A disciple is a follower, especially one who tries to live the teachings of Jesus Christ.

A Christian is one who is willing to be inconvenienced in order to help another.

I really like the story of the college professor at one of our Church schools who announced that the final for his religion class would be held in a building across campus. The class would have to hurry to get there if they were to complete the test in time. The students left the building they were in, and hurried to the test site. The route led past a crying boy who had crashed his bike and skinned his knee. There was also an old man who had dropped his load of books and was trying to gather them despite his inability to bend over. The class also encountered an old woman struggling with an armload of heavy groceries.

The last to arrive at the testing center was the professor, who announced to the class that they had all failed the test. Not one of them had stopped to do a disciple's duty by helping those in distress.

A disciple of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to be inconvenienced in order to help another.

My second great grandfather, Thomas Condon, was studying to become a Congregational minister. His school had a debate society. Thomas loved a debate, and was good at it. A debate was to be held on a wintry day in upstate New York. Some important out-of-town competitors were coming. Thomas was eager to take part. He had just enough time to get there. The debate was to be held in a building that was located up a steep, icy hill.

As he reached the base of the hill he encountered an old woman who said, "Oh, Brother Condon, you're just in time to help me up this steep hill. I'd never be able to make it alone."

Thomas fought a quick battle with himself. If he helped the woman, he'd be late to the debate, and would be excluded from the competition. However, the gentleman within him won. He gave the woman his arm, and escorted her slowly up the hill, knowing that his evening was ruined. When they arrived at the debate, however, they learned that the out-of-town debaters had also been delayed, and he got to participate after all.

My second great grandfather was a disciple of Jesus Christ, and I am very proud of him.

On another occasion he boarded a steamer in the Columbia River at The Dalles, and watched as others came aboard. The gangplank was a narrow, springy board with a flimsy rope serving as a handrail. Boarding the boat was no problem for a young and unburdened person, but Thomas noticed an Indian woman approach the gangplank carrying a big bundle and with a papoose on her back. She stepped onto the board, and then drew back, obviously afraid.

All the other passengers and the deck hands saw the woman, too, but no one offered to help. After all, the woman was only an Indian. Thomas sprang to her aid. He ran down the plank, took the papoose, and they were all able to safely board the boat.

Thomas was a disciple of Jesus Christ.

There are two morals to these stories:

One, is that we need to be alert to opportunities to show our discipleship.

Two, is that our life experiences need to be written and recorded. You've wished that you knew something about your second great grandparents, but you don't, because they didn't write. Your great grandchildren are only going to know you as a name and a date if you don't write.

But if you will take the time to write about your experiences and feelings, you have it in your power to have a positive impact upon the grandchildren that you'll never see in life. Because Thomas Condon's daughter, my great grandmother, wrote about him, I can repeat these stories. I admire Thomas, and want to be like him.

Jesus' closest disciples wrote. What would we know about Jesus, His teachings and his miracles, if Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Nephi hadn't written what they knew about Him and of the experiences they had with Him?

The cycle of discipleship requires three things:

First is our own learning. We learn from those we respect and trust. Fortunate is that child who has parents who love him and make conscious efforts to teach him. Fortunate is that person who is early introduced to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Nephi who in turn introduce him to Jesus Christ.

The second item in the cycle of discipleship is the bearing of testimony once we've learned of Jesus Christ and of the amazing and infinite things that He's done for us. We bear testimony of Him as we teach our children, hold Family Home Evenings, teach our Primary and Sunday School classes, do our ministering, give a Book of Mormon to our friend, and magnify our callings in the Church. We get feelings of satisfaction whenever we are in the role of a disciple.

The third item in the cycle of discipleship is seeing our efforts jump to the next generation. I improved upon what I saw my parents do as a mother, a father, a teacher, and a disciple, and it is ever so satisfying to see my children improving upon what I did.

This is life as it should be: each generation becoming better than the previous one. Sadly, this is not the way of the world. The world is rapidly retrogressing because they don't know Jesus Christ. Too many people don't care. They've never been taught about their Redeemer and about how they can be made happy. They don't know how good life can be. It requires focus. It requires focus on Jesus Christ. It requires intentional discipleship. It requires keeping the commandments, making covenants, and keeping them. It requires doing things in their proper order.

Intentional discipleship. Intentional discipleship is guaranteed to lead to happiness. Intentional discipleship requires a focus on Jesus Christ, and not upon self. The person who loses himself in the service of others finds life. This is especially important in marriage. The person who concentrates upon his or her spouse's happiness, and forgets about himself, will find happiness.

The cycle of discipleship requires a focus upon Jesus Christ and others, rather than a focus on self. Selfishness is the cause of every divorce. Selfishness is the cause of the decay that we see in the world. Selfishness is the cause of all the world's problems.

The cycle of discipleship has no room for selfishness. Happy is the person who has his focus on Jesus Christ and is striving to be His intentional disciple.