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.