Lesson Summary: Week of December 18th

Sarah G. treated us to a lesson on the final judgement and exaltation. Sarah began by posting a diagram of the plan of salvation.

Taken from http://scripturecompanion.com/

The term "plan" jumped out, as we are surrounded by phenominal planners. The word summons concepts such as drafting, engineering, scheming, laying out, prefetermined decisions, and arranging in advance. The Plan of Salvation is a beautiful plan that allows us to return home.

This lesson covers the judgement and being judged  is difficult. Teenagers will declare "Don't judge me" and we can act likwise. We are judged now in school, work, and even temple recommend or baptism interviews. However, we are to be judged by Christ, who created the way for us. This judgement will be full of love and based on records. In addition, we will judge ourselves. President John Taylor taught this truth: “[The individual] tells the story himself, and bears witness against himself. … That record that is written by the man himself in the tablets of his own mind, that record that cannot lie will in that day be unfolded before God and angels, and those who shall sit as judges” (Deseret News, Mar. 8, 1865, 179). See also Alma 12:14.

Doctrine and Covenants 76 tells us the requirements for exaltation. Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, Endowment, Marraige Sealing. These can happen in this life or in the next. 

Sarah then brought our attention to the picture of the Samaritan woman at the well and Christ in the Relief Society room. The picture is important in its portrayal of Christ's treatment of this woman. In an era when women were of little significance, were dependent on men for survival and this woman in particular was a Samaritan, looked down upon by the Jews. Yet Christ spoke personally with her, and she receives his teachings. Christ has this relationship with each of us, and has paid the price so that we may receive Exaltation. In this way, he has shown the ultimate and deeply personal love for each of us.  

Sunday Lesson Summary: The Millennium

Tori G. led us in a scripture based discussion of the Millennium. We believe that Christ will come again, cleanse the Earth and then reign for a thousand years of peace love and joy.

Who will live in the Millennium? Those that live virtuous and honest lives, including those of all belief systems. People will still have their agency, although their righteous lives will bind Satan. Eventually, through learning, everyone with confess that Jesus Christ is the Savior.

What will the work of the Church be during the Millennium? There are two great works 1) the temple and 2) missionary work. During the Millennium we will be engaged in finding those living and dead and helping them to receive the full blessing of the temple. We will be assisted by resurrected beings.

What will it be like during the Millennium? The Earth will be renewed and receive it's paradisiacal glory. Satan will be bound, meaning he cannot tempt those living - this is accomplished because of the righteousness of the people. There will be peace over the entire Earth. The Governments will be righteous and Christ will be king over the Earth. He will reign in loving kindness. There will be no death. All things will be revealed.

During this discussion several sisters noted that now is time to prepare for the Millennium. We can start the work now by doing temple work, family history, growing spiritually and taking care of the Earth. The Millennium will be a time of growth and knowledge. Although all things will be revealed, it will be up to us to actually learn truths and grow.

Thanks Tori for a wonderful lesson!

Guest Post by Alison H.

A year ago September, my in-laws moved out of their house of over 50 years to be near one of their children. Shortly thereafter, the doctors told them: it was back.

And so we are taking turns visiting the folks, who both feel a lot better than that medical chart suggests. Our daughter Michelle arrived there today to help cook Thursday’s dinner. We got home last night after six days’ visit.

And thus my mother-in-law’s mention that she hadn’t seen me knitting. I’d brought plenty to do, but found I wanted to spend all the time I could without even that interruption. I didn’t need to do; I needed most of all simply to be present.

Thus the chance to meet Lynn, who lives near them all.

And thus, just because the Universe wanted to leaven things up a little… That happened to be one of the two weekends a year that they hold Stake Conference in that part of Texas, ie when a group of wards (congregations) all get together for a big joint meeting.

Which is a good thing because he’s not in their ward and we would never have seen him otherwise.

We sat near the front so I could hear better. And sitting back behind quite a few heads, Keith thought that that tall guy looked a lot like his friends’ dad from back home in California.

The meeting ended. We stood up and when it was our turn, started down the aisle to go.

At the other end of that aisle, a young man suddenly caught my eye and he gasped, his jaw hit the floor, and he stood there wide-eyed mid-stride and speechless.

I remember Sue, his mom, plunking her toddler boy down on the kitchen counter while we worked and talked, I a young mom who had just moved into the area from New Hampshire, she, a young mom who had moved from Boston several years before that. We watched her little boy, her youngest, grow up. Off to college, then on a mission for the Mormon Church, and back to school, then recently graduated.

And now Richard and I got to see him in his own element, his new friends there, his own place being just down the street from where we were standing there in total mutual disbelief and then laughing and hugging and what are YOU doing here! and and and.

In his first job.  He’d come visit at Christmas though, he promised me. It felt different when he said that: he wouldn’t be a student returning home on break but a good man deciding to go visit his folks. Always a good thing.

Sue–it was a privilege. You’ve done a great job.

And somewhere, God chuckled.

From Alison's wonderful and witty blog, SpinDyeKnit.