Lesson for October 12, 2014

Today our lesson was given by Megan Miller on “Proclaiming the Gospel to the World.” She shared a clip from Elder Bednar’s conference talk about his two sons, one of which was injured and then treated kindly by his brother, who soaped up and scrubbed the injury and covered the younger brother with bandaids. The injured brother gathered up ointment and bandages and shared with his friends. The older brother loved his brother and wanted to care for him and then the little one wanted to share with those he loved. In order to share the gospel, we need a testimony, we need to be willing to serve, we need to listen to see where there is trouble or need. It is important to have good relationships with people so they know we like them and they can be comfortable with them. Sometimes people are curious about the gospel and are not ready to be baptized. Sometimes the timing has to be right. The D&C says that before we preach the word, we must learn the word first. As we are with our children and teaching them, we are involved in missionary work. Then, not only are we doing missionary work with our children, they can share the gospel, too. We can decorate our homes so they reflect our involvement with the gospel. In 1 Nephi 11:16-17 it is about the angel telling Nephi about the tree of life. The angel asks a question and Nephi doesn’t know, but he says he does know that God loves His children. He testifies first about what he does know and then says he doesn’t know the answer. So we might not know everything, but we are willing to find out the answer. Our children and friends need to know that there may be a lack of knowledge and there may be disagreement, but that’s all right. You can still love each other and you can find things out. We don’t always see the fruits of our labors, but we can help people take the first steps. Sue Ann Harding tried to share the gospel with a woman who was experiencing problems. The woman did not accept, but she was still friendly. We ran out of time before we could read from the manual, but we had a really good lesson with people who shared.

Ward Halloween Party, Wed. October 22, 2014

The ward Halloween party will be Wednesday, October 22 at 6:30 and will include a dinner, games, and costume contest (No masks or gore). If your last name starts with the letter A-J, please bring a salad or side dish. If K-Z, please bring a dessert. On Wednesday, October 29, the your will come to your home trick-or-treating for donations to Deseret Industries. Please have items on your front porch before 6 p.m.

Lesson for Sept. 28, 2014

Our lesson today was given by Kristine Hanson, Chapter 20 “Love and Concern for All Our Father’s Children” from President Monson’s April Conference talk “ Love—the Essence of the Gospel.” When we think of this title, we think of the atonement and charity, the pure love of Christ, God is love, the love that we have to have for ourselves and those around us, friendliness, it is life-giving, it is the first and second great commandments—the love of the Father and the Son. The fact that we are born into families is to help us to learn to live in love and to give love. President Monson points out that if we don’t love God if we don’t love our neighbor. Loving our fellow man is based on the understanding that we are all God’s children and brothers and sisters. President Kimball said that the individuals we meet in parking lots and elevators are our brothers and sisters. This love is manifest through kindness, friendliness, forgiveness, protection, service, not judging, acceptance, forgetting, charity, giving time, listening, patience, donating, trusting, keeping confidences, sharing talents, times, food, longsuffering, sacrifice, enduring to the end, trying to understand, empathy, hoping for the best, having faith they will, teaching, encouragement, benign assumption, and acting on promptings. Have you ever regretted being a little too kind? Kristine said she regrets not contacting a friend whom she had wanted to talk to for a long time, but hadn’t done it. Her friend died in her sleep recently and the woman’s husband said the friend had been troubled recently. Kristine thought maybe she might have actually helped by listening. President Monson had stories in his talk. One was about a flight that went out of its way from Juneau, Alaska to take care of a little boy who had fallen on glass and severed an artery. The passengers all agreed that it was a worthwhile thing to go out of their way and after they let the little boy off, they found out the boy was going to be all right. The passengers took up a collection for the family and cheered. President Monson also told of a woman who gave up her pay to help a young woman in 1933 with the sewing in a factory that was too hard for the young woman. They remained friends and in the 1950s, the older woman gave the younger one a Book of Mormon and in 1960, the younger one was baptized with her family. One sister said that her husband was a home teacher and every week went out to teach a man who lived 25 miles out of town, until he finally, a year and a half later, came back to church. Kristine said in her family a great-grandfather was called on a mission while he had a wife and small children. He worked hard to put up food to keep his family safe while he was gone. After he left, someone stole the food. She could see the track in the snow, but they couldn’t find out who did it. They were devastated, but family stepped in to help. When the husband came back from his mission and became bishop, a man came to him and said he knew who it was. The bishop said he didn’t want to know, because he’d already forgiven the robber. The son, Kristine’s Uncle Wilford was a bishop, too, found out who was the robber was and sat with the man while he died. Kristine’s uncle (age 11) was killed accidentally by a rifle bullet. The little boy who had pulled the trigger cried. They boy’s father started to scold him, but Kristine’s grandmother said it was an accident and not to scold the boy. They had the boy sit between Kristine’s grandparents during the funeral and for many years showed that boy love and help. When asked if they would sue, the grandmother said that money couldn’t be piled high enough to compensate for the loss of love between her and the offending boy’s mother. Kristine challenged everyone to go home and tell a family member that they are loved. Love really is the way of happiness.

Lesson for August 31, 2014

Lesson for August 31, 2014 Today our lesson was about President Uchtdorf’s talk, “Grateful in Any Circumstances.” Our lesson was given by Kristine Hanson. For some our burdens are joyful, such as raising small children. For some, our burdens are more worrisome with illness, finances, loved ones, careers, etc. President Uchtdorf said we are unique, but there is something we can do to make our lives more joyful and that is to be more grateful. Kristine said that her roommate, Kathy, does not allow her to pity herself. Kathy said she can see and walk and is not in a concentration camp. So Kristine has to pity herself in secret. President Uchtdorf said there is a difference between being thankful for things and being thankful IN our circumstances. Kristine said that when she was a new professor, she was in charge of the grad students who taught freshman English. One woman in particular had terrible troubles, an ill child, a husband who cheated on her and other things, as well. She had such a positive attitude that she succeeded, got a master’s, a Phd, and a full-time job at BYU. Even as her son died, she remained positive. She truly put aside the bottle of bitterness and drank from the goblet of gratitude. Others in the class told of people they know who have been in difficult circumstances and are still grateful. President Uchtdorf said that gratitude can gentle our troubles and give us better perspective. Being grateful doesn’t mean that we don’t see our problems, but we can see beyond them to the promises the Lord has made to us. We are commanded to be grateful. Commandments are opportunities to receive blessings, so being grateful we can experience true joy. True gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony. Adele Hickman said her friend died last week, because she took care of her paralyzed husband for twenty years and yet was the kindest person. Laura said her husband’s grandmother used to say, “This too shall pass.” We don’t need to see the Savior to see the bright future that the Redeemer of the world has in store for us. Two weeks ago, Kristine extended a challenge to feel gratitude any time we wanted to complain. She used to be a real complainer. Her mother used to say to her “You’d complain if you were going to be hanged with a new rope.” She has one negative thought that was a habit and she tried to think of a grateful thought instead and she found it helped. Dorothy Davis said that this last week, she was slightly upset with her husband and she replace it with the thought that she was grateful he had not died of the heart attack he had several years ago. Margaret Cook said her husband was ill for over two years and he kept saying, “I am so sorry.” She was glad she was able to care for him. When he died, his family was around him and they decided not to grieve, but to rejoice and they had the best funeral. Jessica Lewis said that her daughter had three recitals in a two-week period and by the time Jessica was through, she was so tired with carting around the family to lessons in American Fork. She was reminded that she had committed to be grateful and she was overwhelmed with the feeling that she is blessed to be physically able and have a good family. Linda Campbell has had a hard time at the Scera Shell, but she has told the crew that they have been good, except one who has been a pain. Heather Cantrell has had a hard time, but people are helping her out with poems. Linda Harker said people have really heavy burdens, and they should let people help carry your through them. Sister Bahr said she had a trial with a teenager, but she knew she could not handle it by herself and so she prayed about it. A friend came to see her and they shared the problem. The friend had gone through the same thing and gave her good ideas, including a DVD to watch, and things have worked out much better than she thought. She knows the Lord answered her prayer for help. It is important for us to share with our friends. Laura Campbell said she had read the talk before and felt it strengthened her testimony so much. Audrey said that being cheerful and grateful rubs off on others. It’s contagious. We are lifted by those who is in a good mood. For a year-and-a-half Kristine was the dressing room coordinator at the temple and had to stay very late until all patrons had gone. One night she got a note on her car from some Young Women who had visited the temple and put thank you notes on all the cars. The note said, “Thank you for your service.” It lifted her. Bonnie said she had an amazing experience. Her husband has had several surgeries and a son who is bed-ridden. She was playing the jewel matching game and she felt that someone had been praying for her. Suddenly on the screen, she got the message that she had won every level and she felt like she had won every level in the game of life. Kristine’s mother raised nine children with never enough money and she sang through her work. She often expressed gratitude. When she was dying of a brain tumor, she always thanked the nurses, even though she was in a lot of pain. She never complained, but had a beautiful attitude. President Uchtdorf quoted the scripture that said that the things of the earth shall be added to those who are grateful. Kristine prays that we will always have a grateful heart and have our burdens lightened.

Lesson for August 31, 2014

Lesson for August 31, 2014 Today our lesson was about President Uchtdorf’s talk, “Grateful in Any Circumstances.” Our lesson was given by Kristine Hanson. For some our burdens are joyful, such as raising small children. For some, our burdens are more worrisome with illness, finances, loved ones, careers, etc. President Uchtdorf said we are unique, but there is something we can do to make our lives more joyful and that is to be more grateful. Kristine said that her roommate, Kathy, does not allow her to pity herself. Kathy said she can see and walk and is not in a concentration camp. So Kristine has to pity herself in secret. President Uchtdorf said there is a difference between being thankful for things and being thankful IN our circumstances. Kristine said that when she was a new professor, she was in charge of the grad students who taught freshman English. One woman in particular had terrible troubles, an ill child, a husband who cheated on her and other things, as well. She had such a positive attitude that she succeeded, got a master’s, a Phd, and a full-time job at BYU. Even as her son died, she remained positive. She truly put aside the bottle of bitterness and drank from the goblet of gratitude. Others in the class told of people they know who have been in difficult circumstances and are still grateful. President Uchtdorf said that gratitude can gentle our troubles and give us better perspective. Being grateful doesn’t mean that we don’t see our problems, but we can see beyond them to the promises the Lord has made to us. We are commanded to be grateful. Commandments are opportunities to receive blessings, so being grateful we can experience true joy. True gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony. Adele Hickman said her friend died last week, because she took care of her paralyzed husband for twenty years and yet was the kindest person. Laura said her husband’s grandmother used to say, “This too shall pass.” We don’t need to see the Savior to see the bright future that the Redeemer of the world has in store for us. Two weeks ago, Kristine extended a challenge to feel gratitude any time we wanted to complain. She used to be a real complainer. Her mother used to say to her “You’d complain if you were going to be hanged with a new rope.” She has one negative thought that was a habit and she tried to think of a grateful thought instead and she found it helped. Dorothy Davis said that this last week, she was slightly upset with her husband and she replace it with the thought that she was grateful he had not died of the heart attack he had several years ago. Margaret Cook said her husband was ill for over two years and he kept saying, “I am so sorry.” She was glad she was able to care for him. When he died, his family was around him and they decided not to grieve, but to rejoice and they had the best funeral. Jessica Lewis said that her daughter had three recitals in a two-week period and by the time Jessica was through, she was so tired with carting around the family to lessons in American Fork. She was reminded that she had committed to be grateful and she was overwhelmed with the feeling that she is blessed to be physically able and have a good family. Linda Campbell has had a hard time at the Scera Shell, but she has told the crew that they have been good, except one who has been a pain. Heather Cantrell has had a hard time, but people are helping her out with poems. Linda Harker said people have really heavy burdens, and they should let people help carry your through them. Sister Bahr said she had a trial with a teenager, but she knew she could not handle it by herself and so she prayed about it. A friend came to see her and they shared the problem. The friend had gone through the same thing and gave her good ideas, including a DVD to watch, and things have worked out much better than she thought. She knows the Lord answered her prayer for help. It is important for us to share with our friends. Laura Campbell said she had read the talk before and felt it strengthened her testimony so much. Audrey said that being cheerful and grateful rubs off on others. It’s contagious. We are lifted by those who is in a good mood. For a year-and-a-half Kristine was the dressing room coordinator at the temple and had to stay very late until all patrons had gone. One night she got a note on her car from some Young Women who had visited the temple and put thank you notes on all the cars. The note said, “Thank you for your service.” It lifted her. Bonnie said she had an amazing experience. Her husband has had several surgeries and a son who is bed-ridden. She was playing the jewel matching game and she felt that someone had been praying for her. Suddenly on the screen, she got the message that she had won every level and she felt like she had won every level in the game of life. Kristine’s mother raised nine children with never enough money and she sang through her work. She often expressed gratitude. When she was dying of a brain tumor, she always thanked the nurses, even though she was in a lot of pain. She never complained, but had a beautiful attitude. President Uchtdorf quoted the scripture that said that the things of the earth shall be added to those who are grateful. Kristine prays that we will always have a grateful heart and have our burdens lightened.

Ogden Temple Rededication September 21

Join us as we gather in our chapel to view the Ogden Temple rededication on September 21. This session is for those with temple recommends. Bring a white handkerchief.

Stake Conference September 14

Our stake conference will be on September 14 in our stake center.