service and the Holy Ghost

Our Constant Companion  

By President Henry B. Eyring

"If you want to receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost, you must want it for the right reasons. Your purposes must be the Lord’s purposes. If your motives are too selfish, you will find it difficult to receive and sense the promptings of the Spirit."

This reminded me of my youngest when he was about 3 years old. He hid the shovels at Kindergarten (pre-school) so he and his friends could have them. He then prayed that no one else would find them. They weren't there the next day. When he came home and told me about it, we talked about praying for selfish things instead of good and kind things.

Pres eyring then tells of a woman making some bad decisions. Her mother and home teachers were made aware of the situation through inspiration. He then says, "The Holy Ghost had been sent to those home teachers because they were willing to serve the Lord."

1 nephi 3:7

The willingness to act is essential. 

Doctrine & Covenants 121:45-46

Power will distill upon you. It takes repeated action. Sometimes things seem to be moving very slowly or not at all. There's a reason patience is a virtue. It's difficult but necessary. 

Doctrine & Covenants 64:32-33

*Our Constant Companion

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/47eyring?lang=eng

the prodigal in all of us

The Prodigal and the Road That Leads Home  

By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Luke 15:18-32

"It wasn’t just an empty stomach that troubled him. It was an empty soul."

We watched a broadcast for the youth/ysa's of central Europe today. Some of the things they said fit perfectly with elder Uchtdorf's talk.

Elder newman said to make the decision to follow Christ and then don't stop. When you stop or look around, you feel the pull of the world more fully. Don't stop striving.

The prodigal son seems to have stopped and looked around. He was drawn away.

Elder Steven Lund asked why people leave the church and why do you stay? This could go back to Elder Newman's statements.   

Elder Lund then talks about missionary work. He said good missionaries aren't asking if they can teach someone. They are asking how a person's life is going. We can then offer them peace from the stress and chaos in their lives.   

Back to Elder Uchtdorf :"Who among us has not departed from the path of holiness, foolishly thinking we could find more happiness going our own self-centered way?"

Maybe sometimes we need to ask ourselves how we're doing. Like in elder Joni L Koch's talk, the taxi driver asked if he had done all he could to solve the situation. We might ask ourselves if there is pride, bad habits, etc that need rooted out. Then, we have to leave things in the hands of God. That's hard sometimes. We might worry or fret about something even though we've done all we can do. I think that's another way satan distracts us. We have to offer ourselves peace sometimes. 

Hebrews 4:6

Doc & Cov 6:36

Alma 58:32-33

"Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal." - Come Ye Disconsolate, hymn 115

come to know your Father

God Knows and Loves You  

By Elder Alan T. Phillips

Religion is not only about our relationship with God; it is also about our relationship with each other. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained that the English word religion comes from the Latin religare, meaning “to tie” or, more literally, “to re-tie.” Thus, “true religion [is] the tie that binds us to God and to each other.”

President Russell M. Nelson teaches, “The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire.”

Are we passively attending church or actively creating communities whose purpose is to worship, remember Christ, and minister to one another?

**

This made me think of a conversation that I've had several times. As parents we try to figure out how to advise our children as they get older. We struggle to find a balance between offering our testimony and experience without treating tweens, teens, and adults like little children. As a parent I might paraphrase "am i passively telling my child my opinion or actively trying to help them come to Christ and seek his will in making decisions ". One thing I constantly remember is Matt 7:9-11. If I love my children in my imperfect way, how much more does God love them? It's the same with missionary work. It's not my job to change or convince people. It's my job to open the door for the Spirit. It's my job to offer a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Elder Phillips says, "Jesus Christ wants you to know and have a relationship with your Father in Heaven."

This change in perspective has changed me. It's changed me as a person, mother, sister, daughter, friend, and missionary. It's allowed me to share God's love without pressure or expectation. It's given me more faith and trust in the Lord. My trust and appreciation of God, my Father has increased. My understanding of our relationship has been expanded. I hope you'll seek a closer relationship with Jesus Christ and allow Him to bring you to our Father.

keep striving

The Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Every Day  

By Elder Joaquin E. Costa

"At times, having faith in Jesus Christ may seem like something impossible, almost unattainable. We may think that coming unto Christ requires a strength, power, and perfection we don’t have, and we just can’t find the energy to do it all."

I feel that sometimes. I have found that as elder costa says, "faith in Jesus Christ is what gives us the energy..."

We don’t come to Jesus because we are perfect. We come to Him because we are flawed and in Him we can “be perfected.”

Moroni 10:32

He then asks, "How do we begin exercising a little bit of faith every day?". He talks about the primary answers, prayer, scriptures, sacrament... I've found that sometimes I'm flailing even though I'm doing these things. It's usually because I'm only doing the minimums. Minimums are not striving. Sometimes they are a necessary place holder when there isn't strength to do more. Sometimes the minimum is our best but after we've regained some energy, we have to strive again. Not conquer. Not do everything. Just strive. Just 1% more than the minimum. 

If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.

Martin Luther King Jr.

I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns. I find myself loving more intensely those whom I must love with all my heart and mind and strength, and loving them more, I find it easier to abide their counsel.

Spencer W. Kimball

give more, not less

not your least, give your best

karee ogden

the treasure box

we all have some kind of treasure box, scrapbook or something that we keep our precious memories in.



you can go back and open the box and remember those things again. it's like reopening a gift.



a journal is like a memory box. you fill it with inspiration, trials, lessons learned, and sacred moments. those things can be opened again to remind you of precious and sacred times in your life.

The Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Chapter 6: The Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

i have a gift for you today, some assembly required

paper -

the first piece is a piece of white paper. i know, it's an expensive and impressive gift.

what can you do with it?????????

you can fold it and cut it and crumple it up but that isn't what it was invented for. that isn't its purpose. paper is for writing on. it is for recording information.

this paper actually represents something you already have, or rather what you are. this piece of paper represents your spirit. it is clean and white and waiting for information to be written on it. it is waiting for experience.

pencil -

what can you do with the pencil alone????????

you can throw it and poke your neighbor with it, make some kind of craft with it, but that isn't its purpose either.

a pencil is for writing or drawing. it is for recording information.

the pencil represents your body. the body is sturdy and makes a mark on anything it touches. the body moves through mortality having experiences and recording this experience on your spirit. that is why we are here.

just as a pencil and paper are meant to be together, so are a spirit and body. neither can fulfill their true purpose without the other.

2 Nephi 2:23

And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

#1

“In the glorious dawn of Easter morning, when the thoughts of the Christian world are turned to the resurrection of Jesus for a few fleeting moments, let us express appreciation to our Heavenly Father for the great plan of salvation that has been provided for us.”

this is the plan of salvation. our spirits came to earth to receive bodies. in life we experience joy and sorrow. we learn new talents and commit sin. our spirit papers are waiting for experience.

i'm going to give you a moment to write down at least one of each of these that are important in your life right now.

at least one joy, one sorrow or worry, one talent you are using or developing, and one sin you are struggling with. these are yours, we are not sharing them so it should be things that are personal and meaningful to you.

----------time---------

keep these things in mind today and apply the lesson to those things.

pres hunter loved the holy land. he was often there. as he shares his thoughts when visiting special places there, we will travel with him and hopefully gain a deeper understanding and testimony on our journey.

my next gift to you.

blood / sacrament

#2

I have stood in the garden of Gethsemane on many occasions. I’ve contemplated in my mind the suffering, the agony of the Savior—that agony that was experienced when our Heavenly Father permitted him, in a way our minds cannot even comprehend, to take upon himself the pain and sins of all mankind. My soul was filled with sorrow as I’ve thought of his great sacrifice for mankind.

Matt 26:27 - 28

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Mosiah 3:7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

----------time----------

the next piece of your gift-----------cross / nails------

#3

I’ve stood beneath Golgotha, the place of the skull, and contemplated the humiliation of the crucifixion which led to our Savior’s mortal death, but which brought to pass his and all mankind’s immortality. And again my soul has been subdued.

John 10:17-18

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

John 19:28 and 30
28 ¶After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

i did a lot of studying trying to find one or two scriptures to represent the crucifixion. 2 stuck out to me.

over and over, it says, "that the scripture might be fulfilled". these things were not done to Him outside of His control. He allowed it. not only did he allow it, He made sure every mortal and spiritual obligation was fulfilled. He made sure His death prepared the way for us, down to the tiniest detail. He was filling list of the demands of justice, that we might have mercy.

#4

Think of it! When his body was taken from the cross and hastily placed in a borrowed tomb, he, the sinless Son of God, had already taken upon him not only the sins and temptations of every human soul who will repent, but all of our sickness and grief and pain of every kind. He suffered these afflictions as we suffer them, according to the flesh. He suffered them all. He did this to perfect his mercy and his ability to lift us above every earthly trial.

----------time-----------

-----------------tomb-------------gift---------------

#5

And I’ve stood in front of the garden tomb and imagined that glorious day of resurrection when the Savior emerged from the tomb alive, resurrected, immortal. In that contemplation my heart has swelled with joy.

#6

Without the Resurrection, the gospel of Jesus Christ becomes a litany of wise sayings and seemingly unexplainable miracles—but sayings and miracles with no ultimate triumph. No, the ultimate triumph is in the ultimate miracle: for the first time in the history of mankind, one who was dead raised himself into living immortality. He was the Son of God, the Son of our immortal Father in Heaven, and his triumph over physical and spiritual death is the good news every Christian tongue should speak.

although the tomb is empty, all of the things Christ did are contained in it.

just as Christ left behind His mortality when He emerged immortal from the tomb, we leave all of our sorrows, sins and pains of this world behind as we partake of the sacrament and His atonement.

--------------blood and nail in tomb----------

#7

Christ’s resurrection ushers in the blessing of immortality and the possibility of eternal life. His empty tomb proclaims to all the world, “He is not here, but is risen.” (Luke 24:6.) These words contain all the hope, assurance, and belief necessary to sustain us in our challenging and sometimes grief-filled lives.

we will someday also rise from the tomb. we will leave our mortal life behind to be immortal and live with Him forever.

------------spirit and pencil in tomb------------------

----------passalong card----------------https://www.mormon.org/easter

my last gift to you, is an invitation. i invite you to search the scriptures and read about Christ's Atonement. search for the many details and effort Christ went to to pay for us fully.

i encourage you to share this gift with others.

#8

It is the responsibility and joy of all men and women everywhere to “seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have [testified]” (Ether 12:41) and to have the spiritual witness of his divinity. It is the right and blessing of all who humbly seek, to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness of the Father and his resurrected Son.

it is my testimony that no matter how dark the hour, day, weeks may seem, Jesus Christ has taken the path before us. He has carried it all before He has asked us to. He carries the majority of the load if we will but allow Him to.

**************how to****************

if anyone wants to make their own set, i just copied and pasted the sacrament prayers from doc and cov 20 .   77 is the bread and 79 is the water.  i changed the wine to water to make it what it is today.   (less miraculous in this case than it was biblically)      i used craft pins, not a sewing pin for the nail in the prayer for the bread and drop of red paint watered down for the red spot to represent the blood.   

the tomb is a coloring page from the church i edited it so i had a top to put on the envelope flap.   

you can see in the picture that the top of the tomb would be gone with the stone in place, the envelope closed without that extra piece.   i got two on a page by printing them as 5x7 size . . .  .( i think).   i had to play with the size a bit so it would fit my envelopes.   envelopes with a triangle flap work better so you have room for the top of the tomb and the stone to overlap.   

we used wood, bricks and stones to color on.  i made 50 for my lesson so the different under textures let us mix it up a bit.  

if possible, leave time at the end for testimonies, be sure to bare your testimony.  

i hope you enjoy this lesson and can feel the Spirit of the Lord in it.   

helaman 8-9

hel 8-9

as i hear nephi giving his speech about the sins of the people and then suddenly go into, "go check out what just happened to your judge", i wonder if he was surprised by this statement himself. i have made some large statements that were put into my mouth in the very moment i needed them and felt like that. "what did i just say?", "i just made this statement that i have no idea about".   fortunately, the Lord tends to give testimony to the person saying it well as the ones hearing it so we are left with the wonderment of what just came from our mouths without some reassurance.  

 it happens that nephi's life hangs on this surprise prophecy.   to top it off, it ends up with his life depending on further prophecy concerning the matter.    of course, he is given further signs for the people, really really specific signs.   i imagine nephi was relying heavily on the reassurance of the Spirit in this situation.

it reminds me of the prophecy of pres lorenzo snow regarding the drought and tithing. he prays and asks God why he was prompted to give this promise and prayed that it would be fulfilled. the church is young and having trouble. pulling it out of debt rests on his shoulders. the people are suffering because of drought but then he spits out this wild prophecy at conference. there was no warning, it's like God hijacks his mouth.   then even the prophet has to wait for it to happen, he has to sit back and watch and hope he hasn't lost his mind by saying something like this. his faith is required as much as the faith of the people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LJuITHtbJo

alma 19-20 - faithful women

alma 19 - 20
so much happens in these two chapters. some of my favorite women are introduced.
the queen is ready to fight off anyone that says her husband is dead. 19:4-5, 11-12 (i love her!)
the queens maid, who has been secretly converted for years, grabs the missionary opportunity by the horns.19:16-17,

i find the mention of the servant interesting in relation to the queen. 19:28-31 her servant being a convert must have had some sort of influence to prepare the queen for this experience. so often we don't see the seeds we are planting, we don't see the fruit of seeds we plant, we don't see the many things that have been done to prepare those we see converted. i look to abish for example when i feel the loneliness of being the only member family in our town and the surrounding towns. i have to try and just keep planting, hoping to see some fruit in my lifetime.

alma 16-17

alma 16 - 17

the prophecy of the destruction of ammonihah comes to pass in a really icky way. i know, that's a really technical term but even though the non-wicked captives that were taken from around the city were later retrieved, everyone alive, the inhabitants of the wicked city were slaughtered and left to rot. (verse 9-11) see? i told you, icky.

the chief capt, zoram, listens to the prophets. (verse 2-6) the head of the army goes and asks for direction from the prophet! this guidance helps him retrieve the captives and beat back the lamanites. what a contrast! the people of ammonihah threw out the prophet, ignored the prophecy of destruction and paid the price. the leader of the nephites army did not just rely on his prowess but instead asked the prophet for guidance. he didn't ask for advice, he went with his high officers who also were his sons and asked point blank, "where should we go, what should we do?". wow! i want to live in that society.

in the next chapter, the sons of mosiah also show their trust in the Lord. they simply go into the land of the people that are constantly trying to destroy them, pray, and then split up to go preach. verse 3. this includes my favorite story. ammon cuts off the arms of the marauders to protect the flocks of the king. verse 26 - 39. . . that brings us back to icky.