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Watch With Me

It was April 2015, and Kristen was in the holy land touring with her husband. She sat in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem listening to a guide tell the story of the Savior’s suffering there. He told of that time when Jesus asked the disciples to watch with him as he went yonder to pray. He then described the Savior’s incalculable suffering and of His returning to His disciples and finding them asleep. “What could ye not watch with me one hour?” He said. He went on telling how each time Jesus returned they were asleep. It was a powerful moment of revelation for Kristen. She said:

“I began to visualize what He must have looked like each time he came back to the disciples. I felt overwhelming gratitude, love, and humility for my Savior. The phrase ‘could you not watch with me one hour’ stuck in my mind. I said to myself with 100% total conviction, ‘I would have stayed awake for YOU. I would have never fallen asleep.’ I pictured myself being there to support and comfort Him. I even had a small feeling of disappointment and judgement toward the disciples. I couldn’t understand how His disciples failed Him like that. I left that Garden lecture with greater conviction and connection to my Savior.” 

Kristen was absolutely convinced and sure that she would have stayed awake for Him on that sacred night. This experience for her became one of many that made for a sacred journey with the Savior in the Holy Land. 

Sometime later, now back home, she found herself one sabbath day sitting in a ward council meeting. The discussion turned toward the sabbath day and the sacrament. They were asked to each share a scripture about the sacrament. One brother shared Matthew 26:38-41: “what, could ye not watch with me for one hour”, and likened sacrament meeting to being in Gethsemane and watching with the Savior for one hour. 

Kristen was instantly captured by his words and carried back to her moment of conviction in the Garden of Gethsemane. Then, just as suddenly, her eyes were opened and she was brought forward to stare at herself in the mirror of faith. She said:

“I have personally struggled for years to be on time to church. I always try to do better but inevitably I am late most weeks. Suddenly I saw things differently and with a clear understanding. Not only would I probably not have stayed awake for my Savior, but I wouldn’t have even showed up on time in the first place! It was a devastating and enlightening experience. The sacrament is our chance to show gratitude and support to our Savior for His Atonement. We are given an opportunity each and every week to ‘watch’ with Him for ONE hour.”

I share this story with permission, not to invoke guilt, but rather as a gentle reminder of just how sacred that hour really is. It is well even for us to remember the Savior’s words, from Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” The key word is watch!

Sources:

Kristen

Matthew 26:41