Lesson Recap: January 27

Today Jessamyn delighted us with a lesson based on the conference talk from Shayne M. Bowen.

In this talk Elder Bowen discusses the unexpected loss of his 8 month old child from an accident. He discussed the reactions he had, including guilt, sadness, pain, withdrawal and anger. Losing a child is one of the many intense trials we may face. In these trials we feel pain, but we also can grow and through deliberate work come closer to The Lord.

"I have learned that the bitter, almost unbearable pain can become sweet as you turn to your Father in Heaven and plead for His comfort that comes through His plan; His Son, Jesus Christ; and His Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost." - Shayne Bowen

 

Jessamyn taught us about kintsugi or the art of fixing broken pottery. The cracks are filled and then sprinkled with gold, making them even more beautiful. Likewise, our sorrow and brokenness if treated right can make us more beautiful. The power of the atonement can fill our brokenness with gold. We also need to help each other to grow. We've all had moments when others, even when they didn't know what was wrong, have touched us with simple outreach and to build us up.

It is the connections with each other that enables us to thrive. How is it that we fill each others brokenness with gold? Sisters shared that friends have been there in darkest times, through prayer, sitting with us, bringing flowers, and that when moving to new areas we are never strangers because we have the church community. Through the visiting teaching program we get to know a lot of different people, and we learn about other people's lives. We celebrate together and serve each other. These friendships can last lifetimes.

In a painting of the pioneers there is one of a handcart with a woman with her arm up, as if to flag her friend to say, "we made it!"

We seek to understand each other and then to act on that. One sister shared how lonely she was when she first moved here and how a simple outreach of a hello and a pizza from one sister helped her feel welcome and at peace.

The power that is wielded in sisterhood is not wielded in spectacular ways. We needn't give a Herculean effort, but noticing what little things are needed and acting on them.

"It is my prayer that by the power of the Holy Ghost, I may bring some measure of hope, of peace, and of understanding. It is my desire to be an instrument in bringing about a restoration of your faith in our loving Father in Heaven, who knows all things and allows us to experience trials so that we can come to know and love Him and understand that without Him we have nothing." - Shayne Bowen

RS Recap: January 13

Today  Sue presented the lesson from the Teachings of Lorenzo Snow manual, "Learning by faith."

There are different learning styles, auditory, visual, tactile to name a few. We are discussing a different type of learning - that by faith.

President Snow loved education.  He attended Oberlin College in its early years. His sister invited him to a Hebrew class when he joined the church.

“I have been perfectly delighted and surprised at what I have seen and heard. … Indeed I may say, that I have been instructed; and if I, a man of eighty-six years, can be instructed, I see no reason why adults generally cannot derive profit as well as pleasure from attending your meetings.”⁶ - President Snow

We are encouraged to be a lifetime learner. One sister shared that if you aren't learning you are not living.  She told a story of a depressed woman who was encouraged to learn something. She got very interested in learning about ants and that pursuit saved her life. We are never too old to learn, whether it is to learn to use new technology or piano. You can so sometimes feel that you already know everything about something but their may be more to learn.

President Smith discussed three principles: faith, exertion, and perseverance. We have to believe we can, work to do it and take the time.

The whole idea of Mormonism is improvement—mentally, physically, morally and spiritually. No half-way education suffices for the Latter-day Saint.⁸ - President Snow

Mormonism is about eternal progression. Can you live with the knowledge that we have now? No, we need to continually learn and to grow. The church teaches us the introspection and efficacy to change.

Though we may now neglect to improve our time, to brighten up our intellectual faculties, we shall be obliged to improve them sometime. We have got so much ground to walk over, and if we fail to travel to-day, we shall have so much more to travel to-morrow.¹⁰ - President Snow

There must be a labor of mind, an exertion of those talents that God has given us; they must be put into exercise. Then, being enlightened by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, we may get those ideas and that intelligence and those blessings that are necessary to prepare us for the future, for sceneries that are to come.  - President Snow

In this quote he is talking not about this year and next year, but this life and next life. The Lord takes our talents and will put them to use. Sometimes he might call us to do things that are hard for us. We can learn from those that are around us. We might not like all the aspects of our callings or what we are asked to do, we can grow and learn. D & C 130:18-19.

We must not neglect our spiritual improvements while we seek for worldly wealth. It is our duty to make every effort for the purpose of advancing ourselves in the principles of light and knowledge, as well as of increasing around us the temporal blessings and comforts of this life.¹⁶

Living in Palo Alto worldly education is highly valued. It is important but it isn't the only thing. We have to balance the two. Some sisters shared that Institute classes helped, putting scripture study first, taking a Sabbath day, understanding the principle of consecration so that we can use what we are learning that can help us serve God, using our time more effectively.

"You have heard [some principles] perhaps hundreds of times, and yet it seems to be necessary that these things should be taught us over and over again."18 - President Snow

Repetition is important. That is how we learn the alphabet or to play a musical instrument. Last week we looked at prophets over the years and they are all teaching the same principles. We may not learn them as we should or may need reminders or we may have a different interpretation based on the context of our lives. We can ask The Lord for help to feel inspired and put in the extra effort to get more out of lessons. Our comments enrich lessons for us and for others.

What I want of the Latter-day Saints is that... our faith and our prayers may be exercised for each one who speaks, that he may say such things, and that we may have the spirit to receive such things as shall be beneficial to all. This is our privilege and our duty.21 ...You should ask the Lord to let [the speakers] say something that you want to know, that they may suggest something to you that will be of some advantage. If you have any desire to know certain matters that you do not understand, pray that [they] may say something that shall enlighten your mind in reference to that which troubles you.22 - President Snow

 I have thought, and still think, that our being edified does not so much depend upon the speaker as upon ourselves.²³ - President Snow

How are you going to change your life, or continue living my life, because of what I have heard today? What blessing do I receive for living my life this way?