The Relief Society Lesson Outline from 11-21-2010

The Gift of the Holy Ghost

What is the difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost?

Quote 1:
The Prophet Joseph Smith explained: “There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this … ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him.” 5

Bike Analogy:

-Draw picture. The stars above us represent the light of Christ – that helps us to be able to distinguish between right and wrong, truth and error, and one manifestation of it is our conscience. The light of Christ is given to EVERYONE. Then there are lamp-posts along our way that represent the power of the Holy Ghost and how anyone can feel that power at certain times in their lives, such as when they hear the truth being spoken or when praying to know if something is true.  However, there is still much darkness around us. Where my husband served his mission, all the bikes that they rode had lights on them, and the light represents the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is something we can have with us all the time, but we have to be peddling in order for this light to stay bright.

I like this analogy because the Gift of the Holy Ghost is exactly that, a gift that we’ve been given, but once we have it, it doesn’t just stay with us, we have to receive that gift into our lives, and that requires action, by working for it every single day.

Q: So what must we do to receive the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost?
-Faith
-Baptism
-Repentance
-Baptism by immersion
-Worthy (keep thoughts and actions pure)
-Obey the commandments
-Receive the gift - we all have been given gifts in our lives, but if we don’t use them, we lose those gifts or talents. The same thing happens with the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Quote 2:
The gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the right to receive the Holy Ghost as a constant companion, is obtained only upon condition of faith in Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion, and the laying on of hands by authorized servants endowed with the Melchizedek Priesthood. It is a most precious gift available only to worthy members of the Lord’s Church... As with all gifts, this gift must be received and accepted to be enjoyed. When priesthood hands were laid upon your head to confirm you a member of the Church, you heard the words, “Receive the Holy Ghost.” This did not mean that the Holy Ghost unconditionally became your constant companion. Scriptures warn us that the Spirit of the Lord will “not always strive with man.” When we are confirmed, we are given the right to the companionship of the Holy Ghost, but it is a right that we must continue to earn through obedience and worthiness. We cannot take this gift for granted.

What are some things that can make it so the Spirit cannot “strive with man”?
-sin, in any form
-indifference
-busyness (not making time for the Lord)
-ignoring promptings

Question: So what if you’re in a rut? (And I know everyone has felt this -- I sure have!) What if you think you haven’t felt the Spirit in awhile, how do you get out of it? Especially this time of year, in between the general conference highs, when it’s cold outside and you know, some of us may be suffering from the winter blues, how do we get out of that?



Q: How can we recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives?

It is through the power of the Holy Ghost that visions, dreams, and prophecies usually come. But -it is in a quiet, almost unnoticeable way. That is why we often refer to him as the still small voice. (See 1 Kings 19:11–12.)
-we may have feelings of peace, right, and sureness. It is a warm, good feeling. (warm fuzzy, right)

I want each of you to imagine that someone you’re talking to has never experienced what salt tastes like. How would you describe it to them?

It’s hard! There are some things like the taste of salt, that we can really only recognize by and through our own experiences, by tasting it for ourselves. The same thing goes for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Some may have visions or dreams, whereas some of us it may only come as a fleeting thought. With practice, we can feel confident recognizing his presence.
   
President Thomas S. Monson counseled us: “We watch. We wait. We listen for that still, small voice. When it speaks, wise men and women obey. Promptings of the Spirit are not to be postponed.”

If we want to learn to recognize the spirit, we have to be ready to listen to it.

Quote 3:
The following story of how the Holy Ghost helped Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Council of the Twelve Apostles:
“One of my earliest childhood recollections is of riding a horse through an apple orchard. The horse was tame and well broken, and I felt at home in the saddle.
“But one day something frightened my [horse], and he bolted through the orchard. I was swept from the saddle by the overhanging limbs, and one leg slipped down through the stirrup. I desperately hung to an almost broken leather strap that a cowboy uses to tie a lariat to his saddle. My weight should have broken the strap, but somehow it held for the moment. Another lunge or two of the stampeding horse would have broken the strap or wrenched it from my hands and left me to be dragged to injury or death with my foot entangled in the stirrup.
“Suddenly the horse stopped, and I became aware that someone was holding the bridle tightly and attempting to calm the quivering animal. Almost immediately I was snatched up into the arms of my father.
“What had happened? What had brought my father to my rescue in the split second before I slipped beneath the hoofs of my panic-driven horse?
“My father had been sitting in the house reading the newspaper when the Spirit whispered to him, ‘Run out into the orchard!’
“Without a moment’s hesitation, not waiting to learn why or for what reason, my father ran. Finding himself in the orchard without knowing why he was there, he saw the galloping horse and thought, I must stop this horse.
“He did so and found me. And that is how I was saved from serious injury or possible death” (“Hearken to the Spirit,” Friend, Sept. 1972, p. 10).

Have any of you had experiences where the gift of the Holy Ghost has helped you or someone that you know? It doesn’t have to be something extremely personal, but if anyone has something that they’d like to share with us?


The last thing I want to point out is how precious this gift is!

Quote 4:
In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord calls the gift of the Holy Ghost “the unspeakable gift.” 6 It is the source of testimony and spiritual gifts. It enlightens minds, fills our souls with joy, 7 teaches us all things, and brings forgotten knowledge to our remembrance. 8 The Holy Ghost also “will show unto [us] all things what [we] should do.” 9 President James E. Faust added that the gift of the Holy Ghost “is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world.” 10

We literally have a member of the Godhead that ministers to us.

Question: How will you help your children gain a testimony of that gift?

Testimony
The next time you renew your baptismal covenant by taking the
sacrament, listen to the promise: when you always remember your Savior and keep His
commandments, you will always have His Spirit to be with you (see D&C 20:77, 79).

Relief Society Lesson 11-14-2010

Baptism

Lesson 20

The Commandment to be baptized

·         Why must we be baptized?

(1)  Baptism is one of the first ordinances of the gospel.  We must be baptized for the remission of our sins.  When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, repent, and are baptized, our sins are forgiven through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  We must be baptized to become Members of the Church of Jesus Christ.

1.       For the Remission of our sins

2.       To become Members of the Church of Jesus Christ

3.       We can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost

4.       To show Obedience

5.       To enter into the Celestial Kingdom

The Correct Mode of Baptism

·         How should we be baptized?

(2)  The proper priesthood authority has to be obtained.  The Prophet Joseph Smith said that a person having the proper priesthood authority to baptize “shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself for baptism…Then shall he immerse him in the water and com forth again our of the water” (D&C20-73-74)

(3)  Immersion is necessary.  The Apostle Paul taught that being immersed in water and coming out again is symbolic of death, burial, and resurrection.  After baptism we start a new life.  Baptism by immersion by a person having the proper authority is the only acceptable way of being baptized.

·         Why is authority to perform a baptism important?

·         In what ways is baptism by immersion like the burial and Resurrection of the Savior?

Baptism at the Age of Accountability

·         Who should be baptized?

(4)  Every person who has reached eight years of age and is accountable (responsible) for his or her actions should be baptized.  Some churches teach that little children should be baptized.  This is not in keeping with the teachings of the Savior.  The prophet Mormon said that it is mockery before God to baptize little children, because they are not capable of sinning.  Likewise, it is not required of people who are mentally incapable of knowing right and wrong.  All other people are to be baptized.  We must receive the ordinance of baptism and remain true to the covenants we make at that time. 

·         What might you say to a friend who believes that infants need to be baptized?

We make covenants when we are baptized

(5)  Alma explained that we must want to be called the people of God.  We must be willing to help and comfort each other.  We must stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places.  As we do these things and are baptized, God will forgive our sins.  Alma told the people who believed his teachings about the gospel.

(6)  “Behold, here are the waters of Mormon…And now, as ye are desirous to become into the fold of God, and to be called his people…what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?” The people clapped their hands for joy and said it was their desire to be baptized.  Alma baptized them in the Waters of Mormon. (See Mosiah 18:7-17)

(7)  “At baptism we make a covenant with our Heavenly Father that we are willing to come into His kingdom and keep His commandments from that time forward, even though we still live in the world. When we understand our baptismal covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will change our lives and will establish our total allegiance to the kingdom of God. When temptations come our way, if we will listen, the Holy Ghost will remind us that we have promised to remember our Savior and obey the commandments of God.” (Elder Hales, 2001)

Alma taught that when we are baptized we make covenants with the Lord to:

1.       Come into the fold of God

2.       Bear one another’s burdens

3.       Stand as witnesses of God

4.       Serve God and keep His commandments

When we are baptized and keep the covenants of baptism, the Lord promises to:

1.       Forgive our sins

2.       Pour out His spirit more abundantly upon us

3.       Give us daily guidance and the help of the Holy Ghost

4.       Let us come forth in the First Resurrection

5.       Give us eternal life

·         What do you think it means to bear one another’s burdens? To stand as a witness of God?

Devotional February 10, 2009

• John 14:26 "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
• He provided the sacrifice, for He will stand at the gates; "keeper of the gate"
• He is untouched of sins
• We tend to compare our weak points with others strengths-don't do this, it's Satan's way of bringing us down.
• We must be honest with ourselves
• D&C 8:10 "Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith, Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not"
• "Where Can I Turn for Peace" (Hymn #129)

How an Attitude of Gratitude Can Help Strengthen our Marriages

Remember the talks that my husband and I gave on Sunday?
Here is his notes for his talk..Enjoy!

• "Attitude" of Gratitude
• It's more than just saying "Thank you"
• Gratitude must be sincere
• We show sincerity through our actions, as well as words, and that sincerity must be present at all times and not just after someone has done something for you.

• Gratitude to the Lord
• Why are we told to "remember" so often in the scriptures?
• Remembering a lot of times represents gratitude

• What are we "remembering?"
• To keep the commandments
• To build our lives on Christ
• To remember what the Lord has done for us

• King Benjamin emphasized the importance of gratitude in conjunction with service
• Mosiah 2:18-21

• Why/What else do we remember?
• It is part of our Baptismal Covenant to always remember the Sacrifice of the Atonement made by Christ
• Christ describes this in 3 Nephi 18:11

• When we forget, that's when problems start
• Laman and Lemuel
• 1 Nephi 7:11
• 1 Nephi 17:45
• "Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God"

• Children of Israel
• Another example of a lack in "sincere" gratitude
• Read Headings to Exodus 14-17
• Moses goes into Sinai, they quickly forget and worship a golden calf
• One of the main reasons for the lower law of Moses was so that the people would remember God!
• Deuteronomy 6:7-9

• Good examples of those who remembered to be grateful
• Story of Leper who returned
• Luke 17:12-19
• All 10 were obedient
• Was truly grateful and blessed for it.

• There are many good examples of gratitude in the scriptures
• Christ, Himself, is another good example
• Disciples are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost; he commands them to pray, and then he prays
• 3 Nephi 19:20
• the Disciples continued to pray unceasingly; Jesus prays again
• 3 Nephi 19:28
• Christ was the perfect example of gratitude

• Gratitude to our spouses
• Story of a family from mission
• Lack of gratitude
• She was baptized and he was not (her 2 kids were, too)
• He began to avoid her because of her decision to be baptized
• Resented her for the change she made in her life
• He was not grateful for anything that she did
• They divorced

• Story of last Christmas with the decorations and Brittany
• Gratitude is a form of service
• It feels good to be appreciated
• Strength in a marriage comes from happiness, love, and peace. These blessings come as a result of the presence of the Spirit in the home. When we show sincere gratitude to the Lord and to our spouses, we invite the Spirit into our homes.

• With Thanksgiving coming up, I wanted to share some of the things I am grateful to my wife for:
• Sher left school, friends, and family to be with me
• She works hard to provide for us while I'm in school
• She helps keep our home a clean place where the Spirit can dwell
• She makes me feel good about myself when I am down
• Saturday's test

• She puts up with my imperfections
• She led a clean and worthy life so that we could be married in the temple
• She has a testimony of Christ and of the Gospel

• I am also grateful to my Heavenly Father:
• Eternal Families
• Holy Ghost
• The Gospel (It's saving ordinances and covenants)
• Prophets and Scriptures
• Personal Revelation
• The Sacrifice of His Son

It is my testimony that we will grow closer to the Lord and to our spouses as we exercise an attitude of sincere gratitude.

Sunday Talk

So today my husband and I spoke in sacrament meeting and it went well! I was extremely nervous, I am not one to feel comfortable about talking in front of a large group. Plus, the spotlight on me is never fun for me. Sooo yeah. But the talks went really well and I just wanted to share our talks with you! I will post mine on this one and will post Kyle's notes on another (he doesn't write his talk out, but just goes off the notes...which I envy him for ;)).

(I hope this doesn't become too boring for you to read..but if you do read the whole thing, kudos. and Thanks!)
 

My topic today is on an attitude of gratitude and how it affects our marriage.

 Gratitude is a key to help strengthen our marriages. As President Monson said, in our marriages, we need to “Accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.” Celestial marriage is essential to returning home to our Heavenly Father to receive the greatest blessings of Exaltation.

Sister Michelle Van Tassell told a story for an ensign article back in February of 2009. It reads, “For several years I struggled to understand why I had felt so confident that the Lord had confirmed my decision to marry when obviously it had been a mistake. I felt abandoned by the Lord. I prayed for help in understanding and improving the quality of my marriage, but I felt no improvement. I thought about divorce but could not find any comfort as I considered the option. After our first child was born, I felt that I would be forever trapped.

“One morning I was doing laundry when I caught a glance of myself in a mirror. The reflection surprised me. I had not showered or groomed for the day, and as I looked at myself, I thought I was lucky that anyone would want to wake up next to me every day. For the first time, I found myself feeling grateful to my husband for loving me. I examined myself with new eyes and thought about our marriage from his perspective. The revelation that followed had little to do with bad hair and no makeup but much to do with my behavior. I considered all the contention I had introduced into our home. For the first time, I felt real gratitude for my husband—he had continued to love me even though I had been critical and ungrateful.

“That simple moment changed my perspective as well as my relationship with my husband.”

Each day we become closer to our Heavenly Father as we strive to live righteously so that we may return home to him again. In order to strengthen our relationship with God, we must show effort on our part to do the things that will bring us closer to Him. One way that we may do this is through fervent prayer to Him, expressing our gratitude to Him and the things that He has done for us. Our marriage is very similar to this concept. When we go to our spouse to show gratitude and thanks, we are strengthening our relationship and showing them that we appreciate them for what they do.

Gratitude is like service, it’s contagious. When you show gratitude to someone for something that they did for you, they feel appreciated. And when someone feels appreciated, they give back and it becomes a cycle. For anyone, feeling appreciated feels good and it lightens your mood and causes you to be happy. When this cycle of gratitude and giving begins in a family, the Spirit dwells more in the home. When the Spirit is present, it allows good feelings to occur and you grow closer to the Lord. The Lord will then pour out blessings upon you which will strengthen your marriage and cause you to live a happier life.

President J. Reuben Clark once said, “Hold fast to the blessings which God has provided for you. Yours is not the task to gain them, they are here; yours is the part of cherishing them.” Blessings from the Lord may be coming continually, but you need to appreciate them and thank Him in return. The same goes for when your spouse does something for you; you need to show gratitude to them for what they have done for you. When you express to them that you appreciate the helpful hand, it builds a stronger bond within the relationship.

Work can be exhausting for me, and when I get done with work I just want to go home and crash on the bed. Kyle is always the one to blame for his loving and caring attributes. On so many occasions I have come home to a clean home where everything looks so nice and neat. I know he may not think he is doing a lot, but to me he is. Several times I have even come home to surprise gifts that he got for me and it amazes me how much Kyle just keeps giving. Recently, while Kyle was at school, I found some time at home to clean up the house a little bit. When Kyle got home he showed appreciation towards me for what I did and it really made me feel good. It made me want to do more for him each day because I knew it made Kyle happy, which made me happy. It is always those days that we do things for each other that I can feel closer to the Spirit and I feel closer to Kyle.

President Thomas S. Monson once said, “Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows.” Enjoy life now as we are living it. Be positive in the things that we do and we may be blessed. Show gratitude towards your spouse and you may feel the Spirit of the Lord touch your home and your life, which will then make you and your spouse happy together.

Remember to “accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative” and your home will be filled with the Spirit and will cause you and your husband or wife to be happy.

I know these things to be true, for I have experienced these things myself. Life is hard, but we need to keep moving forward and have an “attitude of gratitude”, for it will cause our marriages to be strong and to be joyful.

And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple (continued)

Worthy to Enter

• "Once you have some feeling for the value of the temple blessings and for the sacredness of the ordinances performed in the temple, you would be hesitant to question the high standards set by the Lord for entrance into the holy temple."
• "You must possess a current recommend to be admitted to the temple" (recommend must be signed by the ward bishop and stake president).
• "The bishop has the responsibility of making inquiries into your personal worthiness. This interview is of great importance to you."
• "If anything is amiss in your life, the bishop will be able to help you resolve it."

First and Every Time

• "If you are going to the temple for the first time it is quite normal for you to be a little unsettled. We are naturally anxious about the unknown. We often become nervous over new experiences."
• "Be at peace." (Specifically the first time you enter into the temple)
• "When we enter the temple we should be reverent."
• Before entering..the members wait (in a chapel inside the temple) until the full company is assembled. Generally in life we would become impatient with waiting. To be first in a room and then be compelled to wait for the last to enter before proceeding would in other circumstances cause irritation. In the temple it is just the opposite. That waiting is regarded as a choice opportunity. What a privilege it is to sit quietly without conversation and direct the mind to reverent and spiritual thoughts! It is a refreshment to the soul."
• "When you come to the temple, remember that you are a quest in the house of the Lord."

To be continued...

Without A Doubt

You can know for yourself.

Seek the witness of the Spirit.

John 20: 24-29

"But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Welcome to Conference

"Welcome to Conference"

by President Thomas S. Monson

"Thank you, my brothers and sisters, for your faith and devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ."

"Once again we call upon the members of the Church to reach out to the new converts or to those making their way back into the Church, to surround them with love and to help them feel at home."

"May the Lord bless you as you strive to follow Him and to obey His commandments."

"It is my prayer that we may be filled with His Spirit as we listen and learn."

Each month I receive an Ensign of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In April, the church had a General Conference which is what they put in the Ensign the following month that included each and every talk that was spoken there. For each talk I highlighted my favorite parts. I will have more General Conference highlights...

General Conference: for those that don't know what this is, it is where the leaders of the church speak to the members of the church about different topics. For some of us, General Conference is a way of guidance, others it may be for comfort. It is also a time of learning

The Power of the Priesthood

"The Power of the Priesthood"

by President Boyd K. Packer

President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

"'..We are encamped against the greatest array of sin, vice, and evil ever assembled before our eyes...The battle plan whereby we fight to save the souls of men is not our own...'" --Thomas S. Monson

"'..the whole earth [is] in commotion' (D&C 45: 26, see also 88: 91) and 'Satan is abroad in the land.' (D&C 52: 14) He seeks to destroy all that is good and righteous."

"Through the keys of the priesthood, they had access to all of the powers of heaven. They were commanded to carry the gospel unto all nations." --Doctrine and Covenants 42: 58

"We are to go forth and preach the gospel."

"The Book of Mormon makes it clear that we never will dominate by numbers. But we have the power of the priesthood."

"'...we are but a handful in comparison with...the world, yet we may be compared with the leaven of which the Savior spoke, which will eventually leaven [or lift] the whole world.'" --Joseph Fielding Smith

"We can and in due time certainly will influence all of humanity. It will be known who we are and why we are...we will win the battle against Satan."

"Priesthood is the authority and the power which God has granted to men on earth to act for Him."

"'It seems clear to me that the Church has no choice--and never has had--but to do more to assist the family in carrying out its divine mission, not only because that is the order of heaven, but also because that is the most practical contribution we can make to our youth--to help improve the quality of life in the Latter-day Saint homes...'" --President Harold B. Lee

"about the priesthood in the home: '...The father is there. It is his right and it is his duty to preside. He should select the one who is to administer the oil, and the one who is to be mouth in prayer, and he should not feel that because there are present presiding authorities in the Church that he is therefore divested of his rights to direct the administration of that blessing of the gospel in his home...'" --President Joseph F. Smith

"'...the saints of the church of the Lamb...were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.'" --1Nephi 14: 14

"We must go forward, confident of the supernal power of the priesthood. It is a source of strength and encouragement to know who we are and what we have and what we must do in the work of the Almighty."

"'I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." --Doctrine and Covenants 82: 10

"..the work of the Lord will prevail..we must marshall all of our efforts and unify ourselves.."

"The authority of the priesthood is with us...it is now our responsibility to activate the power of the priesthood in the Church. Authority in the priesthood comes by way of ordination; power in the priesthood comes through faithful and obedient living in honoring covenants. It is increased by exercising and using the priesthood in righteousness."

"...protect your home. There will be times when all that stands as a shield between your family and the adversary's mischief will be that power. You will receive direction from the Lord by way of the gift of the Holy Ghost."

"'This is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.'" --Moses 1: 39

"the power of the priesthood given to the Church to protect us and guide us. And because we have that, we have no fear of the future. Fear is the opposite of faith."

"The Lord will watch over us, particularly in the family."

Sunday Relief Society Lesson (for Nov.7, 2010)

We are of a divine nature and children of God. Don't ever forget it! May lesson was from a talk by Sister Barbara Day Lockhart called Our Divinely Based Worth. "The measure of our lives is not in what we buy or how good we look, but in our divine heritage, our possibilities as children of God, and our application of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives."
Don't base our self worth from things of the world i.e: how "pretty" we are how much money we have how successful we are at our jobs.
Always remember we are the children of God and we are blessed with the knowledge, opportunity, and potential to eventually become like him.

Let Christ help us with our burdens, allow him in our lives and never think we are not worthy of the atonement. That is why it is there, so we may repent and come unto him. That is he wants. He wants us back home with him. To say you are not worthy of the atonement is like saying you are not worthy of medicine when you are sick and only when you are well are you worthy to take that medicine.

She also says "Of all people on the earth, it makes the least sense for a Latter-Day Saint to suffer from a poor self-image. We have been blessed to know the truth, and we have been given the opportunity to take that truth to all the world. How can we be a light to others if we are trapped in mists of insecurity and self-doubt?"

" As we love Christ, have faith in him, desire to be like him, and follow him, he will change us, perfect us, and ultimately bring us home."

"To Draw Closer to God"

by Henry B. Eyring

"To me, the best directions about how to get help of the Holy Ghost, directions that I have tested and know to be true, were given by President Marion G. Romney. I will give you his instructions in his own words. Then together let us see if we can figure out how we can work to prepare for that Sunday School teacher or quorum leader or sacrament meeting speaker to whom we will listen next Sunday.
"Here are President Romney's instructions: 'If you want to obtain and keep the guidance of the Spirit, you can do so by following this simple four-point program. One, pray. Pray diligently. Pray with each other. Pray in public in the proper places...Learn to talk to the Lord; call upon his name in great faith and confidence. Second, study and learn the gospel. Third, live righteously; repent of your sins by confessing them and forsaking the,. Then conform to the teachings of the gospel. Fourth, give service in the Church.'
"And then President Romney concludes this way: 'If you will do these things, you will get the guidance of the Holy Spirit and you will go through this world successfully, regardless of what the people of the world say or do.'
"That four-point program makes no distinction between the moments we seek the Spirit when we are alone in our scripture reading and those moments when we are listening to a human being. I bear testimony that it works in both settings. It takes some extra effort sometimes when the words come from people instead of from the gilt-edged pages of scripture with which you have had long and sacred experience, but it can be done. Let us see how we might make that effort."
(Pages 14-15)