Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 3-28-10

Mormon 3:20

  20 And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the ^ajudgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human ^bfamily of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil;

A lesson was based oon Elder D Todd Christofferson talk entitled Moral Discipline.

"Moral discipline is the consistent exercise of agency to choose the right" 

"The root of the word discipline is shared by the word disciple, suggesting to the mind the fact that conformity to the example and teachings of Jesus Christ is the ideal discipline that, coupled with His grace, forms a virtuous and morally excellent person."(Elder Christofferson)

Examples of moral discipline

• Giving up our passions (sports, recreation) on the sabbath. 
• Speaking reverently and not with sexual inuendo and profanity
• Moroni 1:2-3
    2 For behold, their ^awars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their ^bhatred they ^cput to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ.
    3 And I, Moroni, will not ^adeny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.

"Mere wanting is hardly a proper guide for moral conduct"(Sarah E. Hinlicky, “Subversive Virginity,” First Things, Oct. 1998, 14.)

Obedience regardless of condition.  Much like the talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Good, Better, Best

It is good to spend time with family on the sabbath, but do we break the sabbath to do so?  Do we skip out on our church responsibilities to go spend time with family on the sabbath? Do we watch sporting events or movies on the sabbath and justify it by spendng time with family?  Do we do activities that would otherwise be against our standards of proper sabbath observance because we do it with family?

The similitude of Moses delivering Israel from physical bondage as the savior would deliver us from spiritual bondage.

A teacher passed out a list of scriptures to go with their lesson.

Begin List

Bondage, Passover, and Exodus

1. 2 Nephi 3:10

2. Exodus 3:1-4

3. Exodus 3:5-10

4. D&C 90:24

5. Exodus 3:11

6. Exodus 4:1, 10

7. Exodus 3:12

8. Exodus 4:11-12

9. Hebrews 11:24-26

10. Exodus 5:1-9

11. Exodus 5:15-21

12. Exodus 5:22-23

13. Exodus 6:4-8

14. Exodus 6:9

15. Exodus 6:10-12

16. Exodus 12:12-13, 22-23

17. Exodus 12:24-27, 42

18. Exodus 13:1-10

19. 1 Corinthians 5:7

End List

From the Bulletin:

Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount -- that is the measure of God's love for you.

God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe He doesn't care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely.

He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our resume but because we are His children He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken. God's love is so great that He loves even the proud, selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked.

What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. No matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us." President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Love of God," Ensign, November, 2009, 21 - 24.

Heavenly Father loves us and is waiting to help us. I hope that we can all feel His love as we enter this Easter season and have the opportunity to hear the words of our prophets.

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 3-21-10

2 Nephi 32:3

  3 ^aAngels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you,^bfeast upon the ^cwords of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will ^dtell you all things what ye should do.

The Fall of Adam and Eve

1 Corinthians 11:11

 11 Nevertheless neither is the ^aman without the woman, neither the ^bwoman without the man, in the Lord.

Eating the fruit brought about death to mankind.  Physical death and spiritual death.  Adam, Eve, and their posterity would all die, separating their bodies from their spirits (physical death).  They would also no longer walk and talk face to face with God (spiritual death).

How can we give thanks to the lord for gifts?  Use then.  After each successful use, give thanks.

Joseph first asked for his brethren to bring Benjamin who was Joseph's brother from the same parents.

List of scriptures the teach passed out for the lesson.

Begin List

1. Genesis 40:14-15

2. Genesis 40:21, 23

3. Genesis 41:1,14

4. Genesis 41:1, 8-15

5. Genesis 41:16

6. Genesis 41:1-7,17-24

7. Genesis 41:25-32

8. Genesis 41:33-36

9. Genesis 41:37-43 

10. Genesis 42:1-3

11. Genesis 42:33-34; 43:2

12. Genesis 42:36, 38

13. Genesis 43:3-5, 11-14

14. Genesis 42:36

15. Genesis 37:5-11

16. Genesis 42:6; 43:26-28

17. Genesis 42:21

18. Genesis 45:1-3

19. Genesis 45:4-11, 14-15

20. Genesis 45:4-8

End List

Some temples look like fortresses. the temple is to be a stronghold for righteousness.

From the Bulletin

"I feel in my heart that we grow financially, spiritually, and in every way, as Latter-day Saints, by doing our duty. When we are obedient to the commandments of the Lord and generous with our time and our means, we grow in the spirit and testimony of the gospel, and I do not believe that we are ever poorer financially. I am a firm believer that the Lord opens up the windows of heaven when we do our duty financially and pours out upon us blessings of a spiritual nature, which are of far greater value than temporal things. But I believe He also gives us blessings of a temporal nature.." -- Gospel Standards, p.297, President Heber J. Grant

"Stand As a Witness by Sustaining the Living Prophets."

As you think of the word sustaining, ask yourself this question: Is sustaining the living prophets different from having a testimony that we have prophets? When we sustain, it means we do something about our belief. Our testimony of the prophet turns into action when we sustain him.

Elder David B. Haight said: "When we sustain the President of the Church by our uplifted hand, it not only signifies that we acknowledge before God that he is the rightful possessor of all the priesthood keys; it means that we covenant with God that we will abide by the direction and the counsel that comes through His prophet. It is a solemn covenant" President Hinckley said "The procedure of sustaining is much more than a ritualistic raising of the hand. It is a commitment to uphold, to support, to assist those who have been selected".

Think of playing a violin, if it is in tune you can move the bow across one string and the other strings vibrate. The harmonious strings not only help sustain the sound, but they enlarge and carry the sound.

As each of us listens to the prophet and responds to his message, if we are in tune we can carry his message with us. Others will feel the prophet's message because of the way we act. In this way the message doesn't end—it just begins.

President Janette Hales Beckham Ensign

Stake Conference Announcement

Brothers and Sisters of the Weber Heights Stake,

We would like to extend to each of you an invitation to attend our semi-annual Stake Conference on April 10th and 11th. We are blessed to have a visiting general authority, Elder Thomas Cherrington of the Seventy. We encourage everyone to personally prepare for this conference so that your hearts and minds will be receptive to the special messages that will be prepared for you. Please mark your calendars, plan to attend every meeting, come to the temple before hand and allow this conference to be an opportunity for you to strengthen your faith and your testimony.

Weber Heights Stake Presidency

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 3-14-10

Matthew 25:40

  40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have ^adone it unto one of the ^bleast of these my^cbrethren, ye have done it unto me.

Christ created the earth, under the direction of the father.

Man was the last creation on this earth.  Everything else was prepared
for him.

A tadpole will grow into a frog.  A calf will grow into a cow. A girl
becomes a woman.  We have the potential to become like God.

2 Nephi 2:25

  25 ^aAdam ^bfell that men might be; and men ^care, that they might have ^djoy.

The teacher passed out these scripture references and quote for the lesson:

Begin List

Lesson #11: How Can I Do This Great Wickedness

1. 1 Chronicles 5:1-2

2. Genesis 37:3-8

3. Genesis 37:13-14

4. Genesis 37:15-17

5. Genesis 37:21-22, 26-27

6. Genesis 37:28, 31-33

7. Genesis 39:1-6

8. Genesis 39:11-12

9. Genesis 39:13-20

10. Genesis 39:21-23

11. Romans 8:28

12. Elder Hartman Rector Jr. explained: "[The] ability to turn everything into something good appears to be a godly characteristic. Our Heavenly Father always seems able to do this. Everything, no matter how dire, becomes a victory to the Lord. Joseph, although a slave and wholly undeserving of this fate, nevertheless remained faithful to the Lord and continued to live the commandments and made something very good of his degrading circumstances. People like this cannot be defeated" (in Conference Report, Oct. 1972, 170; or Ensign, Jan. 1973, 130).

End List

Joseph had the birthright even though he was the younger brother.  Reuben lost the birthright through disobedience.  Judah was given the responsibility to rule.  Joseph was given the birthright.

Your actions speak so loud that I cannot hear your words.

1 Nephi 1:20

  20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had ^acast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also ^bsought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender ^cmerciesof the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of ^ddeliverance.

Faith is like a muscle.  If you exercise it it grows.  If we do not it gets weak.

How do we develop any skill?  We study and practice.  The same is true in developing faith.

From the Bulletin

President Joseph F. Smith taught: "Faith is always a gift of God to man, which is obtained by obedience, as all other blessings-are." (Gospel Doctrine. P. 212)

"...Faith does not come without works; faith does not come without obedience to the commandments of God." (Conference Report, October 1903, p. 4)

Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 3-7-10

Alma 26:12

  12 Yea, I know that I am ^anothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will ^bnot boast of myself, but I will ^cboast of my God, for in his ^dstrength I can do all ^ethings; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

President Eyring's conference talk, Be ready

Family Spiritual Preparedness
Family Home Evening
Scripture Study
Prayer
Compassionate service
Make home a sanctuary
Genealogy

Quorum Spiritual Preparedness
Home Teaching (visiting ward members)
Service
Magnify callings
Counsel and learn
Attend our Church meetings
Temple attendance
Support missionary work

Personal Spiritual Preparedness
Temple
Prayer
Organization
Balance
Scriptures
Education
Finances/job

Doctrine and Covenants 84:33

  33 For whoso is ^afaithful unto the obtaining these two ^bpriesthoods of which I have spoken, and the ^cmagnifying their calling, are ^dsanctified by the Spirit unto the ^erenewing of their bodies.

Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-36

  34 Behold, there are many ^acalled, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

  35 Because their ^ahearts are set so much upon the things of this ^bworld, and ^caspire to the ^dhonors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson—

  36 That the ^arights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be^bcontrolled nor handled only upon the ^cprinciples of righteousness.

Doctrine and Covenants 121:41-43

  41 No ^apower or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the ^bpriesthood, only by ^cpersuasion, by ^dlong-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

  42 By ^akindness, and pure ^bknowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the ^csoul without ^dhypocrisy, and without ^eguile—

  43 ^aReproving betimes with ^bsharpness, when ^cmoved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of ^dlovetoward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;

We are often better off putting off immediate gratification and working for the better later.

From the bulletin:

"It means God knows who I am."

Elder Bednar stated, "Recall how the Savior instructed His Apostles that He would not leave them comfortless. Not only would He send "another Comforter" (John 14:16), even the Holy Ghost, but the Savior said that He would come to them (see John 14:18). Let me suggest that one of the ways where by the Savior comes to each of us is through His abundant and tender mercies. For instance, as you and I face challenges and tests in our lives, the gift of faith and an appropriate sense of personal confidence that reaches beyond our own capacity are two examples of the tender mercies of the Lord. Repentance and forgiveness of sins and peace of conscience are examples of the tender mercies of the Lord. And the persistence and the fortitude that enable us to press forward with cheerfulness through physical limitations and spiritual difficulties are examples of the tender mercies of the Lord."

Recently, I asked Heavenly Father —almost on a whim — if He could make it so Melanie and I could have morning walks together. My commute and work schedule have always made that impossible for 30.5 years. Then, through awkward yet surprisingly simple means, HE made it possible. That is a simple example of how HE knows who I am.

From the Bulletin Insert:

Self-reliance is a simple concept that encourages each of us to take responsibility for our own needs — physical, emotional, spiritual, social and economic.
Church leader Elder Robert D. Hales outlines ways we can become self-reliant:

• Be ready for rainy-day emergencies.
• Avoid excessive debt; be content with what we have.
• Use the resources of the earth wisely; don't be wasteful.
• Prepare for the future by making spending and savings plans.
• Keep a family or personal budget.
• Teach children wise spending habits and help then save for the future.
• Obtain an education and/or vocational training.
• Find gainful employment.