Sunday, November 24, 2024

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Nov 24, 2024

Sacrament Service

First Speaker

Ephesians 1:15:16

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;


The Lord’s daily miracles have not ceased.  Why should we stop giving thanks?


Alma 37:36-37

36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.


Next Speaker

“Perhaps focusing on what we are grateful for is the wrong approach. It is difficult to develop a spirit of gratitude if our thankfulness is only proportional to the number of blessings we can count. True, it is important to frequently “count our blessings”—and anyone who has tried this knows there are many—but I don’t believe the Lord expects us to be less thankful in times of trial than in times of abundance and ease. In fact, most of the scriptural references do not speak of gratitude for things but rather suggest an overall spirit or attitude of gratitude.” (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Grateful in Any Circumstances”, April 2014 General Conference)


Many are miserable because they have no gratitude.


Doctrine and Covenants 46

7 But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils.


Gratitude helps us look beyond our everyday problems.


Next Speaker

“I think she may have meant that every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result.” 

...

“How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can’t—at least not in the moment. I don’t think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement or deny the reality of pain. I don’t think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.”

(Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Come What May, and Love It”, October 2008 General Conference)


“Joy is powerful, and focusing on joy brings God’s power into our lives. As in all things, Jesus Christ is our ultimate exemplar, ‘who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.’ Think of that! In order for Him to endure the most excruciating experience ever endured on earth, our Savior focused on joy!” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival”, October 2016)


Grateful people are generally more successful at life.


Mosiah 24

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.


Elders Quorum

The lesson was based on the talk from last General Conference, Holiness to the Lord in Everyday Life - Gerrit W Gong

God only wants what's best for us. 


Your covenants are not with those who harm you. You should not let them bind you. Your binding covenants are with God. 

Sunday, November 17, 2024

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Nov 17, 2024

Sacrament Service 

First Speaker

Work to build charity.


Remember to pray, repent, and never give up.


Please share your testimonies.


Next Speaker

“no identifier should displace, replace, or take priority over these three enduring designations:

“Child of God

“Child of the covenant

“Disciple of Jesus Christ

“Any identifier that is not compatible with those three basic designations will ultimately let you down.” - President Nelson on Facebook


“My tears of sorrow have flowed along with wishes that I could have done more for our daughter and for our President. If I had the power of resurrection, I would have been tempted to bring them back. Though one of the ordained Apostles, each of whom is entrusted with all the keys of the kingdom of God, I do not hold keys of the Resurrection. Jesus Christ holds those keys and will use them for Emily, for President Hunter, and for all people in the Lord’s own time.” (Elder Russell M Nelson, “Children of the Covenant”, April 1995 General Conference)


Pay attention to things in the Book of Mormon that are happening today.


“My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.” (President Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival”, October 2016 General Conference)


Sunday School 

Why call him the brother of Jared?  Maybe because his name was long, but perhaps also because Jared was a leader in the community. Perhaps the brother of Jared was also a leader, but had a different stewardship.

Sunday, November 10, 2024

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Nov 10, 2024

Sacrament Service 
Primary Program
Elders Quorum 
The lesson was based on the talk from last General Conference, Sacred Scriptures—the Foundations of Faith - David A. Bednar
Have faith and keep going. Things will work out. Generally many will work out in this life, if we have faith, but everything will work out after this life if we have faith. 

The Book of Mormon is written for our day. Our day began with the translating of the BOM in the 1800s and continues on through all of the latter days.

Sunday, November 03, 2024

Church Services This Week at Devotional for Young Adults at BYU Idaho Nov 3, 2024

Elder David A Bednar, “Things are They Really Are 2.0”

“An important aspect of the fulness that is available to us today is a miraculous progression of innovations and inventions that have enabled and accelerated God’s work of salvation and exaltation: from trains to telegraphs to radios to automobiles to airplanes to telephones to transistors to televisions to computers to satellite transmissions to the internet to artificial intelligence—and to an almost endless list of technologies and tools that bless our lives. All of these advancements are part of the Lord hastening His work in the latter days.”


“Every discovery in science and art, that is really true and useful to mankind, has been given by direct revelation from God, though but few acknowledge it. It has been given with a view to prepare the way for the ultimate triumph of truth, and the redemption of the earth from the power of sin and Satan. We should take advantage of all these great discoveries, the accumulated wisdom of ages, and give to our children the benefit of every branch of useful knowledge, to prepare them to step forward and efficiently do their part in the great work.” (Brigham Young, in Journal of Discourses, 9:369.)


“In 1966, President David O. McKay prophesied scientific discoveries that “stagger the imagination” would make possible the preaching of the gospel to every kindred, tongue, and people. And further: ‘Discoveries latent with such potent power, either for the blessing or the destruction of human beings as to make men’s responsibility in controlling them the most gigantic ever placed in human hands. … This age is fraught with limitless perils, as well as untold possibilities.’”


“Does the use of various technologies and media invite or impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?


“Does the time you spend using various technologies and media enlarge or restrict your capacity to live, to love, and to serve in meaningful ways?” (David A. Bednar, “Things as They Really Are,” Ensign, June 2010.)


“AI also has the potential to obscure our true identity as sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father, distract us from the eternal truths and righteous work necessary for spiritual growth, engender pride and a diminished acknowledgment of our dependence upon God, and distort or replace meaningful human interaction.”


“When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.


“But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.” (2 Nephi 9:28–29.)


“I invite you to review and study the AI guiding principles developed and distributed by the Church earlier this year.”


“We have not been blessed with moral agency to do whatever we want whenever we will. Rather, according to the Father’s plan, we have received moral agency to seek after and act in accordance with eternal truth.”


“[Lucifer’s] intent was that all of Heavenly Father’s children become objects that could only be acted upon.”


“The very purpose of the Creation and of our mortal existence is to see if you and I will choose and act to become what the Lord invites us to become.”


“Now beware. The ease of use, perceived accuracy, and rapid response time that characterize artificial intelligence can create a potentially beguiling, addictive, and suffocating influence on the exercise of our moral agency.”


“Therefore, faithful disciples of Christ are workers anxiously engaged because ‘the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.’”


“work is essential for our spiritual progression.”


“Ours is a gospel of work—purposeful, unselfish and rendered in the spirit of the true love of Christ. Only thus may we grow in godly attributes. Only thus may we become worthy instruments in the hands of the Lord.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson (2014), 266–67.)


“I wonder how many sacrament meeting messages and Sunday School, priesthood, and Relief Society lessons next Sunday will have been generated from AI. A simple command spoken into your digital device, wait a few seconds or minutes, and you have what you need. But do you really have what you need?”


“We undoubtedly can generate and produce fabulous content for a sacrament meeting talk with AI. But the objective is not merely producing or presenting impressive content; rather, it is working and becoming what God intends and yearns for us to become.”


“The law of the harvest is true—yesterday, today, and forever.”


“We must strive to become agents who exercise faith in the Savior and act and shun becoming objects that merely are acted upon.”


“To be clear, we do not earn or qualify for God’s blessings solely by or through our individual works. God’s will and timing determine how and when we receive His tender mercies. But you and I have the spiritual obligation to work, create, and learn for ourselves.”


Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah Nov 3, 2024

Sacrament Service

Testimonies

Are we more concerned with obeying to avoid consequences that obeying to avoid becoming something we would not want to be.  Similar to Dr Jeckel.


Our testimony of Christ can bridge all of our differences.


4 Nephi 1

15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.


Sunday School 

What does it mean that Mormon was a sober child?  What does it mean that he was quick to observe? 


We as humans can't miraculously feed 5000,but we can bring a little bread and fish. God can take those bread and fish and feed a multitude.


Church Services This Week at Layton Utah 4th Ward Layton Utah Nov 3, 2024

Sacrament Service 

Testimonies

One speaker said, “Declare the Word of God, you don’t have to defend it.”


My thoughts
{

I like this thought, since I have often gone on the offensive in the past when someone would question my beliefs.  You have to get to the point where you can tell people what your beliefs are, but not have to debate them or justify them to someone.


That being said, one must defend their faith, but I think that generally that does not mean contention.  It is worth pondering what it does mean to defend your faith.
}


It was mentioned that the Gospel is not a placebo.  It doesn’t make us 


God does not condemn you for not being further down the covenant path.  He will work with you as you choose to move forward, but he does not force us to keep moving forward.


We have to learn to utilize the atonement.  We also have to help others to use it.