Lesson for May 22, 2016

Lesson for May 22, 2016 Today the lesson was given by Kristine Hansen about “Choice” by President Monson, “Opposition in all Things,” by Dallin Oaks, and “The Holy Ghost,” by Robert Hales. The common thread in these sermons is that when we have the Holy Ghost with us we can make wise choices and deal with opposition. Elder Hales says that we can have this companionship always, if we always remember the Savior, keep the commandments, repent of our sins, partake of the sacrament. President Monson said our choices determine our destiny, we have the gift of agency, and we know that our goal is the celestial kingdom. As we choose Christ we will make the right choices. We have to build up powerful faith and develop courage to defy the consensus. Sometimes you can’t be cool and be righteous. Sometimes the choices are between good, better, and best. We need personal revelation to help us make correct choices about careers, schooling, where we will live, but we need to learn to make correct choices on our own, too, in smaller things. The Lord honors our agency. As long as we have the Spirit with us, then we will get the feelings we need to make correct choices. We need to know how to discern when our choices are good or bad. Start with prayer and use discernment—or righteous judgment. You wouldn’t let a convicted child molester babysit your children. The Holy Ghost has a mission to give us the strength to overcome difficulties, see the good we might not otherwise see, develop our spiritual gifts, give us hope and peace and joy, comfort us, he can confirm that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of our Heavenly Father, give us knowledge, cleanses and sanctifies us, encourages us, and leads us to do good. Elder Oaks reminded us that the purpose of the Earth is to provide a mortal life with choices and opposition as found in 2 Nephi 2. It is ironic that Satan tried to undermine God’s plan and actually facilitated God’s plan. But we wouldn’t grow or progress if we didn’t have those challenges. Kristine’s sister’s husband was laid off and was jobless for two years. They had their food storage and savings, stayed faithful, and the husband looked over and over for jobs. One day a woman gave them some money ($300). They didn’t need it, but soon the car needed repairs. A man in the ward had a shoe repair business and had the Spirit tell him to fix the husband’s shoes. They had a constant feeling of peace and understanding and love in their home. When the husband got a job, that feeling left gradually. As a class, we discussed times when we felt the prompting of the Holy Ghost. Many people shared times when the Holy Ghost helped them know how to take care of children, with jobs, facing opposition, and, as Elder Holland said, not cast away our confidence. The Lord teaches us through our trials. Suzy explained how she decided to go on a mission and Elder Bednar spoke, but instead of paying attention to what he said, she kept thinking of going on a mission. Lana said that she was close to her father and when he passed away and peace stayed with her for over a year, because she feels him right there. The Lord knows what we need and can give us comfort. One sister prayed for comfort when life was hard and one of her old roommates came to visit. Kristine said she moved into a new apartment and didn’t know roommates or her ward. Her roommates left for the weekend and she was broke. She prayed for help and was prompted to go see her aunt. Her uncle paid her for some work she had done for him and she got to visit with her aunt. God eases our burdens, but he will not hurt someone else for our benefit. Through all our mortal lives, the Holy Ghost will consecrate our afflictions for our gain and we will have a stronger testimony on the other side.

Lesson for May 15, 2016

Lesson for May 15, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Maggie Kopp about “The Law of Tithing.” Does anyone remember that President Hunter was an attorney before he became a General Authority and he explains things really well. We are going to discuss the spiritual side of paying tithing and avoid being contentious. President Hunter said, The tithe is God’s law for all children, but the payment is voluntary. Refusal to pay does not negate the law. President Hunter was engaged and went to get a temple recommend. His bishop said you don’t pay much tithing, so do you have enough to live on? President Hunter didn’t understand what a true tithe meant. His bishop explained what tithing is. His fiancée said she believed in tithing and so they decided on living the law of tithing. The Lord has established the law of tithing and His children who love Him, will pay it. Maggie divided us into 3 groups to talk about our own experiences with the spiritual blessings of tithing. One quote was that the principle of tithing should be more than a mechanical payment, but should be a spiritual experience more than a legal, mechanical experience. If you pay your tithing with love, then you get the love back. It’s like being part of a family. It’s a way to pay forward to the church. It is an eternal law that helps us overcome our selfishness. We can expect the Lord to open the windows of heaven when we pay because we love the Lord. Our faith is reinforced when we pay the Lord out of love. How can paying tithing help us to be less selfish. Other offerings, too. Our money is the Lord’s and paying tithing is just giving back a little bit, so we don’t actually own the money. The Lord will reward us so we can learn how to give, too. Fast offerings can also bless us and is an easy way for us to be helpful. That gift is not just to the Lord, it is also for those who need our help. Those who work for the Church are often reminded that they are the recipients of the widow’s mite. Knowing that it is a gift and not just mechanical can help us. Going on a mission is like giving back 10% of a 20-year life. Chelsea Jolley said her son said he is receiving so much more on his mission that he feels like he needs to give more service to the Church to make up that 10% even more. Vira Bahr said that growing up in Ukraine meant she could not save enough to go on a mission, so it was the donations of the members that made it possible for her to go on a mission, which changed her life. The missionaries experience miracles because of the donations of the members. Paying tithing solidifies faith and we cannot afford to deny ourselves of these blessings, such as the temple and other activities associated with the Church. Some of the smaller blessings include increasing our spirituality. Chieko Ukasaki said no one is hungry or cold or unclothed in the next life, so if we want to be of comfort and encouragement, we need to do it in this life. It is our donations that can help change people’s lives and help us to reach out and accomplish things it would be good to be involved in.

Lesson for May 8, 2016

Lesson for May 8, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Sydney Kelsey about taking the gospel to all the world. She served in Taiwan, so she will relate missionary work to that experience. In her second to last area as a senior missionary, her companion was struggling, until they tracted out a sweet lady who had a disability with her leg and used crutches. So, she had no family to help her and did not make any money. She wanted to listen to the gospel. She grasped it, but could not get to church. But when she went, she loved it, but some of the ward felt like they couldn’t support someone like that. How would they handle that? They wanted to follow their priesthood leaders, who didn’t want them to teach this lady, but they felt the lady was a child of God. As we share the gospel, how can it help us to see that all are children of God. Lisa Anderson found a Vietnamese family right after the Vietnam War and the local branch was made up of veterans who did not like the Vietnamese. She prepped the ward and it changed their hearts and they accepted the family. Jill Judd said she knows a family of refugees in Jerusalem who is attending a branch with Palestinians and the gospel is bringing people together. The lesson has an overarching theme of love for each other. Cade Jolley is in North Dakota and many Liberians, many of whom do not see their own potential and feel down about themselves. He is a positive person and he loves to teach about the gospel to help others grow and it has helped him grow immensely. He recognizes the Spirit and how it works in his life. Linda Campbell said that Joseph Merrill said he worked hard on his talk, but Louis stood up and just expounded. Louis has been a member for only 4 years, but the influence of the other boys and leaders in the ward have helped him grow. Missionaries are a means of growing love in people and feeling love for those they serve. Everyone deserves the gospel. We are to teach the gospel to all nations. Prophets and scriptures have said that. There are no national boundaries or race or culture, either. Kelsey said President Uchtdorf said to lift where we stand. Another sister said she went on her mission and was very excited. She had education goals and had to establish that she really should go through prayer and meeting with her bishop. She made the decision to not go on a mission and went to school and got married. She thinks that member missionary work is so exciting. It’s a frame of mind, so if you’re ready to lift where you stand, you can serve. Vira Bahr went on a mission and received a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and wanted to share it with everyone. She had to leave her father alone and he was OK with it, even though he wasn’t a member. The greatest joy is seeing when they truthfulness of the gospel changes people’s lives. She served on Temple Square and felt it was a proselyting mission because many people sparked and wanted to know more. When she found some later on in small towns, they just knew and Heavenly Father found them and wants them back with Him, in spite of their problems. The light shines through. That’s the greatest blessing. Not everyone is Mormon in Utah Valley and Orem, Utah. You can find your mission and preach through your actions and sticking to what you believe. Suzy said that as a mother she is a missionary to her children. We can do a lot to teach our children. Kelsey said her husband wasn’t in the Church, but he found he needed the happiness he remembered from his childhood and he came back to the Church to find it. We need to remember that we bring additional happiness and bring all truth together and establish peace and happiness among all mankind. Take was good and add more goodness to it. Kelsey said in Taiwan, the people are Daoist and they have ceremonies to burn incense in food to feed their ancestors and if they turn Christian, they can’t do that any more, like not having Thanksgiving dinner with their families, but our Church said that we revere our ancestors and they can celebrate by also taking their family names to the temple. What keeps us from sharing the gospel? Maybe we are terrified by talking to people. Maybe we are have experiences about what people know about the Church—the weirdness and dudes in bike helmets. Emily Campbell said she writes columns and expresses her faith in her writing. People say it is who she is, so it is appropriate. Sometimes we need to clear up misconceptions. One sister had experiences where she had to learn it is OK to be different. We have fears of being outcasts. We might have a fear of being able to explain what we believe. Prayer and testimonies help. By relying on the Spirit, we get inspiration about how to tell people. Laura Campbell said one of the best things we can do is to be good examples and who we are will show through, especially letting our light shine. We can also influence those in the Church who are not as confident in the gospel. Kelsey brought up Enos praying for everyone and Lehi wanting to share the fruit with his family. We will feel the increased desire to share the gospel. Study the Atonement and other aspects of the gospel to increase our desires.

Lesson for May 1, 2016

Lesson for May 1, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Lana Horrocks as her last time after being released from the Relief Society presidency. Her lesson is on the talks by Elder Oaks and Elder Holland, especially about opposition. She said Elder Oaks said our troubles are tailor made for us. Awe progress by making choices and having the agency that provides alternatives, so there must be opposition. She said she had been praying for the Lord to show her what is most important for her to do and she ended up in a wheelchairs. Lehi taught that there must be opposition in all things and if not there could not be happiness. If the fall had not taken place, Adam and Eve could not have progressed. Joseph Smith was ordained of God to publish the Book of Mormon, but he still had to find a publisher. He had to approach E.B. Grandin twice and was turned down by Grandin and other publishers, too. Finally Grandin relented and said he would publish the book. When Joseph was imprisoned in Liberty Jail, he was told that time would be for his experience. Jeannette said she had a similar experience when she had a stroke and could only read the scriptures. President Monson explained why we have our difficult experiences. He said Heavenly Father knows that we grow through hard experiences. These and other trials present us with the real test of our ability to endure. Sometimes we need to recognize it is God’s plan, not our plan. We need to do what we can when we can and not wait until later to prepare ourselves for what may come. We have to know what we can do and what we need and how much we can endure. Lana asked us what enduring well looks like. She had a friend who died last fall. This woman was full of grace and loveliness and the picture of enduring well. Elder Oaks said there are many things in early Church history that some use in opposition. We need to look at the fruits and know there is opposition in all things and we need to rely on faith. Often it is not a problem with the facts, but it is the faith that is lacking. Lana said last night when the pain got so bad, her husband gave her a blessing that her children will come back to the church and has comforted her. Lana says there are so many blessings. Elder Oaks said our afflictions will be consecrated for our gain. Lana added Elder Holland’s talk about being illuminated by the gospel after affliction. So, opposition is in all things, but with the strength of heaven we can improve and we get credit, even if we don’t always succeed. As women, we always feel beat up because we aren’t good enough. Elder Holland said that the Lord told Joseph Smith that blessings are for those who are obedient AND for those who try to keep them. Elder Holland said we take some solace in the fact that if God were to reward only the perfectly faithful, He wouldn’t have much of a distribution list. The Savior is there to help us repent, fix, and keep going. Our righteous desires are for our good. So one sister was unemployed and couldn’t find a job. She started doing Family Search and so much opened up for her. The first great truth is that God loves us. That assurance gives us the ability to continue. God will never desert us and it is not in His character to do so. We shall emerge better and purer. The Lord has stood by us through many trials. One sister said that going through her morning sickness helped her rely on the Lord. If we give our hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ, then tomorrow and every other day will be magnificent. Keep loving. Keep trying. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on. It is the promise of Christ. It is the sanctification part of our trials that we need to work on.