Sunday, February 24, 2008

October 2007 General Conference Address by Elder Robert D. Hales: "Personal Revelation: The Teachings and Examples of the Prophets"

This lesson was taught on Sunday, February 24, 2008, by Linda Johnson.

We began class by thinking about the three most important truths of our existence as outlined in this statement by Elder Hales:

"Personal revelation is the way we know for ourselves the most important truths of our existence: the living reality of God, our Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ; the truthfulness of the restored gospel; and God's purpose and direction for us."

Our hope for today' class is that each of us will go home feeling more eager to seek personal revelation.

A pattern for personal revelation is revealed in part in the story Elder Hales tells about reorganizing a Stake Presidency with Elder Marion G. Romney.  We discussed this statement by Elder Romney and how we can apply it to our own every day errands: "I have learned that when we are on the Lord's errand, we have His blessings to accomplish whatever we are asked to do."  We may not be selecting the next Stake President, but our work is just as important to God.  

There is a pattern for receiving revelation in D&C 138: 1-6, 11.  Other ideas of things that help us receive revelation?
-fasting...having a chance to turn our attention from the procurement, preparation, clean up of food to more spiritual things
-reading the scriptures with purpose
-having a reason/ purpose/ motivation behind our prayers
-asking
-having patience in uncertainty
-striving to replace fear with love

Another story told by Elder Hales in this talk is that of David O. McKay seeking a witness of god as a youth.  In spite of his earnest inquiries, the witness he was hoping for "did not come until many years later while serving his mission in Scotland."  The answer to our prayers may be "not now--be patient and wait."  

Remember the suffering the Savior went through to get to where he is today.  Are we expecting to grow without going through our own suffering?  We need to be willing to suffer patiently.

Enoch, Abraham & Moses received revelation while seeking the welfare of their people.  Elijah received a still small voice.  Daniel received guidance in a dream.

The pattern of revelation is centered on the Atonement.  Why is that, or how is that so?
-Christ bridges the gap so that we can feel the spirit in spite of our imperfection.
-Christ has suffered all so that he can know exactly how we are feeling
-Christ suffered for each one of us, and knows us personally
-We are told to ask in faith, nothing wavering.  Because of the atonement, we can be so bold as to ask god in spite of our shakiness...the atonement allows us to repent of our doubts and to approach god even when our faith is not always equal to the task

Lots of times we don't get the answer to prayer that we are seeking.  Problems with depression and/ or anxiety can interfere with our ability to feel good things.  Getting treatment for such illnesses can help restore our ability to feel the spirit.

Think about the difference between being handed a feast on a silver platter, and being a hunter-gatherer out foraging for your food.  Although we are occasionally handed answers from the Lord in the "silver platter" way, more often we must hunt and gather small bits of information.  The hunter-gatherer method takes more time; it forces us to build more muscles; we have to make our own decisions and can't blame god for "making" us do things; we often must take steps without the assurance we were hoping for.

Can you think of a time when you found your answers in this more laborious way?  When you've walked to the edge of the light and then had to take a step in the dark?  As we struggle for answers, often over a period of years, we discover for ourselves where our true desires lay.  Our hearts are revealed to us.  We can struggle and struggle for an answer, and then it can come overnight.  Or it can come piece by piece.

"Our responsibility is to seek personal revelations for ourselves and for the responsibilities the Lord has given us."  It can be so hard when we want another person in our life to change.  We can pray for the Lord to guide us in our actions and thoughts toward that person that we love.  He will not take their agency from them, but he can help us know how best to use our own agency in reference to them.

Sometimes we receive revelation that we have not even sought.  An inspiration will come as a free gift, unbidden, on occasion.

Our willingness to obey whatever the Lord may ask of us helps us receive answers in some instances.  Are you really willing and planning to do whatever you are told?

Immersing ourselves in the words of god can really help us sort out our thoughts.

You may try keeping a promptings journal.

We may not understand or "know the meaning of all things" but we can be assured that god loves each of his children.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Joseph Smith Lesson #3: Jesus Christ, the Divine Redeemer of the World

This lesson was taught on Sunday, February 17, 2008, by Aubrey Potter.

This chapter is filled with things we probably already know about our Savior, Jesus Christ.  As you reflect on these doctrines, ask yourself how they affect your daily life.  And how can you more effectively teach these doctrines to others, especially children?

Aubrey read many of the quotes from the lesson.  As she read to us, sisters interjected their own thoughts.  Here are some of the things we discussed:

-What is an advocate?  A lawyer.  He pleads your case before the judge.  He is on your side, he is by your side.  He sits next to you in the court room, not above you.  He is not looking down on you and passing judgement on you.  You feel braver with an advocate by your side.  Being alone is scary.

-Pray to God to take your fear away and give you the strength to do your duty.  

-Share your realizations about the gospel with your children.  When your eyes are opened and you understand something for the first time, or in a new way, share your excitement, share your experience with others.  They will feel your enthusiasm.  We don't have to wait to see Christ in person to have our eyes opened to him and his truths.  

Question: What day-to-day things do you do that help you to remember?

-Michelle Rackley: in family scripture study before school our children pick a picture of a scripture story from their box.  After sharing the story, we write a commitment and sign our names to it.  For example, "I can be like Peter today by choosing faith instead of fear."  We put this statement on the fridge to look at throughout the day.

-Scriptures on our mirrors, pictures of the Savior in each room, inspirational words to read when we're in the bathroom, etc.  All of these things can help us to remember the Savior throughout the day.  One sister has had success with leaving her scriptures open on the counter in the kitchen.  She can read a verse when she walks by, and think about it until she has time to read another verse.  Another sister keeps a set of scriptures in the kitchen that she can study while she's microwaving something, waiting for people to gather for dinner, etc.  In this way she has been able to read the Book of Mormon five times a year!  

Ellen Fisher said that Lowell looks forward to the promise of being able to "stand" before the Lord.  Aubrey remembered a seminary lesson in which the teacher tried to bring home the idea that this earth life is temporary, and has very different "rules" of experience than our eternal life.  For instance, right now we can't remember our time with god in the pre-mortal realm.  Right now we are buffeted by temptation and sin.  Right now we get hurt and sick and die.  These are just temporary parts of our earthly test.  These will not be the way things are for eternity.

Sondra mentioned seeing the Fishers in the temple Thursday night.  She said that when she moves slow enough to pay attention to the actions of those around her, she can see the spirit at work in their lives.  Sitting back and observing Ellen helping Lowell is like seeing the Savior.

Brooke talked about reading in 3 Nephi when the righteous people are waiting for the sign of the Savior's coming.  As a reader you know that he is just about to come, and you want to yell out to the people not to worry, he will be arriving soon.  This reminded me (Andrea) of a friend that I am watching go through a very difficult time.  I asked her if she knew that in three years, if she just could hold on and not give up, things would be better, would she stick it out?  She said yes.  If the Savior told you, just don't give up and in 24 days things will take a radical turn for the better, it might be easier to hang on for the 24 days.  But it can be so hard to hang on one day at a time, not knowing when relief will come.  Even if it is just around the corner, we can't see that.  This lead into a discussion of the fact that when the gospel feels hard to live, it may be because we are not using the Atonement effectively.  We don't have to hang on and hang on without help.  Even if things are going to be hard for 24 more days, or three more years, or the rest of our lives on earth, we can have the Savior by our side each step of the way.  We don't have to wait for his love and help, even as the trials continue on.

Aubrey read John 14:27 ("Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid").  She referred us to a talk given by Elder Maxwell ("Plow in Hope" April 2001 Conference address) in which he said to think of that verse as a commandment: "Let not your heart be troubled!"  

Monday, February 11, 2008

Joseph Smith Lesson #2: God the Eternal Father

This lesson was taught on 10 February 2008 by Sondra Soderborg.

Three things Joseph learned about God from the First Vision:

1) The Father and the Son are individual beings
2) Their power is greater than the power of evil
3) We are fashioned in God's image

Some questions from the lesson to ask yourself:

1. Why are these three truths so important?  How has knowing these things about God changed your life?

By comprehending the character of God we better understand ourselves.  Read John 17:3 ("And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true god, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.")  Coming to know God is our purpose, and through that we come to know ourselves.  God wants us to know and understand ourselves.

2. What things do you know for a certainty about God's character?
-He has a vital respect for agency
-He is profoundly gentle.  Sondra shared an experience in which she felt called to repentance by the Spirit, but at the same time she was aware of God's gentleness and reassurance, which replaced the sense of mistake and softened the blow of the initial realization of error.  
-He loves us unconditionally

3. Is there something you have learned about yourself through understanding the nature of God?  

4. Is there a change in yourself you've sought to make because of your knowledge of the nature of God?  

The lesson closed with a reading of Moroni 7:48 ("pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure.")

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Living by Faith, Not Fear (Elder Cook--Oct. 2007)

Jan. 28, 2008

Purpose: For the Ann Arbor RS Sisters to increase their knowledge of the atonement and know what they needed to do personally to be filled with more faith and choose faith over fear.

Choosing to be filled with faith instead of fear is something I struggle with on a daily basis. Think about it. The common negative feelings that women generally feel (inadequacy, depression, despair . . .) stem from indulging in fearful thoughts we've created of that have been put there by Satan. Choosing to listen to those thoughts instead of one of faith create thoughts, words, and actions that aren't completely in line with how Heavenly Father would have me live.

So, I asked the Sisters "What do YOU fear?" I asked them to just shout these answers out as I wrote them all across the board:

not being good enough (wife, daughter of God, mother . . . )
violence
money
retirement
death
illness
death of loved one
children
school

There were many other answers. So, I asked, "Do we have reason to fear?" YES! With everything that is constantly bombarding us today, we do. BUT we know we've been given all that we need to rely upon faith. We know that faith needs to be founded upon Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation (not faith in other--ourselves, parents, friends, husbands . . . )

So, What produces or strengthens your faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ? For me it is hearing, reading, remembering testimonies of Him.

I told the sisters that for the next 18 min. they would be listening to testimonies of the prophets and apostles of our Savior. Before I played the CD I let them know that they would feel the Spirit. That they would feel it strongly and that they would leave RS today with a greater understanding of the atonement. I also told them that the spirit would tell them what they needed to do or change in order to be more filled with faith.

As we listened to the CD (which is filled with witnesses of Christ: Hinckley, Hunter, Faust, Monson, Erying, McConkie, Packer, . . . . and others), I placed the pictures of these men on the board covering up our fears.

When the CD was over, I asked the sisters, "What do YOU need to do so that their words and the words in the scriptures ring SO loudly in your mind that any fearful thought will just be a quiet whisper--that any fearful thoughts won't even be felt?"

We took a few minutes to listen to the sister's answers.

In closing, I said that I knew it was possible to live our lives filled with faith ALL the time, by the things we choose to participate in and the thoughts we choose to fill our minds. I closed by reading in Alma 13:5 that living "in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son". By living in and through the atonement of Christ we can always choose faith.

Side Note: I can make copies of the CD if anyone is interested. I received this CD from my nephew on a mission. Since then, I've listened to it a couple times a day. It is amazing to see and feel how the spirit fills our home when I play it and how I am able to focus on their words of Christ, instead of any fearful ones I may be having. Contact me if you are interested in a copy: rackley_michelle@yahoo.com.

I also appreciated Anne following up on this lesson in her lesson the following week. As a teacher, I often wish I could do a follow up the next week and ask sisters what they may have done differently as a result to the things we discussed and the things we felt we needed to change. Follow-ups are great teaching tools that can help us all work a little harder and be a little better at implementing the things we learn on Sunday.