Armor of God

Today's lesson was Doctrine and Covenants section 27 specifically verses 15-18.

We talked about war ~ what concerns the kids have about war, what weapons they would want to take with them into battle, what protective equipment they would like to have…

Then we talked about the spiritual war we are all fighting ~ the war that began in the pre-existence when Satan was cast out of heaven and into the earth (See Revelation 12:9). We talked about the weapons that Satan uses and what weapons we can use.

We read Doctrine and Covenants 27:15-18 and then talked about our armor – our WHOLE armor and how we were doing. Kiera was our warrior ~ she dressed up in the armor as we talked about it. President Harold B. Lee said, "We have the four parts of the body that…are the most vulnerable to the powers of darkness. The loins, typifying virtue, chastity. The heart typifying our conduct. Our feet, our goals or objectives in life and finally our head, our thoughts…

"We should have our loins girt about with truth…And the heart…a breastplate of righteousness. Well, having learned truth we have a measure by which we can judge between right and wrong and so our conduct will always be gauged by that thing which we know to be true…Our feet should be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. (repentance, faith, Holy Ghost, prayer)…And then finally the helmet of salvation…Salvation is to be saved…saved from sin."

"Holding in our hand a shield and in our other hand a sword…the shield of faith and the sword of the word of God. I can't think of any more powerful weapons that faith and a knowledge of the scriptures in the which are contained the Word of God." (Feet Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [Provo, 9 Nov. 1954], pp 3-7)

I gave the kids a piece of foil and they wrote on that foil a fiery dart that the adversary throws at them ~ something that they struggle with. They then made arrows out of the foil and threw them at Kiera. She did a great job at dodging them. Then she got to throw them back at the kids and they used their scriptures as their shields. It was a fun object lesson.

Our Armored Warrior

Then in closing I used another object lesson. Mary came to the front. I introduced a potato which the kids affectionately named Sam Spud. I asked them a couple of questions and they had to truthfully answer yes or no. If they answered NO to the question then Mary was to peel the Sam. One peel off for every no in the class. Question 1 – Did you say your personal prayers last night and this morning? Question 2 – Did you have personal scripture study? Question 3 – Did you have family scripture study? Question 4 – Did you have FHE this week? Question 5 – Did you strive all day yesterday to be obedient? By the time we got done with the last question Sam had lost his armor ~ (his skin). It was gone! We are going to watch Sam over the course of the next few months to see what happens to him without his armor. We talked about how not doing all those things leaves us without our armor – without our protection. I told them to put their armor on – don't take it off!

Sam Spud

Day one without armor

I hope it was effective – I hope every time they see a potato they will think of Sam Spud and what is happening to him because he has lost his armor. They are great kids! Together we are going to win this war! Their armor is strong ~ We all have to be reminded to put our armor on and to continually shine it through prayer, scripture study, family home evening, obedience, following the prophet and our other leaders. One step at a time!!!!

Thursday

Today we talked about this quote...

"Don't let the workings of adversity totally absorb your life" 

(Richard G. Scott)

I put a sponge in some water to see how much it could soak up.  It pretty much absorbed all of it.  Then we talked about being absorbed by something and what that means and how our trials sometimes totally absorb us.  We talked about some of the trials that Joseph Smith was facing during this period of time.  We talked about the trials that the Savior faced during His life.  I posed the question - Does the Savior understand adversity?

Then we talked about this scripture...

"Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days." (D&C 24:8)

And we looked for the Lord's counsel and promises and how they can help us in our trials.  We substituted our names in the scripture ~ Rozla, be patient in affliction because you are going to have many; but endure them.  I am with you even until the end of your days.

Then I shared with them this quote by Elder Richard G. Scott...

"I testify that when the Lord closes one important door in your life, He shows His continuing love and compassion by opening many other compensating doors through your exercise of faith.  He will place in your path packets of spiritual sunlight to brighten your way.  They often come after the trial has been the greatest, as evidence of the compassion and love of an all-knowing Father.  They point the way to greater happiness and more understanding and strengthen your determination to accept and be obedient to His will." (Ensign Nov. 1995)

I love how he said that the Lord will send packets of spiritual sunlight to brighten our way.  I'm so grateful for the knowledge that I have that Heavenly Father loves me - little old me - just a humble seminary teacher in Helena Montana trying to do the best I can and praying to help these precious youth understand the same! 

Today I'm grateful for my packets of spiritual sunlight!

Gratitude

This week in Seminary we have been talking about General Conference this past weekend.  Particularly what the Prophet had to say.  Our scripture block for the week included Doctrine and Covenants Section 21 which is basically Joseph Smith's call as Prophet of the church.  We talked about what it means to be "a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ..." (D&C 21:1)  A seer is "one who sees with spiritual eyes...he is an interpreter and clarifier of eternal truth.  He foresees the future from the past and the present. This he does by the power of the Lord operating through him..." (John A. Widtsoe)  Elder Widtsoe also said that "a prophet is a teacher.  He is an expounder of truth. ...He shows the way to human happiness is through obedience to God's law...All this he does by close communion with the Lord..."

So we talked about GRATITUDE.  President Monson asked if we remember to give thanks for our blessings.  Do we walk with gratitude?  A couple of things that I shared with the kids that touched me from his talk...

HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

Give THANKS and then WATCH MIRACLES HAPPEN

 To be grateful is to touch Heaven

By being OBEDIENT we give to God GRATITUDE

I made a GRATEFUL board in our room.  Every day the kids are to write one thing they are grateful for that day and it can't be repeated!  When the board is full then we will write it on pieces of paper and put them in a jar.  When the jar is full maybe we will do a chain around the room.  But everyday we will be grateful!  

On Monday two of the girls are going to come to class with a letter they have written to President Monson expressing gratitude to him.  We will all sign it and then I will send it to him so that he knows the freshman Seminary class in Helena are striving to be obedient and grateful :)

Thank you President Monson for the reminder to be more grateful! And for your clear view of the future.  Thank you for being the one person on the earth that we can follow with complete faith!

List the first 5 things that come to your mind that you are grateful for... Today mine are...

• Lynn
• being a grandma
• being a mom
• my home
• good friends

Doctrine and Covenants

It's almost time for another Seminary year.  We begin on August 31st at 6:55 am.  This year we will study the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History. 

I'm so grateful for the days Lynn and I took off to begin our vacation in Palmyra NY and journey with the saints to Salt Lake City.  I hope that I can share this year with the kids my testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Savior and help them gain or strength their own testimony. 

The pioneers knew God ~ that is why they did what they did!  They knew God and they loved Him and they sacrificed everything for Him and the gospel. 

So I ask you and I ask myself ~ Do You know God?  Could you sacrifice everything you have for Him and the gospel? Would you sacrifice everything?  DO YOU SACRIFICE EVERYTHING?

It's going to be a great year!

3 Nephi 12 ~ Student Teachers

Seminary was great today!  I was a little apprehensive about today but the inspiration I received while preparing this lesson was just exactly what I needed to do. 

Spring break begins after school on Friday and so the kids are getting so restless.  It is a challenge to teach and keep them engaged in it.  So this is what we did today.

We are on 3 Nephi 12.  I divided the chapter up into three parts and then three groups of kids.  I gave each group a portion of the chapter.  They had 15 minutes to develop a 5 minute lesson around their assigned scritpures. 

Group 1 had the Sermon on the Mount from verses 1-12
Group 2 had the Salt and the Candle from verses 13-16
Group 3 had love thy neighbor and perfection from verses 37-48

They did an amazing job!  I became the student, they became the teachers.  I helped them very little!  I saw their perspective on these scriptures and it was really fun. 

One of the boys (Cooper L.)  in group 3 talked about perfection but then also brought in the scriptures about being a peacemaker.  He said that finally (he had been praying for an answer to this question) after reading this scripture (vs. 39) and doing this lesson he understood - received the answer to his prayers about fighting.  He has had many of his friends ask him if members of the church are allowed to fight.  He said now he understands!  I love it!  Now he understands!  Now his prayer is answered!  He seached the scriptures and found the answer!!!  Isn't that what it is all about.  Finding the answers ~ searching the scriptures ~ having the spirit tell you that you found the answer! 

These kids are amazing.  I am blessed to rub shoulders with them everyday.  They have insights into the scriptures that are exciting for me to hear about every morning.  They try so hard to do what is right and good and to be good examples. 

I said the closing prayer and asked Heavenly Father to bless them for their diligence and to protect them from the evil influences around them every day.  I know He will protect them today.  I am grateful!

3 Nephi

I love 3^rd Nephi. That's what we've been studying the last couple of days. Yesterday and today were good discussions.

Yesterday I darkened the room ~ black plastic on the windows and the doors ~ lights out ~ eyes closed ~ then I found a recording of a thunderstorm that I had playing in the background as I read 3 Nephi 8:1-23 which are the events surrounding the death of the Savior. Then we talked about what impressed them in those verses, and how they would have felt if they had actually been there. Some of them picked up on being able to feel the vapor of darkness. Some of them would have liked to have been there to experience the destruction.

Then we read Matthew 27:45-54 and talked about what happened at Jerusalem when Jesus was crucified. We found the similarities. We read John 8:12 to help us understand why darkness accompanied His death.
We compared 3 Nephi 8:1-23 with Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:28-33 finding the similarities between the coming of the Savior to the Nephites and what is prophesied to precede His Second Coming. We talked about what we can do to be safe and be prepared for the Second Coming.

Today we continued our discussion. We read D&C 1:14 and D&C 109:22-26 to discover how or where we can find protection in our day. This was a quote from the lesson that I shared with them… Elder Lance B. Wickman, a member of the Seventy:

"Climbing atop the Mount of Olives with his disciples, the Savior prophesied the cataclysmic events that would precede the destruction of Jerusalem and his second coming. He then issued this portentous admonition to his disciples, ancient and modern: 'Then you shall stand in the holy place; whoso readeth let him understand' (Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:12; italics added; see also Matthew 24:15). Latter-day revelations provide understanding. They teach that in our day, amidst strife and catastrophe and pestilence, there are two kingdoms locked in grim struggle for the souls of men—Zion and Babylon. More than once they repeat the injunction to 'stand in holy places' for a refuge from these storms of latter-day life (D&C 45:32; see also D&C 87:8; 101:16–23). Prominent among such holy places, and key to all the others, is the temple of the Lord." (Ensign, Nov. 1994, 82–83)

Then we talked about where else we can go ~ if we can't get to the temple ~ that is a place of safety ~ our homes! We talked about how to make our homes a place of refuge. They had some good thoughts and ideas ~ music ~ being a peacemaker ~ turning off the TV or computer when negative things are on them.

I read them this story "Storm Warning" by Elder Neil L. Andersen and we talked about the 4 powerful pillars to anchor us in our spiritual foundation so the tornadoes of the world will not dislodge us and carry us away.

1. We must pray
2. We must study the scriptures
3. We must worship
4. We must be willing to serve one another

I challenged them today to have an Eternal Perspective ~ make choices today based on the eternal consequences ~ how will this choice affect me eternally. I was a good story – lots of food for thought.  It was a good couple of days.

I've learned over the course of my adult life that the Second Coming is nothing to fear as long as I am grounded in the gospel, I am obedient, I follow the prophet, I love the Lord and I am striving diligently each day to do the very best that I can. The prophet says that life right now, in the latter-days, is not to be feared. And so I strive each day to live by the motto ~ Faith not Fear!

How grateful I am to have the gospel in my life. How thankful I am for my knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father. I'm grateful for the priesthood. I'm grateful for a strong, good family ~ children and siblings and parents ~ who help me when I feel like I'm falling. They always reach out to grab me. I'm so grateful for them. I'm grateful for a living prophet who talked with God and leads us into the paths of safety. I'm grateful for Seminary!!!

Helaman 16

We finished up Helaman this morning.  I struggled all day yesterday with this lesson.  Nothing I read or studied seemed to be the right thing.  Even the lesson is the manual didn't seem right.  I read the chapter and re-read it and still nothing.  I pondered it all day, came across an idea in the student manual and pondered upon it.  I looked at it before going to bed and then got up early this morning to see if something would come together.  I felt good about the idea from last night.  I know from experience when I struggle with a lesson like this it is because someone in the class needs something specific and I just have to be in the right mind set to hear the promptings from Heavenly Father and be His mouthpiece.  So I prayed for inspiration ~ prayed to know what to say and when to say it.  And like always, I had to prepare myself and let the Lord do the rest.

It was a good lesson.  Good discussion and the outcome of the whole day was positive.  Hopefully whomever it was that needed this lesson was in tune with the spirit. 

We talked about how the tide is turning amongst the Lamanites and the Nephites.  The Lamanites have become the righteous ones while the Nephites are falling hard and fast.  They have hard hearts, made harder by the fact that they have had the truth for generations and are failing to REMEMBER.  We talked about what the people are doing to the prophets, what they are doing to Samuel the Lamanite.  How he is being treated, what they are doing about the preaching he is doing amongst them.  They cast him out, refuse to believe.  Those who are converted leave the city in search of Nephi and are baptized.  We talked about what it would be like to have lived in the days of Samuel the Lamanite.  Then I gave them a piece of paper with this written on the top:

Ponder about what it must have been like to be a true follower of Jesus Christ at the time of Helaman 16.  Write what you can do today in your personal preparation for His Second Coming and why it is important.

Then I gave them a few minutes to write.  I bore testimony, told them I loved them and sent them off to school, I hoped armed with the Spirit!

This is some of what they wrote...

• I think it would be very hard...much like in the early days of the church...being persecuted for what you believe.
• Like the true believers of the Nephite time, I can choose to stand "firm in the faith" even when those around me don't support the idea.  The prophet was on the earth then and we have one today as well.  If we follow then we can be saved as those of old.  Not physically but spiritually we can be saved from Satan's grasp.
• I think it would have been harder because the followers of the devil would have no qualms about beating you near to death. Now there's laws against it.  I will follow in his (Jesus Christ's) ways so that I can one day stand spotless before God.
• It would have been hard to be a true follower of Jesus Christ at the time of Helaman 16.  We wouldn't have all of the resources that we have now to be a true disciple.  I have goals on this earth that will help me prepare for the second coming.
• It would have been absolutely amazing to be a true follower of Christ.  The spirit would be so strong.
• I think it would have been pretty scary at times...I could have died.
• I think it would have been sweet to be there...I think it would have been hard too because there would have been much persecution.
• Fulfilling...dangerous...eye opening
• I think it would have been crazyily awesome to be a follower back then, as it would have it's pro' and con's compared to now.  There was more signs back then and everything so that would be easier but you might be persecuted more.
• It would have been bad because they didn't care who they killed.
• To prepare for the second coming I can do many things...understand the scriptures better, be a better example, love those around me.
• It would have been more rewarding if all those around you were falling into disbelief and I stayed firm in the knowledge of Christ.  I need to be the best Mormon I can be.
• I think it would have been earsier to be more obedient in the older times because there wouldn't be as many temptations as there are today like computers, music, tv, and school...I will try harder to be obedient with the commandment.
• To prepare for the second coming I woul have faith first of all. Also know that the scriptures are true.  I would repent.

These kids are the greatest.  They are strong and they have courage! 

Helaman 5:12

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12)
 This is a scripture mastery.  I felt it was important for them to really understand why this would be included as one of the 25 scriptures for them to learn this year.

 
We talked about a rock versus sand.  If you built your house upon a rock what would happen to that house in a storm?  Would it remain standing or would it be destroyed?  If you built it upon the sand what would happen? 

We talked about a cobweb versus a steel cable.  A single strand of a steel cable is like a cobweb.  Combine strand after strand and strand and you have a cable that cannot be broken. 

Then we talked about our testimonies and how they are built.  I asked them to ponder and decide it what their testimony is built on...a rock or sand...is it like...a cobweb...or a steel cable.

We talked about the word REMEMBER that is in this scripture.  There are so many scriptures that use the word remember. (Underline everytime you see the word remember in the Book of Mormon)

We played the memory game ~ the one where you have to REMEMBER where they are and match them up.  Then talked about the key to winning the game ~ remembering.  I shared this thought with them by President Spencer W. Kimball:

"When you look into the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is?  It could be remember.  Because all of you have made covenants - you know what to do and you know how to do it - our greatest need is to remember.....Remember is the word.  Remember is the program" ("Circles of Exaltation," p. 8.)

"Remembering covenants prevents apostasy...I suppose there would never be an apostate, there would never be a crime, if people remembered, really remembered, the things they had covenanted at the water's edge or at the sacrament table and in the temple...I guess we as humans are prone to forget.  It is easy to forget.  Our sorrows, our joys, our concrns, our great problems seem to wane to some exten as time goes n, and there are many lessns that we larn which have a tendency to slip from us.  The Nephites forgot." (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pp 112-113.)

Remembering prevents apostasy.  Remembering keeps us in line with our Heavenly Father! 

I personally will work on that - Remembering my covenants ~ remembering how good Heavenly Father is to me, to my family ~ remembering to be grateful :)

The Title of Liberty

This was a fun lesson...

• Talking about the Title of Liberty
• Talking about what we would fight for
• Making our own Title of Liberty

I gave them a piece of fabric and some markers and they each came up with their own Title of Liberty ~ those things they would be willing for fight for.  Some of them really took this seriously.  It was enlightening to me to see what they drew.

Making their banners

I hung them from the ceiling in the room ~ their artwork makes nice decorations :)

Armor and the War Chapters

Just a side note ~ I really fell in love with the war chapters this time around ~ after all these years of reading them and dreading them. This time I looked for gospel principles being taught and WOW they are packed full of lessons on obedience and remembering and repenting...

When we got to Alma 43 we talked about how Captain Moroni fortified the cities ~ built strongholds around them ~ thus making it so that the Lamanities could not destroy those cities. Moroni also introduced to his armies ~ Armor ~ they not only fortified their cities but they fortified themselves.

I took most of the day's lesson from the Institute Manual ~ "What Protective Armor Do We Have Today?" (Alma 43:18-22, 37-38 ~ Institute Manual pg 250)

President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) explained one way that we could apply these verses to our lives today:

“We have the four parts of the body that the Apostle Paul said or saw to be the most vulnerable to the powers of darkness. The loins, typifying virtue, chastity. The heart typifying our conduct. Our feet, our goals or objectives in life and finally our head, our thoughts.

“. . . We should have our loins girt about with truth. What is truth? Truth, the Lord said, was knowledge of things as they are, things as they were and things as they are to come [D&C 93:24]. . . . ‘Our loins shall be girt about with truth,’ the prophet said.

“And the heart, what kind of a breastplate shall protect our conduct in life? We shall have over our hearts a breastplate of righteousness. Well, having learned truth we have a measure by which we can judge between right and wrong and so our conduct will always be gauged by that thing which we know to be true. Our breastplate to cover our conduct shall be the
breastplate of righteousness.

“[By] what shall we protect our feet, or by what shall we gauge our objectives or our goals in life? . . . ‘Your feet should be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.’ (Ephesians 6:15). . . .

“And then finally the helmet of salvation. . . . What is salvation Salvation is to be saved. Saved from what? Saved from death and saved from sin. . .

“Well, now the Apostle Paul . . . had his armoured man holding in his hand a shield and in his other hand a sword, which were the weapons of those days. That shield was the shield of faith and the sword was the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God. I can’t think of any more powerful weapons than faith and a knowledge of the scriptures in the which are contained the Word of God. One so armoured and one so prepared with those weapons is prepared to go out against the enemy” (Feet Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [Nov. 9, 1954], 2–3, 6–7; see also Ephesians 6:13–17; D&C 27:15–18).

So I armored them ~ so to speak ~ or at least one of them... (Kara)

Prayer Day

Days like today are the reason that I keep on teaching Seminary. We talked about Alma 34, the verses that talk about prayer...why to pray...what to pray for...where to pray.

I told them about my son's car, how it bit the dust yesterday and how much he needs that car to be "healthy" because they have no money to fix it, and no money to buy a new one. I asked them if they thought this sick car was worthy of praying over. They agreed that it was - that would be something to pray for. I told them how I pled with Heavenly Father to please heal my son's car.

You can read it...starting with verse 17 in chapter 34 of Alma.

Then I prepared for them, throughout the church, their "secret places" and "wilderness" - closets, bathrooms, classrooms, foyers etc. I gave them this handout (thanks Donna)...

_________________your mountain or wilderness is
___________________________.
Please go there quietly and do not
disturb anyone else. Read this
statement and then spend 10 min. on
your own in prayer and quiet
meditation. Kneel and talk out loud if
you feel comfortable doing so.
Return to the class and quietly write
about your experience in your journal
till everyone has returned.

You are loved, and he is listening!

And this one...

“As you feel the need to confide in the Lord or to improve the quality of your visits with him—to pray, if you please—may I suggest a process to follow: go where you can be alone, go where you can think, go where you can kneel, go where you can speak out loud to him. The bedroom, the bathroom, or the closet will do. Now, picture him in your mind’s eye. Think to whom you are speaking, control your thoughts—don’t let them wander, address him as your Father and your friend. Now tell him things you really feel to tell him—not trite phrases that have little meaning, but have a sincere, heartfelt conversation with him. Confide in him, ask him for forgiveness, plead with him, enjoy him, thank him, express your love to him, and then listen for his answers. Listening is an essential part of praying. Answers from the Lord come quietly—ever so quietly. In fact, few hear his answers audibly with their ears. We must be listening so carefully or we will never recognize them. Most answers from the Lord are felt in our heart as a warm comfortable expression, or they may come as thoughts to our mind. They come to those who are prepared and who are patient.” (Bishop H. Burke Peterson, Ensign, Jan. 1974, 19)

And then I gave them about 10-15 minutes to pray and meditate.

Something amazing and wonderful and spiritual happened during those few minutes. Some of the kids found their way back in the 10 minutes - and then some I had to go find. As I was going to get them this is what I found...

On the stage, a young man kneeling in prayer
In the chapel, a young woman kneeling in prayer
In the overflow, a young man kneeling in prayer
In between the doors to the outside and the foyer, a young man kneeling in prayer

All over the church incredible young people were talking to Heavenly Father and I know that Heavenly Father was talking to them.

When they returned to the classroom, I had some music playing as they recorded their thoughts and impressions.

And then I said to them, "Do you know how much your Heavenly Father loves you?" "Do you know how much I love you?" And the spirit bore witness to me that is what Heavenly Father wanted them to know ~ that He loves them and that I love them.

The church truly was a sacred place today!

Being a Disciple of Christ

I love studying about Discipleship. I started it last year when I taught the New Testament. This post goes along with Alma 32:37-38, 42-43 and it is by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. He teaches us how to become a disciple of Christ:

“This is the peaceable way of the follower of Jesus Christ.

“Nevertheless, it is not a quick fix or an overnight cure.

“A friend of mine recently wrote to me, confiding that he was having a difficult time keeping his testimony strong and vibrant. He asked for counsel. “I wrote back to him and lovingly suggested a few specific things he could do that would align his life more closely with the teachings of the restored gospel. To my surprise, I heard back from him only a week later. The essence of his letter was this: ‘I tried what you suggested. It didn’t work. What else have you got?’

“Brothers and sisters, we have to stay with it. We don’t acquire eternal life in a sprint—this is a race of endurance. We have to apply and reapply the divine gospel principles. Day after day we need to make them part of our normal life.

“Too often we approach the gospel like a farmer who places a seed in the ground in the morning and expects corn on the cob by the afternoon. When Alma compared the word of God to a seed, he explained that the seed grows into a fruit-bearing tree gradually, as a result of our ‘faith, and [our] diligence, and patience, and long-suffering’ [Alma 32:43]. It’s true that some blessings come right away: soon after we plant the seed in our hearts, it begins to swell and sprout and grow, and by this we know that the seed is good. From the very moment we set foot upon the pathway of discipleship, seen and unseen blessings from God begin to attend us.

“But we cannot receive the fulness of those blessings if we ‘neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment’ [v. 38].

“Knowing that the seed is good is not enough. We must ‘nourish it with great care, that it may get root’ [v. 37]. Only then can we partake of the fruit that is ‘sweet above all that is sweet, and . . . pure above all that is pure’ and ‘feast upon this fruit even until [we] are filled, that [we] hunger not, neither shall [we] thirst’ [v. 42].

“Discipleship is a journey. We need the refining lessons of the journey to craft our character and purify our hearts. By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours.
“It is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, ‘spectator discipleship’ is a preferred if not a primary way of worshipping.

“Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do. We need to get off the sidelines and practice what we preach. . . .

“. . . Now is the time to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, become His disciples, and walk in His way” (“The Way of the Disciple, Ensign, May 2009, 76–77).

Discipleship is a journey! I have faith that I am on the right path and as I patiently walk this path that seen and unseen blessings from Heavenly Father will attend me!

Faith and Hope

I ponder about faith alot. It is definitely something I live my life with. I have faith that what I am doing is what the Lord would have me do - right here and right now. Faith is what allows me to get up in the morning and meet another new day.

One of our Scripture Mastery scriptures is Alma 32:21 ~ "And now as I said concerning faith ~ faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen which are true."

This is what President Boyd K. Packer said about faith:

“Faith, to be faith, must center around something that is not known. Faith, to be faith, must go beyond that for which there is confirming evidence. Faith, to be faith, must go into the unknown. Faith, to be faith, must walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness. If everything has to be known, if everything has to be explained, if everything has to be certified, then there is no need for faith. Indeed, there is no room for it. . .

“There are two kinds of faith. One of them functions ordinarily in the life of every soul. It is the kind of faith born by experience; it gives us certainty that a new day will dawn, that spring will come, that growth will take place. It is the kind of faith that relates us with confidence to that which is scheduled to happen. . . .

“There is another kind of faith, rare indeed. This is the kind of faith that causes things to happen. It is the kind of faith that is worthy and prepared and unyielding, and it calls forth things that otherwise would not be. It is the kind of faith that moves people. It is the kind of faith that sometimes moves things. . . . It comes by gradual growth. It is a marvelous, even a transcendent, power, a power as real and as invisible as electricity. Directed and channeled, it has great effect. . . .

“In a world filled with skepticism and doubt, the expression ‘seeing is believing’ promotes the attitude, ‘You show me, and I will believe.’ We want all of the
proof and all of the evidence first. It seems hard to take things on faith.

“When will we learn that in spiritual things it works the other way about—that believing is seeing? Spiritual belief precedes spiritual knowledge. When we believe in things that are not seen but are nevertheless true, then we have faith” (“What Is Faith?” in Faith [1983], 42–43).

Humility

Before I forget I want to record some of the thoughts I have found on a couple of different topics. I haven't used these in a lesson but I don't want to forget them either.

This one goes along with Alma 32:8-16.

Alma is among the Zoramites...he perceived the readiness of the poor Zoramites to be taught the gospel. Their rejection by the wealthy Zoramites contributed to their state of humility.

I've always tried to be a humble person - I've tried to understand the principle of humility. I read this thought by President Ezra Taft Benson and suddenly it became clearer to me what a humble person is. This is what he said...

“We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity toward our brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting them as high or higher than we
are (see D&C 38:24; 81:5; 84:106).

“We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and chastisement (see Jacob 4:10; Helaman 15:3; D&C 63:55; 101:4–5; 108:1; 124:61, 84; 136:31; Proverbs 9:8).

“We can choose to humble ourselves by forgiving those who have offended us (see 3 Nephi 13:11, 14; D&C 64:10).

“We can choose to humble ourselves by rendering selfless service (see Mosiah 2:16 17).

“We can choose to humble ourselves by going on missions and preaching the word that can humble others (see Alma 4:19; 31:5; 48:20).

“We can choose to humble ourselves by getting to the temple more frequently.

“We can choose to humble ourselves by confessing and forsaking our sins and being born of God (see D&C 58:43; Mosiah 27:25–26; Alma 5:7–14, 49).

“We can choose to humble ourselves by loving God, submitting our will to His, and putting Him first in our lives (see 3 Nephi 11:11; 13:33; Moroni 10:32)” (Ensign, May 1989, 6–7).

I'm trying to do all of those things - maybe I am succeeding in being humble :)

Alma 31 ~ The Rameumptom

Tomorrow in Seminary we are going to talk about Alma 31. This is the chapter with the Rameumptom ~ the Holy Stand. As I was studying for this lesson ~ and thinking I would plan something fun for the Rameumptom, I came to understand just what this chapter is all about. I knew the story of "The Holy Stand" and how the Zoramites used it to stand upon and pray. But what I learned studying it was that the Zoramites were in a state of apostasy. They were an apostate sect of the Nephites who left Zarahemla and settled in Antionum. Alma got word that Zoram, their leader, was leading the hearts of the people to bow down to dumb idols. The Nephites feared that the Zoramites would join with the Lamanites and see them to destroy them.

So Alma took with him a great missionary force; Ammon, Aaron, Omner, Amulek, Zeezrom, and two of his sons, Shiblon and Corianton. When they arrived in Antionum they were astonished at what they found. "The Zoramites had built synagogues and they did gather themselves together on one day of the week, which day they did call the day of the Lord; and they did worship after a manner which Alma and his brethren had never beheld." (Alma 31:12)

"For they had a place built up in the center of their synagogue, a place for standing, which was high above the head; and the top thereof would only admit one person" (Alma 31:13). ~ The Rameumptom ~

Now this is what I learned… (taken from the Book of Mormon Institute Manual, p 220)

In Antionum, the missionary force of Alma and his companions came across a group of Nephite dissenters known as the Zoramites. Mormon not only recorded that the Zoramites had previously had the word of God preached unto them, but he further identified the cause of their apostasy:

• they would not keep the commandments,
  
• they no longer petitioned the Lord daily in prayer,
  
• they perverted the ways of the Lord,
  
• and what prayers they did offer to the Lord were vain and meaningless.
  

They ignored the basics, such as having a daily habit of meaningful prayer and scripture study.

 

Today there are those who have also fallen into similar false practices. Unless we are careful to guard against it, we too could fall into some of the same traps of

• routine prayers,
  
• worshipping only weekly during the three-hour block and
  
• not thinking of God again during the week,
  
• only praying in a set place,
  
• or becoming materialistic and prideful.
  

Elder Donald L. Staheli of the Seventy emphasized the importance of daily consistency in the basics of the gospel:

"Daily fervent prayers seeking forgiveness and special help and direction are essential to our lives and the nourishment of our testimonies. When we become hurried, repetitive, casual, or forgetful in our prayers, we tend to lose the closeness of the Spirit, which is so essential in the continual direction we need to successfully manage the challenges of our everyday lives. Family prayer every morning and night adds additional blessings and power to our individual prayers and to our testimonies.

"Personal, sincere involvement in the scriptures produces faith, hope, and solutions to our daily challenges. Frequently reading, pondering, and applying the lessons of the scriptures, combined with prayer, become an irreplaceable part of gaining and sustaining a strong, vibrant testimony" (Ensign, Nov. 2004, 39).

I got to thinking about that and about how often I fall into the cycle of my personal prayers being somewhat repetitive, casual or forgetful. It got me thinking about the "basics". Some refer to them as the "Sunday School" answers. But they are the basic principles of the gospel, the simple way to stay close to Heavenly Father. I am and will be eternally grateful for this calling to teach Seminary and for my new found love for the scriptures and my knowledge that if I'm having a bad day or feeling a little far away from my Heavenly Father – then I've probably not spent enough time in prayer and scripture study. I love the Book of Mormon!

 

Now, back to the lesson for tomorrow…

After we talk about the Rameumptom and prayer and apostasy, I think we will talk about being SOM's.

Are you a SOM?

What is a SOM you might ask??

A Sunday Only Mormon.

Are you like the Zoramites who gather on one day of the week, recite a prayer, endure the 3 hour block of meetings and then return home not to think about God again until the next week when you go back and repeat the drill?

And then for fun I think we will draw a latter-day Rameumptom and come up with a teenage prayer…We'll see how it goes…I might post pictures of their pictures

Alma 8:18

Tomorrow in Seminary we will be talking about Alma chapter 8. I will introduce a new player to them in the story - Amulek. Hopefully we will have time to focus on Alma 8:18...

Alma has gone into the city of Ammonihah and tried to help the people understand their need for repentance. The people are angry with Alma ~ they reviled him, spit upon him and caused that he should be cast out of their city. As he was journeying towards the city of Aaron he is visited by an angel. The angel tells him... in verse 15...

"Blessed art thou, Alma, therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been fathful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him..."

The angel then tells Alma to return to the city of Ammonihah and again preach repentance to them. The angel tells Alma to say to the people "except they repent the Lord God will destroy them".

Those are pretty hard words. I'm not sure I would have the courage to say that to an entire city. Especially when they were angry already!

But here is the verse that I love...verse 18:

"Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah..."

Would I have had the courage to RETURN SPEEDILY? When the Lord asks something of me do I do it speedily?

President Henry B. Eyring taught that prompt obedience to the Lord is necessary to our spiritual well-being:

"However much faith to obey God we now have, we will need to strengthen it continually and keep it refreshed constantly. We can do that by deciding now to be more quick to obey and more determined to endure. Learning to start early and to be steady are the keys to spiritual preparation...

"A loving Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son have given us all the help They can to pass the test of life set before us. But we must decide to obey and then do it. We build the faith to pass the tests of obedience over time and through our daily choices. We can decide now to do quickly whatever God asks of us". (Ensign Nov. 2005, 38, 40)

Maybe, just maybe, my struggles wouldn't seem to last so long if I were better at prompt obedience and determined endurance. I truly do rejoice when I have "been faithful in keeping the commandments of God". As I ponder this I believe that "returning speedily" as quoted in Alma 8:18 is a commandment - speedy obedience!