Object lesson:
Show picture of Prophet.
Q: Who is this?
A: Prophet.
Q: How do you know?
A: Can see it
Close eyes. Clap hands.
Q: What is this?
A: Clapping hands.
Q: How do you know?
A: Can hear it.
Blindfold a girl. Give her a handful of pennies.
Q:What is this?
A: Pennies.
Q: How do you know?
A: Can feel it
Blindfold a girl. Put vinegar under her nose.
Q: What is this?
A: Vinegar.
Q: How do you know?
A: Smell
Show salt shaker. Blindfold a girl. Have her
taste.
Q: What is this?
A: Sugar.
Q: How do you know?
A. Taste
Show picture of Christ.
Q: Who is this?
A: Christ.
Q: How do you know?
A: Faith
Object lesson: (wrap a blanket over your head and shoulders-I used a cheetah print).
What if the Prophet told us there was a deadly sickness coming and, to be safe, we were to wear this cheetah print wool blanket over our head and shoulders all day, and at night cover ourselves with it. The wool blanket represents the wool of a lamb, the Lamb of God; and the blanket represents being wrapped in righteousness.
What would you say?
(Why? I don't have one. My friends
will laugh. Can I just keep it in my room?)
The Israelites were instructed to put the blood of a lamb on their door posts. Do you think that was easily accepted? What were some comments you think were made? I don't have a lamb, will a goat work? What will my neighbors think? It's too messy, what if I just keep the lamb in the front yard?
This month the value is Faith.
Of all the values, I think faith is the most
important. It is the foundation for the others. Without it the
others are hard to understand and follow. I always wondered how they
came up with the values and why they were in the order they were in. I found
the following quote from Sis. Kapp about how her and her presidency organized
these values. "The 1st three values deal with identity. The next
4 are direction. The 1st value is the same as the 1st principle of
the gospel, "faith". You can't
do anything in this life if you don't have faith
in Jesus Christ and his plan. All that we do is predicated on faith
in the Savior. Once you understand that, you can better comprehend "Divine
Nature" that you really are a child of God. Then you are prepared to
grasp your "Individual Worth" and once you have your identity, you are ready
to receive direction. You are prepared to cultivate "knowledge".
The more you know, the more "Accountable" you are for your "Choice" you make.
Then you are ready to nurture others, build
the kingdom, and bless the lives of others through "Good works". Finally
when you live what you know, you have "Integrity".
(I was asked to briefly speak about color
in general. Not really a part of the lesson. Our leaders have
decided to focus on the colors this year. There theme is somethng like
"Show your true colors") You also know that each value has been assigned
a color. Did you know that colors have meanings, and they do affect
your personality. Have you ever noticed that
nice restaurants are done in pastel colors and
McDonalds is Orange and Red? Why? Why are baby boys dressed in
blue and girls in pink? For example, Purple is the color of royalty.
Of the values what is Purple, Integrity. Are you not royalty, a princess?
Why is faith White?
What words come to mind when I say white? Purity, temple, baptism, wedding dress, angels, sacred, holy, worthy, sacrament, clean, innocent, repentance, covenants.
White is the simplest of all colors. Faith is often compared to a seed (simple)
White is the moonlight that shines in the blackness of the night, so, it stands for inspiration and insight, the light in the darkness of the mind. What does this remind you of (Christ, the light of the world)
What are the 3 times in our lives we wear white? Blessing, Baptism, Wedding.
Why white when we are baptized? It symbolizes worthiness. You are pure and clean. It is like repentance, your sins at that moment are washed away.
Why white while doing temple work: It symbolizes purity. No unclean thing can enter the temple. It also shows equality.
MY THREE WHITE DRESSES
My mom bought me a white dress,
Not red or pink or blue.
She said it was a special dress
Like very other few.
There has been just one before,
A dress now put away.
That I wore sometime ago upon my blessing day.
As a little baby clothed in my first white dress,
My dad held me in his arms, there to name and
bless.
So pure and clean was I just then,
With time to grow and learn
About the Father's plan for me.
My glory I must earn.
Now I've reached the age to judge the wrong
road from the right,
And I am here to be baptized in this dress of
white.
So once again I'm free from sin,
The path is clear to me.
I'll grasp the road and hold on tight,
I vow with certainty.
Just as mud would stain my dress,
Sin would stain my soul.
The key is to repent or bleach,
For whiteness is my goal.
And if I try my very best,
Then richly blessed I'll be,
Wearing inside God's holy house
White dress number three.
So today I make this pledge:
I'll strive to choose the right,
Through this sacred baptism ordinance
In my second dress of white.
---Linda Gay Perry Neslon
There are 2 kinds of faith. Those who have some faith, but the roots are real shallow (like, you know its true, but still rely on others faith). Then those that are firmly planted and are confident .. The 1st kind can be compared to a tomato plant. Even though the plant is beautiful when the sun is shining and it is warm, as soon as cold weather or "adversity" comes, the plant withers and dies. The 2nd kind is like a carrot plant. The plant is puny, but the roots are deep. They have many fine hair-like roots to help anchor the plant firmly in the ground (gospel, faith in Christ). When cold "adversity" comes the plant appears to die. But the fruit of the plant is buried deep within and is firmly anchored, and does not die.
Lets compare our faith to planting a seed. How do we develop our faith so we are like the carrot and not the tomato?
Ground/dirt (prepared, proper dirt, not mud)
= Gospel/ Jesus Christ
Seed = you
Fertilizer, water, sun = scriptures, church,
prayer
.
Who in here trusts me? Who knows that
no matter what I asked you to do you would do it because you trust me, and
you know that I would never do anything to hurt any of you? And the
reason I am asking is because I have a good reason? Do you have faith in
me? (Pick someone)
"OK, I need you to eat a spoonful of dirt and swallow it, but don't say anything yet" (Blend graham crackers, chocolate graham crackers and oatmeal. Makes a nice looking dirt) You said you had faith in me, you trusted me!
Many times in mortality it would appear that Heavenly Father and/or Jesus Christ wants us to eat dirt. Life just isn't going the way we want it. But if we have faith in them, if we have a supreme trust in them, then we will do what is asked, whether we think we will like it or not. Often times, we will find that those things we perceived as being dirt were really something wonderful in disguise.
What is printed on the face of a penny? In god we trust. Do you trust him, do you have faith in him?
We need to have faith in Christ because he
is here to show us the way.
.
(This is one of those puzzles that has 6 lines.
"Trace each line only once w/o lifting your pencil" type thing)
Let them try it on their own. Then have someone come up and do it on
the board while the others follow along on their copy. Puzzle
(1-2,2-3,3-4,4-5,5-6,6-4,4-1,1-6,6-2,2-5,5-1)
Wasn't the puzzle easier to do after we were shown the way to complete
it? Have faith to follow him.
He is also our anchor. We can wrap our selves around him like the carrot and secure ourselves there. "Just as ships need anchors to keep them from drifting away on the open seas, people need spiritual anchors in their lives if they are to remain steadfast and not drift into the sea of temptation and sin." "Faith in god and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the main anchor we must have in our lives to hold us fast during times of social turbulence and wickedness that seem to be everywhere today."
God's Embroidery
When I was a little boy, my mother used to
embroider a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor
and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. I
told her that it looked like a mess from where I was. As from the underside
I watched her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she
held in her hand, I complained
to her that it sure looked messy from where
I sat. She would smile at me, look down and gently say, "My son, you go about
your playing for awhile, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will
put you on my knee and let you see it from my side." I would wonder why she
was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed
so jumbled from my view. A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother's
voice say, "Son, come and sit on my knee." This I did only to be surprised
and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset. I could not believe it,
because from underneath it looked so messy.
Then Mother would say to me, "My son, from
underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that
there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was
a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will
see what I was doing." Many times through the years I have looked up to my
Heavenly Father and said, "Father, what are You doing?" He has answered,
"I am embroidering your life." I say, "But it looks like a mess to me. It
seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can't they all be bright?"
The Father seems to tell me, "'My child, you go about your business of doing
My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on My knee
and you will see the plan from
My side."
Author Unknown
(faith)
A man died and was resurrected and waiting in a room to be interviewed.
Another man was ahead of him. The door opened the man entered, and the door closed. The man on the outside could hear the conversation on the other side of the door. The interviewer began: "I want you to tell me what you know about Jesus Christ."
"Well, He was born of Mary in Bethlehem; he lived 35 years, spending the last three organizing the church, choosing His Apostles, and giving the gospel to direct our lives."
The interviewer stopped him and said, "Yes, yes, that's all true, but I want you to tell me what you know about Jesus Christ."
"Well, he suffered and died so that we could have eternal life. Three days later he was resurrected so that we might return to Heavenly Father."
"Yes, yes, that is true, but I want you to tell me what you know about Jesus Christ."
The man, a little perplexed, began again. "Well, he restored the gospel in its fullness to the earth through Joseph Smith, reorganized his church, gave us temples so we could do work to save our dead. He gave us personal ordinances for our salvation and exaltation."
The interviewer again stopped him and said, "All that you have told me is true."
The man was then invited to leave the room.
After he left, the door opened and the second man entered. As he approached the interviewer he fell upon his knees and cried, "My Lord, my God." (from YW manual 3, lesson #2)
How well do you know Christ?
The best way to get to know someone, to trust them, to have faith in them is to walk a mile in his shoes. That is what you are going to do for the next 2 weeks in our 14-day walk with Christ. Each will receive a package with 14 letters in it. Every day, take out the one marked for that day and read the questions. There is also a story, scripture or quoted with it. Think about it. Think about the Savior, what he did for you and what you can do for him. At the end of the day write about it in your journal.
I am going to give each of you a penny. Remember the front says "In God we Trust" Put it in you shoe. Everytime you feel it, think about your walk with Christ and the questions and stories for that day. It is also there to help you remember to put your trust in the Lord, to have faith in him.
Handout: I got little terra-cotta pots and filled them with sunflower seeds and attached "FAITH is like a little seed. If PLANTED it WILL GROW"
--Samantha Cousins
Show 4 giftwrapped empty boxes. (For each box, make a large gift tag. Label the 4 tags: EXAMPLE, FORGIVENESS, GOSPEL, ATONEMENT. As you reach the points in the lesson that go over each of these subjects, place that label on one of the boxes.)
Have someone come up and try to figure out
what is in one of the boxes.
When they declare them empty, read the following
story:
THE GOLD BOX
Some time ago a friend of mine punished his
3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was
tight, and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to
put it under their Christmas tree.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you daddy." He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found that the box was empty.
He yelled at her, "Don't you know that when you give someone a present, there's supposed to be something inside of it?"
The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh daddy, it's not empty. I blew kisses into the box. All for you Daddy."
The father was crushed. He put his arms around
his little girl, and again begged her forgiveness.
My friend told me that he kept that gold box
by his bed for years. Whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary
kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
This time of year, we focus a lot on the presents that we give and receive. I know my days have been filled lately with making presents for my family and friends, and I have been neglecting the true focus of the season – GIFTS.
No, really. Gifts. President James E. Faust, in this month’s First Presidency Message, said:
“We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves – giving of the riches of the heart and mind – and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store.”
Today, I would like to talk about the gifts that we have received from our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The first gift of Christ I’d like to address is His gift of a perfect example.
There are many that would tell us what to do, or “Do as I say”, but Christ is the only man who ever lived that truly say, “Do as I do.”
President Ezra Taft Benson said, “Nearly two thousand years ago a perfect Man walked the earth – Jesus the Christ… In His life, all the virtues were lived and kept in perfect balance; He taught men truth – that they might be free; His example and precepts provide the great standard – the only sure way- for all mankind.”
Not only did Christ give us the example of how to treat others, he also showed us by example the saving ordinances we need to return to our Father in Heaven.
“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
“But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
“And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he sae the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my Beloven Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
I am grateful for the gift of a perfect example
to look to, and to try to emulate.
The second gift Christ gave us was FORGIVENESS.
I am sure that each of us can remember places in the scriptures when Christ forgave people for their sins. It is a testament to His love for us that he is eager to forgive those that come to Him in faith.
In the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine
and Covenants, we read about Christ establishing his Gospel among the people
of different lands and eras.
“Our Heavenly Father has endowed us with hearts of courage and faith, with strong wills, and with the ability to understand and to see clearly the difference between right and wrong. He has mercifully clothed us, each member, with the gift of the Holy Ghost, which gives us insight and personal power.
“And so, even though the tasks of life become heavy, and although sorrow thrusts a drooping burden upon us, the light that emanates from our Savior beckons us on, undismayed. A righteous self-discipline can and will rule our lives.”
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Because of the wonderful gift of the Gospel, shared by acquaintances and friends through their examples, my parents came into the Church, and I am now blessed with an eternal family. (I inserted my parent's conversion story here)
Finally, the most important gift of all, the Atonement.
The Parable of the Push-ups
There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending Seminary in Utah. In Utah, Seminary classes are held as part of the curriculum. Brother Christianson taught Seminary at this particular school. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules.
Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson's Seminary class. Steve was told that he couldn't be late, so he would come in just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over.
One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Brother Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?".
Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."
Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good, Steve." Brother Christianson said, "Do you think you could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could?" again asked Brother Christianson.
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it." Brother Christianson said.
Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."
Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday."
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts. They were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited - it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an extra early start on the weekend.
Brother Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?" Cynthia said, "Yes." Brother Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?" Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Brother Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.
Brother Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?" Joe said, "Yes." Brother Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?" Steve did ten push-ups; Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle. Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Brother Christianson came to Scott.
Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When Brother Christianson asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"
Scott's reply was "Well, can I do my own pushups?"
Brother Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them. "
Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."
Brother Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"
Steve started to do ten push-ups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"
Brother Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it", and he put a donut on Scott's desk. Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down, and a little perspiration appeared around his brow.
Brother Christianson started down the third row. By now, the students were beginning to get a little angry. Brother Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?" Jenny said, "No". Then Brother Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten; Jenny got a donut.
By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, and his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Brother Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. Robert began to watch Steve closely.
Brother Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the heaters along the sides of the room. When Brother Christianson realized this; he did a quick count and saw that there were now 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Brother Christianson went on to the next person, the next, and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Brother Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"
Brother Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups. You can do them any way that you want." And Brother Christianson went on.
A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!" Jason didn't know what was going on.
Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."
Brother Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him."
Steve said, "Yes, let him come in.
" Brother Christianson said, "Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"
"Yes."
"Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?"
Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down. Brother Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift him against the force of gravity. Sweat was dropping off his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room. The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular. Brother Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a donut?"
Linda, too choked up to talk, just shook her head. Brother Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?" Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda. Then Brother Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?"
Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, "Brother Christianson, can I help him?"
Brother Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, he has to do it alone."
"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?" As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Brother Christianson then said, "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, pleaded to the Father, "Into thy hands I commend my spirit", and with the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, collapsed on the cross and died - even for those that didn't want His gift."
As this Christmas season continues, I hope that I can focus more on the GIFTS than the presents, and I will now have four “empty” boxes under the tree to remind me of all I have been given. And like the father in the first story, I will be able to look at these boxes and know how blessed I am to have a Heavenly Father and Savior that love me.
In closing, I would like to read a quote from President Thomas S. Monson:
“In a very real way (the Savior) visits us, each one, with His teachings. He brings cheer and inspires goodness. He gave His precious life that the grave would be deprived of its victory, that death would lose its sting, that life eternal would be our gift. “
The scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite characters. His plight is one that we all seem to share. He wanted a brain. When he and his comrades finally reached the Emerald City and met with the Wizard, he was presented with one of these.
(Hand out diplomas to girls.)
Amazingly, the Scarecrow started spouting off theorems and other "smart" things because he was handed a piece of paper. Do you think the paper gave him knowledge?
Where do you think he received his knowledge?
Just like the scarecrow, we have the ability to learn and increase our knowledge without realizing it.
What are some ways that we can gain knowledge?
They all fall into 3 different categories:
Pull out the large jar and explain:
This is your brain. :) One of my favorite quotes came amazingly enough out of the mouth of Rosanne Barr-Arnold. In one episode of "Rosanne", Rosanne and her sister were talking. Jackie mentioned, "You know, most people only use one tenth of their brain." Rosanne quipped, "That much?"
When you think about it, we have the ability to store tons and tons of information in our 2 1/2 pound brain. The things we store in there are totally there by our choice. Some people choose not to remember things, and others can't seem to forget others. What we put into our minds can really take up a lot of space.
The movies we watch, the music we listen to, the television programs we choose to see, the books we read, the people we like to be with, our families, our own experiences, etc. (Fill the jar with items - I used videos, magazines, etc.)
Doesn't leave a lot of room does it? Do we need to prioritize what we put in there?
What is the EASIEST way to gain knowledge? (Experience of others) We ask what people went through, or read or see what they do and the consequences, and we decide to either do or not do those things.
For example, if you were to see a friend being arrested for possession of a firearm on campus, would that deter you from carrying a gun yourself? Or, if you saw that a friend was helping out another person, and the gratitude on the other person's face, would you be more willing to help out others?
Why do we have the scriptures? The scriptures provide us an easy way to gain the knowledge of others' experiences. We can learn how to raise children, how to avoid sin, how to have courage, and faith, and how to act towards others. And much more.
What is the NEXT EASIEST way to gain knowledge? (Audio/Visual) We learn a lot about the world we live in by reading books, watching the news, listening to speakers, etc.
We can also gain spiritual knowledge and strengthen our testimonies by listening to uplifting music, especially on the Sabbath, watching good programs and going to firesides.
What do you think is the hardest way to gain knowledge? (Personal Experience) You've heard the phrase, "Learning things the hard way"? This means that we do it on our own.
Why do we tend to lean towards the harder way of gaining knowledge in our lives? What are some things you have learned through personal experience? What do we HAVE to learn through our own experiences?
Look at your diplomas, and tell me what they are for...
They are blank because you need to fill them in. Just like Scarecrow, you are filling your brain with knowledge one straw at a time. Make sure that what you fill your heads with is what you want to excel at and in. Write down what you would like to accomplish, what your most important goal is, on that diploma.
(I made scarecrow heads from used baby food jars - fill with straw, invert and put a felt hat on and paint face -- to give the girls with their diplomas.)
--Christy Wardle
Q: If you were to describe a Royal person, what would they be?
Answers can range from attitudes to clothing and jewelry, etc. Write them on the board.
Have props on hand to place on a “volunteer”. These can include: crown, robe, gown, jewelry, scepter (made from cardboard)…
Have a girl come to the front, and go through the list on the board, dressing her in the items you brought.
Q: So, does ______________ look like a princess?
A: Heck, no!
Q: Why not? She has on all of the things
you mentioned were royal.
A: Take answers from the girls, and have your
“volunteer” sit down.
Q: Would you like to know what Royalty looks like to me?
Pull out a mirror (I have an 8 x 10 that can look like a picture frame when upside down on the table.) and start with a person on the end. Hold the mirror in front of each person in the room for a second or two. Gauge their responses.
“God has given the women of this Church
a work to do in building his kingdom – which is, first, to teach the gospel
to all the world; second, to strengthen the membership of the church; and
third, to carry forward the work for the dead. Know that you are daughters
of God, children with a divine birthright. Walk in the sun with your
heads high, knowing that you are loved and honored, that you are a part of
his kingdom, and that there is for you a great work to be done which cannot
be left to others.”
-Gordon B. Hinckley
Everyone in this room, everyone in this building
is royalty. Everyone in this state; in this country; on this continent…. You
get the picture. We are all royalty because we are all children of
our Heavenly Father.
Heavenly Father knows each of us, and has given each of us our own challenges,
as well as armor to help us achieve our own divine missions.
Q: What about those that don’t have the Gospel
in their lives? How do they find out about their divine nature?
Q: Are we responsible for helping them rediscover
who they are?
Take answers from the girls, (most will be the obligatory ‘yes’.) and then ask them why THEY are responsible for others…
“To help another human being reach one’s
celestial potential is part of the divine mission of woman. As mother,
teacher, or nurturing Saint, she molds living clay to the shape of her hopes.
In partnership with God, her divine mission is to help spirits live and souls
be lifted. This is the measure of her creation. It is ennobling edifying,
and exalting.”
-Russell M. Nelson
In the scriptures, a candle is very symbolic.
Q: What are some of the things a candle symbolizes? (Christ, testimony, Church membership…)
Q: How did the Savior compare members of the church to a candle and salt?
A: Salt of the Earth, Light of the World.
READ: Matthew 5: 13- 16
READ: 3 Nephi 18: 24 (first two sentences only)
Q: What is our light that we are supposed to shine?
“[There is] a marvelous phenomenon which
occurs among men when the light of the gospel illuminates their lives.
Almost instinctively, it seems, the light of truth sparks a desire to share.
When our minds are expanded by new knowledge, we want others to know; when
our spirits are elevated by heavenly influence, we want others to feel; and
when our lives are filled with goodness, we want others, particularly those
whom we love, to enjoy similar experiences.”
-Carlos E. Asay
READ: D&C 123: 12
All around us are our brothers and sisters. We meet with them each day, have lunch with them, laugh with them. Many of these sons and daughters of God would embrace the Gospel if they understood it. Sometimes these royal people are kept from the truth because they don’t know where to find it.
(I related the conversion story of my parents here...)
Through our examples, friendships and testimonies, we can help others find out the truth to their existence here. That is part of our royal duties. We need to help others find their way home.
What are some ways that we can share the Gospel with our friends?
Why is it hard sometimes to do these things?
If we don’t share the gospel with our friends, who will they hear it from? Will they hear about it at all?
You Are Unique
Author Unknown
You may not think that the world needs you, but it does. For you are unique, like no one that has ever been before or will come after.
No one can speak with your voice, say your piece, smile your smile, or shine your light. No one can take your place, for it is yours alone to fill.
If you are not there to shine your light, who knows how many travelers will lose their way as they try to pass by your empty place in the darkness?
As we share the Gospel and help others rediscover and realize their potential as royalty, we will also discover and realize our own. We have a precious gift. We know who we are. We know why we are here. We know where we are going. How would your life be if you didn’t have that knowledge?
Show mirror again.
The next time you look in the mirror, see if you can spot the royal daughter of a loving and sincere Heavenly Father inside you. And the next time you visit with a friend, see if you can spot the royal son or daughter in them.
Handout Idea: I made Mirrors for the girls using the Mirror pattern in the Primary Art Pages and attached the poem above, You Are Unique.
-Christy Wardle
Show a work of embroidery or cross-stitch in progress. Show the girls only the back.
It looks like a mess, doesn’t it? How can you tell which thread goes where? How do people manage to make needlework look good? (they use a pattern or guide)
How are our lives like this embroidery?
Read the following:
God's Embroidery
When I was a little boy, my mother used to embroider
a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask
what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. I told her
that it looked like a mess from where I was. As from the underside I watched
her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in
her hand, I complained to her that it sure looked messy from where I sat.
She would smile at me, look down and gently say, "My son, you go about your
playing for awhile, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put
you on my knee and let you see it from my side." I would wonder why she was
using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so
jumbled from my view. A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother's
voice say, "Son, come and sit on my knee." This I did only to be surprised
and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset. I could not believe it,
because from underneath it looked so messy.
Then Mother would say to me, "My son, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing."
Many times through the years I have looked up to my Heavenly Father and said, "Father, what are You doing?" He has answered, "I am embroidering your life." I say, "But it looks like a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can't they all be bright?" The Father seems to tell me, "'My child, you go about your business of doing My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on My knee and you will see the plan from My side."
What are guides we have in our lives to
make sure that the embroidery of our lives matches the plan Heavenly Father
has for us?
QUOTE 1: "The purpose of a patriarchal
blessing [is] to interpret and reveal to us, through the inspiration of the
Almighty, why we are here and what is expected of us that we might fill the
measure of our creation here upon the earth."
LeGrand Richards
QUOTE 2: "[Patriarchal blessings
are given] to meet our special requirements in life, for our comfort, success,
and strength. Our special needs may be pointed out; special gifts may be promised
us; we may be blessed to overcome our weaknesses, to resist temptation, or
to develop our powers, so that we may the more surely achieve the promised
blessings. Since all men differ, their blessings may differ; but a patriarchal
blessing always confers promises upon us, becomes a warning against failure
in life, and a means of guidance in attaining the blessings of the Lord.”
John A Widtsoe
Does a patriarchal blessing tell us everything that is going to happen to us in our lives?
Why or why not?
A Patriarchal Blessing is usually just a general guide, without specifics. It is also dependent on how we live our lives. Like the Liahona, we receive direction from our Patriarchal Blessings when we are living worthily.
What can a Patriarchal Blessing help us with?
Show highlighted blessing. Different colors for different helps:
A Patriarchal Blessing can also act as a
reminder of who we really are, and guide us to become all we can be.
Quote #3: “You are creatures of divinity; you are daughters of the Almighty. Limitless is your potential. Magnificent is your future, if you will take control of it. Do not let your lives drift in a fruitless and worthless manner.” - President Gordon B. Hinckley
President Hinckley recently spoke at the YW Broadcast on “How Can I Become the Woman of Whom I Dream?”
What kind of woman do you dream of becoming?
What things do you need to do to become that woman?
Why are these things important to you?
PRESIDENT HINCKLEY’S ADDRESS FROM YW MEETING: (Play tape of following portion)
And so, my dear, dear young friends, I feel so earnest, so sincere, so anxious to say something to you this night which will help you become the woman of whom you dream.
As a starter, there must be cleanliness, for immorality will blight your life and leave a scar that will never entirely leave you. There must be purpose. We are here to accomplish something, to bless society with our talents and our learning. There can be fun, yes. But there must be recognition of the fact that life is serious, that the risks are great, but that you can overcome them if you will discipline yourselves and seek the unfailing strength of the Lord.Discuss what you have heard and point out important points and phrases...Let me first assure you that if you have made a mistake, if you have become involved in any immoral behavior, all is not lost. Memory of that mistake will likely linger, but the deed can be forgiven, and you can rise above the past to live a life fully acceptable unto the Lord where there has been repentance. He has promised that He will forgive your sins and remember them no more against you (see D&C 58:42).
He has set up the machinery with helpful parents and Church leaders to assist you in your difficulty. You can put behind you any evil with which you have been involved. You can go forward with a renewal of hope and acceptability to a far better way of life.
But there will be scars that will remain. The best way, the only way for you, is to avoid any entrapment with evil. President George Albert Smith used to say, "Stay on the Lord's side of the line" (Sharing the Gospel with Others, sel. Preston Nibley [1948], 42). You have within you instincts, powerful and terribly persuasive, urging you at times to let go and experience a little fling. You must not do it. You cannot do it. You are daughters of God with tremendous potential. He has great expectations concerning you, as do others. You cannot let down for a minute. You cannot give in to an impulse. There must be discipline, strong and unbending. Flee from temptation, as Joseph fled from the wiles of Potiphar's wife.
There is nothing in all this world as magnificent as virtue. It glows without tarnish. It is precious and beautiful. It is above price. It cannot be bought or sold. It is the fruit of self-mastery.
You young women spend a lot of time thinking of the boys. You can have a good time with them, but never overstep the line of virtue. Any young man who invites or encourages you or demands that you indulge in any kind of sexual behavior is unworthy of your company. Get him out of your life before both yours and his are blighted. If you can thus discipline yourselves, you will be grateful for as long as you live. Most of you will marry, and your marriage will be much the happier for your earlier restraint. You will be worthy to go to the house of the Lord. There is no adequate substitute for this marvelous blessing. The Lord has given a wonderful mandate. He has said, "Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly" (D&C 121:45). This becomes a commandment to be observed with diligence and discipline. And there is attached to it the promise of marvelous and wonderful blessings. He has said to those who live with virtue:
"Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God. . . .
"The Holy Ghost"—of which we have spoken tonight—"shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever" (D&C 121:45–46).
Could there be a greater or more beautiful promise than this?
Find purpose in your life. Choose the things you would like to do, and educate yourselves to be effective in their pursuit. For most it is very difficult to settle on a vocation. You are hopeful that you will marry and that all will be taken care of. In this day and time, a girl needs an education. She needs the means and skills by which to earn a living should she find herself in a situation where it becomes necessary to do so.
Study your options. Pray to the Lord earnestly for direction. Then pursue your course with resolution.
The whole gamut of human endeavor is now open to women. There is not anything that you cannot do if you will set your mind to it. You can include in the dream of the woman you would like to be a picture of one qualified to serve society and make a significant contribution to the world of which she will be a part.
I was in the hospital the other day for a few hours. I became acquainted with my very cheerful and expert nurse. She is the kind of woman of whom you girls could dream. When she was young she decided she wished to be a nurse. She received the necessary education to qualify for the highest rank in the field. She worked at her vocation and became expert at it. She decided she wanted to serve a mission and did so. She married. She has three children. She works now as little or as much as she wishes. There is such a demand for people with her skills that she can do almost anything she pleases. She serves in the Church. She has a good marriage. She has a good life. She is the kind of woman of whom you might dream as you look to the future.
For you, my dear friends, the sky is the limit. You can be excellent in every way. You can be first class. There is no need for you to be a scrub. Respect yourself. Do not feel sorry for yourself. Do not dwell on unkind things others may say about you. Particularly, pay no attention to what some boy might say to demean you. He is no better than you. In fact, he has already belittled himself by his actions. Polish and refine whatever talents the Lord has given you. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life and look for its opportunities, and forever and always be loyal to the Church.
Never forget that you came to earth as a child of the divine Father, with something of divinity in your very makeup. The Lord did not send you here to fail. He did not give you life to waste it. He bestowed upon you the gift of mortality that you might gain experience—positive, wonderful, purposeful experience—that will lead to life eternal. He has given you this glorious Church, His Church, to guide you and direct you, to give you opportunity for growth and experience, to teach you and lead you and encourage you, to bless you with eternal marriage, to seal upon you a covenant between you and Him that will make of you His chosen daughter, one upon whom He may look with love and with a desire to help. May God bless you richly and abundantly, my dear young friends, His wonderful daughters.
Of course there will be some problems along the way. There will be difficulties to overcome. But they will not last forever. He will not forsake you.
When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. . . .So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged; God is over all.
Count your many blessings; angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.
("Count Your Blessings," Hymns, no. 241)Look to the positive. Know that He is watching over you, that He hears your prayers and will answer them, that He loves you and will make that love manifest. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in all that you do as you look to become the kind of woman of whom you dream. You can do it. You will have friends and loved ones to help. And God will bless you as you pursue your course. This, girls, is my humble promise and prayer in your behalf, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
The Girl I Used to Be
She came tonight as I sat alone,
The girl I used to be,
She gazed at me with her earnest eye,
And questioned reproachfully:
"Have you forgotten the many plans
And hopes I had for you?
The great career, the splendid fame,
The wonderful things to do?
Where is the mansion of stately height
With all its gardens rare?
The silken robes I dreamed for you
And the jewels in your hair?"
As she spoke, I was very sad,
For I wanted her pleased with me,
This slender girl from the shadowy past,
The girl I used to be.
So, gently rising, I took her hand,
And guided her up the stairs,
Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay,
Innocent, sweet, and fair.
I told her, "These are my only gems,
And precious they are to me;
The silken robes is my motherhood,
Of costly simplicity.
My mansion of stately height is love,
And the only career I know
Is serving each day, in these sheltered walls,
The dear ones who come and go."
And as I spoke to my shadowy guest,
She smiled, through her tears, at me.
I saw the woman that I am now and
Pleased the girl I used to be.
All the things you do now will help you in the future; will help you become the woman you dream of being. Receiving your Patriarchal Blessing will help you to achieve your goals, and be a guide and help when you have doubts and troubles. There have been many times that I have read my blessing over and over again, each time feeling the love of Heavenly Father for me. I wish I had received it earlier.
-Christy Wardle
I did a value lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and created a chart on the board using art from the POS Sharing time I have on the Primary website. We stuck with just the basics, and it was amazing how many questions the YW had! In addition to the art that I have on the page, I added a b/w image of a girl and a color image of the same girl (spirit and earthly body) to move from place to place. I also drew circles for spirit paradise and spirit prison when we came to that part of the discussion.
Here's the outline:
Open:
3 empty jars sit on the table. Select different YW to come up and select something from the jars. Not much of a choice, is there?
Q: Would you like to have something in the jars to choose from?
Q: Why?
Q: Why are choices important?
PLAN OF SALVATION:
Place SPIRIT WORLD image on board. Heavenly Father created each of us spiritually. We chose to become women. In the war in Heaven, we CHOSE Christ to be the Savior (read from War in Heaven in the Bible Dictionary).
Something I wrote in my scriptures as a missionary: "We are all children of our Heavenly Father, we all know Him, and we all know Christ. Everyone on this earth chose Him to be our Savior. Our job is to help others remember Him."
Because we CHOSE Christ to be the Savior, we all received bodies.
Place 1st VEIL on board.
Q: What is the Veil?
Q: What is it's purpose?
Place picture of Earth on the board.
Q: What is our purpose on earth?
Q: What is the Plan of Salvation?
Q: What does the Plan of Salvation have to do with choice?
A. Heavenly Father CHOSE to sacrifice his sonGo over the Atonement, and talk about what it means to us individually.
A. Christ CHOSE to sacrifice himself
Q: (on board) What are things we choose that
are important to our eternal lives?
|
|
|
|
|
Read story "The Bridge" up to the choice...
Q: What would your choice be?
Finish the story.
Heavenly Father loved us so much that he sacrificed his son so we could return to live with Him again.
Place second VEIL on board.
Use "spirit" girl, leaving "mortal" girl on earth. - Discuss
After Death: D&C 138: 57-60Draw circle for Spirit Paradise and circle for Spirit Prison. - Discuss
Spirit Prison: D&C 138:28-30Draw line for JUDGEMENT and then place three kingdoms on board. -Discuss
Spirit Paradise: D&C 138: 11-16
D&C 76: 59-70 (Celestial)Explain how our choices on earth WILL affect us later on, not necessarily in this life. - Discuss
D&C 76: 71-78 (Terrestial)
D&C 76: 81-86 (Telestial)
REFERENCES AND SCRIPTURES:
Resources:
Lesson Plan:
Pass out the rocks to the young women. Have the girls describe the rocks, and write the adjectives on the board. Words they might use are HARD, ROUGH, GRAY, DARK, DULL, etc.
Q - How would you describe the troubles, trials and adversity in your lives? (As the girls give their answers, circle the adjectives that match on the board.)
Pass around the smooth, polished stone.
Q - How is this rock different from the first rocks? (Again, take their descriptions.)
The smooth rock was once the same as the other rocks. It has been changed through polishing and tumbling. (Briefly go over the process of how a rock is polished and tumbled. This brings out the true color and beauty of the stone.)
(I also brought in smooth marble eggs that I picked up at the Dollar Store)
Pass around the marble egg and hang up the picture of the "Pieta" by Michelangelo. Tell the girls about how Michelangelo would face a large piece of marble from the quarry and decide on what he would sculpt from it. "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free," he explained.
Just like these stones and rocks, we need
to be tumbled and polished, or become more perfect, during our lives.
Give paper and pens to the class. Have
them write down a difficulty or some adversity they have experienced.
When done, have them write what they have LEARNED and how they GREW from that
adversity.
Ask for examples people have seen in their
lives or in the lives of their friends and family of strength through adversity.
Story: Hope Springs Eternal
Quote: "On 30 October, a mob of approximately 200 men killed 17 men and boys at Haun’s Mill. The next day, Joseph Smith and approximately 50 other Church leaders were arrested on false charges. Most of these leaders were released within three weeks. However, six of them, including Joseph and Hyrum Smith, were detained despite their innocence. In November they were marched first to Independence, then to Richmond, and then to Liberty, where they were incarcerated in Liberty Jail until April 1839.Our Heavenly Father's plan for us to be tried and tested is part of our mortal experience. As we cope with trials and adversity we can develop God-given strengths."Conditions in Liberty Jail were harsh. The prisoners were kept in the lower level, which was like a dungeon—dark, cold, and unsanitary. The food was inadequate and filthy. The Prophet and his companions had only a little straw on the stone floor for their beds, with meager blankets for cover. The ceiling was so low that some of the brethren, including Joseph and Hyrum, could not stand upright. They were also under constant threat of death." (D&C and Church History Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 28: “O God, Where Art Thou?”)
Encourage the girls to study D&C 121: 7-33 and D&C 122
Think of your own trials as I read D&C 122:5-8 .
Q: In what way has the Savior “descended below” all things?
Explain that because the Savior descended below all things, He has a perfect understanding of all our trials. Speaking of the supreme suffering of the Savior, Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve said:
Quote: “As part of His infinite atonement, Jesus … has borne the sins, griefs, sorrows, and, declared Jacob, the pains of every man, woman, and child (see 2 Nephi 9:21). Having been perfected in His empathy, Jesus thus knows how to succor us. … Nothing is beyond His redeeming reach or His encircling empathy. Therefore, we should not complain about our own life’s not being a rose garden when we remember who wore the crown of thorns!” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 89; or Ensign, May 1987, 72).Q: Do we experience any trial in which we cannot be comforted by the Savior?
Have volunteers read aloud what they have written on their cards.
Quote: "In our premortal existence we shouted for joy at the prospect of coming to earth, where we would obtain a physical body, gain experience, and be tested. Part of this testing experience, we knew, would be afflictions of body and spirit.Q: How does this apply to us?"Everyone struggles with adversity: illness, accidents, death of loved ones, and trials of all kinds that sometimes leave us wondering if we have the strength to carry on. President Brigham Young assures us, however, that “every vicissitude we pass through is necessary for experience and example, and for preparation to enjoy that reward which is for the faithful” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young [1997], 262)."
(“Turning to the Savior in Adversity,” Ensign, Sept. 1999, 70)Quote: "Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful. The thorns that prick, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner’s fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process." - Elder James E. Faust
Story: “When my great-great grandparents joined the Church in Sweden, they were faced with a long ocean voyage to America, a train trip from New York to Omaha, and then a trek by wagon to Salt Lake City. But when they boarded the train in New York, they discovered that they were to ride in stock cars that had been used to haul hogs to market—and the cars were filthy and filled with hog lice.
“Grandmother accepted the inconvenience, but the humiliation was almost more than grandfather could bear. ‘To think we are no better than hogs,’ he grumbled. Reluctantly he made the trip anyway.
“Grandmother was expecting another child. …
“Somewhere on the plains of Nebraska, a healthy baby was born. But a few days later, the three-year-old son contracted cholera. … The boy died that night.
“The next morning the wagon master said they would hold a short funeral service and bury the boy in a shallow grave, apologetically explaining that they were in Indian country and didn’t have time to do anything more. But grandfather couldn’t accept this, and insisted on staying behind and digging a grave deep enough so the animals wouldn’t get the body.
“Throughout the day and into the night he worked, building a strong wooden coffin and digging a grave five feet deep in the hard soil. Finally, exhausted and sobbing, he buried his son and then walked all night to catch up with the wagon train. He was heartbroken and mad—mad at the wagon master for not waiting to give his son a proper burial, and mad at God for ‘allowing’ his son to die. …
“This wasn’t the end of their difficulties; they continued to suffer serious hardships and adversities throughout their lives. But although they both went through identical experiences, each was affected differently by them. Grandfather became withdrawn, cantankerous, and bitter. He stopped going to Church and found fault with Church leaders. He became caught up in his own miseries, and the light of Christ grew dimmer and dimmer in his life.
“On the other hand, grandmother’s faith increased. Each new problem seemed to make her stronger. She became an angel of mercy—filled with empathy, compassion, and charity. She was a light to those around her. Her family gravitated toward her and looked to her as their leader.” (Steve Dunn Hanson, “What to Do with Adversity,” Ensign, Feb. 1981, pp. 54-55.)
Quote: "When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? Willing sacrifice of deeply held personal desires in favor of the will of God is very hard to do. Yet, when you pray with real conviction, “Please let me know Thy will” and “May Thy will be done,” you are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from your loving Father." (Richard G. Scott, “Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 16)Bring out the paper rocks. Tape the rock DISCOURAGEMENT at the bottom of the blackboard, and HAPPINESS at the top. Place the cutout person on the DISCOURAGEMENT rock. As you discuss the following topics, tape the rock to the board (forming a path to the word HAPPINESS) and move the person to each step as you finish that topic.
Story: (Paraphrase if nesessary) “It was the third Saturday in January a few years ago. I was excited to attend a seminar that morning. It was an agricultural seminar at the Brigham Young University, where I had been attending school. I had been home from my Honolulu Hawaii Mission six months and was going through all the adjustments of a returned missionary. The challenge of family, girls, school, and the fact that there were twenty-five thousand other students who were bright and aggressive—some with plenty of money; others, like myself, who were pinching every nickel—didn’t make things easier.
“I landed a job running a hydraulic press earlier that week in a machine shop. We made seals for hydraulic equipment. Following the seminar that morning, I went to work. Kimball, my roommate and former missionary companion who had gone to work earlier that morning, instructed me in how to make a new seal. After approximately twenty minutes, one of the smallest seals stuck on the face of the plate. I struggled to get it off with my left hand. As I turned back to give it my full attention and use my right hand, the machine closed on my left hand, causing a horrible noise as it crushed my hand just below the wrist. After what seemed an eternity, the huge press finally opened. My first thought when looking at my hand was ‘What a mess!’ Then that inner voice which I had come to know, love, and appreciate, whispered, ‘Jerry, you won’t have your hand.’
“Four hours of surgery followed. The first thing I remember hearing was the surgeon’s voice in the recovery room.
“ ‘Jerry,’ he said, ‘Can you hear me?’
“ ‘Yes,’ I said.
“ ‘We had to take your hand off.’
“The following four days were filled with tears, aches, friends, cards, letters, and family. Concerned people made it so much easier for me, especially Kimball. He let my parents and others close to me know and helped in every way he could. Never did I have to ask for one thing. It was already done. By his example and support, he gave me courage to face this new challenge.
“The days in the hospital were filled with painful, sleepless hours and nights. Those nights gave me an opportunity to think about the Savior and Joseph Smith as I had never done before. I reviewed the Prophet Joseph’s life from everything I had learned. He faced physical, emotional, and spiritual trial upon trial. How I marveled at his well-won victories. At this difficult time I promised the Lord I would try to accept all of my challenges as the Prophet Joseph Smith had accepted his.
“Of course, during the first night there were thoughts of ‘Why me? Was it something in my past? What have I done to deserve this?’ Then I thought, ‘No more rodeo, football, or skiing,’ and I wondered what type of a woman would want a one-handed husband. I hadn’t developed a good self-image or a great deal of self-esteem, so these thoughts magnified my concerns.
“Mom came to school and drove me home for the weekend. One thing she said that made me again appreciate her greatness was, ‘Jerry, if I could only give you my left hand and make it work, I would.’
“Sunday was fast Sunday. As I stood favoring my bandaged, shortened arm, I thanked everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and cards. I realized as never before that good friends and faithful family members make challenges less difficult.
“After the testimony meeting, an admired friend gave me a special blessing. So many questions were answered during his blessing. He told me this accident was not punishment for anything I had done but, rather, an opportunity to help me become a better person and to amplify those particular traits which needed to be developed. He shared the thought that this challenge could make me more understanding of people, problems, and life. As I look back now, each point of his blessing and encouragement has helped in a very fulfilling way.
“One of my greatest fears was the constant thought of how people would accept me. Would they be afraid of me, question my ability, or write me off before I could prove myself? Would girls turn down dates because I was different? Would it make them feel uncomfortable to be seen with me?
“I had dated several girls since my mission but had only dated Julie a couple of times. When I awoke the day following the operation in the hospital, she was there with other friends. I asked everyone else to leave the room, and I then proceeded to give her what I thought was the perfect speech. I told her that they had to take my hand off. If she felt embarrassed or ashamed to be with me or be seen with me on future dates, she need not feel obligated to continue in any future courtship. At that moment I could see fire in her eyes. She let me know in no uncertain terms that she was not there out of pity or duty, but only because she cared for me. She indicated she would help me but never feel sorry for me. Six months later we were married in the Salt Lake Temple.
“There were many job interviews, prejudices, and rejections of employment; but with continued encouragement, the Lord blessed us in innumerable ways. When our first little girl, Bracken, arrived, it left us short of money to go to school. So after a major decision, we went into business, which proved to be another learning experience. After a couple of years—with many reverses—I was able to find a career in personnel management, which not only fulfilled my goals but also answered my prayers.
“Today as I look back, I see the challenge of adversity as something upon which to build. Of course, I cannot say the experience was pleasant; it was horrible. However, I hope I have used this adversity in a positive way. When I see others in trouble, in pain, when real adversity is knocking, I have an opportunity not only to feel something of what they feel but perhaps I can also help them because they can see that I have challenges of my own.” (Marvin J. Ashton, “Adversity and You,” Ensign, Nov. 1980, 54)
Quote: "Following a recent discussion on the subject of adversity, a young man who was greatly concerned about the burdens being carried by his wonderful mother asked the question, “If God is omnipotent and knows all, why does He put my mother through the agony of continual sufferings when He already knows what the outcome will be?” Our response was, “Your mother’s trials are not tests so the Lord can measure her. They are tests and trials so that your mother can measure herself. It is most important that she know her strengths in adversity and grow from the experiences.” (Marvin J. Ashton, “Adversity and You,” Ensign, Nov. 1980, 54)
"If you are suffering the disheartening effects of transgression, please recognize that the only path to permanent relief from sadness is sincere repentance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Realize your full dependence upon the Lord and your need to align your life with His teachings. There is really no other way to get lasting healing and peace. Postponing humble repentance will delay or prevent your receiving relief. Admit to yourself your mistakes and seek help now. Your bishop is a friend with keys of authority to help you find peace of mind and contentment. The way will be opened for you to have strength to repent and be forgiven." (Richard G. Scott, “Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 16)
“I have seen the remorse and despair in the lives of men who, in the hour of trial, have cursed God and died spiritually. And I have seen people rise to great heights from what seemed to be unbearable burdens.
“Finally, I have sought the Lord in my own extremities and learned for myself that my soul has made its greatest growth as I have been driven to my knees by adversity and affliction” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1969, 60; or Improvement Era, Dec. 1969, 69).
Just like these rocks, inside us are beauties
and strengths we don't know we have until we are tumbled and polished through
our trials and adversities. Without them, we would be plain and colorless
- dull and uninteresting - weak and yeilding to everything that comes our
way. We need to look to our probles as opportunities to become stronger,
more beautiful women.
Quote: "The Divine Shepherd has a message of hope, strength, and deliverance for all. If there were no night, we would not appreciate the day, nor could we see the stars and the vastness of the heavens. We must partake of the bitter with the sweet. There is a divine purpose in the adversities we encounter every day. They prepare, they purge, they purify, and thus they bless.I made a bookmark for the girls with the following quote from the lesson on it. I also made necklaces for them with polished rocks I picked up at my local craft store. I found charms with the stones inside, but you could also pick up polished stones and glue them to a card with the quote on it."When we pluck the roses, we find we often cannot avoid the thorns which spring from the same stem." (Elder James E. Faust "The Refiner's Fire")
"Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful. The thorns that prick, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner’s fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process." - James E. Faust
Hope this is a help to you. We enjoy your website.
Donna Semar
Highland Manor Ward
Bakersfield, California Stake
Elder Richard G. Scott has an excellent article in the April 2002 New Era about what it means to be healed by the Savior.
There are times when, through no fault of our own, heavy burdens are placed upon us. We may give in to self-defeating comments and say that, "No one understand me . . ." Elder Scott explains that "No one can help you without faith and effort on your part. Your personal growth requires that. Don't look for a life virtually free from discomfort, pain, pressure, challenge, or grief, for those are the tools a loving Father uses to stimulate our personal growth and understanding." He goes on to explain how we can access our Savior's help in different ways.
I'd like to show "The Lamb of God."
In conclusion, if I can bring this all together in the time allotted, I would like to show them the picture called, "I Will Not Fail Thee." It's the one of the young women kneeling at the Savior's knee, and embracing his arm. Initially, I thought that the title meant that the young woman was promising Jesus that she would be faithful, endure to the end, and that his Atonement would not be for naught. But then I read something by the artist, and the title is really expressing the time before we came to earth when our Savior held us in his arms and promised us that HE would not fail us. Wow! And, indeed, he has not failed us. He was chosen before the world began to be our Savior, and "The Lamb of God" beautifully shoes that he did not fail us.
Somehow, I want to tie all of this together. That we were with Christ before we came to earth. That we can find healing through him. That he came to earth and fulfilled his promise. And that he loves us and remembers each one of us still . . .
-Teresa.
Today, I’d like to talk to you about two things. Your brain, and monkeys. Now, if that doesn’t grab your attention, I don’t know what would!
Your brain is an amazing organ. Inside it, you carry information you have gathered throughout your life. Everything you have ever seen, tasted, touched, smelled or heard is categorized and filed in there. You may temporarily forget things, but they will always be carried with you to pop up from time to time. How many of you have heard a certain song, or smelled a certain smell and it instantly brought back a memory of a person or place that you knew? Recently, I was walking down the isle with the cocoa and coffee at Wal-Mart, and came up behind an older couple. The gentleman was wearing the same cologne as my grandpa, and for a moment, I was transported back to my grandma’s kitchen just from the combination of smells from the coffee and the cologne. It also triggered memories of sitting with my grandpa in his camper when we met them at different RV parks, and how much I loved sitting between he and my grandma in the front of their truck.
So, everything you put into your mind, via your 5 senses, you carry with you through this life, and into the next. Every face you have seen, every voice you have heard, etc.
Now comes the part about the monkeys…
(Pull out three monkey faces)
I’m sure you all have seen this image of the three monkeys covering their eyes, mouth or ears. They are always seen together, and for good reason. They stand for “SEE no evil, HEAR no evil and SPEAK no evil.”
I have been asked to address the subject of profanity, and these monkeys are going to help me do it.
The first monkey I’ll talk about is “SEE no evil”.
We have been counseled by our leaders to be very selective about the things that we see. We have been told in very plain terms to avoid pornography and R-rated (or worse) movies, as well as other things.
BE CLEAN PART 1
L. Tom Perry said, “Today, probably more than in any other period of history, we find more profanity and vulgarity being used. It seems to stem from our television and movie presentations. Many are filled with language that can only defile the minds of men.
“My wife had a birthday a few months ago. Being a dutiful husband, I determined we should go out to a movie together. We scanned the movie advertisements in the newspaper to find one that had the proper rating we thought we could enjoy watching. We picked out one with a PG rating, only to find after just a few minutes in the movie, the language was such that we could not tolerate it. I was embarrassed to come out and see the crowd standing in line. I didn’t want them to observe me coming out of a movie that had such vulgar language.”
There are many movies, or books or plays out there that have won the acclaim of critics, of our friends, family and neighbors. Now, one of the ways we justify seeing these things is with the phrase, “It only had a little bit of (fill in the blank)”.
Here’s a story about how one parent handled
this phrase in his family:
Brownies with a Difference
Many parents are hard pressed to explain to
their youth why some music, movies, books, and magazines are not acceptable
material for them to bring into the home or to listen to or see.
One parent came up with an original idea that
is hard to refute. The father listened to all the reasons his children gave
for wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors.
Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was
only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex--they never really showed
it. The language was pretty good--the Lord's name was only used in vain three
times in the whole movie.
The teens did admit there was a scene where a building and a bunch of people were blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't too bad. And, even if there were a few minor things, the special effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed.
However, even with all the justifications the teens made for the ‘13' rating, the father still wouldn't give in. He didn't even give his children a satisfactory explanation for saying, "No." He just said, "No!"
A little later on that evening the father asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had baked. He explained that he'd taken the family's favorite recipe and added a little something new. The children asked what it was.
The father calmly replied that he had added dog poop. However, he quickly assured them, it was only a little bit. All other ingredients were gourmet quality and he had taken great care to bake the brownies at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb.
Even with their father's promise that the brownies were of almost perfect quality, the teens would not take any. The father acted surprised. After all, it was only one small part that was causing them to be so stubborn. He was certain they would hardly notice it. Still the teens held firm and would not try the brownies.
The father then told his children how the movie they wanted to see was just like the brownies. Our minds are leading us into believing that just a little bit of evil won't matter. But, the truth is even a little bit of poop makes the difference between a great treat and something disgusting and totally unacceptable.
The father went on to explain that even though the movie industry would have us believe that most of today's movies are acceptable fare for adults and youth, they are not.
Now, when this father's children want to see something that is of questionable material, the father merely asks them if they would like some of his special dog poop brownies. That closes the subject.
The next monkey is HEAR NO EVIL
Where do we hear “evil”? In public places, at work, school, with our friends, on the radio, over the phone, told as jokes, etc. Of course we can’t leave out the music we listen to. There is a song that I liked for a little while by a group called “Staind”. After hearing it a few times, I realized that there are a couple of words that are flubbed over for the radio edit of the song. As I listened to the lyrics, it was plain, even though the words were edited, what was being said. As the song went on, I filled in the words in my mind. It kind of shocked me when I did that, because I don’t talk like that, or use that kind of language. Now, I have to turn the station when that song comes on, so I won’t be tempted to fill in the words every time I hear it.
President Spencer W. Kimball described an experience that happened to him: “In the hospital one day I was wheeled out of the operating room by an attendant who stumbled, and there issued from his angry lips vicious cursing with a combination of the names of the Savior. Even half-conscious, I recoiled and implored: “Please! Please! That is my Lord whose names you revile.”
“There was a deathly silence, then a subdued voice whispered, “I am sorry.” He had forgotten for the moment that the Lord had forcefully commanded all his people, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain” (Ex. 20:7).”
What sometimes keeps us from having the courage to turn off or stand up to things we hear that are offensive to us?
Dallin H. Oaks said: “The Book of Mormon teaches us that when we are brought before the judgment bar of God “our words will condemn us … and our thoughts will also condemn us.” (Alma 12:14.) Let us recognize profanity and vulgarity for what they are. They are sins that separate us from God and cripple our spiritual defenses by causing the Holy Ghost to withdraw from us.
We should abstain and we should teach our children to abstain from all such expressions.
We can also encourage our associates to do likewise. Where we have the courage to make a friendly request, like Elder Kimball, we will often receive a respectful and cooperative reply.”
Sometimes all it takes is a kind request to stop others from using foul or offensive language around you. For instance, with children, they don’t know (yet) what words are appropriate or not appropriate to use. They hear them all at school, but it is up to us as parents to teach them correctly. We have a couple of words that we don’t use in our home. One is “stupid” when talking about a person, and another phrase is “shut up”. When the kids’ friends have used these words at our house or in the car, I just told them that we don’t use those words in our house or car, and they remembered the next time they came over to play.
It may seem that our efforts to curtail profanity have little influence beyond our circle of acquaintance. Yet Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles notes, “If we knew how often the obedience of others is affected by our own and how often our stepping forth soon brings forth a whole platoon of helpers and how often our speaking forth soon creates a chorus—we would be even more ashamed of our slackness and our silence” (Wherefore, Ye Must Press Forward [1977], 41).
Orson Scott Card answered a question in the New Era regarding friends that use profanity, and whether to keep them as friends or not. His replay was very eloquent (this was allllll the way back in the ice age, by the way. 1973. But, it still applies to us today):
“I was in exactly that situation in a summer job one year; all but one of the other employees were Mormon, but their language, even among the girls, would have made a truck driver blush. One fellow managed to stick it out with clean language. I didn’t. And now, more than a year later, I still find that some of the words I picked up then come too readily to mind in times of stress.
“As infants we learn to talk by imitating the words and phrases of those we love. It is a natural, involuntary thing to speak the words we constantly hear from people we favor. So anytime I find myself with a person or group of people, I listen to them carefully and ask myself, “Do I want to sound like that?” Because if I am with them long enough and intimately enough, I surely will.”
Like Brother Card said, the longer we are exposed to certain language and behaviors, the more likely we are to take that language or action on as our own. That’s where the brain ties in. In Matthew 12: 34-35 is reads:
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”
Basically, if you put garbage in… You get garbage out.
So, now the last of the monkeys: SPEAK no evil.
George Washington also set us a good example in this regard. When he learned that some of his officers were given to profanity, he sent a letter to them on July 1, 1776, from which we quote:
“The General is sorry to be informed that the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing, a vice heretofore little known in our American army, is growing into fashion. He hopes the officers will, by example as well as influence, endeavor to check it and that both they and the men will reflect that we can have little hope of the blessing of heaven on our arms if we insult it by our impropriety and folly. Added to this, it is a vice so mean and low, without any temptation, that every man of sense and character detests and despises it.”
There are a lot of ideas out there to help us curb the urge or habit of using profane language.
Some ideas from the Family Home Evening Resource
Book are:
1. Promise to repent immediately of profanity.
If anyone forgets and uses profanity, he will apologize immediately to anyone
who heard him and ask the Lord’s forgiveness and help in overcoming the problem.
2. Decide that offensive or obscene words will
be considered “garbage can” words. Post a picture of a garbage can in your
house to remind family members that they must mentally dispose of such words.
3. Make it a practice to refuse to listen to
or laugh at dirty stories. Forget the stories, and do not repeat them to
others.
4. Promise to pay someone a sum of money for
each profane word you speak.
5. If a family member is having a serious problem
with profanity, have him fast, pray, and, when appropriate, ask for a priesthood
blessing to help him make his language pure and acceptable to the Lord.
6. Little children sometimes use bad words without
knowing their meaning. When this occurs, the parent or older brother or sister
who hears the words should kindly explain to the child that we do not use
those words in our family.
BE CLEAN PART 2:
As we all come across language that we know
is inappropriate or irreverent in the things we SEE, HEAR and SAY, think
about the monkey that is in front of you, and how it relates to your brain.
One of the speakers, a woman, told a story, the likes of which you have heard many times. As I remember it, she recounted a time in their lives when the missionaries knocked on their door. She had not the remotest idea of what they were teaching. However, she invited them in, and she and her husband listened to
