Sunday, May 29, 2016

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 29 May 2016

Sacrament Service
“...music has a profound effect on your mind, spirit, and behavior.” (For the Strength of Youth)

Doctrine and Covenants 25:12
12 For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.

If you listen to music constantly, you may not have the quiet time you need for thinking, feeling, and receiving spiritual guidance.” (For the Strength of Youth, (2011), 22–23)

Sunday School
Book of Mormon Mosiah 12-17
Abinadi means my father is present with you.

Was Abinadi’s message for one man? Did he die that one man could be converted? Was his message to teach Alma what he needed to do?  Possibly.

The Savior loved meekly and humbly.

Mosiah 15:25
25 And little children also have eternal life.

Joint RS/Priesthood lesson

Memorial day was once known as decoration day.

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 22 May 2016

Sacrament Service A sister that recently returned from a mission to Switzerland spoke to us.

1 Timothy 1:11 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;Sometimes our hope fades and we must work hard to remember why we are never without hope. It may be hard, but we have hope for the future.

Alma 17:2  2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

2 Nephi 18:1919 And when they shall say unto you: Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter—should not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the dead?

Doctrine and Covenants 58:26  26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

Jeremiah 1:55 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

We are a living church because we are led by prophets, but also because the local leadership and general membership can have revelation and lead our homes and neighborhoods.

Mosiah 2:28  28 I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together that I might rid my garments of your blood, at this period of time when I am about to go down to my grave, that I might go down in peace, and my immortal spirit may join the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God.

Sunday School Book of Mormon lesson 17Responsibilities of a prophet
  • Testify of Christ and teach his gospel
  • Make known God's will and character.
  • Decry sin and warn of its consequences.
  • Prophesy of future events.
Mosiah 7:3131 And again he saith: If my people shall sow filthiness they shall reap the east wind, which bringeth immediate destruction.

Have you ever noticed that people can usually find whatever they are looking for? Look hard enough, and you can discover both good and bad in almost anyone and anything. People have done the same with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since its beginning. Those who look for the good will find a kind and compassionate people—a people who love the Lord and desire to serve Him and bless the lives of their fellowman. But it is also true that those who look for the bad will certainly find things that are not so ideal.

“Unfortunately, at times this happens even within the Church. There is no end to the creativity, ingenuity, and tenacity of those who look for reasons to criticize.” (President Dieter F Uchtdorf, “Looking for the Good“, Ensign March 2011)

We have a choice. We can seek for the bad in others. Or we can make peace and work to extend to others the understanding, fairness, and forgiveness we so desperately desire for ourselves. It is our choice; for whatever we seek, that we will certainly find.“ (President Dieter F Uchtdorf, “Looking for the Good“, Ensign March 2011)

2 Nephi 26:1111 For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction, and this grieveth my soul.

Elders Quorum Teachings for Our Time May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals.“ (Thomas S Monson, “Choices”, General Conference April 2016)

“...great faith has a short shelf life.“ (President Henry B Eyring, Spiritual Preparedness:Start Early and Be Steady, October 2005 General Conference)

JS Matthew 1:37
 37 And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Family prayer should be a nonnegotiable priority in your daily life....If you want your children to recognize, understand, and act on the promptings of the Spirit, you must study the scriptures with them.“ (Elder Richard G Scott, Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority, October 2014 General Conference)

What you spend time on each day is what will be on your mind. When you speak with your children, the things you spent your time doing will be what comes to your mind to talk to them about. If you want to have gospel discussions with them, then you need to fill your mind work them every day.
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Sunday, May 15, 2016

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 15 May 2016

From the Bulletin
“God has again spoken from the heavens. The priesthood and authority to act in His name have been restored again to men on the earth, following centuries of darkness.” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson[1988], 113)

Sacrament Service
Love your neighbor.

5 Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.
6 And if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality, and eternal life in the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father.


“As evil increases in the world, there is a compensatory spiritual power for the righteous. As the world slides from its spiritual moorings, the Lord prepares the way for those who seek Him, offering them greater assurance, greater confirmation, and greater confidence in the spiritual direction they are traveling. The gift of the Holy Ghost becomes a brighter light in the emerging twilight.“ (Neil L. Andersen, “A Compensatory Spiritual Power for the Righteous” (Brigham Young University Education Week devotional, Aug. 18, 2015), speeches.byu.edu.)


“There are an estimated 60 million refugees in the world today, which means that “1 in every 122 humans … has been forced to flee their homes,”2 and half of these are children.3 It is shocking to consider the numbers involved and to reflect on what this means in each individual life. My current assignment is in Europe, where one and a quarter million of these refugees have arrived over the last year from war-torn parts of the Middle East and Africa.4 We see many of them coming with only the clothes they are wearing and what they can carry in one small bag. A large proportion of them are well educated, and all have had to abandon homes, schools, and jobs. “ (Elder Patrick Kearon, Refuge from the Storm, April 2016 General Conference)

Doctrine and Covenants 89:18-21
18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.

Matthew 25:40
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

“The Savior taught His disciples, ‘For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.’5
“I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish—and in effect save their lives.” (President Thomas S Monson, “What Have I Done for Someone Today?”, October 2009 General Conference)
President Monson often uses the word act.

“Man’s greatest happiness comes from losing himself for the good of others. “ (David O. McKay, in Conference Report, Oct. 1963, 8.)

Sunday School
Mosiah 4, 5, 6
King Benjamin had attributes that we wish we had in those that run for office in our country.

The printer of The Book of Mormon put the punctuation in, since there was none in the manuscript. The printer was not a member, but could not bear to print something with no punctuation.

King Benjamin put great importance on teaching children.

Elders Quorum
We had a lesson from the stake on the importance of attending our stake conference meetings.

To get the most out of conference, prepare in advance.

It is the right of members of the Church to receive revelation. Joseph Smith said: ‘… God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what he will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them. …’ (Teachings, p. 149.)

Sunday, May 08, 2016

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 8 May 2016

Sacrament Service
Take up “love another “ as our daily motto.

The speaker shared part of a sermon from a guy named Peter Marshall.  Peter talked about a man that worked to keep a stream in the mount free of debris and yuck, so they had clear water in the valley.  The people in the valley decided they didn’t need him to do that, so they did it another way and before long the water wasn’t clean and pure and people and animals were getting sick.  He then stated, “Do not think me fanciful, too imaginative or too extravagant in my language when I say that I think of women, and particularly of our mothers, as Keepers of the Springs.” (Peter Marshall, “Keepers of the Springs”)

Enmity means deep bitterness and hatred.

Satan gives mothers stress and depression, which gets in the way of them fixing this earth through nurturing people.

Live your life to the fullness of your creation.

Nurturing in and of itself is more important in the development of a child than is any particular method or technique of child rearing. It hardly needs saying that nurturing is best carried out in a stable, safe family context....
A mother's nurturing love arouses in children, from their earliest days on earth, an awakening of the memories of love and goodness they experienced in their premortal existence. Because our mothers love us, we learn, or, more accurately, remember, that God also loves us. President Thomas S. Monson said, "One cannot forget mother and remember God. One cannot remember mother and forget God. Why? Because these two sacred persons, God and mother, partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service, are as one" (Elder M Russell Ballard, "Behold Thy Mother,"Ensign, April 1998, 6)

2 Peter 1:2-3
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Heavenly Father generously shares a portion of His divinity within us. That divine nature comes as a gift from Him with a love that only a parent can feel.

“We come to this earth to nurture and discover the seeds of divine nature that are within us.” (Rosemary M Wixom, Discovering the Divinity Within, October 2015 General Conference Women’s Session)
This is a charitable Society, and according to your natures; it is natural for females to have feelings of charity and benevolence. You are now placed in a situation in which you can act according to those sympathies which God has planted in your bosoms.” (History of the Church, 4:605; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 28, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Eliza R. Snow.)

Jesus was nailed to the cross during the forenoon of that fateful Friday, probably between nine and ten o’clock.u At noontide the light of the sun was obscured, and black darkness spread over the whole land. The terrifying gloom continued for a period of three hours. This remarkable phenomenon has received no satisfactory explanation from science. It could not have been due to a solar eclipse, as has been suggested in ignorance, for the time was that of full moon; indeed the Passover season was determined by the first occurrence of full moon after the spring equinox. The darkness was brought about by miraculous operation of natural laws directed by divine power. It was a fitting sign of the earth’s deep mourning over the impending death of her Creator.v Of the mortal agony through which the Lord passed while upon the cross the Gospel-scribes are reverently reticent.“ (James E Talmage, “Jesus the Christ”)

Moses 2:27
27 And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them.

When the Lord refers to man it is plural, meaning male and female.

“My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.” -  George Washington

Sunday School
Book of Mormon lesson 15
The first account of King Benjamin was not about being a king, but about teaching his sons.

How do we teach our children the love of the scriptures?
-read them with them
-share with them your favorite scriptures
-teach using the scriptures
-use scriptures as bedtime stories

True leadership is service.


Elders Quorum
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Howard W Hunter chapter 16
Marriage
Many of you … worry about courtship, marriage, and starting a family. You probably will not find the name of your future spouse in Nephi’s vision or the book of Revelation; you probably will not be told it by an angel or even by your bishop. Some things you must work out for yourself. Have faith and be obedient, and blessings will come. Try to be patient. Try not to let what you don’t have blind you to that which you do have. If you worry too much about marriage, it can canker the very possibility of it. Live fully and faithfully as one person before having undue anxiety about living as two.

[Marriage] … is a learned behavior. Our conscious effort, not instinct, determines the success. The motivating force stems from kindness, true affection, and consideration for each other’s happiness and welfare.

“The words none else eliminate everyone and everything. The spouse then becomes pre-eminent in the life of the husband or wife and neither social life nor occupational life nor political life nor any other interest nor person nor thing shall ever take precedence over the companion spouse” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1969, p. 250).

Sunday, May 01, 2016

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 1 May 2016

5-1-16
From the Bulletin
“Those who keep a book of remembrance are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives. Journals are a way of counting our blessings and of leaving an inventory of these blessings for our posterity.” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982, p. 349.)

Sacrament Service
Matthew 7:15-20
15 ¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Sunday School
Book of Mormon lesson 16 the book of Enos
Enos wrestled before the Lord. What does it mean that he wrestled. Perhaps it was the adversary holding him back. Perhaps he was wrestling with the pain and embarrassment of his sins.

The line of prophets and record keepers in the book of Enos came from Jacob's line and not Nephi.

Elders Quorum
The lesson was taken from Sister Wendy Watson Nelson, Becoming the Person You Were Born to Be, January BYU Hawaii devotional.
How do we keep our prayers fervent? Do we recognize the different scope of prayers? We have meeting prayers, family, prayers, couple prayers, personal prayers…

When we’re desperate to be guided by heaven, we work harder than ever to tune in to heaven. When we’re desperate to be physically healthy, we eat and exercise accordingly. No excuses! When we’re desperate to have more money, we eagerly follow the Lord’s law of finances—which is, of course, tithing!”

“When we’re desperate to become the people we were born to be, our vision changes. We wake up from the spiritual amnesia the adversary so cleverly administers, and suddenly we see things about ourselves, others, and our lives we’ve never seen before. The world’s ‘fun’ and ‘entertainment’ start to look almost ridiculous, perhaps even spiritually dangerous. We begin to see the adversary’s tricks and traps for what they really are—temptations to make us forget our true identity and our destination.”

“When we enter the temple, we leave the world of make-believe.” (Douglas L. Callister, quoted in Sheri Dew and Virginia H. Pearce, The Beginning of Better Days: Divine Instruction to Women from the Prophet Joseph Smith(2012), 65.)