Saturday Evening Session of Stake Conference

This is my report of the Adult Session of Stake Conference, held Saturday, March 15, 2008 from 7 to 9 p.m. I wrote a lot of notes, and it is late so this will not be perfect, but I hope it will strengthen you in some way to have this to read.

First Speaker: Cynthia Christensen, Stake RS President
Assigned Topic: Family Home Storage

Food storage has been important to Cynthia because it was one of the first things she heard the prophet counsel the church to day after she was baptized almost 30 years ago. She watched her sister-in-law carefully add to the family's food storage each week, and then she saw how it sustained her family for several months when her husband lost his job.

Look at the new pamphlet the church has put out: "All is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage." The first presidency message in the front of the pamphlet says, in part: "

The greatest resource the pamphlet identifies is the website for provident living, which is full of important information.

There is a new Family Home Starter kit that you can order from the distribution center.

The church is trying to make food storage simpler now than it was 30 years ago.

This stake has its own "Home Storage Center" (formerly known as "the Cannery") in Farmington Hills. Its website is www.homestoragecenter.net

30 years ago people living in the United States didn't have to worry too much about disaster striking us, but times have changed. In a geography class Cynthia took at Eastern last semester, the teacher gave a lecture on sustainability. She told the members of the class that the safest thing for them to do would be to grow a garden and store their own food. Cynthia was touched because that was a message she's heard from the prophet for many years, but to the members of her class it was new and strange counsel. It is wonderful to have a living prophet. Let's listen to and act on his words.

Second Speaker: President Mallory
Assigned Topic: Family Finances

Look at the new church pamphlet "All is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances". It covers five key principles of financial management. The Mallorys have a number of grown, married children who have added to their understanding of financial principles. President Mallory read us letters written by several of the children and their spouses about finances in their new families.

His daughter-in-law Emily wrote that she was raised to believe that you should always spend less than you save (not less than you make), and that you don't buy what you don't need. She admits that as an adult it is not always practical to spend less than you save, but you can come close. Her father would give the children a list of work that needed to be done each morning at breakfast. For some tasks they could earn "a return on their investment of time." Their dad kept all of their money recorded on a spreadsheet in three categories. 10% of their earnings went to tithing, 10% to spending, and the other 80% to savings. The only cash they saw was the money he gave them to pay tithing, which was turned over directly to the bishop. If they wanted money from spending, he would ask them if they were sure they wanted to spend their money on that, and they usually wouldn't. He helped them open savings accounts, and then money market accounts at a brokerage house. By the time of her marriage at age 24, she had a significant portfolio built up, as well as a powerful sense of thrift.

President Mallory's son-in-law, Adrian, wrote about how he and his wife have had to establish a budget, and that it has been a great blessing to them. They married in their late 20s/ early 30s, and were accustomed to having a lot of disposable income. Now they feel that they are protecting themselves from the financial difficulties and fighting that hurts so many couples in and out of the church. They discuss their finances daily. They allocate all of their money at the beginning of each month. They give themselves a small allowance for personal spending each month. They have decided to avoid debt. The temptation to go into debt is always present. It has helped them to cut up their credit cards and know they must save cash before they can buy anything. The Lord has blessed them greatly for putting their financial house in order. President Mallory shared several specific financial blessings they've received, such as a much smaller tax bill than they had expected, a tuition reimbursement they had not expected, a much lower student loan interest payment than they had expected. They see each of these instances as small miracles from God. His daughter said that working with a small allowance each month has been liberating compared to the unlimited spending she was used to before marriage. Now she is more careful in her choices and appreciates the things she does buy much more. A financial planner said that when people set their minds to becoming debt-free, amazing things happen to them. It is like building a testimony...faith precedes the miracle.

Another one of President Mallory's daughters-in-law wrote of following the counsel of two different bishops. The first was the bishop of her ward where a lot of members, including her husband, worked for the auto industry. He told his ward several years ago that they would have much less to fear from the job cuts at Ford, etc., if they would listen to and follow President Hinckley's counsel about saving money and storing food. She did this, and when her husband lost his job, they were greatly comforted by the preparations they had made. Her current bishop has counseled the ward that too many people assume that the Lord will provide for them in their time of need when they don't take the steps to prepare themselves for that time. One way the Lord provides for us is by giving us commandments to follow. Often he strengthens us instead of delivering us from our trials.

Many of us can find ways to bring ourselves into greater alignment with the counsel of our leaders in this area.

Third Speaker: Elder Temple

If we wish to truly follow the Savior, we should be loving other people and developing charity. When we get our finances in order, not only can we take care of ourselves, we can take care of others. Alma 34: 27-28. We need to do our best to be able to help others. Elder Temple's great grandfather, Arthur Winter, was able to join the saints in Utah with the help of the perpetual emigration fund. He paid it back when he could. Brother Temple went from modest circumstances as a child to comfortable ones as an adult. Now he must ask himself what more he can do with the blessings he has received. He feels compelled to be more generous in his fast offerings, and in other donations to the church, such as the perpetual education fund, the humanitarian aid fund, the missionary fund, etc. Galatians 6:10 God asks us to help each other. In his later years, after Beethoven lost his hearing, he wrote his 9th symphony. He was afraid to perform it because he could not hear it, but friends convinced him to do so. After the symphony the audience rose to their feet applauding him, but he could not hear them, and could not see them because he was facing the orchestra. One of the soloists noticed this, came to Beethoven, and turned him around to face the audience and see their approval. Each of us sometimes needs someone to turn us in the right direction. And we can be the person that can notice and turn another.

Fourth Speaker: Elder Costa
One of the hardest things for me to do is to speak English. I am from Brazil, and grew up speaking Portuguese. When I was a mission president in Brazil, I received a new batch of missionaries straight from the Provo MTC. I realized that I would never be able to have intimate conversations with them in Portuguese because their command of the language was so limited. So I decided to study English to better serve my missionaries. I started the next morning at 4:30 a.m., reading the Book of Mormon in English and memorizing 5 new words a day. I did this for three years. Later I learned Spanish in the same way when I was asked to serve as a general authority over the South America South area, which was all Spanish-speaking. I wanted to serve the people there better, and realized I needed to learn Spanish to do so.

I would like to talk about the process of replacing a prophet. I have seen this happen three times since I became a general authority. president Hinckley was buried on a Saturday and the next morning President Monson was ordained and set apart as the president of the church. Replacing a prophet is not like getting a new president or leader of a country. It is not like getting a new CEO for a corporation. It is a very tender process. It shows us that the Lord is a god of peace, of unity, not division. President Monson, like President Hinckley, looks ten years younger now that he is the prophet than he did before. The Lord gives strength to his prophets. I don't know who will become the next Apostle, but I can sustain him already because I know he is the man the lord has prepared to be an apostle. I will raise my hand and sustain him with all my heart.

A member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles will never retire. His work will continue on the other side of the veil...have you ever heard us release with a vote of thanks an apostle who has passed away? You would see, if you could observe the parking lot where the general authorities park, that they arrive a bit before 7 a.m. and put in a 10 hour day, even the ones in their 90s. In the future it will become rare to have a general authority attend your stake conference. The church is getting so big, and more and more technology will be used in order to give you contact with the brethren. The quorum of the first presidency and the quorum of the 12 apostles have no room for expansion. The expansion in leadership for the church as it continues to grow takes place in the quorums of the 70s. The first quorum of 70 is called for life. The second quorum usually serves for aobut 5 years. The area seventies keep their regular jobs and also do a great work for the church. A seventy is set apart to first testify of the Savior, to study and try to know him. Second a 70 is given apostolic authority, the right to officiate in any assignment they receive from the 12 apostles. Read D&C 107 to find our more about the 70s. The 8 quorums of the 70 are led by the 7 presidents of the 70, of which Elder Costa is a member. He was called at the age of 45 to be a general authority. He needed to learn fast how to do that, but the Lord can teach us and help us learn fast. The Brethren love you and you are in their conversations every day. They are always asking what can we do to bless the lives of our brothers and sisters? We pray in the temple for the members of the church. The Lord is ready to bless each of you. I had a talk prepared, but when I heard the musical number, "O Divine Redeemer" I changed that topic. I want to talk to you about our divine redeemer.

He talked to us about Christ's role in our pre-mortal life. He spoke of his birth and childhood. He told us that like the Savior as a 12 year old boy teaching in the temple, any good deacon in our ward, our own children, know more about the Savior than the ministers of other churches. Before Christ began his ministry he fasted and prayed for 40 days. He refused all the temptations. He won, he conquered. He was not weak and skinny as some artists portray him. He was strong, physically. He could attack his aggressors, he could defend himself, but he did not. Elder Costa read us many passages about the cruel things that were done to him before he was crucified. "In about the 9th hour Jesus cried..." Elder Costa told us to try to meditate upon this verse for an hour. You will have many thoughts. You will cry, too, and you will suffer as you think about the suffering he experienced for each of us. When Jesus asked that the cup could pass from him, one of the things he was most wishing to avoid was the necessary separation from his Father's presence that he would have to experience in order to suffer all things. He would have to experience spiritual death, the separation of our spirits from God's spirit because of sin. Although he did not sin, he still need to suffer and experience this kind of death. He did not want to be apart from his father, he wanted him to be with him, close by during his suffering. According to Elder costa, Christ suffered that separation in the Garden and again on the cross...two times, the worst kind of suffering for him. He gave all of the water and blood in his body, the essence of his life, for us. But nobody could take his spirit from him. He gave his spirit freely into the hands of his father when his work was done. Jesus defined eternal life for us in John 17:3 to know our Father and his son. 1 Nephi 3:7 tells us that god prepares a way for us to do all that is required of us. That way is the church. We need to come to church, be part of the church in order to return to his presence. We also need to have a family. If you will review Lesson 20 in the Spencer W. Kimball manual, you will see that faithful women who are not given the opportunity for marriage in this life will not be denied any blessings. President Kimball was not talking about men. Men need to get married.

Our homes need to have the same spirit as the temple. The temple is a model god has given us on earth for our homes. Think about the kind of voices we use in the temple. Think about the reading material in the temple. Think about the movies we watch in the temple. We need to have the same kind of pure, high quality things in our homes.

When the leaders of the church plan, they are often looking 100 years ahead of our time. Can you imagine what would happen in this city if trucks couldn't enter from one week? There would be no food left in the stores. Look at the price of grain now, and the price 10 years ago. It has gone up dramatically. We don't pay a lot of attention to these things. As the people of the world rise from poverty, they begin to eat different things. They eat more meat. That requires more grain to feed the animals. That leaves less grain for us to eat. Stable economies are going down. Great companies are broken. The world is changing. This is not to say that we need to fear. The future will be glorious for us, if we obey the Lord.

The prophets talk a lot about family. At the beginning of Elder Costa's marriage, he and his wife decided that they would eat together from 7 to 8:30. They would talk. They determined topics for their conversation. We need to learn to say no to our children to keep them from having too many activities. We need to protect sacred family time. Some fathers come home from work and say they are tired and need some time to themselves. When you are a father, there is no time for yourself. All of your time away from work is devoted to your wife and children. You can have time to yourself when you are sleeping. Fathers need to spend time at home with their families. They need to leave work at work and devote themselves fully to their families when they are at home. Home is not an extension of the office.

You are the people the Lord trusts and counts on. I invoke a blessing upon you, the blessing of memory and knowledge of his atonement.

Joseph Smith Lesson #4: The Book of Mormon: Keystone of Our Religion

This lesson was taught on Sunday, March 9, 2008, by Sondra Soderborg.

We began the lesson by reading Joseph Smith History 1: 28, 29 & 34.  Joseph was 17 years old.  Think about the 17 year old boys that you know in our ward.  Think of how lonely he was.  Think of what great faith he had.  The angel Moroni repeated his message exactly three times in a row.  Sondra said: "I appreciate the repetition."  God gives us many opportunities to understand and learn.

The two events (the First Vision and the appearance of the angel Moroni) that happened over this three year period set the course for and defined Joseph's life.

"I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book" (64).  The keystone is the stone at the top of an arch upon which everything else balances.

The Book of Mormon, like the two pivotal experiences in Joseph Smith's life, has the power to shape and define us.  It was after reading the Book of Mormon that Sondra decided to commit herself to becoming a Mormon.  The discussion was opened up for others to share experiences with the Book of Mormon shaping their testimonies.

Andrea: at age nine my dad read the Book of Mormon with me.  Later when my seminary teacher challenged each of us to read and pray to know if it was true, I found myself praying and asking God to tell me if the Book of Mormon was true.  I felt so silly.  I could hardly bear to ask him such a question, for I had known it was true since I was 9 years old.  It was like asking him if my name was Andrea, or if I was alive, or if the sun was real.  I realized then that I didn't need to ask for a confirmation because I already knew that it was true.  Later in my life when I ran into things that upset me, or questions, or aspects of the church that bothered me or confused me, I could always return to my sure knowledge of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

Alane: I joined the church in my early 20s.  I loved hearing all of the weird things the missionaries had to say.  I kept inviting them back to hear more of their strange stories.  They asked me to read the Book of Mormon and I agreed.  I loved to read, I read cereal boxes, so why not the Book of Mormon?  I can still remember the chair I was sitting in, the exact position in which I was sitting when I had a very clear sense that all of the people I was reading about in the Book of Mormon were real people.  Joseph Smith didn't make this up.  Once I knew that there was no going back.

Sondra: Once that Book of Mormon has got a hold of you, what do you do?  What can you do but follow?  I had a friend once who started to read the Book of Mormon.  She told me that she knew there was something to it, but she did not want to be a Mormon, so she made herself stop reading it.

Ollie: The fact that Joseph Smith prayed to God and received the answer he did means that all of us have that same opportunity to go to God.

Michelle E.: I love this passage from the lesson: "He that can mark the power of Omnipotence, inscribed upon the heavens, can also see God's own handwriting in the sacred volume: and he who reads it oftenest will like it best, and he who is acquainted with it, will know the hand wherever he can see it; and when once discovered, it will not only receive an acknowledgment, but an obedience to all its heavenly precepts" (66).

The statement Michelle read was also written on the board by Sondra before class started.  When you do read it often, you do like it.  It gets into the way you think and do things.

Sondra: I am so grateful for Joseph Smith's integrity in insisting that what was real was real in spite of the cost.  Read Joseph Smith History 1:25.  I am grateful for his courage, for the choice he made not to try and withstand God.  He chose to submit to the will of God.  And having gained my own testimony of the Book of Mormon, I ask myself the same question: "Who am I to withstand God?"

The Temple

Today's lesson, taught Sunday, March 2, 2008, was given by Janie Ward.  The topic was the temple.  The objective of the lesson was to help get us excited about attending the temple, especially our RS temple trip on Saturday, April 19, at 4 p.m.  

In the early history of the church, the Lord was constantly revealing temple plans to his Saints. 

Read D&C 124: 39-41

Temple ordinances are crucial to us.  The blessings promised us for attending the temple affect every aspect of our lives.

Quote #1: "Many parents, in and out of the Church, are concerned about protection against a cascading avalanche of wickedness which threatens to engulf [the world]...There is a power associated with ordinances of heaven--even the power of godliness--which can and will thwart the forces of evil if we will but be worthy of those sacred [covenants made in the temple of the Lord]...Our families will be protected, our children will be safeguarded as we live the gospel, visit the temple, and live close to the Lord." (President Ezra Taft Benson)

Quote #2: "Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people."  "The Lord will bless us as we attend to the sacred ordinance work of the temples.  Blessings there will not be limited to our temple service.  We will be blessed in all of our affairs.  We will be eligible to have the Lord take an interest in our affairs both spiritual and temporal." (Elder Boyd K. Packer)

Quote #3: "I am satisfied that if our people would attend the temple more, there would be less of selfishness in their lives.  There would be less of absence of love in their relationships.  There would be more of fidelity on the part of husbands and wives.  There would be more of love and peace and happiness in the homes of our people." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

Making it to the temple can be hard.  What are some of the challenges that face us?

-finding a babysitter

-not feeling like we're in the right mood or state of mind

-the need to prioritize and make time for it

-we don't always have an amazing spiritual experience when we're there, which can cause us to think maybe it is a waste of our 5 hours

There is opposition whenever we try to go to the temple.  Regarding this, George Q. Cannon (I think) said:

"Temples are the very center of the spiritual strength of the Church.  We should expect that the adversary will try to interfere with us as a Church and with us individually as we seek to participate in this sacred and inspired work.  The interference can vary from the terrible persecutions of the earlier days to apathy toward the work.  The latter is perhaps the most dangerous and debilitating form of resistance to temple work."

He also said: "Every foundation stone that is laid for a temple, and every temple completed according to the order the Lord has revealed for his holy Priesthood, lessens the power of Satan on the earth, and increases the power of God and Godliness, moves the heavens in mighty power in our behalf, invokes and calls down upon us the blessings of the Eternal Gods, and those who reside in their presence."

Janie had asked 5 sisters ahead of time to share some of their thoughts about the temple:

1) Michelle Garn: While she was serving as YW president in another word, she found out that both of her counselors would have to be released to serve in other callings.  After a week of praying about who her new counselors should be, she could not get any answers.  She and Byron went to the temple at the end of that week, and she determined that she would not leave that sacred building until she had the names of her new counselors.  Finally, one of the workers told her that the temple was closing.  She still did not have the answers she had been seeking.  As the worker opened the double doors leading out of the celestial room, Michelle saw a large beautiful painting of the Savior directly in front of her.  She was overwhelmed at that moment with a sense of his love for her.  She knew that he had accepted and was pleased with the work she had done as the YW's president, and that it was time for her to move on to a new calling.  Throughout the previous week as she had sought the names of her new counselors, the only recurring thought she'd had was that her time as YW's president might be over, but she kept pushing it out of her mind b/c it didn't seem right to go to the bishop and ask to be released.  But this ended up being the answer all along.  She believes that being in the temple made it possible for her to feel more clearly that outpouring of love from god.

2) Julie Kincaid: has been studying some academic writings by a British scholar who is not of our faith, but researches the ancient temples of the Jews.  This scholar notes that the two main purposes of those temples was to teach about the creation and the atonement.  The people went to the temple to get the knowledge of God, and there he teaches us the most important things he knows, just as we try to pass on to our children the most important truths that we know.

3) Sharon Thacker: as a youth, attending the temple to do baptisms for the dead was an important, regular activity for her.  She believes that regular temple attendance with her friends is one of the main ways that she "survived" a very difficult teenage-hood.  On days that school started late due to teacher inservice meetings, etc., she and her friends would often go to the temple together to do baptisms.

4) Lisa Jibson: After spending this past week in San Diego with her children, she was surprised by their desire to spend time on the temple grounds there.  They chose to go there three times over the week, instead of activities like going to the beach, etc.  Take children to the temple grounds, have a picnic there, let them feel the safety and peace that surrounds the temple long before they are old enough to enter themselves.

The temple ceremony has been hard for Lisa to enjoy.  After years of difficult struggle asking herself "what is wrong with me?"  she has finally made peace with her mixed feelings about the temple.  She loves the covenants and the truths that are taught there, and believes them with all her heart.  It is the presentation that she struggles with, the physical way in which those covenants and truths are represented that doesn't really click with her.  But she's decided to let that go and not worry about it so much.  She has tried to stop thinking about herself and to stop feeling bad for not loving her experience in the temple.  She reminds herself that attending the temple after the first time isn't really about us, anyway.  We only make those covenants one time for ourselves, and the rest of the time we are extending god's blessings to his other daughters.  He wants those covenants brought to each one of his children, and each time we choose to not go to the temple, we are making one of his children wait that much longer to receive her blessings and make her covenants.   These are some of the thoughts and attitudes that have been helpful to her.

5) Jill Mitchell: Likes to read her scriptures in the celestial room as she asks the question "what does God want me to learn?"  She feels his love there.

We ran out of time for others to share their thoughts.  Janie closed by telling us about the time last year when she went to the temple hoping for help in preparing her RS lesson on temple attendance.  She left the session feeling uninspired and mildly disappointed.  But several hours later her mind was filled with ideas of things to do in her own life to help herself and her family.  She felt that God had given her the most important information, even though she had been seeking something else.  She told us that when we choose to attend the temple, we are showing god a willingness to take a further step.   He is asking us, "will you make this step so that I can shower more blessings on you?"

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.

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!"  

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.")

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.