Lesson for December 28, 2014

Lesson for December 28, 2014 Our lesson today was given by Kristine Hanson on a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott, “Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority.” Elder Scott speaks of the peace that comes from faith. He gives four tools to increase our faith: prayer, scripture study, Family Home Evening, and temple attendance. These things will help us increase our faith and help us through adversity. He describes prayer as a conversation we have with our Heavenly Father, who is interested in every aspect of our lives. Elder Scott says we should pray often to have that influence with us always. Sister Heather Cantrell said that when her daughter Kristen became so ill in the first of November, every member of the family felt like she would die, but they also felt peace because of the gospel. They shared with everyone they knew the need for prayers for their daughter and sister. Heather said her patriarchal blessing says for her to pray and her prayers would be answered, so she did. The doctor also told her to pray, because he did not have much hope for Kristen. She feels that her prayers have been answered and that the faith of their family has been strengthened. Besides personal prayer, the power of family prayer is necessary to help strengthen every member of the family against all the evil surrounding us as we go out into the world. Kristine said her family had nine children and that the family prayers in her family were rather hit and miss. The older children had many problems with the gospel. She said her younger sister told her that the parents instituted family prayer and the results were that the four youngest were all married in the temple. Even though they have had problems, the gospel has been a blessing in their lives. Sister Jill Judd said she knew of a family who had a baby of about two months old, but they had already started having family prayer with the baby. It is a good start for their family. We may not always think that family prayer is doing any good. Elder Bednar said that each family prayer is a brushstroke on the canvas of faith. Another sisters said that her parents were consistent about having family prayer in their family. She remembers doing it every day and how it influenced her through their consistent efforts. Vira Bahr said in her family they use their electronic devices to say prayer together and to study their scriptures while driving together, even if they are not all home together. Elder Scott said that reading scriptures is more important than sleep, school, work, TV, video games, or social media. Ruth Hendriksen said the scripture stories from Ruth, Esther, and Nephi in the Book of Mormon have strengthened her, because they showed her that praying and thanking God would strengthen people. She remembers Job and all the things we are promised and how scripture study gives us a foundation to trust God. She has a scripture study journal where she writes down thoughts she has during her scripture study. Once, when her daughter Tamara left home to go out on her own, Ruth felt broken up over the loss and she found a scripture during her study that says broken hearts will be mended and that comforted her. Elder Scott also has several endnotes at the end of his talk about the experiences of several General Authorities and their own scripture study. About Family Home Evening, he says it is more important than employment demands, sports, extracurricular activities, homework, or anything else. Jenni Harker said that when her two oldest children were 2 and 3 years old, she thought that if she parented perfectly, her children would be perfect, but that is not always the case. She and her husband Brent decided to have Family Home Evening regularly and since they started it while the children were young, they have never had a problem with it. In their family, they have lessons about 2/3 of the time and activities the other times. She feels it is important for children to have friends in the family and the activities help them be friends. It is especially important because children have so many outside influences. She asked her children why they liked FHE and they said that it was a neutral time. If one person had a problem with someone, the lesson about that problem was for everyone and didn’t single any one person out. Another son said it was how he stopped using bad language, because it gave him the desire to stop. He had his mother put out a swearing jar where he had to put money in if he swore, especially at games. The first time he came back from a game, he had to put in a dollar, but after three to four weeks he felt like he had the bad habit licked. Jenni said that treats are really important. She said that while everyone sits around eating sugar and relaxing they learn amazing things about each other. One of her boys, Jim, said that because they had FHE so regularly as a child, it was easier for him to start it up with his own family. Elder Scott went on to discuss temple attendance. He said don’t let anything get in the way of temple attendance. Sandi Green said the temple helped her family several times. For example, when her daughter Joy came home from her mission, she was followed home by a young man who wanted to marry her. This young man did not like her family and pulled her away. Sandi said that as Joy became consumed by the relationship, Sandi and Steve started putting her name in the temple. Sandi said she went often. Then one of Joy’s missionary companions came to visit in Utah Valley and wanted to take Joy with her to visit the companion’s parents in Idaho. The young man wanted to go, too, but ended up not going. Joy and her companion visited and even went to the temple in Idaho and when she came back, she told the young man to leave and that she would not marry him. Later in Joy’s life, she suffered from breast cancer. Sandi and Steve asked for our ward to pray for her and go to the temple for her. Joy said she could feel the support from those prayers and temple attendance and was eventually cured. Kristine said that these four tools will help us call down the blessings of heaven, especially if they become habits.