Lesson for June 3, 2018

Today we participated in an additional lesson on ministering presented by Susie Sullivan. Our challenge last week is finding our love language. How many of ou have had doubts about the Church. Nearly everyone raised their hands. What to do about it? President Holland said that belief is a precious act and the first step toward conviction. Why do we find it difficult to ask difficult questions? We don’t want to tear down the faith of those we associate with. We don’t want others to know that we don’t know because it makes us look weak. We want people to still love us. Sometimes the questions people have distance them or makes them angry or frustrated. Sometimes doubts come from fear. Fear of not knowing. Fear of not being accepted. Fear of not having our lives turn out turn out like we expect. We can respond by asking people what caused that doubt. Jesus taught using parables and had people leave because they did not understand. There is power when someone has had a relationship with God in the past, so it is important to bring people back to what they do know. It is important to validate their feelings so they feel worthwhile. People will listen more to someone who is sympathetic. Sometimes people don’t want answers, they want people to be there with them while they struggle. Bearing testimony is something that can’t be refuted because no one can refute what your own experience is. On the other hand we must accept what others have experienced and not make them feel deficient. Make people feel worthwhile and valued. Listen to them. Ask them where they think the answer could be found. Love one another so people feel loved and worthy of your love and the love of their Heavenly Father. Sometimes people understand love by how they are loved. Try to find people who come from a place of faith. Sometimes we can believe in someone who has faith more than we can believe in God, so be that person who can be believed in. continue to pray for people so that God can influence. Serving others can help erase doubts because you are serving one of God’s children. Our own families can provide strength by providing relationships that can relate to the relationship with God. Serving with pure love is what we can do to help each other. We need to make church a safe place where people can feel accepted and welcome. their answers may not be the standard answers, but they themselves need to feel loved. We should welcome each other and lift each other up. Challenge: if you’re having doubts, find someone to talk to and approach it from faith and understand that God knows the answers.