Here’s a follow-up to my recent post about Peter’s denial of Christ. This comes from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, a former apostle of Jesus Christ, who passed away in 2008. It’s a talk he gave in General Conference October 1992, called “Spiritual Bonfires.” You can read it here or watch it below. It’s so good!

What he says makes so much sense! Here are some excerpts:

“Imagine for a moment that you are Peter. Three years ago a holy stranger invited you to set aside your fishing boat and nets, your means of support for yourself and your family, and then asked you to follow Him. You did so without hesitation, and for three years you have continued to follow and to love and support and sustain Him. You have seen Him confound the wise, comfort the weary and the afflicted, heal the sick, and raise the dead to life. You have seen Him conquer evil spirits, calm the troubled seas, and for a few minutes, at least, you even walked on the water toward Him. You were at His side when Moses and Elias appeared to Him; you saw Him transfigured before your very eyes. You have committed your entire life to Him. And now He questions you by instructing you to strengthen your brethren ‘when thou art converted.

“Peter was surprised. He assured the Lord, ‘I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.’ (Luke 22:33.) But Jesus knew and understood. He was not condemning Peter for a lack of conviction; Peter demonstrated his conviction during the Lord’s arrest. Rather, the Savior was telling Peter what he needed to do when his testimony became more secure.

“As He knew Peter, the Lord understands you and me when our testimonies may not be the brightly burning bonfire you may think they are or want them to be. Perhaps in some cases, that testimony is constructed unwisely, built on a social foundation of programs and personalities instead of the sure rock of personal revelation. Or perhaps you have allowed your testimony to flicker gradually through the years of disuse and spiritual complacency.

“Regardless of the reason your testimony may be growing dim, the Savior lovingly urges you to come unto Him and become strengthened in Him. Said He to Moroni: “If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; … for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” (Ether 12:27.)”

Brother Hank Smith quotes the above talk from Elder Wirthlin in the video below. In reply, Brother Belnap acknowledges that we are all going to be like Peter. We are all going to fail in our faith some time, just like Peter. Jesus knows this! How all-knowing, patient, and merciful He is to us. When we fail, that doesn’t mean our faith is wrong, it just means we are human. Part of our faith needs to be faith that Jesus has faith in us to realize our failure and start over. The enemy wants us to think we can’t come back to Jesus.

I love that Brother Belnap explains what conversion involves. Jesus told Peter “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Brother Belnap says that conversion involves two things: 1. Knowing why we need to have faith in Christ, and 2. Knowing that Christ has faith in us. The evidence that He has faith in us is in His giving His life for us. He atoned for our sins and died on the cross for us. So we can rejoice and go forward, constantly repenting, knowing that Jesus saves us from our sins as we consistently fail but always turn back to Him. What great news!

We surely have reason, as Nephi says, to glory in our Jesus! See 2 Nephi 33:6:

“I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell.”