Sunday School June 8th, 2008

• With baptism we come closer to Christ
• After we are baptized, we need to take the sacrament to remember those covenants that we made
• Mosiah 18-24
• What blessings have you seen in your life as a result of baptism?
• Try to remember your baptismal day and continue to remember it--write down your thoughts and feelings you have when you think about your baptismal day
• Write down all your feelings that you have when you have a spiritual moment so that you can read back and remember those feelings.
• What do you remember about your baptism that made it all special?
• Moroni 8:14 "Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell"
• A covenant is like a contract that you have made with your Heavenly Father
• Mosiah 18:8-9 "And it came to pass that he said unto them; Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yeah, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yeah, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life--"
• Focus not on your needs, but on others and the things that they may need help with
• Mosiah 18:11-14 "And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts. And now it came to pass that Alma took Helam, he being one of the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried, saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart. And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body; and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may be grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world. And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit."
• When do we have that desire to change?
• When we have a change of heart we have a desire to reach out further [to others] and try to find ways to help others.

• Alma 5:26 "And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, 'can ye feel so now?'"
• John 12:24-25 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."
• We are always blessed when we sacrifice something in our lives for God.
• Charity will come to us when we serve others.
• A medicine for self pity is to help others in their lives.
• Magnify your calling, it's as simple as that.
• Serve willingly with love and compassion
• Temple work is one of the greatest ways you can serve
• D&C 58: 27-28 "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward."
• We must lose ourselves in service
• Be an example.
• 3 Nephi--Christ coming to the America's, "Come unto me, I will heal you"
• 3 Nephi 12:14-16 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hit. Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house; Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
• D&C 20:16 "For the Lord God has spoken it; and we, the elders of the church, have heard and bear witness to the words of the glorious Majesty on high, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."
• Some of the important things in your life are based on your desires and choices--friends play a big part.
• What are the "walking sticks" in your life? What are the things in your life that hold you up and keep you strong?
• We need to walk with God
• He wants all of us to return to His presence, which is determined by us and how we make our life decisions.