Lesson Summary: January 29, 2012

Bishop Jacobsen taught a combined priesthood and relief society and shared . He began by showing an image the temple where each tile is a different piece of artwork. The pieces were made by the families in the ward. He asked what this symbolized. Members talked about how it demonstrates the differences in each of us that together make a beautiful image, specifically the temple. He referenced Ephesians where it notes that every single person is needed and the strength that is found in diversity.

He showed another image of two overlapping circles enclosed in a larger circle. The purpose of mortality is eternal life and it is God's gift to his children. Exaltation in the highest degree can only be obtained by those that keep the commandments and they are to be exalted together with an eternal companion that completes them. It doesn't matter the situation that we are in now - we can strive for that. Faithful members will have available all such blessings in the eternities. The circles represent the husband and wife completely connected to Him and the Atonement allows us to do this.

The Atonement provides unity:

One with God

One with our true selves

Body and spirit

One with our Eternal companion

One with our family

One with our neighbor

He has given us the commandments and covenants and ordinances to help us to do so: Baptism, Confirmation, Priesthood Ordination, Endowment and Sealing. In fact, covenant comes from the Latin roots "co venir" or to come together.

There is no more important work that can be done than to work on our eternal relationship. We joke about eternal marriage as something in the future, but we are not waiting for this.  We are living that eternal marriage and eternal life forever.

The Bishop showed a picture of the garden plots. His very first inspiration as a bishop was to plant a garden. The ward came to plant the ward garden and many planted their own garden at home. People noted that It has taught patience, that you have to follow instructions, even good soil needs to be renewed, Home Depot will take plants back if you kill it and to ask for help from people that are better gardeners. One sister noted that her parents had planted an often feeble garden in Phoenix but when they lost their jobs they benefited from a wonderful and prosperous garden, which benefitted from years of learning. Some things Grow easily and naturally, but you also have to watch and take care of it; it can't take care of itself even with preparation. There are no shortcuts. It takes daily attention and patience, but the fruits are delicious, abundant (enough and to share).

"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall ^areap also sparingly; and he which ^bsoweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6)"

Abundance requires us to sow bountifully and put all the seeds in the ground.

The tree of life the Nephi saw was representative of the love of God. When Nephi asked to see the meaning of the tree he saw the life of the Savior. After seeing this Nephi then understood that the tree was the love of god. The angel that had shown him the vision added, "Yeah and the most joyous to the soul."

Alma 32 talks about planting a seed as an experiment upon the word. He discusses the necessary diligence, patience, and faith in order to have the experiment work. The only way to do that is to get to know God, to talk to him and be where he is, with an eye to the fruit of the tree. So as we go along in ours daily lives and the trials day to day, we must think about how we are nourishing ourselves individually.

The bishop passed papers for us to write a prayerfully considered action we can do to nourish the tree in our lives. He showed an outline of the tree that had the roots as well as the branches. This will be displayed with the aspects we collectively as a ward are working on to nourish our tree written in the roots and as we grow we can share the fruits that have been bourn.