"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 :)
Saturday, February 27, 2010
The Title of Liberty
This was a fun lesson...
I hung them from the ceiling in the room ~ their artwork makes nice decorations :)
- Talking about the Title of Liberty
- Talking about what we would fight for
- Making our own Title of Liberty
Making their banners
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)
“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). . . .
So I armored them ~ so to speak ~ or at least one of them... (Kara)
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)
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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!
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!
Monday, February 1, 2010
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!
“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).
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 :)
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 :)
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