Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Nov 30, 2025

Sacrament Service 

First Speaker

“So, if sometimes the harder you try, the more difficult it seems to get; if, just as you try to work on your limitations and your shortcomings, you find someone or something determined to challenge your faith; if, as you labor devotedly, you still feel moments of fear wash over you, remember that it has been so for some of the most faithful and marvelous people in every era of time. Also remember that there is a force in the universe determined to oppose every good thing you try to do.” (President Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘I Am He’”, October 2024 General Conference)

Moroni 7:12

12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.

“If you will make and keep covenants to follow Jesus Christ, you will find that the painful moments of your life are temporary. Your afflictions will be ‘swallowed up in the joy of Christ.’” (President Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again”, October 2024 General Conference)

John 14:27

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Next Speaker

The Savior knows our cares.  The Savior knows our personalities.

James 1:5

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Next Speaker

Luke 18

17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

God always hears our prayers.

Luke 6

37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Alma 37

6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

Matthew 18

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

5th Sunday Presentation

There were several people who shared stories of their ancestors.  I shared greatly shortened parts of my parents’ conversion.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Nov 23, 2025

Sacrament Service 

First Speaker

He mentioned that years ago he served in the Texas San Antonio mission.

Have gratitude for where we are, but be open to the next thing the Lord has for you.

Ether 2

6 And it came to pass that they did travel in the wilderness, and did build barges, in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord.

Be grateful, but keep moving and progressing.

DnC 78

19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.

1 Nephi 2

2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.

3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.

4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.

Moses 5

5 And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.

6 And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.

Next Speaker

Luke 11:29–30

29 ¶ And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

Matthew 12:39–41

39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Matthew 16:1–4

1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.

2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

Do we ever have the idea in our heads that there are those who are not worthy for us to minister to?

“But whatever the cause or degree of disaster we face, there is always dry ground for hope, healing, and happiness.” (Elder Matthew S. Holland, “Forsake Not Your Own Mercy”, October 2025 General Conference)

Elders Quorum 

The lesson was based on Elder Ulisses Soares, “Adorned with the Virtue of Temperance”, October 2025 General Conference

“In May 2021, while visiting the renovation work of the Salt Lake Temple, President Russell M. Nelson marveled at the efforts of the pioneers who, with limited resources and unwavering faith, built that sacred edifice, a physical and spiritual masterpiece that has stood the test of time. However, he also observed the effects of erosion, which over time had caused gaps in the temple’s original foundation stones and instability in the masonry, clear signs of the need for structural reinforcement.”

This is at least the third time the Salt Lake Temple foundation has had to be reinforced. The foundation of our testimony often needs to be looked at and reinforced. 

“Our beloved prophet then taught us that just as it was necessary to implement major measures to strengthen the foundation of the temple in order for it to withstand the forces of nature, we also need to take extraordinary measures—perhaps measures we have never before taken—to strengthen our own spiritual foundation in Jesus Christ.”

DnC 12:7-8

7 Behold, I speak unto you, and also to all those who have desires to bring forth and establish this work;

8 And no one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be entrusted to his care.

“The Savior’s guidance, recorded in this sacred revelation, reminds us that temperance is an essential reinforcement for a firm foundation in Jesus Christ. It is one of the indispensable virtues, not only for those who have been called to serve but also for all who have made sacred covenants with the Lord and accept to follow Him faithfully. Temperance harmonizes and strengthens other Christlike attributes mentioned in this revelation: humility, faith, hope, charity, and the pure love that flows from Him. Furthermore, cultivating temperance is a meaningful way to protect our souls against the subtle yet constant spiritual erosion caused by worldly influences that can weaken our foundation in Jesus Christ.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” (Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love (1964), 25)

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Nov 16, 2025

Sacrament Service

First Speaker

A young woman, who recently returned from a mission to Houston, Texas (Spanish speaking) spoke to us.

Mosiah 14

1 Yea, even doth not Isaiah say: Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

What is the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

• “The Atonement was a supreme act of love by our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
  “The Atonement of Jesus Christ was a foreordained assignment by our Heavenly Father to redeem his children after their fallen state. It was an act of love by our Heavenly Father to permit his Only Begotten to make an atoning sacrifice. And it was a supreme act of love by his beloved Son to carry out the Atonement.” (“Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Howard W. Hunter”, Chapter 6 “The Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ”)

• It is a power through which we can be healed today.

Muscles only grow through being torn down.  Butterflies only exist through a breakdown and transformation of their old selves.

Galatians 2

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Through our sufferings we understand Christ more and we understand our fellow man more.

Romans 8:16-18

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Our suffering is nothing when compared to the glory Christ has prepared for us.

Next Speaker

“This is a commandment with a promise. By participating weekly and appropriately in the ordinance of the sacrament, we qualify for the promise that we will “always have his Spirit to be with [us]” (D&C 20:77). That Spirit is the foundation of our testimony. It testifies of the Father and the Son, brings all things to our remembrance, and leads us into truth. It is the compass to guide us on our path. This gift of the Holy Ghost, President Wilford Woodruff taught, ‘is the greatest gift that can be bestowed upon man’ (Deseret Weekly, Apr. 6, 1889, 451).” (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament”, October 2008 General Conference)

“Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be in order to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are.”

― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

“I bear my witness that the Savior’s Atonement is not only infinite in scope but also individual in reach—that it can not only return us to God’s presence but also enable us to become like Him—the crowning goal of Christ’s Atonement.” (President Tad R. Callister, “The Atonement of Jesus Christ”, April 2019 General Conference)

Isaiah 49:15-16

15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Use repentance as a joyful return and not as a shameful retreat.

Sunday School

Doctrine and Covenants 129-132

“Through Joseph Smith, the Lord took some of the mystery out of eternity. The greatness of God, the glory of heaven, and the vastness of eternity can seem almost familiar in the light of the restored gospel, even to finite minds like ours.” (From the Come, Follow Me manual)

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Nov 9, 2025

Sacrament Service

Primary Children Program

James 1:5

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Learn to be kind like Jesus.

Be true.

9th Article of Faith

9 We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

DnC 45

32 But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die.

8th Article of faith

8 We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

John 14:27

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Be a peacemaker.

There is peace in Christ.

Matthew 19

14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

3 Nephi 17

11 And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought.

12 So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.

13 And it came to pass that when they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.

18 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.

19 And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise.

20 And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.

21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

22 And when he had done this he wept again;

23 And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.

24 And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.

25 And the multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that their record is true for they all of them did see and hear, every man for himself; and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and children.

Luke 18

17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

Mosiah 3

19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Do not let our emotions or opinions rule us.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is here to change us, not for us to change it.

Elders Quorum

I was home sick.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Nov 2, 2025

Sacrament Service 

Testimonies

We are blessed with more time during the week when we use the time on the sabbath properly.

Sunday School 

Proclaim the gospel in many ways. One is by being a peacemaker. 

Being commanded to build a house for visitors, who were passing through, was a preparation . Just like the Kirtland temple was a preparation for the Nauvo temple, which was a preparation for the salt lake temple. The Nauvo House prepared for the Hotel Utah.  The Hotel Utah would house visitors from around the world.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Oct 26, 2025

Sacrament Service 

First Speaker

DnC 93:17

17 And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.

“My dear brothers and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most.” (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Of Things That Matter Most”, October 2010 General Conference)

Matthew 11

28 ¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“His is not a gospel of checklists; it is a gospel of becoming—becoming as He is and loving as He does. He wants us to become a Zion people.” (Sister J. Anette Dennis, “Cheering Each Other On”, October 2025 General Conference)

“Everything about the Father’s plan for His beloved children is designed to bring everyone home.” (Elder Patrick Kearon, “God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home”, April 2024 General Conference)

Next Speaker

“As they stood around the piano, uncertain of what to do next, a good friend of mine, Brother Hanno Luschin, spoke up. He said, ‘Brethren, stand close together and lift where you stand.’

“It seemed too simple. Nevertheless, each lifted where he stood, and the piano rose from the ground and moved into the cultural hall as if on its own power. That was the answer to the challenge. They merely needed to stand close together and lift where they stood.

“I have often thought of Brother Luschin’s simple idea and have been impressed by its profound truth. Tonight I would like to expand on that simple concept, ‘lift where you stand.’” (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Lift Where You Stand”, October 2008 General Conference)

“Because I Have Been Given Much” Hymn 219 in the LDS hymn book.

“I want to begin by asking a simple question. What is the most valuable substance or commodity in the world? We might initially think that gold, oil, or diamonds have the greatest worth. But of all the minerals, metals, gems, and solvents found on and in the earth, the most valuable is water.” (Elder David A Bednar, “A Reservoir of Living Water”, BYU Speech 4 February 2007)

John 4

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

We cannot survive spiritually without Christ, just as we cannot survive physically without water.

 Next Speaker

“The Light of Christ is the divine energy, power, or influence that proceeds from God through Christ and gives life and light to all things. The Light of Christ influences people for good and prepares them to receive the Holy Ghost. One manifestation of the Light of Christ is what we call a conscience.” (Gospel Topics, “Light of Christ”)

DnC 88 - A lot of discussion about light.

“We don’t need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. You don’t. There’s only been one perfect person, and that’s the Lord Jesus” (Elder Bruce R. McConkie, “The Probationary Test of Mortality”, University of Utah Institute of Religion January 10, 1982)

“Sisters, I do not know why we have the many trials that we have, but it is my personal feeling that the reward is so great, so eternal and everlasting, so joyful and beyond our understanding that in that day of reward, we may feel to say to our merciful, loving Father, ‘Was that all that was required?’”

Elders Quorum 

Lesson based on Henry B. Eyring - Draw Near unto Me and Elder Michael B. Strong - Charity - a Sign of True Discipleship

Men need close friends. 

Men often are too prideful to ask for help. Build relationships and pay attention to what needs done, in case they have a hard time asking. 

“Discipleship is a deliberate journey that we take to become transformed through the Lord’s atoning sacrifice and His enabling power.” - Elder Strong

Moroni 7

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

“our adoration of Jesus is best expressed by our emulation of Jesus.” (Elder Russell M. Nelson, “Perfection Pending”, October 1995 General Conference)

“Jesus Christ loves each of us. He offers that opportunity to draw closer to Him. As with a loving friend, you will do it in much the same way, by communicating through prayer to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, listening for cherished guidance from the Holy Ghost, and then serving others for the Savior cheerfully. Soon you would feel that blessing of drawing nearer to Him.” - Eyring

Luke 24:13-35 - The Lord appears to two men on the Road to Emmaus.

Were these two men on the road to Emmaus 2 of the 12 apostles?  After the women tell the apostles and then Peter goes to the sepulchre, the narrative switches to these two men.  It starts by saying, “And, behold, two of them went that same day...”

John 13 - love one another

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

“As you bind up the wounds of those in need, the Lord’s power will sustain you. His arms will be outstretched with yours to succor and bless the children of our Heavenly Father.” - Eyring

“Every covenant servant of Jesus Christ will receive His direction from the Spirit as they bless and serve others for Him. Then they will feel the Savior’s love and find joy in being drawn closer to Him.” - Eyring

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Oct 19, 2025

Sacrament Service 

First Speaker

A young man that recently returned from the Chile Santiago Mission spoke to us.

Lesson 4 in the second edition of “Preach My Gospel”, “Becoming Lifelong Disciples of Jesus Christ”.

The four covenants that we make at baptism:

• Be willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ.

• Keep the commandments of God.

• Serve God and others.

• Endure to the end.

Alma 7:15

15 Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism.

Tithing is a commandment.  Fast offerings are a choice.

Mark 12:41-44

41 ¶ And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

“With this simple observation, the Savior taught us how offerings are measured in His kingdom—and it’s quite different from the way we usually measure things. To the Lord, the value of the donation was measured not by the effect it had on the treasury but by the effect it had on the heart of the donor.” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Our Heartfelt All”, April 2022 General Conference)

“To sacrifice means to give something up in favor of something more valuable.”

...

“Consecration is different from sacrifice in at least one important way. When we consecrate something, we don’t leave it to be consumed upon the altar. Rather, we put it to use in the Lord’s service. We dedicate it to Him and His holy purposes. We receive the talents that the Lord has given us and strive to increase them, manifold, to become even more helpful in building the Lord’s kingdom.” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Our Heartfelt All”, April 2022 General Conference)

You don’t have to be a missionary to read “Preach My Gospel”.

Next Speaker

No matter the way the speaker delivers their message, allow the spirit to speak something to you while they are speaking.

Tithing:  It’s not about the money.

DnC 119:3-4

3 And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.

4 And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.

“During World War II, my widowed mother supported her three young children on a schoolteacher’s salary that was meager. When I became conscious that we went without some desirable things because we didn’t have enough money, I asked my mother why she paid so much of her salary as tithing. I have never forgotten her explanation: ‘Dallin, there might be some people who can get along without paying tithing, but we can’t. The Lord has chosen to take your father and leave me to raise you children. I cannot do that without the blessings of the Lord, and I obtain those blessings by paying an honest tithing. When I pay my tithing, I have the Lord’s promise that he will bless us, and we must have those blessings if we are to get along.’”

Next Speaker

James 1:27

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Sunday School 

The Lord understands what's on your heart and what's on your plate. 

Keep your eyes open to what the lord has for you. 

Using the correct name has initiated positive conversations. At the same time, Satan has redoubled his efforts to get people to say we follow a false Christ. 

What is the Lord asking us, personally, to give up in order to build His kingdom?