Sunday, September 23, 2007

Sunday September 23, 2007

Sacrament Meeting
I was sustained as the 11 year old scout leader.

First Speaker
Being made in God's image.

Just as we teach our children the things necessary to be successful adults, God teaches us the things necessary to be successful beings in eternity.

Charity is something one becomes.

2nd Speaker
The Bishop spoke to us about some of the problems that we have in our ward.

We can not effectively grow our ward and strengthen our community if we keep our hearts tied to our favorite sins. Matthew 6:24 - 24 ¶ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

DnC 101: - The Lord moved the saints to Jackson county Missouri. If the Lord moved them there, why were they driven out by the local people? It was in consequence of their transgressions. Our bishop said that all of the transgressions listed for the saints when they were driven out in verse 6 are present in out ward. 6 Behold, I say unto you, there were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore by these things they polluted their inheritances.

He stated that The proclamation on the Family from 1995 was given as a proclamation to the world and not just to the Church.

He read from the 2nd paragraph of the Proclamation on the Family - gender is important.

"ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose."

Christ prayed that we all would be one as Christ and God are one. (John 17: 11, 21-22)

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

He read from the 6th paragraph of the Proclamation on the Family - Husband and wife's duty to their children and each other
"children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations."

The bishop said the Lord must likes sports since he builds basketball hoops into the churches, but sports should not get in the way of us or our children doing our duties.


He talked about modesty. Some only dress modestly when convenient. He said that in Babylon clevage is in, but in God's way it is tucked in. It reminded me of the scripture about having to speak so plainly in front of wives and children. (Jacob 2: 7, 35)

7 And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God;
• • •
35 Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds.

He read from the 8th paragraph of the Proclamation on the Family - The consequences of breaking covenants.
"WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets."

Sunday School
1 Corinthians
Paul was correcting some doctrines that had been altered since he originally talked them.
1. Proper relationships between husbands, wives, and God. (1 Corinthians 11:1-3, 1 Corinthians 11:11-12.)
2. Sacramment (1 Corinthians 11:17-29)
3. Spiritual Gifts or the importance of all spiritual gifts. the Corinthians were putting too much emphasis on the gift of tongues. The gift of tongues generally edifies only a small group of people and we should focus on all the gifts to edify everyone. (1 Corinthians 12-14)
1 Cor 12:8-10 - Talks about some of the gifts of the spirit.
4. Resurrection - Jesus was resurrected and as a free gift we can be too. (1 Corinthians 15)

Another aspect that Paul was touching on was our temporal gifts and the necessity of each person and those gifts. He wanted people to seek after the gifts that would best edify the Church and best complement others' gifts.

As I had been studying the part of the lesson on charity, it appeared to me that for the most part people have misinterpreted what it is. I think many focus on giving to the poor, but one of the verses said something about that if we have given everything we have to the poor and have not charity we are nothing. That would seem to indicate that charity is not giving to the poor. It can be in giving to the poor, but it is not giving to the poor in and of itself.

Charity is not prideful, does not act unseemly or poorly or profanely, not easily provoked, thinketh no evil...

Paul councils about not acting as a child. There is a lot of "third grade" humor in our society. We joke about sex and body parts much like an elemenary school child would. Additionally to acting like an adult, but we are also to grow beyond the immaturity of our human weaknesses.

The teacher said that she felt like she was a kind and loving person...95% of the time. She read where it said endure to end. She said it didn't say endure 95% of the time.

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