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).

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."

Blessings of the Temple

 The First Presidency Message for October 2010

By President Thomas S. Monson

In the temple we cam feel close to the Lord

I think there is no place in the world where I feel closer to the Lord than in one of His holy temples. To paraphrase a poem:

How far is heaven?

It's not very far.

In temples of God,

It's right where we are.

The Lord said:

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal;

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the temple is the most sacred place on earth. It is the house of the Lord, and just as the inscription on the exterior of the temple states, the temple is "holiness to the Lord"

The temple lifts and exalts us

In the temple, the precious plan of God is taught. It is in the temple that eternal covenants are made. The temple lifts us, exalts us, stands as a beacon for all to see, and points us toward celestial glory. It is the house of God. All that occurs within the walls of the temple is uplifting and ennobling.

The temple is for families, one of the greatest treasures we have in mortality. The Lord has been very explicit in talking to us fathers, indication that we have a responsibility to love our wives with all of our hearts and to provide for them and for our children. He has indicated that the greatest work we parents can do is performed in our homes, and our homes can be heaven, particularly when our marriages are sealed in the house of God.

The late Elder Matthew Cowley, who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, once recounted the Saturday afternoon experience of a grandfather as hand in hand he took his small granddaughter on a birthday visit...With permission of the groundskeeper, the two walked to the large doors of the temple. He suggested that she place her hand on the sturdy wall and then on the massive door. Tenderly he then said to her, "Remember that this day you touched the temple. One day you will go inside." His gift to the little one was not candy or ice cream but an experience far more significant and everlasting--an appreciation of the house of the Lord. She had touched the temple, and the temple had touched her.

The temple brings peace to our souls

As we touch the temple and love the temple, our lives will reflect our faith. As we go to the holy house, as we remember the covenants we make therein, we will be able to bear every trial and overcome each temptation. The temple provides purpose for our lives. It brings peace to our souls—not the peace provided by men but the peace promised by the Son of God when He said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

There is great faith among the Latter-day Saints. The Lord gives us opportunities to see if we will follow His commandments, if we will follow the pathway that Jesus of Nazareth followed, if we will love the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves.

I believe in the proverb “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

So it has always been; so it shall always be. If we do our duty and trust fully in the Lord, we will fill His temples, not only doing our own ordinance work, but also having the privilege of doing work for others. We will kneel at sacred altars to be proxies in sealings that unite husbands and wives and children for all eternity. Worthy young men and young women as young as 12 years of age can be proxy for those who have died without the blessings of baptism. This would be our Heavenly Father’s desire for you and for me.

A miracle occurred

Many years ago, a humble and faithful patriarch, Brother Percy K. Fetzer, was called to give patriarchal blessings to Church members living behind the Iron Curtain.

Brother Fetzer went into the land of Poland in those dark days. The borders were sealed, and no citizens were permitted to leave. Brother Fetzer met with German Saints who had been trapped there when the borders were redefined following World War II and the land where they were living became part of Poland.

Our leader among all of those German Saints was Brother Eric P. Konietz, who lived there with his wife and children. Brother Fetzer gave Brother and Sister Konietz and the older children patriarchal blessings.

When Brother Fetzer returned to the United States, he called and asked if he could come visit with me. As he sat in my office, he began to weep. He said, “Brother Monson, as I laid my hands upon the heads of the members of the Konietz family, I made promises which cannot be fulfilled. I promised Brother and Sister Konietz that they would be able to return to their native Germany, that they would not be held captive by the arbitrary decisions of conquering countries and that they would be sealed together as a family in the house of the Lord. I promised their son that he would fill a mission, and I promised their daughter that she would be married in the holy temple of God. You and I know that because of the closed borders, they will not be able to receive the fulfillment of those blessings. What have I done?”

I said, “Brother Fetzer, I know you well enough to know that you have done just what our Heavenly Father wanted you to do.” The two of us knelt down beside my desk and poured out our hearts to our Heavenly Father, indicating that promises had been given to a devoted family pertaining to the temple of God and other blessings now denied to them. Only He could bring forth the miracle we needed.

The miracle occurred. A pact was signed between the leaders of the Polish government and the leaders of the Federal Republic of Germany, permitting German nationals who had been trapped in that area to move to West Germany. Brother and Sister Konietz and their children moved to West Germany, and Brother Konietz became the bishop of the ward in which they resided.

The entire Konietz family went to the holy temple in Switzerland. And who was the temple president who greeted them in a white suit with open arms? None other than Percy Fetzer—the patriarch who gave them the promise. Now, in his capacity as president of the Bern Switzerland Temple, he welcomed them to the house of the Lord, to the fulfillment of that promise, and sealed the husband and wife together and the children to their parents.

The young daughter eventually married in the house of the Lord. The young son received his call and fulfilled a full-time mission.

"We'll see you in the temple!"

For some of us, our journey to the temple is but a few blocks. For others, there are oceans to cross and miles to go before they enter the holy temple of God.

Some few years ago, before the completion of a temple in South Africa, while attending a district conference in what was then Salisbury, Rhodesia, I met the district president, Reginald J. Nield. He and his wife and lovely daughters met me as I entered the chapel. They explained to me that they had been saving their means and had been preparing for the day when they could journey to the temple of the Lord. But, oh, the temple was so far away.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the four lovely daughters asked me questions about the temple: “What is the temple like? All we have seen is a picture.” “How will we feel when we enter the temple?” “What will we remember most?” For about an hour I had the opportunity to talk to four girls about the house of the Lord. As I departed for the airport, they waved to me, and the youngest girl said, “We’ll see you in the temple!”

One year later I had the opportunity to greet the Nield family in the Salt Lake Temple. In a peaceful sealing room I had the privilege to unite for eternity, as well as for time, Brother and Sister Nield. The doors were then opened, and those beautiful daughters, each of them dressed in spotless white, entered the room. They embraced mother, then father. Tears were in their eyes, and gratitude was in their hearts. We were next to heaven. Well could each one say, “Now we are a family for eternity.”

This is the marvelous blessing that awaits those who come to the temple. May each of us live worthy lives, with clean hands and pure hearts, so that the temple may touch our lives and our families.

How far is heaven? I testify that in the holy temples it is not far at all—for it is in these sacred places that heaven and earth meet and our Heavenly Father gives His children His greatest blessings.

(You can find this on LDS.org, or in the Ensign issue for October 2010)

Temples

The October 2010 issue of the Ensign

SPECIAL ISSUE:

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Jesus Christ said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

John 8:12

In the house of the Lord, we feel the influence of the Holy Ghost and draw  nearer to God, our Eternal Father, and to His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

The temple is literally the house of the Lord. It is a place where God instructs His children and prepare them to return to His presence. It is a place where we are united as families and taught the ways of the Lord.

"The temple was a place of learning for the Savior when He was on the earth; it was very much a part of His life. Temple blessings are available once again in our day."

James E. Faust

"By identifying our ancestors and performing for them the saving ordinances they could not themselves perform, we are testifying of the infinite reach of the Atonement of Jesus Christ"

D. Todd Christofferson

"The process of taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ that is commenced in the waters of baptism is continued and enlarged in the house of the Lord....In the ordinances of the holy temple we more completely and fully take upon us the name of Jesus Christ."

David A. Bednar

"In its gleaming flory, the temple seems to beckon to each who views its splendor, 'Come! Come to the house of the Lord. Here is found rest for the weary and peace for the soul.'...The [temple] prepares all who enter to return homeward--homeward to heaven, homeward to family, homeward to God"

Thomas S. Monson

Note: All of these things are quoted in the October 2010 issue of the Ensign.

LDS.org-->Gospel Library-->Magazines-->October 2010 Ensign

The Way of the Master by President Thomas S. Monson

"Learn of Him...Believe in Him...Follow Him"

LDS.org - Ensign Article - The Way of the Master

Becoming Self Reliant

"'Self-reliance means using all of our blessings from Heavenly Father to care for ourselves and our families and to find solutions for our own problems.' Each of us has a responsibility to try to avoid problems before they happen and to learn to overcome challenges when they occur...How do we become self-reliant? We become self-reliant through obtaining sufficient knowledge, education, and literacy; by managing money and resources wisely, being spiritually strong, preparing for emergencies and eventualities; and by having physical health and social and emotional well-being."

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president

"As we live providently and increase our gifts and talents, we become more self-reliant. Self-reliance is taking responsibility for our own spiritual and temporal welfare and for those whom Heavenly Father has entrusted to our care. Only when we are self-reliant can we truly emulate the Savior in serving and blessing others. It is important to understand that self-reliance is a means to an end. Our ultimate goal is to become like the Savior, and that goal is enhanced by our unselfish service to others. Our ability to serve is increased or diminished bythe level of our self-reliance."

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

"Self-Reliance is a product of our work and under-girds all other welfare practices. It is an essential element in our spiritual as well as our temporal well-being. Regarding this principle, President Marion G. Romney [1897-1988] has said: 'Let us work for what we need. Let us be self-reliant and independent. Salvation can be obtained on no other principle. Salvation is an individual matter, and we must work out our own salvation in temporal as well as in spiritual things.'...President Spencer W. Kimball [1895-1985] further taught concerning self-reliance: 'The responsibility for each person's social, emotional, spiritual, physical, or economis well-being rests first upon himself, second upon his family, and third upon the Church if he is a faithful member thereof."

President Thomas S. Monson

Genesis 3:19 "In the sweat of thy face salt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

D&C 82:18-19; 109:8 "And all this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents, yea, even as hundred fold, to be cast into the Lord's storehouse, to become the common property of the whole church--Every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God."

"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;"

The Path of the Peacemaker

Elder Kim B. Clark

President, BYU-Idaho

"This is the great latter-day work of bringing people to Christ. It is the work of peace."

"'Prophets have long known that the Abrahamic covenant was to be fulfilled only 'in the latter days.' That's our day! We are those covenant people!'" (Elder Russell M. Nelson)

"You are the children of the covenant, the children of promise; and you are heirs to all the blessings and all the commitments and responsibilities of Abraham."

"And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers...and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace..."

"A prince of peace (or a princess of peace) is a peacemaker. When you hear the word 'peacemaker,' it is natural, and very important, to think of a mediator, someone who calms troubled waters and helps people resolve conflicts and disputes."

"You may have already discovered that helping others resolve conflict depends on the application of gospel principles like love, kindness, forgiveness, and service. If you are faithful and prayerful in this work, the Holy Ghost will guide and strengthen you in applying these principles, and the Lord will work through you to bless the lives of His children."

"He has prepared for His children a deeper peace, the 'peace of God, which passeth all understanding.'"

"It is peace of conscience and peace of mind-a positive, deep, uplifting sense of well-being. It is a sweet, powerful feeling of total harmony with Heavenly Father, with our true spiritual identity, and with your brothers and sisters."

"Such peace is one of the sweet gifts of the Spirit."

"Heavenly Father wants you to walk in peace. He wants you to establish peace. He wants you to be peacemakers."

"'The consequences of conflict are so devastating that we yearn for guidance--even a way to ensure our success as we seek the path to peace...May I suggest three ideas to prompt our thinking and guide our footsteps:

1. Search inward
2. Reach outward; and
3. Look heavenward

("framework given to us by President Monson")

"The beginning of our study of the path of the peacemaker is our relationship with God the Father and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ."

 

 LOOK HEAVENWARD

D&C 19:23 "Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me"

"Study carefully and to follow what He taught in verse 13 and 15-20 [D&C 19]"

"Wherefore, I command you to repent, and keep the commandments which you have received...lest...your sufferings be sore--how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.

"For behold, I God have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

"But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

"Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink--

"Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.

"Wherefore, I command you again to repent..."

"The path of the peacemaker is the path of faith in Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. It is the path of sincere repentance and whole-hearted obedience. It is the path of baptism for hte remission of sins, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and spiritual rebirth."

"Sin and wickedness and all the emotions that flow from them--are like a cancer in our spirit. There is no peace for the soul wounded by sin..the miracle of the Atonement is that we can repent and be healed. We can be completely rid of the cancer of sin, and we can find peace."

 "O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?" (The Savior)

"Through the power of the Atonement of Christ, we can be reborn of the Spirit, '[put] off hte natural man and [become] a saint,' 'humble,...submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering.' This is what it means to 'walk in the meekness of my Spirit.'"

"You shall have peace in me."

"'God wants each of His children to enjoy the transcendent blessing of peace of conscience...It provides a foundation for happiness...Peace of conscience can come only from God through a righteous, obedient life.'" (Elder Richard G. Scott)

SEARCH INWARD

"Peacemakers must also learn to 'search inward' to find peace of mind...Though we may have peace of conscience, those storms may rob us of peace of mind and hurt our ability to be peacemakers. But we can learn to 'search inward' and with the help of the Savior restore peace of mind."

"We keep the commandments and make progress in our journey of peace. But we encounter storms of life that bring uncertainty, anxiety, and stress."

"'These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.'" (The Savior)

"We know that things will happen to disrupt our peace of mind. We live in a fallen world, and things happen to everyone...We have learned that we have to choose to look into the mirror of Christ. It requires an act of both faith in the Lord the Lord jesus Christ and personal determination...We can choose hope and say, 'I am not going to look into the mirror of fear. I am going to fix my eyes on the mirror of Christ, trust the Lord, and act in faith."

"If you choose the mirror of Christ you authorize the Holy Ghost to minister to you. He will 'show unto you all things what ye should do.'"

REACH OUTWARD

"We cannot be at peace ourselves and we cannot be peacemakers unless we 'reach outward' to bring peace to others."

"'For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit to contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stireth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

"Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another, but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.

"But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you;'" (The Savior)

"I know it is not too hard for the Lord to help you be the Lord's peacemakers in the latter-days--even when the challenge may seem daunting."

"It is Satan who 'stir[s] up the hearts of men with anger,' and it is Christ the Lord whose doctrine it is 'that such things should be done away.'"

"The duty of the peacemaker is clear: do not start the ripple of scorn and ridicule; do not propagate it if you hear it; do not retaliate when people attack; help people resolve their differences and stop the network of contention and anger dead in its tracks. Stop it with acts of kindness and respect. Stop it with gentle humor or sweet reason. Stop it with love and prayer. Stop it with whatever means the Spirit of the Lord directs. But stop it; and then act in faith to help others find the deeper peace of God."

"'May our conversations with others always be marked by the fruits of the Spirit--'love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23) To...all who seek to know how we should respond to our accusers, I replu, we love them. Whatever their race, creed, religion, or political persuasion...we must...help them,...be an example for them...[and]pay the price of discipleship by answering [them] with Christian courage.'" (Elder Robert D. Hales)

"This is our calling. This is what the children of the covenant, the children of Abraham are and what they do: they reach outward to their brothers and sisters to bring peace that goes down deeper and deeper into the soul. There are different levels of peace, and peacemakers work at every level: they calm troubled waters, stop the network of anger and contention, and help their brothers and sister resolve conflicts; they bring love, hope and peace to people in need with kind words, a helping hand, and acts of service that lift and strengthen; and they help their brothers and sister find peace at its deepest level in the Lord Jesus Christ."

"President Monson has set for us a marvelous example of the peacemaker, and he has called us to be peacemakers...'Come back. We reach out to you in the pure love of Christ and express our desire to assist you and to welcome you into full fellowship. To those who are wounded in spirit our who are struggling and fearful, we say, Let us lift you and cheer you and calm your fears.'" (President Monson)

"When we do...we will bring the Spirit of the Lord into the lives we touch. We will help them come unto Christ...the only way to find the deep peace of God is through the Atonement of Christ...you can reach outward and help them find the deep peace of God by sharing with them the plan of salvation and the principles of the gospel. And you can extend that opportunity to people on the other side of the veil when you serve in the temples of the Lord...If they choose to listen and obey, they, too, will find the 'peace of God, which passeth all understanding.' This is the path of the peacemaker."

"This is the path we are called to walk:

• Look Heavenward: Act with faith in Christ to repent and keep His commandments.
• Search Inward: When storms come, look to the future in the mirror of Christ, choose hope and go forward in faith.
• Reach Outward: Stop the network of anger and contention, help people in conflict find common ground, lift and strengthen them with love and service, share the gospel, and help them come unto Christ.

"If you walk this path, you will be the peacemakers the Lord will use to gather scattered Israel, established Zion, and prepare the earth for His return."

"Through your faithfulness you will walk in peace with the Prince of Peace and you will become a peacemaker in His holy hands."

Bishopric Message for Sept 2010

My message this month is based on a talk by Elder Wirthlin a couple years back on charity.  In it he quotes the scriptures where the Pharisees ask Christ which is the great commandment.  Of course Christ's answer was "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and all thy mind."  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."  And from this I discovered what I think are three different types of true love:
First is the love that we have towards our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  As children looking for guidance from their earthly father, we must trust and come to know our Heavenly Father.  Let me make a comparison with getting to know a friend.  We can get to know a person in many different ways--talking face to face, being with them and doing things together, phone calls, or through emails or letter.  While coming to know our Heavenly Father and Savior better, we are unfortunately unable to use most of these methods.  If it's not too much of a stretch, imagine the scriptures as emails or letters we receive from Heavenly Father to guide us and to teach us about him and to help us to come closer to him.  By reading the scriptures and coming unto him, we show our love for him and get to know him better.
The Savior set the perfect example of love for our Father by setting His own will aside and letting the Father's direct His actions.  Mosiah chapter 15 verse 7 says that "even so shall he be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father."  I've felt this love and am grateful for it, not only the love Christ showed by performing the Atonement for us, but also for being an example of true love and for teaching it to us.  One place I really like in the scriptures where Christ teaches this love to us is in John chapter 21 verse 15.  "So when they had dines, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.  He saith unto him, Feed my lambs."  The fish gave their lives under the Savior's command.  Would I do the same?
This leads me to the second type of love. Second is the love that we are asked to give to our neighbor, or each other, as ourselves.  Enos is a perfect example of this.  After obtaining forgiveness of his sins he immediately desired that his brethren (the Lamanites) could be forgiven as well.  The Savior also taught this principle to us in Matthew chapter 25 verse 37 through 40 by explaining that when we show love to others we show it to Christ as well.  Understanding better what I call the first type of love, or love for our Heavenly Father, I think better helps us to understand love for our fellow man.  As we look to President Monson as our new and dear prophet, it's very hard to overlook the great service for others he has done throughout his life.  One of his many stories of service, to summarize, was when he was inspired to visit a sister in the ward on the way home from work.  She was so glad to see him because no one else had remembered her birthday, but she was grateful that he was there.  In order to achieve this kind of love for our fellow man, we must follow Mormon's invitation, quoted by Moroni, to pray for charity with all the energy of our hearts.
The last type of true love that we should strive to have is love for our spouse.  Elder Holland has taught that "true love blooms when we care more about another person than we care about ourselves."  Elizabeth has definitely demonstrated this to me by taking such good care of me when I've had bad migraines in the past.  She is so gentle and unserstanding and often says that she wishes she could suffer the headache on my behalf.  What a great example she is to me by showing more concern for me than for her own self.
Let me leave you with the following quote from President Joseph Fielding Smith:  "If a man and his wife were earnestly and faithfully observing all the ordinances and principles of the gospel, there could not arise any cause for divorce.  The joy and happiness pertaining to the marriage relationship would grow sweeter, and husband and wife would become more and more attached to each other as the days go by, not only would the husband love the wife and the wife the husband, but children born to them would live in an atmosphere of love and harmony.  The love of each for the others would not be impaired, and moreover the love of all towards our Eternal Father and his Son Jesus Christ would be more firmly rooted in their souls."

Visiting Teaching Message, March 2010

Strengthening Faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ through Personal Scripture Study

"When I was a new bride,...I was invited to a lunch for all of the Relief Society sisters in my ward who had read either the Book of Mormon or a short Church history book. I had become casual in my scripture reading, so I qualified to attend the luncheon by reading the short book because it was easier and took less time. As I was eating my lunch, I had a powerful feeling that though the history book was a good one, I should have read the Book of Mormon. The Holy Ghost was prompting me to change my scripture reading habits. That very day I began to read the Book of Mormon, and I have never stopped...Because I started reading the scriptures daily, I have learned about my Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and what I need to do to be like Them...

"...Every woman can be a gospel doctrine instructor in her home, and every sister in the Church needs gospel knowledge as a leader and teacher. If you have not already developed the habit of daily scripture study, start now and keep studying in order to be prepared for your responsibilities in this life and in the eternities."

        -- Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president

"A study of the scriptures will help our testimonies and the testimonies of our family members. Our children today are growing up surrounded by voices urging them to abandon that which is right to pursue, instead, the pleasures of the world. Unless they have a firm foundation in the gospel of Jesus Christ, a testimony of the truth, and a determination to live righteously, they are susceptible to these influences. It is our responsibility to fortify and protect them."

         --President Thomas S. Monson

"We want our sisters to be scholar of the scriptures...You need an acquaintanceship with his eternal truths for your own well being, and for the purposes of teaching your own children and all others who come within your influence.

"We want our homes to be blessed with sister scriptorians--whether you are single or married, young or old, widowed or living in a family...Become scholars of the scriptures--not to put others down, but to lift them up!"

          --President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985)

John 5:39

2 Timothy 3: 14-17

2 Nephi 9:50-51; 31:20; 32:3-5

D&C 138:1-11

An Attitude of Gratitude

"Through divine intervention, those who were lepers were spared from a cruel, lingering death and given a new lease on life. The expressed gratitude by one merited the Master's blessing, the ingratitude shown by the nine, His disappointment. Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His word. By so doing, we give Him the divine gift of gratitude."
              President Thomas S. Monson

Until We Meet Again