The Atonement - Lesson Idea

My friend Melissa gave a wonderful lesson in Relief Society last Sunday.  To prepare, she read through all of the General Conference talks from April 2016.  As she studied the talks, she pulled out various quotes and concepts about the Atonement.  We discussed each theme and quote as she asked questions in class and we had an awesome, heartfelt discussion.  We all desperately need the Atonement so I appreciated that she chose to give a lesson on it.

Because of the Atonement, there will be no unfairness

I can emphatically state that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, ultimately, in the eternal scheme of things, there will be no unfairness. “All that is unfair about life can be made right”. Our present circumstances may not change, but through God’s compassion, kindness, and love, we will all receive more that we deserve, more than we can ever earn, and more than we can ever hope for.

Dale G. Renlund, April Conference 2016

How can knowing that everything will be made right help us now?

 (That is the essence of faith)

Forgiveness through the Atonement sets us free

There is not a soul alive who will not, at one time or another, be the victim to someone else’s careless actions, hurtful conduct, or even sinful behavior. That is one thing we all have in common. Gratefully, God, in His love and mercy for His children, has prepared a way to help us navigate these sometimes turbulent experiences of life. He has provided an escape for all who fall victim to the misdeeds of others. He has taught us that we can forgive! Even though we may be a victim once, we need not be a victim twice by carrying the burden of hate, bitterness, pain, resentment, or even revenge. We can forgive, and we can be free!

            Kevin R. Duncan, April Conference 2016

What is the connection between being forgiven and offering forgiveness to others?

How does forgiving others free us?

The Atonement brings us peace

Peace of mind, peace of conscience, and peace of heart are not determined by our ability to avoid trials, sorrow, or heartache. Despite our sincere pleas, not every storm will change course, not every infirmity will be healed, and we may not fully understand every doctrine, principle, or practice taught by prophets, seers, and revelators. Nevertheless, we have been promised peace-with a condition attached. Faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice is, and forever will be, the first principle of the gospel and the foundation upon which our hope for “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” is built.

            W. Christopher Waddell, April Conference 2016

Would anyone like to share a time when they have felt peace, even through a trial?

The Atonement can help us discern what it right for us

When trust is betrayed, dreams shattered, hearts broken and broken again, when we want justice and need mercy, when our fists clench and our tears flow, when we need to know what to hold onto and what to let go of, we can always remember Him. His infinite compassion can help us find our way, truth, and life.

            Gerrit W. Gong, April Conference 2016

When you think about the burdens that you are carrying, what could it mean when he says “know what to hold onto and what to let go of”? 

Relying on the Atonement can ease our burdens

God rarely infringes on the agency of any of His children by intervening against some for the relief of others. But He does ease the burdens of our afflictions and strengthen us to bear them, as He did with Alma’s people in the land of Helam. He does not prevent all disasters, but He does answer our prayers to turn them aside…He does blunt their effects.

            Dallin H. Oaks, April Conference 2016

What are some strategies for turning our burdens over to the Lord so he can help us bear them?

(Prayer, fasting, finding a support system)

The Atonement gives us strength to keep trying

With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve, and the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don’t always succeed.

            Jeffrey R. Holland, April Conference 2016

Would anyone like to share a time when you just kept trying, even though you felt like you weren’t succeeding?

Talk - Developing Christlike Characteristics

Here is a talk that my son gave at church today.  He was the companion speaker for a high council speaker.

Today I will talk about how to develop Christlike characteristics.

In Preach My Gospel, there is a section titled “How Do I Develop Christlike Attributes.”  Much of my talk will come from this book. Writing this talk has been good preparation for my mission, since Preach My Gospel is an essential tool used by missionaries every day. I know it’s not a coincidence that I was asked to speak about this topic, and I’m very thankful for this opportunity to study about Christ and share my testimony with all of you.

At the beginning of His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and called out to two fishermen named Peter and Andrew.  He said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. The Lord invites each of us to follow His example and to become like Him. The restored gospel allows each of us to become like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The Savior has set the perfect example, and He commands us to become as He is. We can try hard to learn of Him and seek to incorporate His attributes into our lives. Through the power of His Atonement, each of us can achieve this goal and help others to achieve it also.

In Preach My Gospel focus there is a lot of focus on HOW to do things —how to study, how to teach, how to manage time wisely. Just as vital as what you do, however, is who you are.  Preach My Gospel says “You need to BE a Christlike missionary, not just DO missionary things.” This applies not only to missionaries but to everyone.  Each of us needs to learn to BE Christlike members of the church and not just DO Mormon things.

Youth Talk - Faith and the Pioneer Trek

This talk was given at church on Sunday 11/22/15 by an awesome young man in my ward named Mitchell. He gave me permission to share it on my blog after I told him how much I enjoyed it.

Good morning brothers and sisters. I was asked by Brother Richins to share some experiences that I had personally on Trek. I’d like to start out by sharing a story from Brother Fielding, the resident cameraman that was taking video all throughout Trek. Throughout the weekend our family had become pretty well acquainted with him, and one night he decided to share a personal experience to us. When Brother Fielding was a teenager, he decided to go on a Joseph Smith-esque journey to figure out if his church (The LDS Church was true). Trying to believe in the Mormon faith was hard for him mainly because he couldn’t read. Brother Fielding had severe dyslexia, and couldn’t really read anything. He had only heard bits and pieces of The Book from stories told by others. But, he decided to make an effort to try to read The Book of Mormon. After much trial, Brother Fielding had finally been able to read the fullness of the gospel. At that time, the Book of Mormon was the only book he could read. He said to us that we may not have the same experiences and miracles that he experienced, but our Heavenly Father is watching us, and he will answer our prayers, and we will be able to be fully converted. He certainly touched the hearts of everyone in my family. This is a great example of how the impossible can be reached through the work of the lord. Prior to Trek, I (for a lack of a better term) was terrified. I’m not in that great of shape, and I don’t really do a lot of exercise.

The first day of trek when we all met at the Stake Center, I was worried out of my mind, and I didn’t eat a good lunch, which I now regret, considering we didn’t eat again that night til 1 am. Though Trek wasn’t nearly as bad as I was making it out to be, I still struggled. The first night was really tough for me, and at times I felt like quitting. While going over Rocky Ridge - a stretch of trail that was littered with boulders, rocks, and other obstacles - I felt like I couldn’t go on for much longer. But, through my faith in the lord and constant prayer in every moment that I could spare, I made it! I knew I was going to make it eventually, but I made it in one piece. This, for me, was overcoming the impossible. Trek was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I did it! This trial was not nearly as great as Brother Fielding’s tremendous challenge, but for me, this was an amazing example of how the Lord touches our lives at all times. Russell M. Nelson said in the April 1988 General Conference this: “If any tasks ever deserved the label impossible, those would seem to qualify. But, in fact, our Lord had spoken: ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible’”.

He continued on to say that Faith is the foremost requisite for overcoming the impossible. He quoted the New Testament in the book of Matthew which said “If ye have faith, nothing shall be impossible unto you.” President Nelson said “Faith is nurtured through knowledge of God. It comes from prayer and feasting upon the words of Christ through diligent study of the scriptures”. He continued to proclaim this to the congregation: “You who may be momentarily disheartened, remember, life is not meant to be easy. Trials must be borne and grief endured along the way. As you remember that ‘with God nothing shall be impossible’, know that He is your Father. You are a son or daughter created in His image, entitled through your worthiness to receive revelation to help with your righteous endeavors”.

As said in Ether 12:27, “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them”.

This has played a huge part in my life, not just on Trek. I’ve gone through many experiences that I thought I wasn’t capable of doing, but I made it, and I know when we put our faith in the lord, that everyone can do the same. I’d like to thank everyone that worked on Trek, and a big thank you to all of the kids in my family, as well as my Ma, Pa, and Big Brother and Sister for helping me along the way. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and through the power of god, we can make it through all of our trials, and make the impossible possible. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Flecks of Gold = Great Wealth

This is a wonderful story about a young merchant who was caught up in the Gold Rush in the 1850's. He was discouraged when he didn't find large nuggets of gold as he panned and searched.  He overlooked the small flecks of gold that didn't seem worth his time.  He envied a nearby old prospector and his full pouch of gold.  Imagine the young man's surprise when the prospector showed him that his bag was full of small flecks, not nuggets.  He said, "The patient accumulation of these little flecks has brought me great wealth."

I love this analogy and  I agree that by small and simple things great blessings are brought to pass.

Elder M. Russell Ballard shares:
"The Gospel of Jesus Christ is simple. Like the small flecks of gold that accumulate over time into a large treasure, our small and simple acts of kindness and service will accumulate into a life filled with love for Heavenly Father, devotion to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a sense of peace and joy."

Thoughts on Conference Talk - "I Have Given You an Example"

Love this article entitled "I Have Given You an Example" by Elder Richard G. Scott.

After reading it several times, I have been contemplating the many examples I have had in my life that have helped me become a stronger person.

Elder Scott said, "... I have reflected on loved ones whose tender influence helped me find the divinely appointed path that aided my spiritual progression.  At vital times in my life, Father in Heaven blessed me with someone who cared for me enough to help guide my choices in an appropriate direction."

I appreciate those people in my life (and there are many) who have loved me, trusted me, taught me, encouraged, provided questions, shared principles, testified, served me, etc.  I want to be the type of person who can be a positive influence on others and I know the Lord puts people in my path who help me and that I can help.

I am compiling a list of people who have been an example to me and influenced me for good.  This list will keep growing.  I know it is important to see the tender mercies in our life when people teach us things and love us.

By sincerely loving each other, we can help them feel God's love which is the most important thing, right?

Talk - Christ's Birth, Life, Example and Purpose

This is a talk that my friend gave at church on the Sunday before Christmas.  I am thankful that she agreed to let me post it on my blog.

Like most of you, I love the Christmas season. It gives me the chance to reflect on the birth of Christ, his ministry here on Earth, and the atoning sacrifice he made for all of us.

Some of the most beautiful scriptures written relate to the birth of Christ.

Baptism Talk with Kit Kat Reminder

This afternoon I am speaking at the baptism of a sweet nine-year old son who was just adopted into our friends' family.  They asked me to speak at his baptism this afternoon so I wrote this talk this morning.  Our main audience will be children so I know this object lesson will hold their attention and that they'll remember what is said.  Feel free to use this talk.  By the way, I didn't think of the concept of using the Kit Kat, it is "out there" on Pinterest.  I just made the graphics and wrote the talk which was inspired by the Pinterest pins.

There are links listed to access these graphics in PDF format.  PS My son with a sweet tooth will be thrilled with the handouts ;)

This poster can be placed by a basket of Kit Kat's as handouts for after the baptism.  Click HERE to get the PDF.

These signs can be used during the talk as visual reminders to hold the kids' attention.  Depending on your stake, you may or may not be allowed to use visual aids during your talk.  Click HERE to get these pages in PDF format.

These are little handouts that can be printed on a sheet of cardstock at home and then attached to Kit Kat bars.  Click HERE to get the PDF.

Here's the actual talk (feel free to cut, paste and edit if desired):

Do you know that you are just about to participate in your very first saving ordinance and make your very first official promise to Heavenly Father?

Today when you are baptized you will make some promises to your Heavenly Father.

See this Kit Kat bar?  It may look like an ordinary candy but it is a symbol that will help you remember your baptism covenants.

K is for KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. 

When you are baptized, you promise to do your best to follow Jesus and keep all of His commandments.   When you make a mistake, you repent and try to do better.

Christmas Videos for Families

I know it is a little early, but I wanted to share these great Christmas videos.  They aren't very long and are wonderful reminders about the true meaning of Christmas.

For little kids:

Our Christmas Story Tree

A Gift for Jesus

The First Christmas Gift

For bigger kids:

What Shall We Give?

The Greatest Gift

For the whole family:

The Christmas Spirit

Good Tidings of Great Joy: The Birth of Jesus Christ

A Bright Shining Star

Gethsemane Song

This is my new favorite song.  It brings tears to my eyes when I hear my Primary kids sing this at church.

Gethsemane

Jesus climbed the hill
To the garden still
His steps were heavy and slow
Love and a prayer
Took Him there
To the place only He could go

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So He went willingly
To Gethsemane

He felt all that was sad, wicked or bad
All the pain we would ever know
While His friends were asleep
He fought to keep
His promise made long ago

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So He went willingly
To Gethsemane

The hardest thing That ever was done
The greatest pain that ever was known
The biggest battle that ever was won
This was done by Jesus.
The fight was won by Jesus.

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So he gave His gift to me
In Gethsemane

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So he gives His gift to me
From Gethsemane

Click HERE to hear the song on YouTube.

Talk - Our Own Personal 9/11 Experiences - "Face the Future with Faith"

When I realized that we’d be speaking on 9/11, at first I felt a little worried. But upon reflection, I saw how perfectly it related to our assigned topic.

I still remember that fateful Tuesday, September 11, 2001 when we first learned about the terrorist attacks. We lived in Northern California and our oldest child, Zach, was in kindergarten. Our alarm clock went off, in radio mode, and as I half consciously went to hit snooze, I heard something about a plane hitting the WTC. I jolted up in bed and turned on the TV. I called my parents and said, “Turn on the news.” My dad asked me what channel and I replied, “Any channel.” My heart sank even further as we learned more and more details about the tragedy and saw the second plane hit. At the time, Thane commuted to work in San Francisco on the BART public transit system, but he stayed home that day because we were afraid the bustling city of San Francisco could be a terrorist target too. When we took Zach to school, all us kindergarten parents stood around and talked about the horror of this event. We were all scared of what might come next. We were in mourning for all those who were suffering, dying, or losing loved ones. We were bound by a collective grief and fear. But I remember the unity I felt with my family, friends, neighbors, and fellow Americans.

As I was preparing for this talk, a realization came to me. Every one of us have “9/11 experiences” in our own lives. Some of us may have health challenges. Some deal with wayward children. Others deal with divorce, death, unemployment, addictions. The point is, we all have challenges.

When dealing with these personal 9/11 experiences, there is a difference from the day the world stood still for all of us together as we faced a common tragedy. In our personal 9/11 moments, we may feel very alone in our fear and sadness, we may feel embarrassed, abandoned, downtrodden, worried, and scared.

Talk - Applying the Atonement

My mom gave this talk on Easter Sunday in Sacrament Meeting.  She wanted to share it on my blog... 

            Brothers and sisters, it is a great honor to have the privilege of sharing with you this morning my testimony of the Atonement of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  What a joy it has been these last two weeks studying and contemplating this transcendent gift of love.

            In 1998, President Gordon B. Hinckley declared:  “I believe our problems, almost every one, arise out of the homes of the people...if there is to be a change or return to old sacred values, it must begin in the home.  It is in the home where truth is learned, that integrity is cultivated, that self-discipline is instilled, and that love is nurtured.”  The sacred values he referred to are the first principles of the gospel.  The power that makes it possible for these values to be incorporated into our lives comes from the atoning sacrifice of our Redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ.  In our world where evil is called good and good evil, the words declared by Mormon (found in Moroni 7) give us hope and confidence as they teach us that “Jesus Christ claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing.”  There is no better place to build faith than in the home, where the lessons and practical applications are realized and lived day to day.

        

Thought of the Day - Refiner's Fire

Here, then, is a great truth. In the pain, the agony, and the heroic endeavors of life, we pass through a refiner’s fire, and the insignificant and the unimportant in our lives can melt away like dross and make our faith bright, intact, and strong. In this way the divine image can be mirrored from the soul. It is part of the purging toll exacted of some to become acquainted with God. In the agonies of life, we seem to listen better to the faint, godly whisperings of the Divine Shepherd.

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 Apostle Paul referred to his own challenge: “And lest I should be exalted above measure … , there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me.

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.

To whom can we go? Elder Orson F. Whitney (1855–1931) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles asked and answered this question:

“To whom do we look, in days of grief and disaster, for help and consolation? … They are men and women who have suffered, and out of their experience in suffering they bring forth the riches of their sympathy and condolences as a blessing to those now in need. Could they do this had they not suffered themselves?

“… Is not this God’s purpose in causing his children to suffer? He wants them to become more like himself. God has suffered far more than man ever did or ever will, and is therefore the great source of sympathy and consolation.”

Refined in our Trials, Pres. James E Faust.

Primary Talk – Jesus Christ will someday return to the earth

Forty days after Jesus was resurrected, He met with his apostles on a hill called the Mount of Olives.  Jesus had done all the things that Heavenly Father had asked Him to do and He was ready to return to heaven. The apostles watched Jesus go up into heaven. As they watched, two angels visited them and told them that Jesus would return to earth again someday.

From that time until now, followers of Jesus have looked forward to His return. His return is called the Second Coming of Christ.

At the Second Coming, Jesus will come down from heaven with great power. He will cleanse the earth of all wickedness, and Satan will no longer have power over the people. Jesus will rule for a thousand years over all the people who have been faithful to Him.

First Christmas Gift Wrap

My friend's cousin has created a line of gift wrap products that celebrate the Christ in Christmas.  I love this idea and her products are beautiful.  Click HERE if you're interested.

On the site, people can also click on their Christmas Blog (Keep Christ in Christmas - the blog) to find and share Nativity crafts, traditions, and other ideas.  I am a huge collector of Nativities and love displaying them in my home during the holidays.  I even keep 3-4 of my favorite ones displayed all year in a cabinet in my living room.  After all, Christ is the center of my life all year long so why not keep a symbol of His birth out all year long too, right?

There are two things that will soon be posted on her blog that will be going on during November that sound interesting...

1) They are collecting photos of homemade Nativities/manger scenes to display on the blog.

2) They will be running a children's Nativity Art Contest from November 4-18th.  She already displays children's Nativity drawings on her site, but she will be selecting some children's artwork to use in the wrap or on gift tags in 2012.


www.firstchristmasgiftwrap.com

Ready to Change?

We all have hurts, habits and hang-ups that we need to deal with.  Lots of times it is easier to ignore the problem, but eventually we reach the point where we are ready to change.

I love this saying....

"When the pain of the problem gets worse than the pain of the solution, we'll be ready to change."

If you are puzzled over the meaning of that statement and need an example of what it means, just think how desperately ready to face labor and delivery the ninth month of pregnancy makes most women.
(from "He Did Deliver Me from Bondage" by Colleen Harrison)

I highly recommend Colleen Harrison's book.  Under the title on the cover of her book it says "using the Book of Mormon and the Principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as They Correlate with the 12-Step Program to Overcome Compulsive/Addictive Behavior and Other Problems."

So for those of you dealing with problems, addictions, habits and hurts, I wish you luck in finding your personal solution.  While there are many individual solutions to problems, they all come from the same source - Our Savior, Jesus Christ and His Atonement.