Lesson for December 11, 2016

Lesson for December 11, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Maggie Kopp about Howard W. Hunter’s “No Less Serviceable” in ch. 23 and “Following the Example of Jesus Christ” in ch. 24. Maggie went to a leadership seminar at her work and had to read a biography about someone and some chose President Hinckley and about Winston Churchill. Dorothy Francis chose John Adams. Others read about the Wright Brothers, and other leaders and innovators. President Hunter liked to read about Moroni. Then Helaman and his brothers were no less serviceable to the Church than Moroni. Not all of us are going to be like Moroni, but we will be no less serviceable as members of God’s army. Some people may not be talked about as much in the scriptures, like Gideon and Abish, but they did great service. At Christmas time, Joseph is mentioned more than he usually was, but he would have been a wonderful man to be the father figure to Jesus. Zeezrom repented and taught the Nephites to be righteous. When Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple at eight days, there were two older people who had been promised they would see Him. President Hunter also mentioned Sariah and others in Church history that many do not remember. Maybe a teacher or a visiting teacher or someone who was kind to you. How do we honor the small acts of service that are done for us? We can do for others what others have done for us. Follow the promptings of the Spirit. Adele Hickman said the Spirit told her to say thank you to the cleaning lady cleaning a bathroom and the woman was shocked, but looked grateful. Sometimes we feel our service is not the most important, but when we understand what it means to serve, we don’t have to worry about where we serve. It is important for us to thank others and help them feel appreciated and needed. In ch. 24 we can focus on how Jesus Christ is a great example for us as we go about our daily lives. The Church initiative to light up the world, there are so many stories of how to do service and teach and love the children. Each particular attribute of Christ gives us opportunities to serve. For example, when Christ spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, He showed us how to speak to someone outside our comfort zone. Dorothy Francis said she is motivated by the scripture about doing good to the least of these and it is like serving Jesus. President Hunter said we should follow what Jesus would do to the extent that our mortal powers exist. We would ask ourselves what Jesus would do and then have courage. One sister said she comforted a girl in her class who got a phone call saying that her grandfather had died and it turned out to be a good thing. Maggie said she has been doing some research for an exhibit. Jeannie Hughes was the example for the character in Middlemarch by George Eliot. She had an unhappy marriage, but decided to use her faith and be like her Savior and do good to others and do fundraising for orphaned young women. She was asked by the government to do a report of young women and their conditions. She had to take care of invalid parents, opposition, and she had cancer, but she tried to be of service to others in spite of those obstacles. Emily Campbell said she feels like she is not so special that hard things can’t happen to her. We all get trials and even if we’re busy, we can focus on our Savior and His example, we can find those people who need our help. We also need confidence to know we can follow the Spirit and know we can overcome rejection or awkwardness to reach out to help someone. And if it doesn’t work, we have a funny story to tell. Maggie has a high school friend whose family does a huge service project every Christmas and it’s become a lovely tradition. The Savior isn’t here and we are His hands on earth. If we don’t take advantage of the promptings we get, we may lose out on other promptings. If you really believe the Lord will help you do it, He will help you and you can accomplish hard things. Remember that the Spirit is with you had will help to guide you, like Captain Moroni was. We may have opportunities that you were not aware of before.

Lesson for December 4, 2016

Lesson for December 4, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Andrea Gerber of the Relief Society presidency. She taught us about Enabling Power of The Atonement. We know about the redeeming power of the Atonement, but not about the enabling power. We understand that the Atonement is for sinners, but it is also for members and saints. Andrea read from the Lorenzo Snow manual about how Latter-day Saints are entitled to the power of the Atonement and supernatural aid when we can not do what we need to do. When we have the assistance of the Almighty when we need saving on a daily basis. If we try to do everything on our own, we will fail We need to take advantage of the grace of God, which Pres. Snow calls spiritual aid. We can receive strength and assistance beyond our strength. Elder Bednar said his wife had morning sickness all pregnancy with every one and yet she was given extra strength to survive and bring those children into the world. He said it was like the pioneers who had to rely on the Lord many, many times. Andrea said when she had to go to visit an inactive sister, she was scared. She prayed that she would be able to communicate her love to this sister. It went so well and she felt She learned that the Lord can make her the right person. Emily Campbell said she feels like she was carried and lifted during the hard times while her children were so sick and she was faced with so many troubles. Dorothy Francis said her son was blessed during a calling so his time would expand and it was. Sister Freytag said when she was called to be Young Women president, she felt overwhelmed. But so many people came forward and helped her. She was given extra strength. We often feel inadequate, but we do things beyond our strength and ability. The Lord works with us and brings us up to speed. Sometimes He can take our pain or our grief for a time so we can rest. Gerald Lund said we are like a powerhouse on a river that relies on the river to generate the power that flows out of the powerhouse. An effort in our lives to remove the blockades to the river that goes through our personal powerhouse can result in the river moving freely through our powerhouse. We do not have to crank the generators by hand if we allow the Spirit of the Lord to flow through us. We can ask what to pray for. Once we are one with God we won’t ask anything. How do we get this help? We have to ask for it. Remember the scripture about submitting cheerfully and gain power. We have to go to work and do what we are supposed to do and then pray for help and the Lord can make up deficits. We need to be humble enough to ask for help and acknowledge we need the help of the Lord. We need to believe that God will help. All blessings are predicated on the law, but if you don’t study the scriptures, you don’t know what blessings you are entitled to. Some things that open the river channel are obedience and commitment to gospel principles. When we understand the enabling power of the Atonement, we will know that through faith in the Atonement of Christ we can do all things and be healed of all things. Elder Holland talked about the scripture to not let our hearts be troubled and not be afraid. It must wound God to have us not trust in Him, so learn more and take Heavenly Father at His word.

Lesson for November 27, 2016

Today our lesson was given by Kristine Hansen about Teachings for Our Times, “Come Follow Me by Practising Christian Love and Service,” a talk given by Elder Robert D Hales. Kristine said Elder Hales said to practice service in our families. He talked about Eli Wezel, a holocaust survivor who had his little grandson visit him in the hospital and said, “Grandpa, would you hurt less if I loved you more?” Elder Hales said that if we love more, especially if we love our Heavenly Father more, we would hurt less. We were divided into 6 groups to discuss Elder Hales’s talk and each group talked about one idea from the talk. 1. Support each other on our mortal journey. 2. Teach each other the doctrine of the gospel. We can share the gospel by being who we are and find the teachable moment just through living the gospel. You don’t have to be a professional teacher or a scriptorian. Just be an example. Although if you don’t know the doctrine, it would be hard to be that example. 3. Always hold scripture study, family prayer, and family council. Cover your family with a spiritual blanket to comfort and protect them. Involve the children and let them help with the planning and help them understand the opportunities and limitations for the family. Involve the children with family fasts. Elder Brett ?? told about how his mother read the Book of Mormon to the family each morning and he acknowledged he did not listen. His mother told him that she was promised that if she would read the Book of Mormon to her family every morning, she would not lose them. She looked her son in the eyes and said, “And I will not lose you.” 4. Remember and follow the Holy Ghost. Pray to know how to deal with our family members. Sometimes it is through their own experiences that they will come to know what is true. If you want the Holy Ghost, you need to keep the Holy Ghost with you. 5. Caregivers for family are blessed. Sarah has been taken care of by her sister, who is a Saint. Adele Hickman said her husband broke his leg and she did everything for him. It brought them closer together. Virginia Roundy took care of her mother and do all the things for her that her parents did for her as a baby and as a child. She was not close to her father, but caring for him helped her to love him. Her children came to know her parents and when her son Loren went on his mission, he was able to get ready by giving the lesson to his grandfather. 6. Show forgiveness, kindness and love. One sister had a hard time with her mother-in-law and learned to love her. Claudia Laycock (a judge) said a young man who was under the influence of drugs tried to rape a girl. He was being sentenced and the girl wrote a letter forgiving him and her mother came to Claudia and said they could make a difference in this young man’s life, so don’t send him to prison. Claudia put him on probation and he got help and is doing better.

Lesson for November 20, 2016

Lesson for November 20, 2016 Our lesson today was given by Camille Maynard about “Teaching the Gospel.” Teaching is really about changing the hearts of people. Camille said she usually doesn’t post on social media about political or other things that people feel strongly about, but teaching the gospel is different because we have the testifying influence of the Spirit that can change people’s hearts. In this lesson it seems to be for teachers who teach the youth, but Camille wants us to apply it to ourselves. If you work with children and youth, think about what areas of your life you have influence with these people. Also, when have you been the learner and been influenced by others? Joyce Garner read from the manual about President Hunter. He was one of the last speakers in a conference session. He didn’t have enough time, so he told about when he was a young boy and he was able to see a big bird and a little bird. The big bird thumped its feet on the lawn and pulled out a big worm. Then the big bird got a bug from a tree. The big bird swallowed the bug and flew away to the squawks of the little bird. After a while the little bird tried what the big bird had done. That is what we must do to influence others. We can’t do the learning for them, but we can model things for them. Claudia Laycock said her mother had her children learn how to clean, but a neighbor kicked the kids out and cleaned herself. Claudia’s mother was teaching her children. So now, Claudia knows how to clean. Kristine Hansen remembers hearing President Hunter give this story and it has stuck with her because it is a great way to make a point like the Savior would. Kristine remembers President Hunter changed his speech in stake conference to meet a question by someone. President Hunter said he can visualize the choice spirits of the earth and wonders what the fruit will be from our teaching these choice spirits. Outside of church there are choice spirits and we must gain their confidence and gain their hearts so we can lead them to change and enjoy the gospel. A key point is the difference between changing a mind and changing a heart. The best way to influence someone’s heart is to get into their heart and then you can share what is meaningful to them. So, we need to find what is meaningful to them. There is a more loving way to do things without continually correcting people. President Hunter said how thoughtful, tender, and unselfish is the love our Savior demonstrates. There are ways to be more effective. We can help others feel more confidence in the scriptures. Use the scriptures in your teaching and help our young people have confidence in the truths of the scriptures, that God is interested in them, that you trust in the scriptures to hold the answers to most of life’s problems and be familiar with them so they have confidence in their knowledge. Certain scriptures have helped our sisters, such as seek and ye shall find. We can find comfort in the scriptures. Teach with the Spirit. We can find our own confidence by searching the scriptures and like the big bird, we can show others how. We are not always going to be there for people so they need to know how to learn things from the scriptures themselves. If we are not living righteously, if we are not living with the Spirit, we cannot teach. We need the Spirit in order to teach. Joseph Smith said that we should teach the gospel with the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. If we teach with honest and pure conviction. When strong emotion or free flowing tears is not always associated with the Spirit. Such sacred moments may or may not be accompanied by tears. It may be joy or silence. Let it come naturally and honestly so our students can tell when they are feeling the spirit. Always pray so you will have the spirit to teach. Have the students pray that they will have the Spirit and they may get a totally different message, but one they need. The Holy Ghost does the teaching. Sometimes we are only the facilitators. Encourage others seek to find God themselves. They need their own relationship with the Lord. Your students need to have an alliance to the Lord, not a teacher. We will not always be available to these students, so they need their own foundation in Christ and the gospel. When we do this, the Church will be strengthened for generations. We can show that we value our students’ insights. There is a power that comes from showing our own initiative and valuing our students’ initiatives. Like the big bird, it showed the little bird and then took off. We need to let them do it themselves, even if they fail. They will learn how to do it better with experience. Strive to reach individuals—which is a big focus of the Church with so many things, such as ordinances. The Savior did the same with the Nephites as he let each one come to him so they could have their own personal witness. Teaching by example—an example carries such a powerful influence. Being an instrument in the Lord’s hands to help change hearts. President Hunter said that when a teacher performs how the Lord would have them, there is a transformation of the human soul because someone has taught the principles of truth.

Lesson for November 13, 2016

Lesson for November 13, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Maggie Kopp on Chapter #21 on “Faith and Testimony.” Maggie reminded us that we discussed this lesson a couple of weeks ago and President Uchtdorf’s talk about “Fourth Floor, Last Door.” Sister Francis said her parents were stake missionaries and her mother practiced the story of the First Vision in flannel board and Dorothy asked her mother if it was real and she said it was. Sister Hickman’s friend was killed when they were eight. She went to the funeral and was confused when they said they didn’t know where he was, but she did. Maggie said at her grandmother’s house for Fourth of July and Maggie prayed about the gospel and had a peaceful feeling all day. President Hunter said we obtain our testimony in different ways. Alma the Younger got his testimony differently from his father. Paul got his differently from the other apostles. President Hunter said when he took seminar and studied, he said his testimony grew—the one he gained at his mother’s knee. In Alma 32:26-30 is the story about faith and it not being a perfect knowledge. If you will experiment on his words and let the desire work in you. Compare the word as a seed that is a good seed that swells within your breast and as you feel the swelling motions and it sprouts and begins to grow, you will say it is a good seed. This is something we learn from the time we are children. This scripture means that if you give a place for the seed to grow and don’t let our unbelief make us keep digging up the seed to see if it is growing, then it will die. Also, remember it is not a perfect knowledge, you can have faith before that stage of growth—even a small seed can grow. You start out with something and experiment in your life. In missionary work we plant seeds in other people and some of those seeds will grow. Maggie’s grandmother had a banana tree behind her little apartment. Her grandmother worked hard on that banana tree. Zina Diantha Huntington Young said that if you knew there was a diamond buried in a spot, do you not think you would dig in that spot? How would you not dig to know the gospel? If you put the time in for prayer, scripture reading, going to church, feeling promptings and acting on them. It is important to write these things down so it is reinforced in your heart and the Lord knows you are the type of person who will act on the promptings He sends us. Other things that help us develop our faith are keeping up with those we have known and being sensitive to what is happening in their lives. Maggie says that working in the BYU library with people who collect things that have to do with Mormonism. A researcher came to look over the collection of one staff member. He gave a lecture about times people had listened to the spirit and times they hadn’t and, even though he wasn’t a Mormon, it was very spiritual experience to listen to him. Maggie was also a Girl Scout, she made a bottle green house and planted a marigold and she was very proud of it. She planted it outside and it died. She didn’t know about hardening greenhouse plants and how they need to be acclimated before being permanently planted outside. Sometimes our testimony needs to struggle a little so it can grow. We need to write about these experiences so we can remember and have our testimonies strengthened. With that struggle we can grow and if there is no struggle, we grow dormant. As children grow older they ask questions about things that have no tangible truth. They need to know they can develop testimonies through effort and struggle. Our faith looks very different from what it was before the things we have gone through. We cannot be too complacent and think we have no more seeds to plant. One of Maggie’s roommates had a brother who became a missionary and who was certain he was going to be perfect and have lots of converts. He had to deal with people’s agency and it hurt his own testimony. Thinking that you already know everything can be damaging. Sister Jolley said they have lost three family members in a year. Her faith is not altered, but her fear of losing someone else has grown. She’s afraid that the next one she will not be able to handle. She has to decipher her feelings and let that feeling be OK, but she can build on her faith, rather than being paralyzed by fear. She started reading the Book of Mormon again and read about tender mercies and looking for what tender mercies happened in each chapter. She hopes she can find those tender mercies in her own life. Even though she is facing the holidays, she is fearful, but she is trying to see the help while handling the fear. There are always times when things are hard and tough, but we need to keep working on our testimonies so we can nurture our faith. Time is a healer. We can look back and see that we are functioning and have in the past, so that gives us confidence we can do it again. We must follow the course that Heavenly Father has measured out. We must seek to find and ask to receive. Even though it’s hard to persevere. By the little things we can do we can find ways. Sister Hickman had a tender mercy when her granddaughter wanted to listen to a CD of Sister Hickman’s father playing Primary songs. It made Sister Hickman cry and her granddaughter said why are you crying? Sister Hickman said she missed her father. The granddaughter said he was alive in Sister Hickman’s heart and when she dies she will be with him. We have to let each other grow. If we can’t let each other grow and change we can’t survive. Everything changes and we have to let them. Think about the seeds you have planted in your life. Remember that the Lord is there for us as we change and grow.

Lesson for November 6, 2016

Lesson for November 6, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Adele Hickman on “Believing Christ” with quotes from Stephen E. Robinson, Elder J. Devin Cornish of the Seventy, and Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Seventy, and C.S. Lewis. Adele started by saying, “Be ye therefore perfect” and pausing. She asked if that made us feel hopeless. Much of this lesson is from the talk by Stephen E. Robinson. He told the story of his daughter Sarah who wanted to buy a bicycle and saved, but did not have enough. If as sinful beings, we might feel hopeless. The amazing thing is that the Atonement works in amazing ways. Brother Robinson told his son to go to his room until he felt like he could do better. Then Brother Robinson forgot him. Michael came out of his room in tears some time later and asked if they could ever be friends again. The answer with Christ and us is “Yes!” He says that though our sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. We have to be willing to admit that we can sin, but we need to believe that Christ’s Atonement can make us enough to reach the celestial kingdom. If we can teach our children that Heavenly Father always wants us back. Brother Robinson said his wife Janet was called to be Relief Society president after having their fourth child, graduated from college and passed the CPA. She started feeling inadequate and overwhelmed and discouraged about doing it all all the time. She was trying to save herself. She knew that Jesus is an advisor, teacher, and head of the Church, but she was forgetting His role as the Savior. She finally realized that He could save her from herself. Adele said she was living in New York and overwhelmed by everything including when her husband called her to be Young Women’s president. We have to know we can say no. We have to realize we have seasons and when would be an appropriate time to do the things we need to do. Why do we compare ourselves with others? Why is that such a natural instinct? We’re looking for a yardstick to judge our progress, but we need a better yardstick. Elder Cornish said we torture ourselves needlessly by competing and comparing. We falsely judge our self-worth by the things we do or don’t have and by the opinions of others. If we must compare, let us compare how we were in the past to how we are today. He said we are going to make it. The only opinion of us that matters is what our Heavenly Father thinks of us. Our Heavenly Father intends that we should make it. That’s His plan, His work, and His glory. Elder Gong said this plan was prepared from the foundation of the world. He said that if we don’t deny the power of God, we can be sanctified. We need to become one with Him, like a small bankrupt bank that is merged with a huge successful bank and becomes solvent. As it says in John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” Sometimes we are so petrified by our fear, we can feel our Savior’s arms around us and we can trust Him and let him support us, like when Brother Robinson’s daughter was learning to swim and panicked until he told her to trust her. Adele asked us if we can be perfect in some things, such as paying tithing, or never taking a drink. We add those perfections to others as we work on them and know that we can reach perfection.

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.