Sunday, January 28, 2007

Sunday January 28, 2007

Sacrament Meeting
A couple that returned a few months ago from a service mission to inner city Indianapolis spoke to us today and reported on their mission.

Sunday School
We talked about why Jesus was baptized. He was baptized because he obeyed every commandment of his father.
5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being aholy, should have need to be bbaptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be cbaptized, yea, even by water! (2 Ne. 31: 5)

We talked about the difference between immortality and eternal life. Immortality being to live forever and not die. Eternal Life to live forever with God.

We talked about the Lord fasting for forty days. Fasting makes the body weak, but makes the spirit strong.

Priesthood
The Elders' quorum president went over the responsibilities of an elder. He then specifically focused on home teaching. We then listed all those in the quorum who were not present today. It was an interesting approach.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Sunday January 21, 2007

Sacrament Meeting
One of the youth talked of the members of the Godhead being separate, distinct beings. She sites scripture and then testified that they were separate beings with one purpose. The speaker that followed her expounded on that thought.

A member of the bishopric spoke last and he also talked about the Holy Ghost. He went down the road of how we can have the spirit with us more. He talked about cleaning the junk out of our lives, both spiritually and physically.

He also talked about that we don't need to be entertained all the time. We don't need to have the TV on all the time. We don't need to have a CD going or the radio on when we travel. He said that sometimes just a quiet time to think is enough. Might be a good time for light meditation and pondering.

He said that we also need to keep our hobbies from eatting up all our time. What if service was our hobby?

Sunday School
We touched on Jesus' remarks when his mother found him teaching int he synagog. Yes he was about his father's business, as he should be, and it was a reminder to his parents of his purpose. On the other hand, even though Jesus was perfect, in that he never committed sin, did not mean that he didn't learn line upon line and precept upon precept. He wasn't sinning because he hadn't been mindful of where his parents were, but maybe he just didn't entirely understand and needed to be taught.

Priesthood
Chapter 2 in the Spencer W Kimball manual.
Tragedy was with Spencer early in his life when before the age of 12 he lost 2 sisters and his mother to death. Did the Lord cause these deaths? Does he cause the deaths of those that die in car wrecks, plane crashes, and such? President Kimball said he didn't know. The Lord takes some he needs, but others go when it is their time. Perhaps when they have accomplished all that they could here.

We didn't come to earth to be protected or for a life of ease. We came for trials and tests.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Sunday January 14, 2007

Sacrament Meeting
One of the young men spoke on what it take to prepare to become a priest. He read the duties of a priest. He said that thereby we would better understand what it takes to prepare.

Here I am paraphrasing somethings that one of the other speakers said. You can not give your light to another if your candle is not lit. You can not light another's fire unless yours is burning. Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.

Sunday School
We talked about the conceptions of John the Baptist and Jesus.

Priesthood
Chapter 1 in the Spencer W Kimball manual.
We talked about the purpose of life. That purpose is to be like Heavenly Father and return to live with him. This goes along with God's work, which is to bring to pass the imortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Sunday January 7, 2007

Sacrament Meeting
Testimonies
A member of the stake presidency was with us today. He bored his testimony of tithing. He said that when he grew up in Idaho there were several occasions when storms came and the next day they could see the damage to their neighbor's property and could see that the damage stopped and the damage stopped just before getting to his property.

Sunday School
If we see thing the way God does then we will not be biased by current philosophies and traditions of society.

Some stumbled at the gentiles being able to be part of the church.

Priesthood
We met with the high priests today since our leadership was all gone. The high priests talked about their goals for the year and then had a lesson on our responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach.