Of You it is Required to Forgive
Chapter 23 from "Teachings of the Presidents of the Church George Albert Smith"
It is important to forgive others as well as ourselves. In addition to our manual we also discussed many excerpts from Elder Uchtdorf's talk "The Merciful Obtain Mercy". A link to the talk is provided below.
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-merciful-obtain-mercy?lang=eng&query=merciful+obtain+mercy
Christ is our perfect example. He has taught us how to forgive.
In Luke 23:34 we read Christs beautiful works "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
Even while suffering on the Cross, our Savior showed love and forgiveness to those who persecuted him.
As we obtain a greater understanding of the gospel and the Savior's Atonement, we will obtain a greater capacity to forgive others and ourselves.
If we want forgiveness we must forgive.
This can be learned form "The Parable of the Unrighteous Steward" found on page 249 of the manual or Matthew 18:23-35.
In this parable a man owes a large fortune to his master; not able to pay the debt, he asks for forgiveness. It is granted him, and he goes his way. Later he finds a man that owes him a small portion of money, and demands the payment without any thought to mercy. When the master finds out about this he brings in the unrighteous servant and punishes him.
We did an activity where hymn books were stacked in someones arms. This is like each time we don't forgive somebody. All the anger and burdens weigh us down spiritually, and hinder our ability to love others and feel the spirit. We must learn to let go of the burdens and the hurt and forgive. It will bring us true happiness.
From Elder Uchtdorf's talk we learned that God's love helps us to change and have our hearts softened, and that love allows us to forgive. Forgiveness is accepting Christ's Atonement because he will make everything right. In Romans 12:19-21 the last line says "overcome evil with good". There are many ways to do this whether it is through forgiving another, saying we are sorry, or even befriending those who wrong us.
May we all work on forgiving others and ourselves to find a greater happiness.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Sunday, December 2 2012
Trials of Your Faith
By Neil L. Anderson
Our Relief Society lesson this last week was from the conference talk given by Neil L. Anderson. Posted below is a link to the talk for those there on Sunday to review, and those who couldn't make it to read through if they would like.
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/trial-of-your-faith?lang=eng
Our faith is most important to us. From the talk we learn that our faith should be centered in Christ. We are given trials to show our faith and test our courage. Faith is active not passive, so when the hard times come we need to be prepared and act.
Reiterated throughout the lesson we learned to...
Stick to what we know, it will pull you through our trials.
In the talk were given two examples of people who had faith through their trials. The first was from a single woman and the second from a man.
“God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.”12 In the New Testament the Savior lifted the moral standard for His followers when He declared, “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”13 He taught us not to condemn others, but He was unafraid to speak directly: “Go,” He said, “and sin no more.”14
Another friend served an outstanding mission, followed by rigorous academic training. He hoped to have a family. His trial of faith: feelings of same-sex attraction. He wrote me recently: “I am promised in my patriarchal blessing that I will have my own family someday. Whether that will occur in this life or the next, I do not know. But what I do know is that I don’t want to do anything that will jeopardize the blessings God has promised both me and my future posterity. … Living [the law of chastity] is a challenge, but did we not come to earth to confront challenges and to show God our love and respect for Him by keeping His commandments? I am blessed with good health, the gospel, a loving family, and loyal friends. I am grateful for my many blessings.”16
Although they faced hardships, what made the difference for them?
In class we discussed:
By Neil L. Anderson
Our Relief Society lesson this last week was from the conference talk given by Neil L. Anderson. Posted below is a link to the talk for those there on Sunday to review, and those who couldn't make it to read through if they would like.
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/trial-of-your-faith?lang=eng
Our faith is most important to us. From the talk we learn that our faith should be centered in Christ. We are given trials to show our faith and test our courage. Faith is active not passive, so when the hard times come we need to be prepared and act.
Reiterated throughout the lesson we learned to...
Stick to what we know, it will pull you through our trials.
In the talk were given two examples of people who had faith through their trials. The first was from a single woman and the second from a man.
“God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.”12 In the New Testament the Savior lifted the moral standard for His followers when He declared, “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”13 He taught us not to condemn others, but He was unafraid to speak directly: “Go,” He said, “and sin no more.”14
Another friend served an outstanding mission, followed by rigorous academic training. He hoped to have a family. His trial of faith: feelings of same-sex attraction. He wrote me recently: “I am promised in my patriarchal blessing that I will have my own family someday. Whether that will occur in this life or the next, I do not know. But what I do know is that I don’t want to do anything that will jeopardize the blessings God has promised both me and my future posterity. … Living [the law of chastity] is a challenge, but did we not come to earth to confront challenges and to show God our love and respect for Him by keeping His commandments? I am blessed with good health, the gospel, a loving family, and loyal friends. I am grateful for my many blessings.”16
Although they faced hardships, what made the difference for them?
In class we discussed:
- Going to the temple to keep an eternal focus.
- Patriarchal blessings.
- Gratitude
- Write down what you know.
Satan will use pieces of truth to confuse us, and if we become complacent in our faith it will be much easier to fall. Remember Helaman 5:12 if we build on Christ we cannot fall. Stay close to the church when the trials come, for they will come, and we need the gospel most at these times. Put Christ first and everything else will fall into place. He will not leave us behind.
I will wrap this up with Elder Anderson's testimony:
With faith come trials of faith, bringing increased faith. The Lord’s comforting assurance to the Prophet Joseph Smith is the very same promise He makes to you in your trial of faith: “Hold on … , fear not … , for God shall be with you forever and ever.”28 Of this I bear my sacred witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sunday, November 18th Lesson
Bringing Up Children in Light and Truth
Chapter 22 from Teachings of the Presidents of the Church George Albert Smith
Some might be thinking this lesson isn't important for me at this point in my life, but there is something we can all learn from these words from George Albert Smith.
The family is the most important organization. This is not just true in the church, for the world. We can find important truths about the family in The Family: A Proclamation to the World. During our lesson we were challenged to read the Proclamation, and write down a list of what the gospel says about family responsibilities and blessings, and what the adversary is doing to destroy the family. For everyone's convenience here is a link to the Proclamation.
http://www.lds.org/Static%20Files/PDF/Manuals/TheFamily_AProclamationToTheWorld_35538_eng.pdf
We focused on 4 points to strengthen our families now and our future families.
1. We need to have an understanding and testimony of the gospel if we are going to teach it to our children.
Matthew 7:7 teaches us to search for answers, and study to know.
It is important to actively be searching and learning about the gospel.
Once we are baptized we have left neutral ground.
2. Children learn by example- Be your best self.
Page 233 of the text President Smith shares how he learned from the example of his parents, and how he remembers the patience of his mother in raising her children.
3. Create a miniature Zion in your home.
On page 240 of the lesson we are taught to "safe guard the rising generation" because if we as obligated members of a family don't, who or what will protect the children from the garbage of the world.
A way to create Zion at home is to have a picture of the Savior in every room of the house. Personally in my family we have a picture of a temple in every bedroom.
Not only should our home be like Zion, but our family is Zion. The people and interactions in our home can create our safe havens.
4. Gather family often, and study the gospel.
Even though we are not yet the wives and mothers of our own families, we are all part of a family, and we are all important members of Gods family.
If all these responsibilities seem overwhelming let us turn to Doctrine and Covenants 98:12. The Lord will teach us precept upon precept. He does't expect us to be perfect all at once, and he will help us achieve our worthy goals.
Chapter 22 from Teachings of the Presidents of the Church George Albert Smith
Some might be thinking this lesson isn't important for me at this point in my life, but there is something we can all learn from these words from George Albert Smith.
The family is the most important organization. This is not just true in the church, for the world. We can find important truths about the family in The Family: A Proclamation to the World. During our lesson we were challenged to read the Proclamation, and write down a list of what the gospel says about family responsibilities and blessings, and what the adversary is doing to destroy the family. For everyone's convenience here is a link to the Proclamation.
http://www.lds.org/Static%20Files/PDF/Manuals/TheFamily_AProclamationToTheWorld_35538_eng.pdf
We focused on 4 points to strengthen our families now and our future families.
1. We need to have an understanding and testimony of the gospel if we are going to teach it to our children.
Matthew 7:7 teaches us to search for answers, and study to know.
It is important to actively be searching and learning about the gospel.
Once we are baptized we have left neutral ground.
2. Children learn by example- Be your best self.
Page 233 of the text President Smith shares how he learned from the example of his parents, and how he remembers the patience of his mother in raising her children.
3. Create a miniature Zion in your home.
On page 240 of the lesson we are taught to "safe guard the rising generation" because if we as obligated members of a family don't, who or what will protect the children from the garbage of the world.
A way to create Zion at home is to have a picture of the Savior in every room of the house. Personally in my family we have a picture of a temple in every bedroom.
Not only should our home be like Zion, but our family is Zion. The people and interactions in our home can create our safe havens.
4. Gather family often, and study the gospel.
Even though we are not yet the wives and mothers of our own families, we are all part of a family, and we are all important members of Gods family.
If all these responsibilities seem overwhelming let us turn to Doctrine and Covenants 98:12. The Lord will teach us precept upon precept. He does't expect us to be perfect all at once, and he will help us achieve our worthy goals.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Sunday, November 11 Lesson
The Power of Kindness
Chapter 21 from Teachings of the Presidents of the Church George Albert Smith
President Smith's granddaughter tells a story of his kindness one hot summer day. Many workers came to fix a problem on the street President Smith lived on. As the day progressed the heat and the hard labor put the men in bad moods and they started using offensive language. One person came out to ask the men to stop using such foul language, but this only further upset the workers and they continued cussing. President Smith went outside with lemonade to the workers and said, "My friends, you look so hot and tired. Why don't you come and sit under my trees here and have a cool drink?" All anger soon left and after their break they returned to their work carefully and quietly.
What does George Albert Smith teach us in this simple example of kindness?
Something I learned was to lead by example. When we teach kindness through our actions more than through our words, others will follow our kind deeds.
Matthew 7:1-5
This scripture teaches us to righteously judge. "For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged."
On page 225 of the manual President Smith says, "You can find good in everyone if you will but look for it."
This is true! We all have an innate goodness within us. Let us take the time to find the goodness, not the faults, in others and ourselves. The more we get to know someone, the more we will love them and be able to so them kindness.
One last quote to end with:
"You can tell a lot about a persons relationship with Christ by the way they treat other people."
Have a wonderful week!
Chapter 21 from Teachings of the Presidents of the Church George Albert Smith
President Smith's granddaughter tells a story of his kindness one hot summer day. Many workers came to fix a problem on the street President Smith lived on. As the day progressed the heat and the hard labor put the men in bad moods and they started using offensive language. One person came out to ask the men to stop using such foul language, but this only further upset the workers and they continued cussing. President Smith went outside with lemonade to the workers and said, "My friends, you look so hot and tired. Why don't you come and sit under my trees here and have a cool drink?" All anger soon left and after their break they returned to their work carefully and quietly.
What does George Albert Smith teach us in this simple example of kindness?
Something I learned was to lead by example. When we teach kindness through our actions more than through our words, others will follow our kind deeds.
Matthew 7:1-5
This scripture teaches us to righteously judge. "For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged."
On page 225 of the manual President Smith says, "You can find good in everyone if you will but look for it."
This is true! We all have an innate goodness within us. Let us take the time to find the goodness, not the faults, in others and ourselves. The more we get to know someone, the more we will love them and be able to so them kindness.
One last quote to end with:
"You can tell a lot about a persons relationship with Christ by the way they treat other people."
Have a wonderful week!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Sunday, October 22nd Lesson
Sunday, October 22 2012
The lesson this week was Lesson 20, Temporal Salvation for Ourselves and Others, from Teaching of Presidents of the Church George Albert Smith.
The lesson this week was Lesson 20, Temporal Salvation for Ourselves and Others, from Teaching of Presidents of the Church George Albert Smith.
We started out with the story about the Grasshopper and the Ant. Throughout the summer and the harvest the ant worked hard to make sure he had enough food to provide for his needs during the winter. The grasshopper spent his time playing, and when the winter came he had no food stored up to survive.
I think we will a agree we need and want to be like the ant.
We all have our agency and get to choose whether we will be like the ant or the grasshopper.
D&C 93:30-31
- This scripture tell us of our agency, which we had even while we were just intelligence's. It also reminds us that with our agency comes accountability.
Why are we required to work?
D&C 42:42
- We cannot expect a reward we did not work for.
D&C 75:29
- It is a commandment from the Lord
Genesis 3:19
- In the beginning Adam worked.
From the reading (page 216) George Albert Smith said he found joy in working. We truly can find joy in our accomplishments.
In our quest toward temporal salvation comes self reliance and family reliance.
Self Reliance
Learning- continually learning
Testimony- building our own testimony
Work- includes improving our skills so we can take care of ourselves whether through a job or just knowing how to fix the toilet.
Emergency Preparedness- so we don't have to freak out in bad situations
Financial- tithing is very important
Family Reliance
The Proclamation to the World: The Family- it speaks of our roles and family duties
Charity- serving and loving others
Gifts of the Spirit- blessing others through our gifts
Enjoy these notes from the lesson!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Sunday, Sept 30th's Lesson...
Hey Sisters...
I just wanted to put up some of the main quotes/ideas from today's lesson so you have them available to you...
From the 13th Article of Faith we learn that...
"We Believe in being Honest & True"
I hope that in our ward we will be able to be honest and true with each other. I want you to feel like you can be honest about how things are going in your lives!!! We want to share in your joys and in your sorrows. =)
One BIG truth I hope you will remember is....
“Being single does not mean you have to put off being happy!"
During the lesson we also talked about the fact that
"Your Once Upon A Time Is Now!!!"
and that....
"You are unrepeatable... There is magic about you that is all your own."
President Uchtdorf taught us....
"On the first page of your Young Women Personal Progress book, you will find these words: “You are a beloved daughter of Heavenly Father, prepared to come to the earth at this particular time for a sacred and glorious purpose.”
Sisters, those words are true! They are not made up in a fairy tale! Isn’t it remarkable to know that our eternal Heavenly Father knows you, hears you, watches over you, and loves you with an infinite love? In fact, His love for you is so great that He has granted you this earthly life as a precious gift of “once upon a time,” complete with your own true story of adventure, trial, and opportunities for greatness, nobility, courage, and love. And, most glorious of all, He offers you a gift beyond price and comprehension. Heavenly Father offers to you the greatest gift of all—eternal life—and the opportunity and infinite blessing of your own “happily ever after.”
We then focused on one of President Uchtdorf's Forget-Me-Nots...
Forget Not To Be Happy Now...
I hope that we can remember
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass... It’s about learning to dance in the rain. =)
Another quote from President Ucthdorf... (he's pretty amazing!)
"The lesson here is that if we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us. This is not to say that we should abandon hope or temper our goals. Never stop striving for the best that is within you. Never stop hoping for all of the righteous desires of your heart. But don’t close your eyes and hearts to the simple and elegant beauties of each day’s ordinary moments that make up a rich, well-lived life.
The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments. They are the ones who, thread by daily thread, weave a tapestry of gratitude and wonder throughout their lives. These are they who are truly happy.
And last but not least we spoke about how President Monson has counseled us to
And last but not least we spoke about how President Monson has counseled us to
Find Joy in the Journey...
My thought to go along with finding joy in the journey was...
If life were easy, where would all the adventures be?
I want to include a couple of quotes here that we were not able to get to in the lesson... I think they can really apply to many of our lives and help us keep perspective!
Elder Oaks... Speaking of his own life said...
"How fundamentally different my life is than I had sought to plan. My professional life has changed. My personal life has changed. But the commitment I made to the Lord -- to put Him first in my life and to be ready for whatever He would have me do -- has carried me through these changes of eternal importance... It never ceases to amaze me that even when we plan out our lives to match up what we think would please our Heavenly Father we very rarely get the plan quite right! It's a good thing he is willing to make changes to our plans even when we don't understand the changes! It allows us to grow and become so much more than we ever would have made of ourselves had we stuck to our original plan!"
Elder Maxwell?
"The issue for us is trusting God enough to trust also in His timing. If we can truly believe that He has our welfare at heart, may we not let His plans unfold as He thinks best? Since faith in the timing of the Lord may be tried, let us learn to say not only"Thy will be done," but patiently also, "Thy timing be done." Indeed we cannot have true faith in the Lord without also having complete trust in His will and in His timing."
"How fundamentally different my life is than I had sought to plan. My professional life has changed. My personal life has changed. But the commitment I made to the Lord -- to put Him first in my life and to be ready for whatever He would have me do -- has carried me through these changes of eternal importance... It never ceases to amaze me that even when we plan out our lives to match up what we think would please our Heavenly Father we very rarely get the plan quite right! It's a good thing he is willing to make changes to our plans even when we don't understand the changes! It allows us to grow and become so much more than we ever would have made of ourselves had we stuck to our original plan!"
Elder Maxwell?
"The issue for us is trusting God enough to trust also in His timing. If we can truly believe that He has our welfare at heart, may we not let His plans unfold as He thinks best? Since faith in the timing of the Lord may be tried, let us learn to say not only"Thy will be done," but patiently also, "Thy timing be done." Indeed we cannot have true faith in the Lord without also having complete trust in His will and in His timing."
I hope that we will all be able to learn to TRUST God completely with our lives and know that as we allow him to work in our lives, all will work out for our own good. I have such a strong testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ. He is our brother and our friend who suffered so much so that he might be able to say to us... I've been where you have been and I get the pain you feel and the hurt you are dealing with. =)
In the lesson I shared this little thought and I love it because it is so true!!!
When you feel like you are drowning in life, don't worry, your lifeguard walks on water.
Christ does walk on water and he will always be there for you. He is so willing to get down in the trenches with us and help us through this life. If he wasn't willing, he would not have come to this earth to suffer in the first place! I love this gospel SOOO much! I'm honored that the Lord trusts me to serve the sisters in the 9th Ward and I can't wait to get to know all of you better. Please, please, please come introduce yourself to me!!!
Blog to you soon!
Wendy =)
Meet the New Presidency!!! =)
President -- Wendy Larsen
Meet Wendy...
She graduated from Utah Valley University with a bachelor's in Hospitality Management! Why hospitality management?!?! Because she loves to travel. =) For now, she does not use her degree, but is a licensed health insurance agent and works for her dad @ LSS Insurance Agency. One of her greatest loves in this life is CHILDREN... (especially black babies!!!) She's been very blessed to have 2 adorable nieces and a nephew. She recently found out there is another niece on the way and can't wait to meet her! She served a full time mission in the Greece Athens Mission and tries her best to keep up on her Greek skills. =) When life isn't too crazy, she enjoys being outdoors especially when there is a campfire involved, scrapbooking, playing cards with her grandma, and whatever else fits in the mix!
1st Counselor -- Keni Stuart
Meet Keni... She's a senior going into Residential Landscape Design and Construction at Utah State. After graduation she hopes to start the masters program in Landscape Architecture. She is an Ag Ambassador and loves recruiting for the College of Ag. It's the best college on campus! She's an active member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and she cherishes the many relationships she's made through the organization. She loves mountain biking, camping, riding her motorcycle and spending time with friends and family!!!
2nd Counselor -- Sarah Bragg
Meet Sarah...
She was born in San Jose, CA, but I spent
most of her life growing up in West Richland, WA. She is the middle child
with one older sister and one younger sister. Some of you will remember her younger sister Jenny who used to be in our ward and is now serving in
the Salt Lake City Spanish speaking Mission. The rest of her family
still lives in Washington. Right after high school she trained to get her private pilot's license, and after completing that she decided she should
probably go to school. She came out to Logan to come to Utah State,
because her grandpa taught here as an economics professor. She has been
going to college on and off because she couldn't decide what she wanted to
do. While being frustrated with life, she went away to live in Juneau,
Alaska for awhile. In Juneau she worked as a Sea Kayak tour guide on an
island east of the mainland. She very nearly decided to stay up there and
be a Guide the rest of her life, but she knew that wouldn't be practical. She came back to finish school, and will head back up to Alaska as soon as she is done.
She is now studying Anthroplogy/Archaeology at Utah State. If
all goes well she will be done in May! She has been asked what Archaeology
is many times so if your wondering it is not digging up dinosaur bones,
thats paleontology. Archaelogy is the study of past humans and
civilizations and invovles excavation of human remains, occupation
sites, settlements, structures, and anything they threw out (old trash)
that will tell us about how they lived and who they were. After she graduates she hopes to move back to Alaska, and find work for a private
Archaeological firm and to continue her flight training for her instrument
and commercial licenses. While she is attending school she works full time
in the produce department at Lees Marketplace. If she has spare time she enjoys flying (airplanes), kayaking, rock climbing, archery, hiking,
shooting things with her gun, and relaxing with a good book! She loves being
alone and doing these things on her own which has made her a bit socially
awkward. She knows this calling will be a huge stuggle for her to overcome
being antisocial and timid. She will definitely need your girl's help! She thanks you for the love and acceptance she has already felt from
many of you. It helps strengthen her so much! She is anxious to meet and to
learn about all you ladies!
Secretary -- Stefanie Rieben
Meet Stefanie...
She was born and raised here in Logan, UT. She attended USU and graduated with a Master's degree in speech-language pathology. She now teaches speech therapy at Wilson Elementary here in Logan, where she works with 50-60 students. It keeps her very busy, but she loves it! Some of her hobbies include reading, baking, watching movies, and traveling. This summer she flew out to San Francisco and toured Chinatown and the Golden Gate Bridge and ate the most scrumptious chocolate-dipped ice cream cone at Ghirardelli Square and clam chowder in a bread bowl at Pier 39! Some of her other favorite places to visit have been Hawaii, Nauvoo, and Disneyland! But her favorite past time of all is spending time with her family. She has two amazing younger brothers (twins) and the world's most awesome parents! She loves the Gospel and has a testimony of her Savior and His Atonement and love for each and every one of us. She is excited to get to know all the girls in the 9th ward!
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