed to be.

I love you, and you love me.

We reach together for the best we can be.

I love you, and you love me,

And that’s the way it is supposed to be. 

2. As I have Loved You

Example John 13: 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Water to wine

10 lepers

adulterous woman

man with palsy

issue of blood

Feeding the 5000 gospel of John, boy

Americas, healed the sick and blessed the people

3, Love One Another

Song  As I have loved you with sign

Jeffrey R Holland

Given the monumental challenge of addressing inequity in the world, what can one man or woman do? The Master Himself offered an answer. When, prior to His betrayal and Crucifixion, Mary anointed Jesus’s head with an expensive burial ointment, Judas Iscariot protested this extravagance and “murmured against her.”⁷

Jesus said:

“Why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work. …

“She hath done what she could.”⁸

So how might we “do what we can”?

For one thing, we can, as King Benjamin taught, cease withholding our means because we see the poor as having brought their misery upon themselves. Perhaps some have created their own difficulties, but don’t the rest of us do exactly the same thing? Isn’t that why this compassionate ruler asks, “Are we not all beggars?”¹¹ Don’t we all cry out for help and hope and answers to prayers? Don’t we all beg for forgiveness for mistakes we have made and troubles we have caused? Don’t we all implore that grace will compensate for our weaknesses, that mercy will triumph over justice at least in our case? Little wonder that King Benjamin says we obtain a remission of our sins by pleading to God, who compassionately responds, but we retain a remission of our sins by compassionately responding to the poor who plead to us.¹²

Law of the Fast

In that regard, I pay a personal tribute to President Thomas Spencer Monson. I have been blessed by an association with this man for 47 years now, and the image of him I will cherish until I die is of him flying home from then–economically devastated East Germany in his house slippers because he had given away not only his second suit and his extra shirts but the very shoes from off his feet. More than any man I know, President Monson has “done all he could” for the widow and the fatherless, the poor and the oppressed.

President Monson 

The prophet Mormon outlined one of the key characteristics of the Savior and which is to be emulated by His disciples. Said he:

“And if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

“And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked. …

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

“But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.”¹

Brethren, we do not honor the priesthood of God if we are not kind to others.

My dear friend and associate Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin was truly a kind man. Said he:

“Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church, and especially in our homes.

“Jesus, our Savior, was the epitome of kindness and compassion.”²

The scriptures teach us that the righteous exercise of the priesthood is dependent upon our living the principles of kindness, charity, and love. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read:

“No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, … by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

“By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile.”³

Brethren, let us examine our lives and determine to follow the Savior’s example by being kind, loving, and charitable. And as we do so, we will be in a better position to call down the powers of heaven for ourselves, for our families, and for our fellow travelers in this sometimes difficult journey back to our heavenly home.

_{4. By this Shall All Men Know Ye are my Disciples}

_{Mathew 5: 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be}

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Mina Geneve Brandli Springall Wright, by my sister Sara

Grandma was always so very kind, just not to only a few but to all those she came in contact with. I never remember a harsh word coming from her lips; she was a picture of patience, love and caring. Grandma’s neighbors all had a great respect and love for her. When she became ill and [too] old to care completely for herself they were always there to help. And I know they were in their own way trying to pay Grandma back for all she had done for them.

My grandmother died when she was 80 years old and I was 21 years old. She had been a widow for 14 years… At her funeral I gave her life history. She was my most favorite. I guess you could say she’s my hero and I want to be just like her.

Being an example vs. being prideful

This Little Gospel Light of Mine

Obituary for Sara Jane Wardle Buff

Sara Jane Wardle Buff

Obituary Sara Jane Wardle Buff October 9, 1950 - December 31, 2015 Sara Jane Buff passed away in Boise, Idaho, after a courageous battle with cancer. Sara spent her last few months displaying her quiet yet determined strength while surrounded by her loving family just as she had lived. Sara was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and is the oldest daughter of James and Ileen Wardle. Sara was a lifelong active member of the LDS Church. Sara was married to her loving husband, Clyde Buff Sr., on Oct. 10, 1969.  Sara's crowning achievements in life were her six children and 16 grandchildren. They were truly the light of her life. Sara's best days were spent caring for her family. This was her passion, and she was truly great at it. Her grandchildren knew Grandma was just a call away and would be in attendance at every important event. Sara's kitchen was the center of family gatherings, and everyone loved her cooking. Sara is loved and survived by her mother Ileen Wardle; her siblings, Connie (Kelly) Fornoff, Weldon (Sue) Wardle, Billy (Sheri) Wardle, Charlie (Diane) Wardle and Diana (Mark) Norman; her children Krista (Brant) Petersen, Geneve (Eric) Derossett, Kathy Gilbert, Joey Buff and Linsey (Jason) Kopke; and many grandchildren. Sara is preceded in heaven by her son, Clyde Buff Jr.; her three grandsons, Skyler, Forrest and Ashton; her father, James Wardle, and her nephew Trevor Wardle.  A viewing will be held Saturday, Jan. 9, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Castle Park LDS Church, 5900 Castle Drive, Boise, Idaho, with services to follow. Burial will be at Morris Hill Cemetery.

Herald Journal Obituary: for the guest bood and article in the paper please follow this link.

Family Pictures of Logan

When spent one day, the night, and then the morning of the next day in Logan.  We stayed with Connie.  When we first arrived in Logan we met Grandpa Scoresby for breakfast at Angie's Restaurant.  We then visited my mother at her rest home.  Sara was there as well.  We then headed to Connie's to get situated, and my mom came out with Sara for family dinner.  It was a bit hard as my mother wasn't remembering things very well.  She couldn't remember which of us were her kids.  She was also very hard discovering that Sara has cancer, although I am sure she has been told before.
However dinner was very lovely, and we had a sit by the fire pit after, and the kids tried the burro.

Kids and my mom

Kids and Grandpa Scoresby

Mom and I; we had a good talk

Caleb

Natalia, Kayla, Sara

Mom ant I Sara Connie

Grandkids and mom, Caleb, Natalia and Mirand 

Connie's remodeled room in her basement were Sheri and I stayed

Family Reunion of Sorts: Chuck A' Rama

Charlie and Charlie

Sara, Natalia, Caleb, Dustin, Kayla, 

Jared, Jamison, Monica, Weldon, Amber, 

Mark, Gus, Elliott, Liz

Gus

Miranda, natalie, Charlie, Jesse, Sheri

Miranda

Rachelle, Linsey, Elliott, Liz

plus Natalia

Meeting in Salt Lake (Sandy) with family on our way home from Iowa with Caleb.  Manager provided a room for us so we were able to give Sara a blessing before her surgery for cancer.

Siblings, Billy, Weldon, Sara, Charlie

The manager allowed us to us a staff room, and we gave my sister a blessing this day.

Tony and Miranda Loved Visiting Boise, Sara, Clyde and Grandmother

One of our goals this year has been to take Miranda to visit family so she can say goodbye before going on her mission.  In Boise my sister is living and my mother is now staying with her.
Tony loved Boise.  There is a playground and trampoline out back.  More importantly Sara has two pug dogs, Toby and R.J.  Tony had a good time with them, and for a time had taken to his knees and barking as he tried to get closer to them.  Scroll to the bottom for links to Tony's trampoline videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0wBfpxCoHw&list=UUUEd30vKIa3CW6YQDuSxQcQ&index=2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LtIgfZIlIU&list=UUUEd30vKIa3CW6YQDuSxQcQ&index=1

2013 Christmas Trip: First Stop Boise

This is our trip East to me my Momma who now lives with sister in Boise.  Going a different way we were able to see a different group of people.  Sara was a very gracious host and put up with us.  Zachary stayed elsewhere so Charity and Anthony would have a room.  We  didn't leave until the Sunday before Christmas.  I didn't want to miss Sunday singing, because I do that every year.  Charity didn't to miss either because she is now the music chairperson in her ward.  So we left after eleven, and headed over the mountains.  No snow, only one potty break with the baby, and for me, and we made it to Reno for a late lunch.  This was the only eating break we took.  We gassed in Reno, this took us the rest of the way to Boise.  The roads were great,  even though there was snow to the side of the road.  Oregon was frustrating with their 55 mph speed limit.  We made it through however.  Baby was fussing some before Marsing, we we stopped and had a snowball fight.  It was cold, but fun.  We made it to Boise late, and went strait to bed.  We woke my mom so she got up to say hello.

My mom with Camberly

Four generations

Sara and Mom

Tony had great fun the next day playing in the snow.  He and Anthony made a snowman, and we had several snowball fights.  We watched some football.  We went to visit with Kirk and Leslie and family. 

Kirk and Leslie with Macey, Carter (absent), Hunter, Brynlee

Kirk is Sheri's brother.  Sara fed us well, breakfast as only she can do it, Papa John's pizza, and lasagna.  We spent another night.  On the way out of town we stopped at Krista's.  She lives on the Eastern side of Boise, and Sara on the Western.  Cassidy and Tanner and Brandt were home, Krista was at work. 

Cassidy and Tanner

View from Krista's house

Their home overlooks the Boise River and is very nice.  However besides themselves, the most impressive thing is their dogs.  They have a little yapper, and two hunting dogs, and a new puppy hunting dog that is Tanner's.  The dogs were very obedient. We actually visited them on our way out of town, as this was Christmas Eve Day and we were headed to Logan to spend time with Mark.
Besides Sara and Clyde, and those in photos we saw, Linsey, Kayla, Dillon, Geneve, Brianna, Clyde Jr., and Zachary.