"Testimony and Revelation" - taught by Becca Johnson

The stake gave the assignment to prepare this lesson using three different talks from this most recent General Conference:

-Testimony by Elder Samuelson

-Waiting on the Road to Damascus by Pres. Uchtdorf

-The Spirit of Revelation by Elder Bednar

I. What is a testimony?

I initially thought this was a daunting task, to summarize and expound upon these three talks by such spiritual giants, until upon further study I realized that they were remarkably similar, and sound as if these three brethren sat around a table preparing a lecture series together. Each is worth reading and studying, but I will be drawing upon just a few different principles from each.

-President Samuelson defines a testimony as, “our sure witness of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is obtained by revelation through the Holy Ghost.”

II. Why is a testimony important? Why has your testimony been important in your life?
         -When I moved to Philadelphia as a newlywed, I went through a very dark period of depression and loneliness. I had left everything familiar and comfortable to live in this big, cold city, and my new husband was gone all the time. I questioned a lot of things during my time there, including my own strength, but my testimony is what kept me grounded in reality and in what was worth fighting for. In the end, my experience in Philly worked for my good in refining me into a more compassionate, strong, and wise woman. Without my testimony, I would not have made it.


III. How do we gain a testimony?

-Elder Bednar said, “I invite you to consider two experiences most of us have had with light. The first experience occurred as we entered a dark room and turned on a light switch. Remember how in an instant a bright flood of illumination filled the room and caused the darkness to disappear. What previously had been unseen and uncertain became clear and recognizable. This experience was characterized by immediate and intense recognition of light.The second experience took place as we watched night turn into morning. Do you recall the slow and almost imperceptible increase in light on the horizon? In contrast to turning on a light in a dark room, the light from the rising sun did not immediately burst forth. Rather, gradually and steadily the intensity of the light increased, and the darkness of night was replaced by the radiance of morning. Eventually, the sun did dawn over the skyline. But the visual evidence of the sun’s impending arrival was apparent before the sun actually appeared over the horizon. This experience was characterized by subtle and gradual discernment of light.”

-President Uchtdorf explained that while some would wait for a dramatic revelatory experience, we would be wiser to not waste our time waiting, but rather become engaged in righteous living. He suggests 1) understanding that often revelation comes one step at a time, 2) hearkening and heeding the Holy Ghost, 3) serving others so as to increase our own testimonies, and 4) sharing the gospel with others. 

(One step at a time)

“Those who diligently seek to learn of Christ will eventually come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle - one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us - not all at once, but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed. This can be our experience if we move forward with faith and do not wait too long on the road to Damascus.” 

(Serving others)

“It has been my experience that some of the most powerful promptings we receive are not only for our own benefit but also for the benefit of others. If we are thinking only of ourselves, we may miss some of the most powerful spiritual experiences and profound revelations of our lives. President Spencer W. Kimball taught this concept when he said, ‘God does notice us, and He watches over us. But it is usually through another person that He meets our needs. Therefore it is vital that we serve each other.’ Brothers and Sisters, we each have a covenant responsibility to be sensitive to the needs of others and serve as the Savior did - to reach out, bless, and uplift those around us. Often the answer to our prayer does not come while we’re on our knees but while we’re on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us. Selfless acts of service and consecration refine our spirits, remove the scales from our spiritual eyes, and open the windows of heaven. By becoming the answer to someone’s prayer, we often find the answer to our own.”

IV. What about when the testimony I seek seems not to come?

-The common theme here seems to be what I am calling “proactive efforts.” I have given you a handout with every “active” verb I could find from these three talks. There are many of them. These are just some examples of things we can be doing, proactively, to seek for a testimony or for revelation in our own lives. Gaining a testimony is not something that happens to us, but rather something we work for.

-Any favorites, among these “proactive efforts?” They are obviously more powerful within the context of the talks. One that sticks out to me the most is probably from Pres. Uchtdorf’s talk, to “turn down the volume of worldly noise.” 

-Sometimes I am guilty of trying to put my “prayer/fasting quarter” into the testimony gumball machine, expecting to get my gumball and walk away fulfilled. Or worse, sometimes I use the “good intentions quarter” or the “fleeting desire quarter.” These will not yield a true or lasting testimony. 

V. What do I do with doubts?

-Always be moving forward. Elder Samuelson said, “Is gaining a testimony an isolated event or an ongoing process? A testimony is similar to a living organism that grows and develops when treated properly. It needs constant nourishment, care, and protection to thrive and prosper. Likewise, neglect or deviance from the pattern of living that a testimony clarifies can lead to its loss or diminishment. The scriptures warn that transgression or breaking the commandments of God can result in the loss of the Spirit and even to one denying the testimony he or she once possessed.” 

-I had a seminary teacher who compared maintaining one’s testimony to being on a canoe in a river. If you keep paddling upstream, you will obviously keep moving in the right direction. But if you stop paddling, instead of just holding still, you will slowly and surely float downstream, away from your goal. The key is to always be actively paddling in the direction of your goal.

-My father-in-law has a wonderful perspective about doubts. He is a fabulous Church historian and is therefore not ignorant to a lot of the more difficult-to-understand aspects of Church history that can sometimes give people pause. Yet he has chosen not to let these things, or other questions about gospel principles, affect his testimony. He says that he places these things “on a shelf.” Sometimes, he’s able to take the things down from the shelf, fully evaluate them, solve whatever was troubling him, and dismiss them. Other times, his questions need to remain on the shelf for years at a time. But he has recognized the importance of patience in solving all questions or doubts about the gospel, and he realizes that it is more important to keep the big picture perspective when choosing to keep his testimony strong. 

-Elder Samuelson talked about “[trusting] the things that we believe in or know to sustain us in times of uncertainty or with issues where we struggle.” 

-Elder Bednar uses the example of a cloudy day to explain what how we should view doubts. “Sometimes the sun rises on a morning that is cloudy or foggy. Because of the overcast conditions, perceiving the light is more difficult, and identifying the precise moment when the sun rises over the horizon is not possible. But on such a morning we nonetheless have sufficient light to recognize a new day and to conduct our affairs.”

(handout)

Proactive Efforts

Pres. Uchtdorf

Become fully engaged

Live worthily

Diligently seek

Move forward with faith

Turn down volume of worldly noise

Listen to the Spirit

Study it out

Pray for guidance

Seek answers to questions/concerns

Serve each other

Reach out, bless, uplift

Consecration

Open your mouth

Declare His gospel

Use your hands (technology)

Live according to beliefs

Be joyful and at peace with the world

Seek him

Pres. Samuelson

Pay the price

Keep the commandments

Listen, read, study, ponder

Pray thoughtfully, reverently

Ask with sincere heart

Trust in His love

Grow from challenges

Trust what we believe

Teach someone else

Share your testimony

Do little, but necessary, things daily

Allow Atonement to operate fully

Elder Bednar

Act in faith

Sincere desire

Worthiness

“Apply unto it”

Ponder prayerfully

Reject devil’s enticements

Preparation

Keep pressing forward obediently

Humility

Faithful obedience

Do our best

Act, not be acted upon

Trust in Him

Honor covenants

Strive to do good/become better

Walk with confidence

Speak with assurance

Seek and apply for Spirit of revelation

Walk in the light of the Lord

"Law of Chastity" taught by Eva T.

It is  a simple principle that indicates we should not have sexual relation outside of marriage.

Jacob 2

 27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; 28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.

Why is our chastity so important to Our Heavenly Father?

What are some factors that might place a woman a greater risk for braking the law of chastity? 

1.   Low self esteem 

2.   Loneliness

3.   Not feeling loved

4.   Conditional self worth  (self worth depends on arbitrary criteria such as physical attractiveness.) This is the message women are constantly fed in media.

American Psychological Association Report on Sexualization of Girls

Virtually every media form studied provides ample evidence of the sexualization of women, including television, music videos, music lyrics, movies, magazines, sports media, video games, the Internet and advertising (e.g., Gow, 1996; Grauerholz & King, 1997; Krassas, Blauwkamp,& Wesselink, 2001, 2003; Lin, 1997; Plous & Neptune, 1997; Vincent, 1989;Ward, 1995). Some studies have examined forms of media that are especially popular with children and adolescents, such as video games and teen-focused magazines.

In study after study, findings have indicated that women more often than men are portrayed in a sexual manner (e.g., dressed in revealing clothing, with bodily postures or facial expressions that imply sexual readiness) and are objectified (e.g., used as a decorative object, or as body parts rather than a whole person). In addition, a narrow (and unrealistic) standard of physical beauty is heavily emphasized. These are the models of femininity presented for young girls to study and emulate.

In some studies, the focus was on the sexualization of female characters across all ages, but most focused specifically on young adult women. Although few studies examined the prevalence of sexualized portrayals of girls in particular, those that have been conducted found that such sexualization does occur and may be increasingly common. For example, O’Donohue, Gold and McKay (1997) coded advertisements over a 40-year period in five magazines targeted to men, women, or a general adult readership. Although relatively few (1.5 percent) of the ads portrayed children in a sexualized manner, of those that did, 85 percent sexualized girls rather than boys. Furthermore, the percentage of sexualizing ads increased over time.

Cognitive and emotional consequences

Cognitively, self-objectification has been repeatedly shown to detract from the ability to concentrate and focus one’s attention, thus leading to impaired performance on mental activities such as mathematical computations or logical reasoning (Frederickson, Roberts, Noll, Quinn & Twenge, 1998; Gapinski, Brownell & LaFrance, 2003; Hebl, King & Lin, 2004). One study demonstrated this fragmenting quite vividly (Fredrickson et al., 1998). While alone in a dressing room, college students were asked to try on and evaluate either a swimsuit or a sweater. While they waited for 10 minutes wearing the garment, they completed a math test. The results revealed that young women in swimsuits performed significantly worse on the math problems than did those wearing sweaters. No differences were found for young men. In other words, thinking about the body and comparing it to sexualized cultural ideals disrupted mental capacity. In the emotional domain, sexualization and objectification undermine confidence in and comfort with one’s own body, leading to a host of negative emotional consequences, such as shame, anxiety, and even self-disgust. The association between self-objectification and anxiety about appearance and feelings of shame has been found in adolescent girls (12–13-year-olds) (Slater & Tiggemann, 2002) as well as in adult women.

Mental and physical health

Research links sexualization with three of the most common mental health problems of girls and women: eating disorders, low self-esteem and depression or depressed mood (Abramson & Valene, 1991; Durkin & Paxton, 2002; Harrison, 2000; Hofschire & Greenberg, 2001; Mills, Polivy, Herman & Tiggemann, 2002; Stice, Schupak-Neuberg, Shaw & Stein, 1994; Thomsen, Weber & Brown, 2002; Ward, 2004). Several studies (on both teenage and adult women) have found associations between exposure to narrow representations of female beauty (e.g., the “thin ideal”) and disordered eating attitudes and symptoms. Research also links exposure to sexualized female ideals with lower self-esteem, negative mood and depressive symptoms among adolescent girls and women. In addition to mental health consequences of sexualization, research suggests that girls’ and women’s physical health may also be negatively affected, albeit indirectly.

Attitudes and beliefs

Frequent exposure to media images that sexualize girls and women affects how girls conceptualize femininity and sexuality. Girls and young women who more frequently consume or engage with mainstream media content offer stronger endorsement of sexual stereotypes that depict women as sexual objects (Ward, 2002; Ward & Rivadeneyra, 1999; Zurbriggen & Morgan, 2006). They also place appearance and physical attractiveness at the center of women’s value. 

For the full article go to: http://www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/girls/report.aspx

5.   Poor social support

6.   History of abuse

7.   Feeling unappreciated

8.   Lack of understanding of the law of chastity

Other factors mentioned during class were: 

-depression

-not been close to our Heavenly Father

-vanity

-not reading the scriptures

-not having a strong family 

-not having grown up learning this principle

What can we learn from our Savior about how to teach the law of chastity?

Don't stop loving those who have fallen into transgression. 

Teach them with love. 

John 8 

 1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without asin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 

John 4 The woman of Samaria (the woman of the well).  

An interesting article about the law of chastity can be found on LDS.org. The title of the article is “What Prophets and Apostles Teach about Chastity and Fidelity.”( Oct. 1998)

"Eternal Marriage" taught by Sara G.

Sara G. began the lesson on Sunday by telling us that this was not a lesson about how to get married, or how to stay married, or even how to be happily married.  It was a lesson about the doctrine of marriage.

Why is it important to know that marriage between a man a woman is ordained of God?

An answer from Sara's husband was that he wants to know what God knows.  He wants to know what God thinks. 

Another answer is that with so many bad examples in the world, it gives us hope that it is an important doctrine and that Heavenly Father believes in marriage profoundly.

If it is ordained of God, we can expect his help along the way.

How is the Lord's doctrine of marriage different than the world's doctrine of marriage?

The Lord has always seen us as equal partners in marriage, even when the world hasn't.  We also talked about how the world's view of marriage is becoming selfish.  It is only about what makes one person happy, not about helping each other or sacrificing to raise children.

Sara told us a story from a talk by Bruce Hafen.  He talked about two types of marriages.  There are contract marriages and covenant marriages.  In a contract marriage, the couple is there only for their own happiness, and when opposition comes, they feel free to leave and find new happiness somewhere else.  In a covenant marriage, the couple works together through opposition and gives 100% to the marriage. (We also talked about how there is a difference between being just being married and being part of an eternal marriage.)

Brother Hafen quoted from John 10 about the Good Shepherd who will lay down his life for his sheep verses the hireling that will run when the wolves come.  There are three types of wolves that will come for us in our marriages.  1. natural adversity (illness, death, etc.) 2.  our own imperfections  and 3.  excessive individualism (the view that our own happiness is more important than another persons, that marriage is oppressive and binding)

"Fear Not, I am with Thee: Finding Contentment in Times of Trial and Blessing" taught by Marguerite H.

I. Seeking Contentment when we are "abased" and when we "abound"

Discussion: What are some adjectives that you associate with contentment?

-gratitude, peace, fulfillment, hope

Marguerite shared a story of her visit to Meteora, Greece. Early saints there built small monasteries on hilltops over several centuries, in order to feel closer to God. Six still exist.   Marguerite took the opportunity to express gratitude for a tender mercy with each step as she visited these places of worship. She climbed over 800 steps that day, but her sense of contentment only increased throughout the day.  We do not need to go to a special place to feel contentment.  We can have feelings of contentment in our daily walk.

One of the Greek monasteries 

Philippians 4:11-12 states "...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am in, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound..."

To be abased means to be brought to the bottom of something, yet Paul speaks of being able to feel content both while abased and in times of abundance. He had been ridiculed, imprisoned, and slandered, yet he felt content. Many of the testimonies shared in sacrament meeting today touched on this theme. Regardless of our circumstances, if we look to the Lord we can find this contentment day by day.

Discussion: What does contentment feel like to you?

-Warm sun on my face and body. Not trapped, but free.

-You can go in and out of contentment. It can be 10 minutes of your day, or even 2 minutes. It's a feeling of not wanting anything in that moment. Like the children's book Five Minutes Peace, where the mama elephant just wants a bubble bath and her children are crawling all over her. Sometimes all we want or need is a few minutes.

-Shade and protection, like in Psalms 36:7 which states "How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied..."

-See also:  Psalms 107:9, Psalms 23;

II. Traps that keep us from feeling contentment

Discussion: What are some traps that keep us from feeling content?

1) "When I do not have any trials, then and only then can I feel content".  This is not so, but not because we are unrighteous or because of a lack of our Heavenly Father's love.  Challenges have always been included in God's great plan to test our faith and help us grow in humility, understanding, and compassion.  Christ promised:  "In the world ye shall have tribulation."  He said he came to wipe away our tears, not to ensure that we would never weep.  Challenges will come and as they do, it is our Heavenly Father's desire for us to find contentment in times of both trial and blessing.

2) "If I just try hard then I will feel fully content."The idea that contentment will come solely from my own efforts.  This sounds similar to Korihor, the anti-Christ from the Book of Mormon, who taught that “every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and … conquered according to his strength” .  Our best efforts are necessary, but not sufficient. Notice the contrast between Korihor who says his strength comes from himself and Paul in Philippians 4 who says his strength comes from Christ.  True contentment comes only with us accessing the atonement of our Savior. 

3) "When I'm perfect in X thing, then I will be content." This can get really frustrating really fast. The Lord's plan for happiness has already taken into account our imperfections. Our happiness is not contingent on us being perfect right now.  

4) Contentment is not the same thing as complacency. Being content is bettering ourselves through faith in and obedience to the Lord, trying to become more like Him.

5) We need to have plans in our mind, and ask God for guidance, and then be still. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans."We need to learn how to handle Plan B (or C, or D!). Plan 1 doesn't usually happen, not only because of our decisions and actions, but sometimes because of the decisions and actions of others that affect us. We need to have grace and dignity in how to handle Plan B. The key to Plan B is where our trust is. If we replace fear with trust, the worries dissipate that get in the way of contentment.  It's like the plane bound for Italy that gets re-routed to Holland. Instead of being stuck on getting to Italy, let's not forget the Rembrandts and the tulips available to us in Holland!

6) We should not gauge our contentment by comparing with those around us. Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught:  "The Sea of Galilee, only 13 miles by 7, was nevertheless large enough to provide the disciples with a vital experience involving faith and walking on the water (see Matt. 14:22–33). The wind was boisterous and frightening! Even so, compare the size of those Galilean swells and the length of that storm with what Nephi and party had to endure on the vast ocean! (see 1 Ne. 18:13–21). Yet both episodes provided the needed learning experiences."

The size of the sea makes no difference to the Lord.  Finding and feeling fulfillment and contentment is very personal.

III. Drawing on Christ's Strength

In Philippians 4:13, Paul states, "I can do all things in Christ which strengtheneth me." Paul had learned his lesson.

The Book of Mormon teaches that it's harder to find contentment in times of prosperity and peace. It's more natural to seek it when we're in need.

Discussion: How do we draw on Christ's strength to feel content like Paul?

-We have to stop, take time, and ask for it.

-Daily scripture reading, and taking time to count our blessings. Looking at how abundantly blessed we are brings the gratitude that leads to contentment.

Isaiah 41:10 and 13 state, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea I will uphold thee... For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee Fear not; I will help thee."

Compare to the hymn How Firm a Foundation, especially verse 4:

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

He promises is to be with us and strengthen us to be able "to do all things" through our journey.   By our side, with full empathy, unconditional love, and heavenly power, He promises to hold our hand.  Like Paul, whether we are "abased" and when we "abound" we can learn to feel contentment and peace because He is with us.  

Sheryl D.'s Veggie Night, Part 2

Here's a continuation of the wonderful cooking activity we had with Sheryl. See Part 1 here.

Cooking tips and techniques:

Knives: Learn basic knife skills and your life will be easier in the kitchen. Here is a quick primer: Invest in a good knife – go to a kitchen store like Sur La Table or Williams Sonoma and ask to try out the knives. Bring carrots to cut, herbs to chop – something. Really! Make sure the knife feels comfy in your hand. They can show you how to hold a knife. Not all Wustoff, Henkels etc. are created equal, but generally good knives are somewhat heavy, have a solid tang (the steel goes through the handle), and have good balance. You can get a less expensive but decent knife from Forschner.

Veggies: You can cook veggies in many different ways. Here are a few techniques.

Blanch: Blanch means to boil quickly. Here are a few tips.

Sautee: Cook in a hot pan (sautee means to jump). Tips here.

Roast: My favorites are roasted celeriac, parsnips, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus
and of course sweet potato. A few instructions here.

Grill: My favorites are mushrooms, onions, sweet potato, peppers, eggplant, and romaine
lettuce. Tips here.

Steam: Keeps in more nutrients and gentle cooking. I like for broccoli, peas, baby potatoes. Instructions here.

Braised greens: We used braised greens in one of the dishes at our activity. Here are some tips.

Roasted beets and pickled fennel recipes.

Braising veggies: Slow cooking at low temps brings out the sweetness. Try it with cabbage. You
will thank me. Super easy and super economical. Here is are two great lists of recipes from different sites.


Where and how to buy veggies

1. Look for fresh produce – the closer it is grown the more likely it is to be fresh, but that is not always the case. Fresh veggies are generally heavy for its size, firm, crisp and spritely. If you can bend it (e.g. cucumbers, summer squash) or it is wilting, it probably isn’t fresh. Dirt is fine. I pick freshness over pretty any day. In general, young small veggies will be sweeter and more tender than larger veggies. So put down the gigantic eggplant in favor of its cute baby cousins.

2. CSAs are a great source of local produce. The basic premise is that you buy a share in a farm for a season, and you get a box of the harvest. Most are weekly boxes around $25-$35 a box. Most are organic. I can vouch for Mariquita and High Ground CSAs. I know others enjoy Full Belly. Capay Farms is a distribution model, where not all come from the local area. Hidden Villa also has one. See localharvest.org to search for CSAs. You can get occasional deliveries as wanted of good priced produce (limited selection) from the Ladybug Buying Club at Mariquita Farms.

3. Veggies expand to grains and legumes. For some great local dried corns, beans and dried chilis see Tierra Vegetables from Healdsburg. For fantastic beans and hominy see Rancho Gordo from Sonoma. For local fresh milled grains, Gristmills. For local yummy brown rice, Homma Farms.

4. Buy what is in season here. It will be the best tasting and the cheapest. Can’t go wrong. Don’t know what is in season? Check out Cuesa’s chart.

Hearts and Hands Program Update

Have I Done Any Good?

Have I helped anyone in need?

Have I cheered up the sad or made someone feel glad?

Has anyone’s burden been lighter today because I was willing to share?

Have the sick and weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help, was I there?

We encourage each sister to take a moment in each month to find a way to serve one other sister (or more!) in the ward. This compassionate service activity is known as our "Hearts and Hands" program. It will reflect the love and friendship we share with each other, as well as the care and concern we have for each other. In August, the theme is: CHOCOLATE.

If you have a great experience you’d like to share with the Relief Society, please do! This can be an experience as a giver or as a receiver. Email Deanne W. with details to post on the blog. All entries will be kept anonymous.