Lesson for June 14, 2015

Relief Society Lesson for June 14, 2015 Today our lesson was given by Maggie Kopp on “Follow the Living Prophet.” Think of this lesson and next week’s lessons as ways the Lord communicates with us. President Benson said about Family Home Evening that he remembers the first time he heard the letter of the First Presidency that families would be strengthened if they held Family Home Evening and thereafter, his family diligently held Family Home Evening and he said they reaped the benefits. Other programs also help us. Sister Linda Campbell remembers when all men could receive the priesthood. Another program was when all the Sunday meetings were combined. The Perpetual Education Fund has changed the lives of thousands of members. Now there is a new program called Pathways that helps people start college. The Proclamation on the Family has made a major impact. To know we can have modern revelation so we can relate to these as relevant to us and that the Lord is interested in us. We know that the Lord does not privilege one group or age of people and not another. President Benson said that the most important prophet is the one living today. So Maggie wants us to look at President Monson’s teachings. October 2013 on Sunday and to the Relief Society, President Monson taught using stories, as he often does, so we need to look at the point of the story and what he wants to teach, as well as seeing how these teachings relate to me. Maggie gave us time to read through the stories and then we discussed what we learned from them. From talk about the blessings of the temple, he told the story of a young missionary who had visa trouble and went to a different place and had trouble. He got sick and had to go home, but when he got sent back, it was to the same place he had had trouble. The missionary went to the temple and met another young man who had enjoyed his mission. The young man had gone to the same mission that the missionary had trouble in. He learned that his Heavenly Father knows him and what he needs. To relate that to us, we need to know that the blessings of the temple are priceless and can help us find peace. In his talk about Ponder the Path at thy feet, President Monson said we learn from the hard taskmaster of experience. As we go through this life, it’s not like no one ever did so before and Jesus experienced it all and we can follow Him. Another story is about a deaf and blind man who asked President Monson for a blessing. Even though he was confined to a small room in a care center, he was still grateful and knew Heavenly Father cared about him. Life has a purpose and God is in charge. The poem at the end of the talk is about how we grow from difficulty. President Monson had lost his wife not long before. Another talk is about how love is the essence. We can recognize someone’s need and we can show them love. We show love by serving others. He is always encouraging and loving and not judgmental. The things he teaches are basic, but essential. We can’t truly love God unless we love each other. It is important for President Monson to be teaching us these things because he knows life is difficult, so we can take comfort from his teachings and know how to live. President Monson is a prophet. He knows what we need and what Heavenly Father wants for us.