Lesson for October 1

Lesson for October 16, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Maggie Kopp on Chapter 18 “We Believe in Being Honest” and Chapter 19 “Our Commitment to God.” Maggie talked about the commonalities between the chapters. We discussed integrity, which is being whole, doing what you know is right, being the same in private and in public, having a consistent character, and being honest and fair (number one definition). When you teach your children when they are small, they carry it with them the rest of their lives. President Hunter told about a young man who had a series of speeding tickets and was almost arrested, which would keep him from serving a mission. That scared him and he straightened up. Adele Hickman, returned some crystal goblets that came to her by mistake and the clerk said she was stupid for not keeping them, which was not what Adele wanted her children to hear. Later she returned some milk she had not paid for by accident and the store manager came out to meet her because she was honest. Others told stories about how they had returned things because their religion motivates their lives. Heather Cantrell told about how when she did, the clerk said she knew Heather would do that because she was a Mormon. We discussed how that works in our lives. It’s something we may not think about, but just something we do. We might think about our motivation for what we do and say to others. This is important in marriage, so we don’t develop habits that would betray each other. President Hunter said honesty can help our relationships. In a fireside for young people, he said a happy life will come to us if we are honest with our family, bishop, work, friends, and school. Chelsea Jolley said one of her children learned that he got more leniency because he would tell the truth and make his own boundaries that would benefit his life. It’s easier because he can be trusted. Andrea said she would take her siblings Halloween candy until she took some that were not candy and nearly broke her tooth. She told her sister and it helped their relationship. She got over her pride and got closer to her sister. Sister Dibb said that when we are honest about big and little things, our lives are blessed and we have better relationships based on trust. We want physical things to have structural integrity that keep them from failing. Chapter 19 talks about commitment, which requires integrity of character to keep us functioning. That kind of integrity is what God requires of us. We should do what we commit to do. Be that person who can be counted on and be trusted. Rachel Hickman ___ said that integrity includes being sincere and dependable, even when we make mistakes and own them. She said about her mother that there were several people at their house. Rachel said she was punished for something she hadn’t done. Her mother came to her and apologized, so she said she needs to apologize when she is wrong. We are human and we will make mistakes, so we need to own them. Our children will trust us more as parents if we tell them we are sorry for something. One mother said her children have the reputation at school that they will do what they are told and can be trusted. The mother is on a committee at the school and the family’s integrity has had a downstream effect on the other school children and families. Adele told about when her children played lacrosse in a championship game. The coach told the referee when they had one extra player on the field when they made a winning goal. They replayed and the team lost, but the coach had set a good example. What has happened when we have seen Christlike people? They are compassionate to those around them, no matter who it is. Service is a good mantra for compassionate people. In our morning prayers, if we pray to be of service, we need to have our shoes on and dressed and ready to be of service. God wants us to be honest with Him in our dealings with him. When we are honest to our children, they can be honest with us. One of a sister’s Primary teachers told her that she should feel like Jesus is beside us at all times. If you can be that person whom everybody trusts, you can be that person who can serve others, because others feel they can come to you. Think about your commitment to being an honest person with integrity.

Lesson for October 1

Lesson for October 16, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Maggie Kopp on Chapter 18 “We Believe in Being Honest” and Chapter 19 “Our Commitment to God.” Maggie talked about the commonalities between the chapters. We discussed integrity, which is being whole, doing what you know is right, being the same in private and in public, having a consistent character, and being honest and fair (number one definition). When you teach your children when they are small, they carry it with them the rest of their lives. President Hunter told about a young man who had a series of speeding tickets and was almost arrested, which would keep him from serving a mission. That scared him and he straightened up. Adele Hickman, returned some crystal goblets that came to her by mistake and the clerk said she was stupid for not keeping them, which was not what Adele wanted her children to hear. Later she returned some milk she had not paid for by accident and the store manager came out to meet her because she was honest. Others told stories about how they had returned things because their religion motivates their lives. Heather Cantrell told about how when she did, the clerk said she knew Heather would do that because she was a Mormon. We discussed how that works in our lives. It’s something we may not think about, but just something we do. We might think about our motivation for what we do and say to others. This is important in marriage, so we don’t develop habits that would betray each other. President Hunter said honesty can help our relationships. In a fireside for young people, he said a happy life will come to us if we are honest with our family, bishop, work, friends, and school. Chelsea Jolley said one of her children learned that he got more leniency because he would tell the truth and make his own boundaries that would benefit his life. It’s easier because he can be trusted. Andrea said she would take her siblings Halloween candy until she took some that were not candy and nearly broke her tooth. She told her sister and it helped their relationship. She got over her pride and got closer to her sister. Sister Dibb said that when we are honest about big and little things, our lives are blessed and we have better relationships based on trust. We want physical things to have structural integrity that keep them from failing. Chapter 19 talks about commitment, which requires integrity of character to keep us functioning. That kind of integrity is what God requires of us. We should do what we commit to do. Be that person who can be counted on and be trusted. Rachel Hickman ___ said that integrity includes being sincere and dependable, even when we make mistakes and own them. She said about her mother that there were several people at their house. Rachel said she was punished for something she hadn’t done. Her mother came to her and apologized, so she said she needs to apologize when she is wrong. We are human and we will make mistakes, so we need to own them. Our children will trust us more as parents if we tell them we are sorry for something. One mother said her children have the reputation at school that they will do what they are told and can be trusted. The mother is on a committee at the school and the family’s integrity has had a downstream effect on the other school children and families. Adele told about when her children played lacrosse in a championship game. The coach told the referee when they had one extra player on the field when they made a winning goal. They replayed and the team lost, but the coach had set a good example. What has happened when we have seen Christlike people? They are compassionate to those around them, no matter who it is. Service is a good mantra for compassionate people. In our morning prayers, if we pray to be of service, we need to have our shoes on and dressed and ready to be of service. God wants us to be honest with Him in our dealings with him. When we are honest to our children, they can be honest with us. One of a sister’s Primary teachers told her that she should feel like Jesus is beside us at all times. If you can be that person whom everybody trusts, you can be that person who can serve others, because others feel they can come to you. Think about your commitment to being an honest person with integrity.

Lesson for October 1

Lesson for October 16, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Maggie Kopp on Chapter 18 “We Believe in Being Honest” and Chapter 19 “Our Commitment to God.” Maggie talked about the commonalities between the chapters. We discussed integrity, which is being whole, doing what you know is right, being the same in private and in public, having a consistent character, and being honest and fair (number one definition). When you teach your children when they are small, they carry it with them the rest of their lives. President Hunter told about a young man who had a series of speeding tickets and was almost arrested, which would keep him from serving a mission. That scared him and he straightened up. Adele Hickman, returned some crystal goblets that came to her by mistake and the clerk said she was stupid for not keeping them, which was not what Adele wanted her children to hear. Later she returned some milk she had not paid for by accident and the store manager came out to meet her because she was honest. Others told stories about how they had returned things because their religion motivates their lives. Heather Cantrell told about how when she did, the clerk said she knew Heather would do that because she was a Mormon. We discussed how that works in our lives. It’s something we may not think about, but just something we do. We might think about our motivation for what we do and say to others. This is important in marriage, so we don’t develop habits that would betray each other. President Hunter said honesty can help our relationships. In a fireside for young people, he said a happy life will come to us if we are honest with our family, bishop, work, friends, and school. Chelsea Jolley said one of her children learned that he got more leniency because he would tell the truth and make his own boundaries that would benefit his life. It’s easier because he can be trusted. Andrea said she would take her siblings Halloween candy until she took some that were not candy and nearly broke her tooth. She told her sister and it helped their relationship. She got over her pride and got closer to her sister. Sister Dibb said that when we are honest about big and little things, our lives are blessed and we have better relationships based on trust. We want physical things to have structural integrity that keep them from failing. Chapter 19 talks about commitment, which requires integrity of character to keep us functioning. That kind of integrity is what God requires of us. We should do what we commit to do. Be that person who can be counted on and be trusted. Rachel Hickman ___ said that integrity includes being sincere and dependable, even when we make mistakes and own them. She said about her mother that there were several people at their house. Rachel said she was punished for something she hadn’t done. Her mother came to her and apologized, so she said she needs to apologize when she is wrong. We are human and we will make mistakes, so we need to own them. Our children will trust us more as parents if we tell them we are sorry for something. One mother said her children have the reputation at school that they will do what they are told and can be trusted. The mother is on a committee at the school and the family’s integrity has had a downstream effect on the other school children and families. Adele told about when her children played lacrosse in a championship game. The coach told the referee when they had one extra player on the field when they made a winning goal. They replayed and the team lost, but the coach had set a good example. What has happened when we have seen Christlike people? They are compassionate to those around them, no matter who it is. Service is a good mantra for compassionate people. In our morning prayers, if we pray to be of service, we need to have our shoes on and dressed and ready to be of service. God wants us to be honest with Him in our dealings with him. When we are honest to our children, they can be honest with us. One of a sister’s Primary teachers told her that she should feel like Jesus is beside us at all times. If you can be that person whom everybody trusts, you can be that person who can serve others, because others feel they can come to you. Think about your commitment to being an honest person with integrity.

Lesson for October 30, 2016

Today our lesson was given by Kristine Hansen on President Uchtdorf’s conference talk, “Fourth Floor, Last Door.” She talked about how this talk is about faith and she hoped that the Holy Ghost would help us with sharing about our testimonies about faith. President Uchtdorf used a scripture from the New International Version of the Bible: Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews II:1. People who don’t believe, can’t understand that what we believe is not seen when it can’t be seen. We can understand that the earth is round. We have seen the photos by astronauts. We plan for things to happen and we have faith that they will happen. Marilyn Robinson, an author who believes, says it is silly for people to say that God does not exist. It is impossible to empirically say God does not exist. How did we get that faith? Sometimes the faith comes from previous experience, so we build up repeated episodes in our lives, so our faith gets stronger. Young Kai Magistro said in sacrament meeting that he prayed about something, went to church, and someone gave a talk on the very thing he’d prayed about. We believe in experts. We believe in doctors. We believe and have to come to see that everything is not a coincidence. We can come to see that the Lord’s hand is in our lives. Today we had the Primary sacrament meeting and their faith, simple and pure, and it was evident that they believe. We’ve been told by the brethren to keep a journal. Writing things down can become our family scriptures. We can test these things by doing what we are told by our church authorities and see if our lives are better. So, how can we know things? We can pray and feel the answer. When we bear our testimonies. We can understand that knowledge comes to us in ways beyond our senses. We have to read our scriptures and do what we should in the church. When we’re doing these things we feel happier. Alma said we have to make an experiment on our faith, like plant a seed. Everyone’s faith is different, but we can all test the scriptures. Faith is so powerful it can move mountains and divide the seas. President Uchtdorf said there are some things that faith cannot do: you cannot violate someone else’s agency and you can’t force your will on God. Paul said he had a thorn in his flesh and asked God to remove the thorn, but it didn’t happen. Paul was grateful because he learned compassion. President Uchtdorf said we have to learn to act on our faith. Like the Israelites carrying the ark across the river, we have to get our feet wet before the help comes. We have to try it first. Elder Packer told of trying to find a house and he found one, but couldn’t get a confirmation. We have to set foot into the dark. Sometimes we have to work with our agency or the agency of others and not try to inflict our will. It gets harder the older they get. It adds another dimension to our faith. If we raise our children according to God’s plan, we have to let them find out. We have to remember it is not the end, yet. We have eternity. President Uchtdorf said having faith is having trust in God’s wisdom. We should trust in God’s timing, too. He knows better. God loves better than we do. It is not always our job. We should see the blessing in the trial. When Alma the Younger was in a coma for three days, he was thinking of what his father had taught him. President Uchtdorf said that when we are not immediately answered, we need to keep knocking. That is how he met his future wife as a missionary. He put a Book of Mormon in the hands of his future mother-in-law and she used her agency to join the Church. We have to recognize the purpose of prayer. It is not to make God listen or for us to be rewarded. We need to recognize the little bits of progress. Kristine said she sometimes doesn’t get her answers, but she prays for a tender mercy and she is blessed with something that helps her endure. We have to trust. It helps to zoom out and see the bigger picture, like it’s a movie. What would have happened if Frodo turned away from Mount Doom and ran home? Imagine yourself as the heroine of your own movie and you need to just go a little further. As President Uchtdorf said, “Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.” Irma Bahr said when she went to the MTC and tried to learn English, she could not make progress. She went to the temple and prayed that no one could understand her, except God. The moment she said that, a little old lady hugged her and loved her and that was what she needed to keep going. How is your faith rewarded through prayer and diligence. Sometimes it takes a lot of time and a little step at a time. God has his own time table and can see the end from the beginning, so we can trust Him. The Holy Ghost can do more than we can. Kristine said she wanted to call her brother to repentance. She went to the temple and the Bible fell open to a verse that said that the servant of the Lord shall not strive with others and to let the Lord move people. President Uchtdorf said to the sisters, “The Lord lives. He knows you and understands you. He will not abandon you.” Persist faithfully and good things will come.

Lesson for October 16, 2016

Lesson for October 16, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Maggie Kopp on Chapter 18 “We Believe in Being Honest” and Chapter 19 “Our Commitment to God.” Maggie talked about the commonalities between the chapters. We discussed integrity, which is being whole, doing what you know is right, being the same in private and in public, having a consistent character, and being honest and fair (number one definition). When you teach your children when they are small, they carry it with them the rest of their lives. President Hunter told about a young man who had a series of speeding tickets and was almost arrested, which would keep him from serving a mission. That scared him and he straightened up. Adele Hickman, returned some crystal goblets that came to her by mistake and the clerk said she was stupid for not keeping them, which was not what Adele wanted her children to hear. Later she returned some milk she had not paid for by accident and the store manager came out to meet her because she was honest. Others told stories about how they had returned things because their religion motivates their lives. Heather Cantrell told about how when she did, the clerk said she knew Heather would do that because she was a Mormon. We discussed how that works in our lives. It’s something we may not think about, but just something we do. We might think about our motivation for what we do and say to others. This is important in marriage, so we don’t develop habits that would betray each other. President Hunter said honesty can help our relationships. In a fireside for young people, he said a happy life will come to us if we are honest with our family, bishop, work, friends, and school. Chelsea Jolley said one of her children learned that he got more leniency because he would tell the truth and make his own boundaries that would benefit his life. It’s easier because he can be trusted. Andrea said she would take her siblings Halloween candy until she took some that were not candy and nearly broke her tooth. She told her sister and it helped their relationship. She got over her pride and got closer to her sister. Sister Dibb said that when we are honest about big and little things, our lives are blessed and we have better relationships based on trust. We want physical things to have structural integrity that keep them from failing. Chapter 19 talks about commitment, which requires integrity of character to keep us functioning. That kind of integrity is what God requires of us. We should do what we commit to do. Be that person who can be counted on and be trusted. Rachel Hickman ___ said that integrity includes being sincere and dependable, even when we make mistakes and own them. She said about her mother that there were several people at their house. Rachel said she was punished for something she hadn’t done. Her mother came to her and apologized, so she said she needs to apologize when she is wrong. We are human and we will make mistakes, so we need to own them. Our children will trust us more as parents if we tell them we are sorry for something. One mother said her children have the reputation at school that they will do what they are told and can be trusted. The mother is on a committee at the school and the family’s integrity has had a downstream effect on the other school children and families. Adele told about when her children played lacrosse in a championship game. The coach told the referee when they had one extra player on the field when they made a winning goal. They replayed and the team lost, but the coach had set a good example. What has happened when we have seen Christlike people? They are compassionate to those around them, no matter who it is. Service is a good mantra for compassionate people. In our morning prayers, if we pray to be of service, we need to have our shoes on and dressed and ready to be of service. God wants us to be honest with Him in our dealings with him. When we are honest to our children, they can be honest with us. One of a sister’s Primary teachers told her that she should feel like Jesus is beside us at all times. If you can be that person whom everybody trusts, you can be that person who can serve others, because others feel they can come to you. Think about your commitment to being an honest person with integrity.

Lesson for October 16, 2016

Lesson for October 16, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Maggie Kopp on Chapter 18 “We Believe in Being Honest” and Chapter 19 “Our Commitment to God.” Maggie talked about the commonalities between the chapters. We discussed integrity, which is being whole, doing what you know is right, being the same in private and in public, having a consistent character, and being honest and fair (number one definition). When you teach your children when they are small, they carry it with them the rest of their lives. President Hunter told about a young man who had a series of speeding tickets and was almost arrested, which would keep him from serving a mission. That scared him and he straightened up. Adele Hickman, returned some crystal goblets that came to her by mistake and the clerk said she was stupid for not keeping them, which was not what Adele wanted her children to hear. Later she returned some milk she had not paid for by accident and the store manager came out to meet her because she was honest. Others told stories about how they had returned things because their religion motivates their lives. Heather Cantrell told about how when she did, the clerk said she knew Heather would do that because she was a Mormon. We discussed how that works in our lives. It’s something we may not think about, but just something we do. We might think about our motivation for what we do and say to others. This is important in marriage, so we don’t develop habits that would betray each other. President Hunter said honesty can help our relationships. In a fireside for young people, he said a happy life will come to us if we are honest with our family, bishop, work, friends, and school. Chelsea Jolley said one of her children learned that he got more leniency because he would tell the truth and make his own boundaries that would benefit his life. It’s easier because he can be trusted. Andrea said she would take her siblings Halloween candy until she took some that were not candy and nearly broke her tooth. She told her sister and it helped their relationship. She got over her pride and got closer to her sister. Sister Dibb said that when we are honest about big and little things, our lives are blessed and we have better relationships based on trust. We want physical things to have structural integrity that keep them from failing. Chapter 19 talks about commitment, which requires integrity of character to keep us functioning. That kind of integrity is what God requires of us. We should do what we commit to do. Be that person who can be counted on and be trusted. Rachel Hickman ___ said that integrity includes being sincere and dependable, even when we make mistakes and own them. She said about her mother that there were several people at their house. Rachel said she was punished for something she hadn’t done. Her mother came to her and apologized, so she said she needs to apologize when she is wrong. We are human and we will make mistakes, so we need to own them. Our children will trust us more as parents if we tell them we are sorry for something. One mother said her children have the reputation at school that they will do what they are told and can be trusted. The mother is on a committee at the school and the family’s integrity has had a downstream effect on the other school children and families. Adele told about when her children played lacrosse in a championship game. The coach told the referee when they had one extra player on the field when they made a winning goal. They replayed and the team lost, but the coach had set a good example. What has happened when we have seen Christlike people? They are compassionate to those around them, no matter who it is. Service is a good mantra for compassionate people. In our morning prayers, if we pray to be of service, we need to have our shoes on and dressed and ready to be of service. God wants us to be honest with Him in our dealings with him. When we are honest to our children, they can be honest with us. One of a sister’s Primary teachers told her that she should feel like Jesus is beside us at all times. If you can be that person whom everybody trusts, you can be that person who can serve others, because others feel they can come to you. Think about your commitment to being an honest person with integrity.

Lesson for October 9, 2016

Lesson for October 9, 2016 Today the lesson was given by Suzy Sullivan, our Relief Society president on “Gratitude.” She has been thinking about this topic a lot lately. A Brother Huntington at BYU said that gratitude turns a house into a home and makes sense of our past, and our present, as well as giving sense to our future. Our thoughts influence our lives, so being grateful is a huge influence on our happiness. Suzy said once a friend told her of her blessings and Suzy felt a little jealous. She was angry with herself because she felt like she shouldn’t feel like that. Anti-gratitude feelings can make us unhappy, while gratitude can make us feel happy. Brother Huntington also said in a ten-week study wehre some were asked to include ten things they were grateful for, another group just went about their lives, another group focused on the negative. At the end, they were rated on health and happiness. The gratitude group was happier and had better health and even exercised more by at least 25% more than the other group. Those who kept a gratitude journal had many better aspects of their lives. They didn’t have to change anything, except writing down things to be grateful for. Negative thoughts consume you. If you try to be more positive every day, your day will be better. People who complain a lot are likely to fail, while people who are positive are more likely to succeed. If you give a child four positives to every negative, they will be more likely to change. It gets really simple sometimes to focus on the positive. Alma 37:37 it says that when you rise in the morning, let your thoughts be full of joy. Thinking of one positive thing in the morning can bring in the Spirit. One sister said she had a woman while they lived in Egypt and she found this woman blessing the blender because she said she had a time when she didn’t have one—and the washing machine, and other things. The woman was so happy. Gratitude has a way of making us focus on what is most important. One sister said when she was pregnant during the summer, she experienced gratitude for the first time when there was cold weather. Suzy told of one person who had a house he was not as fine as he wanted. His family went to a family home evening at a neighbor’s house that was large and the neighbor complained that their house was not good enough. So, the man knew he needed to be grateful for what he had and not complain. We need to be happy with what we have. Adele Hickman said a class was told to just make a prayer of gratitude without tacking on needs. Elder Holland said that the success of others does not diminish him, so we need to focus on what is good in our lives. What action should we take to make our lives better. Envy and jealousy are the opposite of love and we all need love every day. If we feel love for others, the darkness of envy and jealousy will leave. Then every day is a joy. When you’re feeling down, the best medicine is serving someone else. The grass is always greener where you water it. If you focus on your blessings, you have more blessings. Even if we say hi to someone, it may light up their day and that might be the only light they have that day. Brother Huntington said to keep a gratitude journal and think on the day and remember what is good. A gratitude tree during the November season was good for one family, where they cut out leaves and wrote things they were grateful for and put them on the tree, was encouraging. Chelsea Jolley said she needs to focus more on the tender mercies in the Book of Mormon. She thinks that if she notices them more in scripture, she can feel them in her life. So, now she tags them in her scriptures and she is noticing more little things in her life that are working out better—especially that it’s the Lord’s plan so it will work. Brother Huntington said to add more thank-yous to your vocabulary. It can work in all areas of your life, even the grocery store or other places. We need to notice more often, even the small things, and people around us will work better and be happier. Joni Trewartha said most people who called her in her job call to complain, and she always ends the call with a thank-you and their attitude changes. When your baby starts learning to talk teaching them words to say thank you and bless you, they become more socially aware and can communicate better. It does make a difference in their success. One sister said her mother was grateful for changing diapers because it meant the children’s little bodies actually work and they are eating enough or drinking enough. It’s also good to write thank you notes. Thank you notes are so rare that they stand out and really bless the recipient. Lisa Anderson writes thank you notes to manufacturers and actually gets them to answer and offer her products to try. A handwritten note is precious and powerful. Heather Cantrell said she gave a thank you note and a box of candy to the firemen who helped her son when he died. They still have that note on their wall. Be thoughtful and live in the blessed moment. Also, give thoughtful prayers and focus on gratitude in your life.