Sunday, January 26, 2014

Church Services This Week at Ridge Crest Ward Northridge Stake Layton Utah 26 January 2014

Elders Quorum
The lesson was based on Elder Bednar’s October 2013 General Conference talk, The Windows of Heaven
Elder Bednar told of when he was a child that his wife's mother noticed that their medical expenses were lower as they paid their tithing.  That is a financial blessing, but also a health blessing. If they had lower medical expenses, then the family was likely healthy.
Often other church denominations go through a big thing to build a church in a less developed country.  In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we have programs in place where everyone pays tithing and that money is used anywhere in the world to build church buildings.  It doesn't matter that the people in that area make very little money.  All the tithing is gathered to move forward the Church everywhere.
The Lord always sets us up to succeed.  This is true even when he allows trials to come upon us.  It is all for our experience, growth, and success in the long run.
The Church has a lot of money, but it lives within its means.  No only within it means, but in most things it lives very modestly.
Does the Church spend money on entertainment?  Yes.  We often have gymnasiums, stages for performances, elders quorum activities, relief society activities, and primary activities.  Nonetheless, those entertainments are generally modest.
Paying tithing is a privilege.
Sunday SchoolMoses 5:11
11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.
Adam and Eve disobeyed a law of God that had the consequences of removing them from their condition in the Garden.
God used that consequence to open up other opportunities for them if they were faithful going forward.
Some think that had Adam and Eve not transgressed we would all live in a utopia.  Even setting aside that they could not have children in that state, the doctrine that we would all live in utopia missed the purpose of coming to Earth.  We come here to be tested and tried and to learn and to grow from that.
Adam and Eve were tested and tried and learned and grew from it.  The results of that was that we would have the opportunity to learn and grow.
Mosiah 3:19
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.
2 Nephi 9:10
10 O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.
Did the garden remain in that state after Adam was driven out and was hidden or were they driven out as a symbol and it was changed like the rest of the earth?  Or were they driven out because it changed around them.
Sacrament ServiceA young man recently called to the Atlanta Georgia North Mission spoke to us.
“Happiness is true food, wholesome, nutritious and sweet; it builds up the body and generates energy for action, physical, mental and spiritual; pleasure is but a deceiving stimulant which, like spirituous drink, makes one think he is strong when in reality enfeebled; makes him fancy he is well when in fact stricken with deadly malady.
“Happiness leaves no bad aftertaste, it is followed by no depressing reaction; it calls for no repentance, brings no regret, entails no remorse; pleasure too often makes necessary repentance, contrition, and suffering; and, if indulged to the extreme, it brings degradation and destruction.
“True happiness is lived over and over again in memory, always with a renewal of the original good; a moment of unholy pleasure may leave a barbed sting, which, like a thorn in the flesh, is an ever-present source of anguish.
“Happiness is not akin with levity, nor is it one with light-minded mirth. It springs from the deeper fountains of the soul, and is not infrequently accompanied by tears. Have you never been so happy that you have to weep? I have” (Elder James E Talmage, Improvement Era, 17 [no. 2]: p. 173).

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Church Services This Week at Ridge Crest Ward Northridge Stake Layton Utah 19 January 2014

Elders Quorum
2 Nephi 25:26 26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.
Include Christ in all our decisions.
There is an idea in the world that we do our own thing and not let anyone tell you what to do and often that leads to unhappiness or substandard pleasure.  Christ teaches come follow me and have peace, joy, and eternal life.
Sunday School
Moses had a vision of the creation.  He discerned the vision by the spirit.
The book of Moses is the Joseph Smith translation of Genesis.
The details of creation is so important that the translation was included in our scriptures rather than just leaving with what is in Genesis.
The creation of the earth is evidence of God's love.
“The purpose of the Creation is to provide a place where Heavenly Father’s spirit children can come to obtain a physical body and be tested or proven to see if they will obey him when they are away from his presence.”  (Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual)
The testing is to prove to ourselves.  Growth occurs in the proving.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “The word create came from the [Hebrew] word baurau which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship. Hence, we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos—chaotic matter” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 350–51).
Heavenly Father architected the Earth before creating it.  He planned what needs and how it would be done. Probably mostly for the benefit of those that he directed to make it.
We lived with Heavenly Father before this life.  We had to go out on our own for a time to learn and grow.
When children live with their parents they learn and grow, but can only go so far until they take responsibility on their own and make more of their own choices and face the consequences of those choices.
2 Nephi 2:21 21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.
Sacrament Service
A missionary who returned from the Portugal Lisbon Mission spoke to us.
You have to work hard for the things that are most valuable.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Church Services This Week at Ridge Crest Ward Northridge Stake Layton Utah 12 January 2014

Elders Quorum Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith Chapter 1
To move our prayers to the next level we should remember, when we pray we are entering the presence of deity.  To move to that next level in prayer when we begin our prayer, we should wait to proceed until we feel the confirmation that we are in His presence.
Does that mean we don't pray when we feel distanced from God?  No.  We still pray where we are, but we don't stay there.  We try to continually move our prayers to the next level.
To some the doctrine of being literal children of Heavenly Father is offensive.  Perhaps it is because it sounds like blasphemy to be that close to God.  Perhaps it is because parenthood brings to mind sexual intimacy and mankind often tells us that is a carnal act, even a dirty act, which it is not.  That aside, we have no idea what that process is for creating spirits.  What we do know is that He is our literal Father.  He created our spirits with potential to be like Him.  His behavior toward us is that of a perfect Father.
Young Womens
I spoke to the Laurels today.
1 Corinthians 13:11
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
I am not going to dress inappropriately to get your attention.  I am not going to speak vulgarly because you do and I want you to like me and I am going to let you know that it is not appreciated when you speak that way in my presence.
Sunday School
Moses 1:39
39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
Why do we need to know God's work?  So we know our job and how we can help Him with His work.
Even if our minds do not know what we were foreordained to or agreed to do in this life, I think our spirits know.  We spend too much times following our minds and bodies around in life that we don't hear our spirit.   Some call those memories of our spirit intuition or gut feel or conscience.
Do not be a different person at work than you are at church.
Sacrament Service
The Bible is full of references to God the Father and God the Son are two different beings.  Yet some are confused by other scriptures that say they are one.
They are one in their purpose and their work.
The Holy Ghost is also a separate being.  He is the only member of the Godhead that is solely a personage of spirit.  Because of that he can fulfill his special mission to able be in us and communicate directly to our spirits.
"The feeling of being accepted by someone we love is a basic human need. Being accepted by good people motivates us. It increases our sense of self-worth and self-confidence. Those who cannot find acceptance from desirable sources often seek it elsewhere. They may look to people who are not interested in their well-being. They may attach themselves to false friends and do questionable things to try to receive the acknowledgment they are seeking. They may seek acceptance by wearing a particular brand of clothing to generate a feeling of belonging or status. For some, striving for a role or a position of prominence can also be a way of seeking acceptance. They may define their worth by a position they hold or status they obtain."
Are we making judgments of others without having all the facts?  Are we look at our neighbors wash drying on the clothesline and think it is dirty, when what is dirty is the window we are looking through?
“The ultimate source of empowerment and lasting acceptance is our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. They know us. They love us. They do not accept us because of our title or position. They do not look at our status. They look into our hearts. They accept us for who we are and what we are striving to become. Seeking and receiving acceptance from Them will always lift and encourage us.” (Elder Erich W. Kopischke, Being Accepted of the Lord, April 2013 General Conference)

If you want to stay close to someone who has been dear to you, but from whom you are separated, you know how to do it. You would find a way to speak to them, you would listen to them, and you would discover ways to do things for each other. The more often that happened, the longer it went on, the deeper would be the bond of affection. If much time passed without the speaking, the listening, and the doing, the bond would weaken.” (Bishop Henry B Eyring, To Draw Closer To God, April 1991 General Conference)
Prayers can be like twitter posts, Facebook posts, or emails.
It is difficult being in a one way conversation when one person is not listening.
With computers if one sends a message and the other doesn't send a response an error occurs.  If it responds, but the sender disconnects before receiving it then the communication fails.

Sunday, January 05, 2014

Church Services This Week at Ridge Crest Ward Northridge Stake Layton Utah 5 January 2014

Elders Quorum
A member of the Elders quorum presidency gave us an introduction to Joseph Fielding Smith.
Penicillin, the TV, the microwave oven were created in his lifetime.  Man walked on the moon in his lifetime.

His grandfather was Hyrum Smith, Joseph Smith's brother, both were martyred in Carthage, Illinois.

His father had multiple wives.

He enjoyed playing baseball.

ZCMI was the Mormon Walmart of the day.  Today it is a department store.  He worked for them.
He rode his bicycle from Salt Lake City to Ogden to date his future wife.

Shortly after they were married he was called on a two year mission to England.

Back in the days when he was called to be an apostle one was not told in advanced.  They just announced your name in General conference.

His son in law in Bruce R McKonkie.

The second part of the lesson was from the first presidency message from this month's ensign.
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.  The second best time is now.

Sunday School
Moses 1
Jehovah, the premortal Jesus Christ, not God the Father, appeared to Moses.  Jesus has been given stewardship, dominion, and responsibility over the earth by and under the direction of the Father

Jehovah teaches Moses, then leaves him and Satan appears to deceive him to worship him.  He knew the voice and glory of the Lord, having just spoken to him and was not deceived by Satan.  We need to study and pray to learn the voice of the Lord that we are not deceived by Satan.

After Satan is cast away by Moses in the name of Christ, Jehovah appears again and Moses tells him he wants to know more.

We learn from Moses that he is a type of Christ, but we all are children of God.

We are nothing without God as embryo beings, but we have divine potential as children of God.

Moses had been a ruler and accomplished much.  After his encounter with God he realized how much more there is in the universe and in man's potential.