Lesson for November 22, 2015

Lesson for November 22, 2015 Today our lesson was given by Maggie Kopp on Chapter 22 Carrying the Gospel into the World and Chapter 23 Strengthen Thy Stakes. What are we thankful for in relation to the gospel: Our ward family, the Atonement, the power of prayer, easy access to temples. How can we reach out to others who are not of our faith and also how can we help those others who are in our own ward and stake? President Benson and all his siblings went on missions and his father was sent on a mission when the children were young. In the introduction to Chapter 22 says that President Benson had a love for all the people of the world. We all share the responsibility to share the gospel and help others. Sometimes we just need to stretch ourselves. Visiting teaching is a form of missionary work. Service, such as Helping Hands, and teaching English helps put the Church in the view of people, so they are aware that this is who we are—the exposure is good. Identifying ourselves as Christians. Finding the commonalities and asking people what they believe and being who we are—be authentic as believers. Being kind to people can also go a long way. Preparing ourselves for missionary experiences will give us the confidence and knowledge to share our beliefs. Only the gospel will bring salvation to the world and save it from its own self-destruction. Just speaking up can open up conversations. Let the Holy Ghost guide us to know when to speak up. We should love the people. We should be humble. We should have the Spirit with us. If we do that, we will look different from others and people will notice. Serving others in our ward and community will benefit and unify those who are members in those units. Stakes are a refuge for those who are suffering and needing strength and comfort. Being a good neighbor and being friendly and happy can be an influence. We can be uplifted by lifting others up. It opens us up to the blessings and opportunities that will enrich ourselves. Receiving help from others who are loving and concerned can help open hearts. Getting to know others can help us know what is needed. There is a lot we can do in our communities, such as helping with reading at a school or in the arts or giving blood and helping with taking meals to others. President Benson said we will never be effective if until we learn to have sympathy for all of God’s children and sympathize with them. Then we may receive help from them. Having an attitude of kindness and service can help others to view us as a kind person they can relate to and rely on.

Lesson for November 15, 2015

Lesson for November 15, 2015 Today the lesson was given by Kristine Hansen about Teachings for Our Times on the talks “Keep the Commandments” by President Monson and Commandments by Sister Carol Stephens. We are going to discuss the theme of the talks. Sister Stephens told the story of taking care of her granddaughter who wouldn’t stay in the car seat. Sister Stephens had to think of a way to convince her to stay in the car seat. Had to explain the consequences of not wearing a seat belt and said she wanted her to be safe. The little girl said she understood that her grandmother told her to wear the seatbelt because she loved her and she stayed in her seat. God’s commandments show his love for us and our obedience shows our love for Him. We did something very basic and listed commandments, such as “Thou shalt not” and “Thou shalt”: Not kill; shalt love thy God with all thy might, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself; honor your mother and your father; keep the Sabbath; read the scriptures on a daily basis; have only one God/no other gods before God; not commit adultery or anything like it; thou shalt not steal or covet, thou shalt multiply and replenish the earth, keep the commandments, keep the Word of Wisdom, not use alcohol, tobacco, or other harmful substances, rear our children in righteousness; not take the Lord’s name in vain; pray for and forgive our enemies; pay tithing; go to the temple; consecrate time and means; not lie or bear false witness; not view degrading media; go to bed early. God makes these commandments so we can be better and be filled with light. D&C 88:27-29 say that those with celestial spirits will be raised to celestial glory. The kind of glory we desire depends a lot on the type of spirit we have developed. We can get better and develop good traits. Some people feel like they are restricted with all the commandments. To Kristine, she feels like she is freed from addictions, sin, and all the bad things that come with not keeping the commandments. Cristell Boyadjian said who you need to be is pure and clean. It is not the commandments that are important, it is who you need become. It is not about the Church it is about your happiness and who you want to become. Who we are includes what we believe and do and the circumstances we are in because of our choices. God understands that when we keep the commandments our lives will be happier and our decisions to accept or reject the commandments determine that happiness. When talking to others we should not say “Don’t do this or that,” we should say “You can do this or that.” We cannot be victims, but we must take responsibility for our choices and our reactions to our circumstances. Sister Stephens said we can trust Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, and the prophet. We are surrounded by all kinds of loud voices, but we need to turn their volume down and listen for that still, small voice that testifies of truth and the comforting voice that will lead us to happiness. Sometimes the Lord will give just you a commandment. You need to have the Spirit with you so you can receive the inspiration that comes. President Monson said that great courage will be needed to keep the commandments. The commandments were God-given, so we cannot change them. If they were made by men, we could change them. We can repent and we can be better. We can start now, ask for forgiveness, and work to become better. Think of a commandment we need to keep better and we will be blessed with safety and peace.

Lesson for November 8, 2015

Lesson for November 8, 2015 Today the lesson was given by Megan Miller on “Principles of Temporal and Spiritual Welfare,” from Ezra Taft Benson chapter 20. Megan asked us to think of a family member who is having issues with the Church or maybe even is no longer in the Church. President Benson thought of a young man who had not been coming to church to be Elder’s Quorum president. The stake president said the young man thought about it and prayed about it and changed his life to be an active member. Many people return to the church because of the love and attention given to them by others. Vira said on her mission a woman was found who had joined the Church many years before but had fallen away. Vira bore her testimony to her and reminded her of the gospel principles that had brought her to the Church in the first place. Sometimes it is just that we invite these people to come to church. A bishop of this ward had been inactive for a long time until the men in the ward decided to help him become active and work with him until he became worthy to be the bishop. Another sister knew of a person who did all he could to not be a member of the Church until he nearly died of drugs. Then he found a Book of Mormon in his room that his father had put there and opened it to the story of Alma the Younger. Sister Cantrell told of a story of a man who found her son who helped him come back to the Church. Megan asked if the person we thought of at the first should be treated this way. Megan told of a friend of her family who decided to go back to church after just being around her family. Who knows what would happen, perhaps sooner, if we just ask them to come. John 10:11-15 about the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and lays down His life for His sheep, unlike a hireling who is just doing a job. The Good Shepherd doesn’t give up when they are in danger without any recompense. We need to build on the connections we have with others and everyone is a Child of God. These are ours—the people we have in our periphery and in our stewardship. If you lead from the front, sometimes you need to operate on trust and respect. If you lead from the back, you operate on worry, albeit perhaps a knowledge of those people. When you have grownup kids it is not like when they are little you can lead them by taking their hands, but the grownup kids need a better example so they want to follow. We have to be shepherds and lead those who are ours. We can’t force people or coerce them to do what we want. They have to recognize for themselves what God wants for them. If you make Christ your partner, we can see some success. Visiting teaching shows how we are shepherds and how we love them more than once a month and have the true heart of the shepherd. It is how we BE. Praying over those we love helps the Lord see what we should be doing to help them. Then they may tell us how things may be wrong in their lives and we can be there for them. We can become their friends and bring them with us. Sometimes it can take a lifetime, but we shouldn’t give up. After all we can do, we love that person with all our hearts and wait and pray.

Lesson for November 1, 2015

Lesson for November 1, 2015 Today the lesson was given by one of the presidency, Lana Horrocks, about family history. Kristine Hansen said she took her own challenge to find the Spirit and not think uncharitable thoughts. She said she went visiting teaching to Lisa Anderson who said her friend thinks of a story to explain why people might act poorly. Kristine said she tried it this week and she didn’t feel the Holy Ghost leave all week, so she must have been successful. Lisa Merrill said she tried to be more fervent in her prayers. Sister Horrocks said she wants to give her lesson on the two talks one “Yielding our Hearts to God” and “What Lack I Yet.” She prayed to know what the sisters need. She said this lesson is good for a visiting teaching lesson. How do we make the Lord’s ways our ways? By learning of Him, praying for understanding, trusting in Him, seeking to do His will, and waiting for answers. If we really trust in God, we won’t have doubts about his teachings. The Holy Ghost can magnify the warmth in our hearts. Patience in waiting for answers demonstrates trust as does fasting for an answer. Sometimes, in our prayers, we need to be patient until we ask the right question, minutes, weeks, or even years. Three things to remember are faith in the plan of salvation, the resurrection, and eternal life. A meek heart accepts the trial and the waiting for that time of healing and wholeness to come. When we open our hearts to the Spirit, we learn God’s way and feel His will. The heart of the Sabbath is the sacrament. It is important to ask in those quiet times what else we need to do and pray for forgiveness of sins. It is instructive to ask if there is more. You can take notes on the impressions you receive, not necessarily the words of the speakers. Elder Bednar said we often don’t realize that the Atonement is for saints, too, so we can become better. The healing of our hearts comes when we submit to and worship God. Lana said the Lord told her that He would give her more revelation if she would read her scriptures more often. We need to approach the search for the Spirit with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. When we have a healthy longing to improve, balanced with the spiritual assurance that through Jesus Christ we will make it (Robert Millet).A spiritual exercise while saying your prayers is to ask “What is keeping me from progressing?” Lana asked us to write a list of promptings we’ve had in the past, then asked for people to share. One is that we should go to bed earlier so we can be less grumpy or lazy the next day, or to slow down in our lives. Vira Bahr said that charity is having patience with someone who has let us down and accepting them for who they are. The Spirit can show us our strengths as well as our weaknesses, so we can also ask what we are doing right. We can all learn from each other. The challenge is to pray to have the Spirit with us. Be persistent, but not discouraged.