Monday, May 27, 2013 is the annual Boy Scout Breakfast at the church. Breakfast will be served from 8:00 - 10:00 am. Come have a great breakfast and enjoy chatting with friends!
Thursday
May 19th 2013 Lesson Summary
DiAnne Casperson gave the Lesson from the Teachings of Lorenzo Snow Lesson 10 "Come into the Temples"
Soon after President Snow's baptism he attending meetings in the Kirtland Temple. There, with the Prophet Joseph Smith and other church leaders, he received great spiritual blessings. In his journal he reported: "There we had the gift of prophecy-- the gift of tongues--the interpretation of tongues--visions and marvelous dreams were related--the singing of heavenly choirs was heard, and wonderful manifestations of the healing power, through the administrations of the Elders were witnessed.
Lorenzo loved the Kirtland Temple, knowing that "The Son of God, in His glory, had honored it with His royal presence." He said "No language can describe my feelings," when, for the first time, I stood up in one of the pulpits to address an audience-- a pulpit on the breastwork of which, only a short time before, this holy Personage stood---'His hair as white as pure snow, his eyes as a flame of fire'-- where also Moses, Elias and Elijah, came and committed the keys of their dispensations to Joseph Smith."
Many years later, on April 6, 1892 President Lorenzo Snow stood before another gathering, this time in front of the almost-completed Salt Lake Temple. About 40,000 Latter-day Saints crowded into the enclosure surrounding Temple Square, and about 10,000 more " occupied the tops of houses and places from which a view could be obtained. They had gathered for a ceremony in which the capstone would be secured on the temple's highest spire. Later that day the angel Moroni was placed on the capstone.
Lorenzo was assigned by the First Presidency to lead the Saints in the Hosanna Shout. As the Temple capstone moved securely into its position. The scene that followed is beyond the power of language to describe. The President of the Twelve, Apostle Lorenzo Snow, came forward and led Saints in shouting in concert. "Each shout was accompanied by the waving of white handkerchiefs. . . The eyes of thousands were moistened with tears in the fullness of their joy. The ground seemed to tremble with the volume of sound which sent forth its echoes to the surrounding hills. The hosannas had scarce ceased when the vast congregation burst forth in the glorious inspirational hymn, "The Spirit of God like a fire is burning."
Exactly one year later, on April 6, 1893 President Woodruff dedicated the Salt Lake Temple the Saints had labored 40 years to complete it, and President Snow was called to serve as the first president of that temple. He fulfilled this calling until he became President of the Church in September 1898.
In temples we learn of the marvelous blessings God has prepared for the faithful. . . He has prepared everything for the Latter-day Saints that they could possibly wish or imagine in order to effect their complete happiness throughout the vast eternities. We have learned that, in temples, we are able to form ties which are not dissolved at death, but which reach into eternity; sacred ties which bind families together for time and eternity.
"In temples we receive the ordinances of exaltation in behalf of our kindred dead. We did not come into this world accidentally. We came for a special purpose, and it was undoubtedly through certain arrangements in the other life where we dwelt that we came into this life. It is within the Temples that we are accomplishing a great work in reference to our kindred dead."
"Now, it should be an object in every man's and woman,s mind to come into our Temples and to perform this labor. It is a great labor, and an important one, too. When we go back into the other life and find our dead love ones living there, if we have not performed the labor that is necessary for their exaltation and glory we shall not feel very happy and it will not be a very pleasant meeting."
This work has got to be accomplished before the Son of Man can come and receive His kingdom to present it to His Father.
Thank you, DiAnne, for this up lifting lesson.
Soon after President Snow's baptism he attending meetings in the Kirtland Temple. There, with the Prophet Joseph Smith and other church leaders, he received great spiritual blessings. In his journal he reported: "There we had the gift of prophecy-- the gift of tongues--the interpretation of tongues--visions and marvelous dreams were related--the singing of heavenly choirs was heard, and wonderful manifestations of the healing power, through the administrations of the Elders were witnessed.
Lorenzo loved the Kirtland Temple, knowing that "The Son of God, in His glory, had honored it with His royal presence." He said "No language can describe my feelings," when, for the first time, I stood up in one of the pulpits to address an audience-- a pulpit on the breastwork of which, only a short time before, this holy Personage stood---'His hair as white as pure snow, his eyes as a flame of fire'-- where also Moses, Elias and Elijah, came and committed the keys of their dispensations to Joseph Smith."
Many years later, on April 6, 1892 President Lorenzo Snow stood before another gathering, this time in front of the almost-completed Salt Lake Temple. About 40,000 Latter-day Saints crowded into the enclosure surrounding Temple Square, and about 10,000 more " occupied the tops of houses and places from which a view could be obtained. They had gathered for a ceremony in which the capstone would be secured on the temple's highest spire. Later that day the angel Moroni was placed on the capstone.
Lorenzo was assigned by the First Presidency to lead the Saints in the Hosanna Shout. As the Temple capstone moved securely into its position. The scene that followed is beyond the power of language to describe. The President of the Twelve, Apostle Lorenzo Snow, came forward and led Saints in shouting in concert. "Each shout was accompanied by the waving of white handkerchiefs. . . The eyes of thousands were moistened with tears in the fullness of their joy. The ground seemed to tremble with the volume of sound which sent forth its echoes to the surrounding hills. The hosannas had scarce ceased when the vast congregation burst forth in the glorious inspirational hymn, "The Spirit of God like a fire is burning."
Exactly one year later, on April 6, 1893 President Woodruff dedicated the Salt Lake Temple the Saints had labored 40 years to complete it, and President Snow was called to serve as the first president of that temple. He fulfilled this calling until he became President of the Church in September 1898.
In temples we learn of the marvelous blessings God has prepared for the faithful. . . He has prepared everything for the Latter-day Saints that they could possibly wish or imagine in order to effect their complete happiness throughout the vast eternities. We have learned that, in temples, we are able to form ties which are not dissolved at death, but which reach into eternity; sacred ties which bind families together for time and eternity.
"In temples we receive the ordinances of exaltation in behalf of our kindred dead. We did not come into this world accidentally. We came for a special purpose, and it was undoubtedly through certain arrangements in the other life where we dwelt that we came into this life. It is within the Temples that we are accomplishing a great work in reference to our kindred dead."
"Now, it should be an object in every man's and woman,s mind to come into our Temples and to perform this labor. It is a great labor, and an important one, too. When we go back into the other life and find our dead love ones living there, if we have not performed the labor that is necessary for their exaltation and glory we shall not feel very happy and it will not be a very pleasant meeting."
This work has got to be accomplished before the Son of Man can come and receive His kingdom to present it to His Father.
Thank you, DiAnne, for this up lifting lesson.
June 2013 Announcements
Here are the announcements for June 2013
June 12 - Ward Temple Day
Thursday, June 20 - Relief Society Meeting 7:00 pm at the church
June 12 - Ward Temple Day
Thursday, June 20 - Relief Society Meeting 7:00 pm at the church
Tuesday
Announcements for May 2013
Announcements:
May 16 - Relief Society Activity Night 7:00pm
Guest speaker Allan Riser will speak to us about humanitarian efforts in an African village.
May 18 - Workshop "Protecting Children and families from Pornography"
Saturday, 9:00am, SLC, Contact Kim for more information.
May 19 - Seminary Graduation. Willow Valley Building 7:00pm
Mother's Day lesson summary May 12, 2013
Lesson taught by President Kim Nydegger
I taught last Sunday's Relief Society Lesson. For the summary, I included my outline for the lesson entitled,
Each Sister Is a Beloved Daughter of Heavenly Parents and Has a Divine Destiny
If you would like a copy the the "Pre-Existence Script" that I used, I'll be happy to send it to you.
Thank you to everyone for attending and to those who commented - the lesson is always better when we can learn from each other.
***********************************************************************************
"Who Am I?" Where did I come from? Where am I going?
“What is man, that thou art mindful of him?
The answer is taught most simply in this song:
I am a child of God, I am a child of God,
And He has sent me here, Rich blessings are in store;
Has given me an earthly home If I but learn to do his will
With parents kind and dear. … I’ll live with him once more.
We are Children of our Heavenly Father
Dallan H. Oaks:
"All knowledge is not of equal value. Some knowledge is more important than others. .. Consider the power of the idea taught in our beloved song "I Am a Child of God" Here is the answer to one of life's greatest questions. "Who am I?" .. I am a child of God with a spirit lineage to heavenly parent. That parentage defines our eternal potential.
Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president: “You are literally spirit daughters of Deity, ‘offspring of exalted parents’ with a divine nature and an eternal destiny. You received your first lessons in the world of spirits from your heavenly parents.
President Lorenzo Snow (1814–1901): “We believe that we are the offspring of our Father in heaven, and that we possess in our spiritual organizations the same capabilities, powers and faculties that our Father possesses, although in an infantile state. "
"It is required to pass through a certain courses or ordeals by which these attributes will be developed and improved according to the heed we give to the principles we have receivedâ€
Boyd K. Packard Those lyrics teach a basic doctrine of the Church. We are the children of God. This doctrine is not hidden away in an obscure verse. It is taught over and over again in scripture.
* There is an old saying that if you pick up one end of a stick, you pick up the other end as well.
So if you concede that we are His children, you must allow that God is our Father.
Elder Quentin L. Cook (twelve apostles)
* It is not surprising, then, that among the first principles revealed in the Restoration
was an understanding of God the Father.
* By priority, the first declaration of faith by Latter-day Saints is
Christ did not speak only of the Father, or my Father; He spoke of your Father, and our Father.
He even put them together in one sentence, saying, “Your Father, and your God, and my God.â€(D&C 88:75;)
Loving Choice and Deliberate Act (it was no accident)
Every human being is a begotten spirit son or daughter of our Heavenly Father.4 Begotten is the adjective form of the verb beget and means “brought into being.†Beget is the expression used in the scriptures to describe the process of giving life
(Joseph F. Smith [1998], 335).
God is not only our Ruler and Creator; He is also our Heavenly Father.
All men and women are literally the sons and daughters of God.
“Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, before coming upon the earth in a physical body.â€
Because we are the spirit children of God, we have inherited the potential to develop His divine qualities.
Our spirits came into being out of love and a deliberate choice by our Father to give us life and opportunity.
Heavenly Father Knows by Name
In the few scriptures that mention individuals in the pre-mortal world, they were identified by name in a pattern similar to how we are identified in mortality.
In the Father’s recorded visits to individuals on earth, He uses names to express that He knows and identifies us personally and individually.
As the Prophet Joseph Smith said in reference to the First Vision appearance of the Father, “One of them spake unto me, calling me by name†(Joseph Smith—History 1:17)
Our Pedigree
Our mortal pedigree charts show many generations winding backward through the ages.
Our spiritual pedigree chart, however, has only two generations—our Father’s and ours.
We Developed Personalities and Talents While We Lived in Heaven
(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith 2007)
The scriptures teach us that the prophets prepared themselves to become leaders on earth while they were still spirits in heaven (see Alma 13:1–3).
Before they were born into mortal bodies, God foreordained (chose) them to be leaders on earth. Jesus, Adam, and Abraham were some of these leaders. (See Abraham 3:22–23.)
Joseph Smith taught that “every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was [fore]ordained to that very purposeâ€.
However, everyone on earth is free to accept or reject any opportunity to serve.
(Thomas S. Monson)
We were not all alike in heaven. We know, for example, that we were sons and daughters of heavenly parents—males and females.
We possessed different talents and abilities, and we were called to do different things on earth.
?? Where can we learn more about our “Eternal Possibilities? From our Patriarchal Blessings.
The Veil
* We know that Heavenly Father provided an earth for us where we would prove ourselves.
* A veil would cover our memories, and we would forget our heavenly home.
* This would be necessary so we could exercise our agency to choose good or evil without
being influenced by the memory of living with our Heavenly Father.
* Thus we could obey Him because of our faith in Him, not because of our knowledge or
memory of Him.
* Heavenly Father would help us recognize the truth when we heard it again on earth.
The Apostle Paul taught that.... “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God†(Romans 8:16).
The Spirit gives us glimpses into who we are. Often the Spirit speaks to us when we pray, read the scriptures, ponder upon the Lord’s mercies to us, receive priesthood blessings, serve others, or feel loved and affirmed by others.
* A veil covers our memories of our pre-mortal life, but our Father in Heavenknows who we are and what we did before we came here.
* Heavenly Father has chosen the time and place for each of us to be born so we can learn the lessons we personally need, and do the most good with our individual talents and personalities.
The Void
At some level of awareness, each of us experiences the feeling of a void created by our separation from Heavenly Father. This void is a necessary part of God's plan.
By divine design, our Heavenly Father anticipated our feeling this void and knew that this feeling, when properly understood, would incline us toward Him and help us be receptive to the gifts He provides for us to fill the void.
ENSIGN Article
In her aptly titled Ensign article "Filling the Void," clinical psychologist Victoria Anderson described an evening when she prayed and wondered aloud with God about why she felt "a yearning - almost a need - to fill every minute with music or television or something to satisfy a void she is feeling." As she questioned her own need to satisfy the void, she wondered about her client' needs. "Why, " she wondered, "does Sherry seek to fill her void with food? Why does Susan feel a need to fill her void with drugs, and why does Burt seek to fill his void with sex? Why does there sometimes seem to be a giant hole in our lives, even when we want to do what is right?
She recounts that "after these questions, thoughts, and feelings filled my heart and soul, the answer came in a peaceful awareness. "I had lived with my Heavenly Father in the pre-mortal existence. In that realm I was filled with His divine love for me as His daughter. When I came to earth, I left His presence, and a void was created. I felt the void was placed in my heat for my earthly journey so I would seek Him again. As I seek to know and love my Heavenly Father, the void can be filled.
The void prompts 2 feelings in each of us that will aid us in our return to God.
First, It leads us to feel as if something is missing in our life.
. That we are not quite complete.
. There is something lacking and unfulfilled about us.
Second, It creates a desire in us to fill this void.
. The feeling of the void makes us restless and unsettled.
. We are not content.
. We need to fill the void even if we don't understand its origin.
Why is knowing we are Daughters of God Important?
It brings a feeling of self-worth, dignity, self-respect.
Then self-pity and depression fade away.
We then can accept even the very hard lessons of life.
President James E. Faust
“A conviction that you are a daughter of God gives you a feeling of comfort in your self-worth. It means that you can find strength in the balm of Christ.
It will help you meet the heartaches and challenges with faith and serenityâ€
Purity
Boyd K. Packer teaches...
What could inspire one to purity and worthiness more than to possess a spiritual confirmation that we are the children of God?
What could inspire a more lofty regard for oneself, or engender more love for mankind?
This thought does not fill me with arrogance. It fills me with overwhelming humility. Nor does it sponsor any inclination to worship oneself or any man.
Because Moses knew that he was God’s son and that God had a mission for him, he had the power and ability to resist Satan, to make righteous judgments, to call upon God for strength, and to continue to have His Spirit to be with him.
Pre-existence Script
******************
President Brigham Young
"I want to tell you.... that you are well acquainted with God our Heavenly Father.... You are all well acquainted with him, for there is not a soul of you but what has lived in his house and dwelt with him year after year... We are the sons and daughter of celestial Beings, and the germ of the Deity dwells within us."
President Ezra Taft Benson stated...
... The biggest surprise we will have when we pass back through the veil is how well we know our Heavenly Father's face. ...
Joseph Smith Teaches about God the Father
What kind of being is He? “God Himself was once as we are now, and is now an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!â€1
What does He look like? “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s.â€2 “If you were to see Him today, you would see Him like a man in form—like yourselves.â€3
What is our relationship to God? “The Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family … as His offspring.â€5
Why did He establish the plan of salvation for us? “God himself, …instituted laws whereby his children could have the privilege to advance like himself.â€6
Boyd K. Packer
The Chicks
Some years ago I returned home to find our little children were waiting in the driveway. They had discovered some newly hatched chicks under the manger in the barn. When they reached for them, a protective hen rebuffed them. So they came for reinforcements.
I soon gathered a handful of little chicks for them to see and touch.
As our little girl held one of them, I said in a teasing way, “That will make a nice watchdog when it grows up, won’t it?†She looked at me quizzically, as if I didn’t know much.
So I changed my approach: “It won’t be a watchdog, will it?†She shook her head, “No, Daddy.†Then I added, “It will be a nice riding horse.â€
She wrinkled up her nose and gave me that “Oh, Dad!†look. For even a four-year-old knows that a chick will not be a dog, nor a horse, nor even a turkey. It will be a chicken. It will follow the pattern of its parentage. She knew that without having had a course in genetics, without a lesson or a lecture.
After Their Own Kind
No lesson is more manifest in nature than that all living things do as the Lord commanded in the Creation. They reproduce “after their own kind.†(See Moses 2:12, 24.) They follow the pattern of their parentage. Everyone knows that; every four-year-old knows that! A bird will not become an animal nor a fish. A mammal will not beget reptiles, nor “do men gather … figs of thistles.†(Matt. 7:16.)
In the countless billions of opportunities in the reproduction of living things, one kind does not beget another. If a species ever does cross, the offspring cannot reproduce. The pattern for all life is the pattern of the parentage.
Since every living thing follows the pattern of its parentage, are we to suppose that God had some other strange pattern in mind for His own offspring? Surely we, His children, are not, in the language of science, a different species than He is?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)