This being Fast and Testimony Sunday, we were pleased to have the Young Women and their leaders join us for opening exercises which were conducted by Sister Amy Hendricks.
Sister Pam Swan read a scripture from Doc. & Cov. 50:24-25 -
"That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
"And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you . . ."
We then stood and repeated the Young Women's Theme.
Sister Janice Cunningham made announcements about the Ward Mission Plan and our participation: There is a sheet of paper circulating with the roll on which we are encouraged to write questions asked of us by a non-member. These will be topics of discussion in future meetings.
Also, please note that the Thursday night meeting which is usually on the 2nd Thursday of the month will be on the THIRD Thursday this month due to a Stake leadership meeting that will be held on our regular evening. This month's meeting will be a Soup Potluck and everyone is invited to bring their favorite (yummy) soup to contribute to our dinner along with a copy of the recipe for sharing. The meeting is 11/17/16 at 6:30 PM. Be sure to invite a friend!
The Young Women were excused to attend their lesson for today.
Sister Cunningham presented our lesson pertaining to the Holy Ghost and how we can feel His presence in our lives.
To begin her lesson, Sister Cunningham played a video for us about "Feeling the Holy Ghost. You can click on the link below or locate it in the Media Library on lds.org for viewing. This little video is full of quotations from Apostles and other General Authorities as well as first hand confirmations from many members telling how they know they are feeling the presence of the Holy Ghost in their lives. It is a great example and reminder to examine our experiences to determine how we feel when the Spirit touches us.
Following the video, we read a scripture from Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
We can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives and know that this Spirit guides us in Christ's absence from the earth.
Question: "How do you invite the Holy Ghost into your life?
Answers from the class were: by being baptized; having a specific need; being spiritually in tune; being in the right place; praying; paying attention/listening after prayer; reading the scriptures; being humble; attending the Temple; simply asking with a sincere heart.
A scripture that corresponds to these 'invitations' from Doc. & Cov. 42:14, reads
"And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith ..."
Utilizing these tools in offering a 'prayer of faith' will help us to create a larger opportunity for success in receiving guidance from the Holy Ghost.
What are some of the things that could keep this from happening?
Those answers were: being angry, prideful, fearful, insincere, not being intent on your purpose, having low self worth or indulging in self-deprecation.
Sister Cunningham told about a situation where her youngest son, Jeffrey, pointed out the benefit of being blessed to have the Spirit of the Holy Ghost in their home:
At an end-of-the-year potluck in her home, Sister Cunningham and her friends were having lively conversations on various personal stories and sharing points of interest with others. The topic came around to "Where were you raised?" "Have you any particular religious background?" This lead to many different comments from the various guests, some of which Sister Cunningham said were of a rather sad nature. However, as the time came for goodbyes she received many thanks and comments about how wonderful and different the atmosphere at this gathering had been. When she was speaking with Jeffrey later, wondering why her friends would have expressed these comments, his answer reminded her that they had felt the Spirit of the Holy Ghost in their home - an experience most of them probably do not have often.
A story from Quentin L. Cook, shared in his October 2016 General Conference talk told of how we often see things from different perspectives.
"Many years ago my father built a small cabin on part of the ranch property where he had been raised. The vistas across the meadows were exceptional. When the walls were framed in for the cabin, I made a visit. I was surprised that the window with the view focused directly on a power pole that was a short distance from the house. To me, it was a huge distraction from the magnificent view."I said, 'Dad, why did you let them put the power pole directly in front of your view from the window?"
His father exclaimed with some emotion:
"Quentin, that power pole is the most beautiful thing to me on the entire ranch!' He then made his case: 'When I look at that pole, I realize that, unlike when I grew up here, I will not have to carry water in containers from the spring up to the house to cook, wash my hands, or bathe. I will not have to light candles or oil lamps at night to read. I want to see that power pole right in the middle of the view window.'"
"My father had a different perspective on the power pole than I did. To him that pole represented an improved life, but to me it was a stumbling block to a magnificent vista. My dad valued power, light and cleanliness above an aesthetic view. I immediately realized that while the pole was a stumbling block for me, it had great practical, symbolic meaning to my father."
Perhaps we need to examine our lives and our priorities to identify the stumbling blocks we may harbor and study how we can change our perspective.
Sister Annetta Taylor read a quotation that describes a stumbling block as, "an impediment to belief or understanding" or "an obstacle to progress." Elder Cook says, "To stumble spiritually is 'to fall into sin or waywardness.' A stumbling block can be anything that distracts us from achieving righteous goals. We cannot afford to have our testimonies of the Father and the Son become confused and complicated by stumbling blocks. We cannot fall into that trap. Our testimonies of Them need to remain pure and simple like my father's simple defense of the power pole on the ranch where he grew up."
One stumbling block could be the 'philosophies of men'. We read in 1Cor 2:4-5,
"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
"That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."
This scripture helps us to understand that our faith should be based on the power of God, not on the teachings or wisdom of men. Having faith, we each have the power to teach.
Faith and the power to teach give us the opportunity to teach others who do not have the gospel in their lives. It gives us the opportunity to help in the missionary work of our ward and stake.
Another stumbling block could be sin and seeing sin in its true light.
Elder Cook tells us that, "Even some who profess a belief in the Father and Son wrongfully take the position that a loving Father in Heaven should exact no consequences for conduct that is contrary to His commandments."
He points out that this was "apparently the position taken by Corianton, the son of Alma the Younger in the Book of Mormon." After he had engaged in immoral conduct, he was being counseled by Alma. The account of this instruction is recorded for us in Alma 39. He counseled his son about the repentance process and then explained how Christ would come to take away the sin. It was necessary to make repentance clear to Corianton because "no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God."
Elder Cook also tells us that Alma 42 "contains some of the most magnificent doctrine on the Atonement in all scripture." Alma noted that "a merciful God had provided a 'space for repentance' because without repentance, 'the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated.' Alma also established that God's plan is a 'plan of happiness.'"
Sister Cunningham reminded us, as she wrote on the board in big letters, the word SIN, that sin is not necessarily huge or blaring in our face with strobe lights and fireworks. It can be something very small. She then revised her word to read sin.
In speaking about a book on the author, C.S. Lewis and how he changed over time from an atheist to a fervent Christian, Sister Cunningham mentioned one of his quotes pertaining to the trials and temptations we face in that the "test for us is each day. . . "
Sister Debbie Genereux read about Elder Heber C. Kimball from Elder Cook's talk:
"Heber C. Kimball was one of the original Twelve Apostles of this dispensation and First Counselor to President Brigham Young. He warned: 'The time is coming when . . . it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy to the people of God. Then . . . look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and many will fall.' He concluded that there is 'a TEST coming.'"
Elder Cook followed up with a quote from Elder Neal A. Maxwell in 1982:
"Much sifting will occur because of lapses in righteous behavior which go unrepented of. A few will give up instead of holding out to the end. A few will be deceived by defectors. Likewise, others will be offended, for sufficient unto each dispensation are the stumbling blocks thereof!"
We can see in our day and time that we will be challenged and tested. One of the phrases Sister Cunningham mentioned that most of us have heard at one time or another in discussing gospel principles is, "You don't really believe that do you?" We must be sure and confident of the principles in which we believe so that we can say that we truly do believe.
Sister Kathleen Libbey read from Alma 42:29 where he is speaking to Corianton about the need for repentance -
"And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance."
We all progress at a different rate and weather different trials. We each feel our own shortcomings and sins, etc. that are bringing us down. Others may not be in the same place as us, so the same thing that bothers us may not bother them. We should not give heed to comments from those others when they tell us not to worry about this thing or that temptation.
As we follow the commandments, read the scriptures, pray and receive inspiration from the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, we will build and strengthen our personal testimonies.
And, as Elder Richard G. Scott said in his October 2001 General Conference address,
"As you fortify your own personal testimony, you will have power to make correct choices so that you can stand unwaveringly against the pressures of an increasingly vicious world. Your personal security and happiness depend upon the strength of your testimony, for it will guide your actions in times of trial or uncertainty."
Question of the week: "How do you know when you feel the Spirit of the Holy Ghost?"
Your bloggess,
Karen
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