True Greatness - June 19, 2016

Sara G. led our thoughts from Chapter 11: True Greatness from the Howard W. Hunter manual.

Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer, frequently said "I am the greatest!" His biography sits in many libraries.
Have you considered the question: Why do some people have books about them in the library?

The Lord does admonish us to write down our own personal story and to study those of our ancestors. "For the names of the righteous shall be written in the book of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right hand" (Alma 5:58)

The world’s definition of greatness is often misleading and can prompt damaging comparisons.

• Are we affected by the world's definition of greatness?  Is popular put above valuable?

“Those things which we call extraordinary, remarkable, or unusual may make history, but they do not make real life.

“After all, to do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all mankind, is the truest greatness."

True greatness comes from persevering in the difficulties of life and from serving in ways that are often unnoticed.

True greatness requires consistent, small, and sometimes ordinary steps over a long period of time.

 … Giving consistent effort in the little things in day-to-day life leads to true greatness. Specifically, it is the thousands of little deeds and tasks of service and sacrifice that constitute the giving, or losing, of one’s life for others and for the Lord.

As President Joseph F. Smith has said, “Let us not be trying to substitute an artificial life for the true one.” (Juvenile Instructor, 15 Dec. 1905, p. 753.) Let us remember that doing the things that have been ordained by God to be important and needful and necessary, even though the world may view them as unimportant and insignificant, will eventually lead to true greatness.

The small things are significant. We remember not the amount offered by the Pharisee but the widow’s mite, not the power and strength of the Philistine army but the courage and conviction of David.

"What is my depth but layers and layers of shallow?"  e e cummings

Frequently it is the commonplace tasks we perform that have the greatest positive effect on the lives of others, as compared with the things that the world so often relates to greatness.

But all things must come to pass in their time.

Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great. (Doctrine and Covenants 64:32-33)

To Be of Use by Marge Piercy

The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half-submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.

Lemons to Lemonade night

Our summer Relief Society activity began with a keynote address by Paige B. on turning life's lemons to lemonade.

You may think you don’t have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter. (Happiness, Your Heritage, President Uchtdorf)

President Spencer W. Kimball taught, “The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls.”

In today’s world of pop psychology, junk TV, and feel-good self-help manuals, this advice may seem counterintuitive. We are sometimes told that the answer to our ills is to look inward, to indulge ourselves, to spend first and pay later, and to satisfy our own desires even at the expense of those around us. While there are times when it is prudent to look first to our own needs, in the long run it doesn’t lead to lasting happiness.

“But my favorite effect on the body is actually on the heart. Your heart has receptors for this hormone, and oxytocin helps heart cells regenerate and heal from any stress-induced damage. This stress hormone strengthens your heart.”  (How to Make Stress Your Friend, Kelly McGonigal)

  Face the (Lemon) Cookie

Kintsukuroi: The Japanese tradition of mending broken objects by aggrandizing the damage and filling the cracks with gold. They believe that when something’s suffered damage and has a history it becomes more beautiful.

After her inspiring talk, we broke into 4 teams to compete in Minute to Win It games, with lemon themes of course!
Tipsy (with lemonade in a soda can)

   Face the (Lemon) Cookie    Chocolate Unicorn

 This Blows (like when life gives you lemons)

Suck it up

Wet Lemon

The winners got lemon lip balm and the team in last place got 'lemons', small toy cars. 

How better to end the night than to visit more and enjoy decadent lemon treats ranging from popcorn, cakes, and mousses.

Thanks to a great team for setting it up: Katie, Sunny, Jessica, Monica and more helpers, and thanks Sue for all the lemons from your tree!

All-Hands Relief Society Meeting - May 10, 2015

We were blessed to be in the company of almost all the sisters, as the men took over roles in the Primary and Young Women classes.

Sue introduced the meeting with some interesting statistical information and quotes from Elder Ringwood's talk from April and Sheri Dew's "Are We Not All Mothers?" talk from October 2001 General Conference.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said: “Over the course of my life, I have had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the most competent and intelligent men and women this world has to offer. When I was younger, I was impressed by those who were educated, accomplished, successful, and applauded by the world. But over the years, I have come to the realization that I am far more impressed by those wonderful and blessed souls who are truly good and without guile.”
(Truly Good and without Guile, Elder Michael T. Ringwood, April 2015 Conference)

Today there are some who would have us believe our search for relevance can be satisfied only by obtaining position and power. Yet, thankfully, there are many who are uninfluenced by this perspective. They find relevance in seeking to be truly good and without guile. I have found them in all walks of life and in many faith traditions. And I find them in large numbers among the truly converted followers of Christ.
(Truly Good and without Guile, Elder Michael T. Ringwood, April 2015 Conference)

Since it was Mothers Day, members of the presidency shared vignettes of women who had been strong influences in their lives - sisters in the ward, seminary teachers, young women leaders and dear friends.  We were then blessed by a musical number of "Nearer, My God, to Thee" by Becca and her children.
After the meeting we enjoyed a snack prepared by the activities committee, thank you ladies!

We hope you celebrate the ways that you feel valued and relevant and take a moment to thank a woman who helped you get there.

Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence - March 22, 2015

Carolyn P. highlighted sections of Elder Jörg Klebingat's talk from October's General Conference, Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence.

"On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your spiritual confidence before God? Do you have a personal witness that your current offering as a Latter-day Saint is sufficient to inherit eternal life? Can you say within yourself that Heavenly Father is pleased with you? What thoughts come to mind if you had a personal interview with your Savior one minute from now? Would sins, regrets, and shortcomings dominate your self-image, or would you simply experience joyful anticipation? Would you meet or avoid His gaze? Would you linger by the door or confidently walk up to Him?

1. Take responsibility for your own spiritual well-being.  Spiritual confidence increases when you take responsibility for your own spiritual well-being by applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ daily.

2. Take responsibility for your own physical well-being. Spiritual confidence increases when your spirit, with the help of the Savior, is truly in charge of your natural man or woman.

3. Embrace voluntary, wholehearted obedience as part of your life. Spiritual confidence increases when you are truly striving, for the right reasons, to live a consecrated life in spite of your imperfections!

4. Become really, really good at repenting thoroughly and quickly. Spiritual confidence increases when you voluntarily and joyfully repent of sins, both small and great, in real time by applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

5. Become really, really good at forgiving. “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men” (D&C 64:10). Forgive everyone, everything, all the time, or at least strive to do so, thus allowing forgiveness into your own life. Don’t hold grudges, don’t be easily offended, forgive and forget quickly, and don’t ever think that you are exempt from this commandment. Spiritual confidence increases when you know that the Lord knows that you bear no ill feelings toward another soul.

6. Accept trials, setbacks, and “surprises” as part of your mortal experience."

Lesson Summary August 24, 2014

Katie T. led our discussion of Elder Russell M. Nelson's talk "Let Your Faith Show" about faith and priorities.

Katie began by relating two times she prayed and had faith she would be safe after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and a post 9/11 trip to Europe.

"When we speak of faith--the faith that can move mountains--we are not speaking of faith in general but of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." (Let Your Faith Show)

• What is the difference between faith and faith in Jesus Christ?

If you were navigating a boat and basing your movements on the path of a cow on a hill instead of the hill itself your path would not be on something fixed.

"The word religion literally means “to ligate again” or “to tie back” to God. The question we might ask ourselves is, are we securely tied to God so that our faith shows, or are we actually tied to something else?"(Let Your Faith Show)

• What can we be 'tied to' that distracts our lives?

Fashion, exercise excess, celebrities, academia, hobbies with Sunday activities.

"God declared in the first of His Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” He also said, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” Yet so many people look only to their bank balance for peace or to fellow human beings for models to follow.

Clinicians, academicians, and politicians are often put to a test of faith. In pursuit of their goals, will their religion show or will it be hidden? Are they tied back to God or to man?

I had such a test decades ago when one of my medical faculty colleagues chastised me for failing to separate my professional knowledge from my religious convictions. He demanded that I not combine the two. How could I do that? Truth is truth! It is not divisible, and any part of it cannot be set aside."
(Let Your Faith Show)

The Veterans Administration (VA) recently had an issue with people putting priorities on monetary incentives for scheduling numbers. It took a whistleblower to bring the issue to light and the current secretary wants to focus on integrity in place of the incentives.

"Problems abound in this world because it is populated by imperfect people. Their objectives and desires are heavily influenced by their faith or lack of it. Many put other priorities ahead of God. Some challenge the relevance of religion in modern life.
But living the Lord’s pure religion, which means striving to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ, is a way of life and a daily commitment that will provide divine guidance. As you practice your religion, you are exercising your faith. You are letting your faith show. "(Let Your Faith Show)

• How does your faith influence your desires/objectives?

Having an eternal perspective, making a decision prior to a foreseeable situation brings increase of faith, trust the process/covenant path, role play prior to issue.

"The scriptures provide one of the best ways to find our course and stay on it. Scriptural knowledge also provides precious protection. For example, throughout history, infections like “childbirth fever” claimed the lives of many innocent mothers and babies. Yet the Old Testament had the correct principles for the handling of infected patients, written more than 3,000 years ago! Many people perished because man’s quest for knowledge had failed to heed the word of the Lord!

My dear brothers and sisters, what are we missing in our lives if we are “ever learning, [but] never able to come to the knowledge of the truth”? We can gain great knowledge from the scriptures and obtain inspiration through prayers of faith.

Doing so will help us as we make daily decisions. Especially when the laws of man are created and enforced, God’s laws must ever be our standard. In dealing with controversial issues, we should first search for God’s guidance." (Let Your Faith Show)

• Is that what I do, search the scriptures for greater knowledge?

Instead of basics we distract ourselves with other paths of decision to soothe anxiety. We need discipline to find answers from the scriptures instead of being fooled.  Surprise vs. crisis: we can be thoughtful and proactive in an ongoing way to not feel the crisis since we've been thinking about it.
We have the Spirit with us more, greater discernment of what is of man or what is in line with what you've felt spiritually.

• How does having faith encourage courage?

We might know that Jesus can do something but also having faith to accept that he does the right thing/what we need.

Lesson Summary: July 20, 2014

Katie T. began a discussion of Chapter 18: Living by Every Word that Proceeds from the Mouth of God in the Joseph Fielding Smith manual by a 'sighted guide' technique for people with vision loss.
She guided a volunteer back into the room with audio commands and descriptions of what she should do to get to where she should go.  We can be similarly guided by the Lord when we listen to his commandments and guidance from his prophets.

The volunteer noticed that it might take practice and trust to become better at being led.




President Smith tells a story of a man who said he liked a talk he gave on keeping the Word of Wisdom....now that he was keeping it.

• How does following the commandments change our feelings about the gospel?

And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?
Mosiah 2:24

"As we keep the commandments, the Lord comforts and blesses us and strengthens us to become men and women worthy of exaltation. 

To please [the Lord], we must not only worship him with thanksgiving and praise, but render willing obedience to his commandments. By so doing, he is bound to bestow his blessings; for it is upon this principle (obedience to law) that all things are predicated." (Chapter 18: Living by Every Word that Proceeds from the Mouth of God)

There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated--And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
Doctrine & Covenants 130:20-21

• What are ways The Lord will bless us as we keep the commandments?

The manual cites that we will: become better people, grow nearer to God, build faith, be strengthened, be comforted, receive salvation, keep us unspotted from world, give us protection, quicken our minds, give knowledge to help clear up difficulty, peace, immortality, glory, eternal life/a place in the kingdom of God, joy, all that He has will be ours.

For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.

They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.

And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord;

For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me;

And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father;

And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.

And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood.

Doctrine & Covenants 84: 33-39

• What experiences can you share in which you received some of those blessings?

Many sisters referred to Elder Bednar's recent address on tithing, noting that it may not be a windfall of money at an opportune time that results from following the commandment but rather that we are taught to live within our means and other beneficial patterns of life.

"… I believe the Lord meant just what He said, that we should be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect. That will not come all at once, but line upon line and precept upon precept, example upon example, and even then not as long as we live in this mortal life, for we will have to go even beyond the grave before we reach that perfection and shall be like God. But here we lay the foundation. Here is where we are taught these simple truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in this probationary state, to prepare us for that perfection. (Chapter 18: Living by Every Word that Proceeds from the Mouth of God)

• What one thing can you do better each day with the Lords help to "stay on the road to perfection"?

Lesson Summary: February 9, 2014

Tori G. led us in discussion of the tender and powerful subject of the Savior as we studied the lesson from Chapter 2: 'Our Savior, Jesus Christ' in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith.

President Joseph Fielding Smith impressed upon his family his great love for Jesus Christ as illustrated in the following story related by one of his sons.

“[Once] as I sat alone with my father in his study, I observed that he had been in deep meditation. I hesitated to break the silence, but finally he spoke. ‘Oh, my son, I wish you could have been with me last Thursday as I met with my Brethren in the temple. Oh, if you could have heard them testify of their love for their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!’ And then he lowered his head, and tears streamed from his face and dropped to his shirt. Then, after many seconds, without as much as raising his head, but moving his head back and forth, he said, ‘Oh, how I love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!’” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, Chapter 2: Our Savior, Jesus Christ)

Surely the Prophet's love for the Savior grew from his intense study of the scriptures and obedience to the commandments.

• Who is Jesus Christ and what do we know about him? As the Son of God and as Savior of the world?

Grace. A word that occurs frequently in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul. The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.
It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, made possible by his atoning sacrifice, that mankind will be raised in immortality, every person receiving his body from the grave in a condition of everlasting life. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.
Divine grace is needed by every soul in consequence of the fall of Adam and also because of man’s weaknesses and shortcomings. However, grace cannot suffice without total effort on the part of the recipient. Hence the explanation, “It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Ne. 25:23). It is truly the grace of Jesus Christ that makes salvation possible. This principle is expressed in Jesus’ parable of the vine and the branches (John 15:1–11). (Bible Dictionary, Grace)

• How does His grace and our part in it change our relationship with Christ?

While men may formulate plans, adopt theories, introduce strange works, and gather and teach many peculiar doctrines, one teaching is fundamental, and from it we cannot depart: all things are concentrated in and around the Lord Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world. We accept him as the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, the only one who has dwelt in the flesh who had a Father who was immortal. Because of his birthright and the conditions surrounding his coming to the earth, he became the Redeemer of men; and through the shedding of his blood we are privileged to return into the presence of our Father, on conditions of our repentance and acceptance of the great plan of redemption of which he is the author. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, Chapter 2: Our Savior, Jesus Christ)

• Why did we have to have a savior?
• What are the differences between God and the Savior?
• What is the difference in our relationships with each?

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me. (Book of Mormon, Alma 7:11-13)

He wants you to know that you are loved through a plan of salvation with a loving savior.

You can feel the joy of his presence and have his inspiration to guide you each day of your lives if you will seek it and live worthy of it. Jesus’ love and the comforting strength of his Holy Spirit can be just as real to you as they were to the children he drew close to him when he lived on the earth. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, Chapter 2: Our Savior, Jesus Christ)

Lesson Summary: October 27, 2013

Catherine B. led our discussion on Elder Neil L. Anderson's talk "Power in the Priesthood" from the October 2013 General Conference.  A great supplement to this talk and subject is Elder Boyd K. Packer's talk "What Every Elder Should Know—and Every Sister as Well: A Primer on Principles of Priesthood Government" and his April 2010 talk "Power of the Priesthood".

"A man may open the drapes so the warm sunlight comes into the room, but the man does not own the sun or the light or the warmth it brings."  (Power in the Priesthood - By  Neil L. Andersen (2013 October General Conference)


                            Partnering with Priesthood Power

What
Heavens have borne record regarding what the priesthood is and is not.

•“Priesthood is the authority and the power which God has granted to men on earth to act for Him. When priesthood authority is exercised properly, priesthood bearers do what He would do if He were present.” [Packer, “Power of the Priesthood”, 4/10]
•“Priesthood is the means whereby the Lord acts through men to save souls.” [Bednar, “Powers of Heaven”, 4/12]
•celestial power gifted to a telestial world to elevate the experience

Who
•“The priesthood is the power and authority of God given for the salvation and blessing of all—men, women, and children.” [Apostle Anderson, GC, 10/13]

How is Priesthood power realized for women?

Ordination
confers
AUTHORITY
⇓
Permission

Worthiness
confers
POWER
⇓
Spiritual Capacity

“Righteousness is the qualifier … to invite priesthood power into our lives.” Sister Linda K. Burton, BYU Women's Conference

“In the ordinances … the power of godliness is manifest.” [D&C 84:20]

"As we are worthy, the ordinances of the priesthood enrich our lives on earth and prepare us for the magnificent promises of the world ahead." [Anderson 10/13]

Ordinances ⇒ Covenants ⇒ Power ⇒ Light

          wherever you are on your path of discovery      |     questions for contemplation

1. Others Centered – in what ways do you participate in blessing others?

• Inherent in “what” is that Priesthood power designs only to bless others

"A priesthood holder is expected to exercise this sacred authority in accordance with God’s holy mind, will, and purposes. Nothing about the priesthood is self-centered. The priesthood always is used to serve, to bless, and to strengthen other people."  [Bednar, “Powers of Heaven”, 4/12]

• Understanding of workings is magnified through experience w/ service

2. Active – how do you make Priesthood power active in your daily experience?

• Apostle Bednar lament

Attribute       Women            Men
Access          constant           requires engagement
Strength        varies               varies

"My message ...to all is that we can live every hour “blessed by the strength of priesthood power,” whatever our circumstance." [Anderson 10/13]

“One breaks the priesthood covenant by transgressing commandments—but also by leaving undone his duties. Accordingly, to break this covenant one needs only to do nothing” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 497).

"The priesthood does not have the strength that it should have and will not have until the power of the priesthood is firmly fixed in the families as it should be." [Packer, “Power of the Priesthood”, 4/10]

3. For Everyone – harnessing the globe with Priesthood power to bless others?

“We need everyone. The tired or worn out or lazy and even those who are bound down with guilt must be restored through repentance and forgiveness. Too many of our priesthood brethren are living below their privileges and the Lord’s expectations.” [Packer, “Power of the Priesthood”, 4/10]



How is this power manifest to you?
How do I firmly affix the priesthood in my home?

August 24 Workshop at Eichler Pool and Tennis Club

We were nourished and empowered by the talk Andrea M. gave.  Here are some notes from her talk and some photos of our wonderful ladies who attended.

Unleashing the COMPLETE You...

Even the Part you Don't Know Exists

• Divine Nature: having this element of divinity in me means that my ability to change, learn, improve and do hard things is unlimited or infinite.
• Ether 12:27 ...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.
• To move to a better place, we want to ask ourselves some of the big questions. 

What do I really want for my life? and the life of my family?
What is really important to me?
When I'm on my deathbed, I will know I've lived a good life if...

• Two global ideas to consider

1. Make a long term time investment in important things that don't often give us immediate payback, i.e. family relationships and scripture reading.
2. Marathon vs. sprinting through life; Be a tortoise not a hare

• Life in Balance - making small tweaks that change trajectory

Less inclined to get bogged down in everyday issues, lose sight of goals if you try to live a balanced life.  Some areas to consider tweaking...

 

Lesson Summary: July 21, 2013

This week Sara G. guided our discussion through Lesson 14 “With God All Things Are Possible” in the Lorenzo Snow manual with associated thoughts from the April Conference talk "Lord, I Believe" by Jeffrey R. Holland.

In speaking of the experience of being called to become the next Prophet of the Church, it was written of Lorenzo Snow:

“there was no use in his making excuses as to inability etc., to assume the vast responsibilities involved in the position. … He felt that it was for him to do the very best he could and depend upon the Lord.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow)

We can do anything required of us, with God's help.
When we participate in God's work, we need his help.
God's promise: my grace is sufficient

Matthew 19:16

"And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"

"The character of the religion that we have espoused demands a certain course of conduct that no other religion that we know of requires of its adherents; and the nature of those demands upon us [is] such that no person can comply with them, unless by assistance from the Almighty." (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow)

Sara had us take an small piece of paper with one side listing:
How have you helped build the kingdom of God on the earth and how have you called upon God's help to accomplish these things?
On the other side she asked us to list the responsibilities, roles, relationships and duties in our life.
We shared these with each other in small groups.

A famous quote to help focus our thoughts from Neal A. Maxwell was:

"God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability!" (It's Service, Not Status, That Counts, Ensign, July 1975)

“Where the Lord plants us, there we are to stand; when he requires us to exert ourselves for the support of these holy principles, that we are to do; that is all we need to trouble ourselves about; the rest our Heavenly Father will take care of.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow)

"Honestly acknowledge your questions and your concerns, but first and forever fan the flame of your faith, because all things are possible to them that believe." ("Lord, I Believe," April 2013 General Conference, Jeffrey R. Holland)

Lesson Summary: June 23, 2013

Amanda V. taught the lesson from the talk Four Titles by Dieter F. Uchtdorf. We pondered together the titles each of us hold as a daughter of Heavenly Father, a disciple of Jesus Christ, a healer of souls and an heir of eternal life.

Daughter of Heavenly Father - we are loved by the Savior

• Why is the title of "daughter of Heavenly Father" so important and something we should never forget?

"It can be discouraging at times to know what it means to be a [daughter] of God and yet come up short. The adversary likes to take advantage of these feelings. Satan would rather that you define yourself by your sins instead of your divine potential. [Sisters], don’t listen to him.
"We have all seen a toddler learn to walk. He takes a small step and totters. He falls. Do we scold such an attempt? Of course not. What father would punish a toddler for stumbling? We encourage, we applaud, and we praise because with every small step, the child is becoming more like his parents." (2013 April General Conference, Four Titles, Priesthood Session - By  Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

The eternal perspective is what the Lord looks at.  As we step forward each day looking at life in an eternal perspective we will have the desire to come unto the Lord, understand Him, ourselves and through the Saviour will find the greatest joy we can obtain on this mortal journey and the eternities.

• What does it mean to you to be a daughter of God?  How much do you think of the title that you are a daughter of God?

2 Corinthians 6:17-18

"and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

• How can we constantly keep what it means to be a daughter of God in our lives?

The Lord wants us to succeed, he doesn't put stumbling blocks in our path to have us fail.

Disciples of Jesus Christ - as you follow the Savior you understand your individual role in the Lord's work

• What does a disciple of Jesus Christ look like to you?

3rd Nephi 15:12

"Ye are my disciples; and ye are a light unto this people..."

When we come unto Christ we come to know who we really are.

Healers of souls - love as the Savior loves

'It is our job to build up, repair, strengthen, uplift, and make whole. Our assignment is to follow the Savior’s example and reach out to those who suffer. We “mourn with those that mourn … and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.”⁵ We bind up the wounds of the afflicted. We “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”⁶  ...

'The Savior is the worker of miracles. He is the great Healer. He is our example, our light, even in the darkest moments, and He shows us the right way.' (2013 April General Conference, Four Titles, Priesthood Session - By  Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

Heirs of Eternal Life - the blessings/gifts from our Savior

'Do you not know that “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to [put to shame] the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to [put to shame] the things which are mighty”?¹⁰

Perhaps it is true that we are weak. Perhaps we are not wise or mighty. But when God works through us, no one and nothing can stand against us.¹¹ ' (2013 April General Conference, Four Titles, Priesthood Session - By  Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

Feeling the Love of Christ in Your Life - Kathryn L.

When it comes to self-confidence, I'd have to say on a scale from one to ten -- with ten being the cockiest teenaged hero who ever swaggered across a football field, and one being Eeyore, I am probably about an eight. (Maybe even an eight and a half on a good day.) That is, I am pretty comfortable with who I am and how others see me. It was not always so. I had to outgrow terrible childhood shyness when I nearly hated myself for my inability to speak to or be noticed by others.

Once in awhile when I have a particularly hard challenge, I tend to revert back to that shy, fearful child, I am filled with self-doubt to the point of self-loathing. It can be as a result of decisions my children are making which I can possibly trace back to questionable parenting. It can be because - in my estimation - I am not fulfilling a calling well. It happens sometimes in my daily interactions when I am not as bold a missionary as I know I should be. Those "I should haves" are particularly deadly.

Whenever these moments strike me, if I am not careful, they debilitate me. If I am not careful, I chasten myself into a depressed and functionless mess. My hard-earned confidence doesn't save me. The only way I know to get help is to put my head down, ask for spiritual help, and try to feel my Savior's love. Almost always -- in fact, always -- I do.

In a small measure, I relate to Alma the Younger's testimony to his son Helaman. "I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more... And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!" (Alma 36:18-20) In those moments, I am grateful for the Savior's power to bring me out of my self-loathing and to help me feel confident of myself again. I am grateful that He also pours out His confidence in me.