Post on 06-Jul-2015
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BUT THAT DOESN’T
MATTER RIGHT
NOW, DOES IT?
How the gospel can help you TODAY.
Boys v. Girls Competition
GAME
Boys and girls each need to pick one representative.
The representative will come to the front and will have one minute to beat their opponent.
WHO WON?
Alma 24:14
2 Nephi 25:25-27
The Great Plan of Happiness
Family
Faith, Hope, Peace
School
Hope, Kindness, Prayer
Friends
Charity, Kindness, Prayer
Church
Faith, Charity, Peace
Conclusion
Faith
Hope
Charity
Kindness
Prayer
Peace
Applying Hope at School
Scriptures:
Ether 12:4-6
Luke 12:22-32
Question:
How does
understanding the
principle of hope help
us improve our
schoolwork even if we
normally struggle?
Quote:
The first is that of a young man who served in the Bolivia
Cochabamba Mission. He lives with his faithful mother and
nieces in a poor neighborhood. Their little home has a
concrete floor, one lightbulb, the roof leaks, and the window
is broken. He was a successful missionary. He says: ―My
mission was the best thing that I have been able to do in my
life. I learned to be obedient to the commandments and to
be patient in my afflictions. I also learned some English and
to manage my money, my time, and my skills better.
―Then, when I finished my mission, going home was difficult.
My American companions went back to a university. But
there is a lot of poverty in our country. It is very difficult to
get an education. My mother does her best, but she can’t
help us. She has suffered so much, and I am her hope.
―When I learned of the Perpetual Education Fund, I felt so
happy. The prophet recognized our efforts. I was filled with
joy. … There was a possibility I could study, become self-
reliant, have a family, help my mother. ―I will study
accounting at a local school where I can study and work. It
is a short course, just three years long. I have to keep
working as a janitor, but that is OK. Once I graduate and get
a job in accounting, I will work toward higher education in
international business. ―This is our opportunity, and we
cannot fail. The Lord trusts us. I have read many times in
the Book of Mormon the words the Lord told the
prophets, that as we keep the commandments, we would
prosper in the land. This is being fulfilled. I am so grateful to
God for this great opportunity to receive what my brothers
and sisters did not have, to help my family, to accomplish
my goals. And I am excited to repay the loan to see others
be so blessed. I Know the Lord will bless me as I do it.‖
Now, isn’t that wonderful?
Gordon B. Hinckley, ―Reaching Down to Lift
Applying Hope at School
Story:
Moving to California from Minnesota-―Headlines on my forehead‖
Question:
How can having an eternal hope help us succeed at school?
Back
Applying Kindness at School
Scriptures:
Ephesians 4:32
3 Nephi 22:6-10 and
Isaiah 54:6-10
Question:
What does the
Savior’s Atonement
teach us about
kindness?
Quote:
Kate and Laura were best friends. The two of them also included others in their circle of friends. This group of girls planned a party, inviting all in the group except Kate. Laura, after becoming aware of what had happened, simply told the others that she would not be able to accept their invitation unless Kate was included. The kind, loyal act of a friend who followed God’s plan prevented pain and sorrow.
We are made kind by being kind. Sophocles, a great philosopher, said, ―Kindness is ever the begetter of kindness.‖ I remember some simple mottoes of kindness from my youth, such as ―I will always try to do and say the kindest things in the kindest way.‖ A dear friend of mine shared a verse with me that has helped her to act kindly:
I have wept in the nightFor the shortness of sightThat to somebody’s need made me blind;But I never have yetFelt a tinge of regretFor being a little too kind.
Betty Jo Jepsen, ―Kindness—A Part of God’s Plan,‖ Ensign, Nov 1990, 91
Applying Kindness at School
Conference Clip:
Joseph B. Wirthlin, ―The Virtue of Kindness,‖
Ensign, May 2005, 26
Why is it so
important for us to be
kind?
Back
Applying Prayer at School
Scriptures:
Alma 34:17-27
Doctrine and
Covenants 10:4-5
Question:
How can prayer help
us focus on what we
need to study at
school?
Quote:
Joseph Smith told us to watch for answers by paying attention to the thoughts and feelings that come into our minds. Over time we will learn to recognize these as promptings.
He said: ―A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.‖12
Developing this capacity helps us gain testimonies and becomes the means for obtaining additional inspiration in the future.
While testimonies can come as dramatic manifestations, they usually do not. Sometimes people think they need to have an experience like Joseph Smith’s vision before they gain testimonies. If we have unrealistic expectations of how, when, or where answers come, we risk missing the answers which come as quiet, reassuring feelings and thoughts that most often come after our prayers, while we are doing something else. These answers can be equally convincing and powerful.
Over time we will receive answers and learn how inspiration comes. This is something each person learns for himself.
Next, asking for a testimony of truth opens the window of inspiration. Prayer is the most common and powerful way to invite inspiration. Merely asking a question,13 even in our minds, will start to open the window. The scriptures teach, ―Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.‖
Allan F. Packer, ―Finding Strength in Challenging Times!,‖ Ensign, May 2009
Applying Prayer at School
Song:
―Hymn to the Prophet‖, Joseph Smith: the Prophet, Rob Gardner
What principles of prayer do we learn from Joseph Smith can we apply specifically while at school?
Back
Applying Faith at Church
Scriptures:
Alma 32:21, 27
Hebrews 10:35-39
Question:
How have you seen
your faith increase
throughout your life?
Quote:
Since last October I have reflected repeatedly upon the phrase "the tender mercies of the Lord." Through personal study, observation, pondering, and prayer, I believe I have come to better understand that the Lord's tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, the Lord suits "his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men" (D&C 46:15).
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 whereby 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.
David A. Bednar, ―The Tender Mercies of the Lord,‖ Liahona, May 2005
Applying Faith at Church
―Watchmen on the Tower‖ – Doctrine and Covenants Video
Back
Applying Charity at Church
Scriptures:
Moroni 7:45-48
1 Corinthians 13:1-
13
Question:
Why is Charity the
―greatest‖?
Quote:
What are the words of the Lord pertaining to such an act? ―Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury. … She of her want did cast in all that she had.‖
It was President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., who in 1936 declared: ―The real long term objective of the Welfare Plan is the building of character in the members of the Church, givers and receivers, rescuing all that is finest down deep inside of them, and bringing to flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit, which after all is the mission and purpose and reason for being of this Church.‖
―Am I my brother’s keeper?‖ This ageless question has been answered! From the psalm of David comes the precious promise:
―Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
―The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
―The Lord will strengthen him.‖
Thomas S. Monson, ―My Brother’s Keeper,‖ Ensign, Nov 1994
Applying Charity at Church
Activity: In your group-
Look up charity in the Bible dictionary and the topical guide
What part of charity most impressed you as you researched?
How can you use charity in the work you are doing in your ward tomorrow?
Who do you know at church that needs to feel charity in their life?
How can you help other youth feel charity as they attend their church meetings?
Who do you know that is missing out on those opportunities to feel that charity that comes with being with the Saints?
Write down some names and what you are going to do to help them feel charity. BE SPECIFIC!
Back
Applying Peace at Church
Scriptures:
Doctrine and
Covenants 121:7-8
Ephesians 2:13-14
Question:
Why is peace a
good indicator of
how well we are
worshipping?
Quote:
You would have felt alarm as I did. We have seen the life-
destroying effects of such tragic conflict. You and I know
people who left the fellowship of the Saints over injured
pride.
Happily I am seeing more and more skillful peacemakers
who calm troubled waters before harm is done. You could be
one of those peacemakers, whether you are in the conflict or
an observer.
One way I have seen it done is to search for anything on
which we agree. To be that peacemaker, you need to have
the simple faith that as children of God, with all our
differences, it is likely that in a strong position we take, there
will be elements of truth. The great peacemaker, the restorer
of unity, is the one who finds a way to help people see the
truth they share. That truth they share is always greater and
more important to them than their differences. You can help
yourself and others to see that common ground if you ask for
help from God and then act. He will answer your prayer to
help restore peace, as He has mine.
That same principle applies as we build unity with people
who are from vastly different backgrounds. The children of
God have more in common than they have differences. And
even the differences can be seen as an opportunity. God will
help us see a difference in someone else not as a source of
irritation but as a contribution. The Lord can help you see
and value what another person brings which you lack. More
than once the Lord has helped me see His kindness in giving
me association with someone whose difference from me was
just the help I needed. That has been the Lord’s way of
adding something I lacked to serve Him better.
Henry B. Eyring, ―Our Hearts Knit as One,‖
Applying Peace at Church
Song:
―Redeemer of Israel‖
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
How does listening to hymns help us feel peace at church?
Back
Applying Faith in my Family
Scriptures:
1 Nephi 8:12-18, 36-38
Ruth 1:8-18
Question: Why can faith
universally bless our families, regardles of our circumstances?
Quote:
Wilford Woodruff rejoiced in the knowledge that his family could be eternal. This truth gave him strength to endure the difficulties of life. He said, ―I have thought many a time that if I labored until I was as old as Methuselah and by that means could have my family dwell with me in glory in the eternal worlds, it would pay me for all the pain and suffering I could endure in this world.‖The promise of an eternal family influenced his actions toward his family members. In a letter to his daughter Blanche, he observed: ―We are all expecting to live together forever after death. I think we all as parents and children ought to take all the pains we can to make each other happy as long as we live that we may have nothing to regret.‖
―Chapter 16: Marriage and Parenthood: Preparing Our Families for Eternal Life,‖ Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, 161
Applying Faith in my Family
Video:
Back
Applying Hope in my Family
Scriptures:
Ether 12:4-6
Alma 56:44-48
Question:
How is the gospel
definition of hope
different from the
way the world views
it?
Hypothetical-
You recently started
learning about the
Church and want to
be baptized. You
want your family to
participate as
well, but they are not
interested… How
can hope help you?
Applying Hope in my Family
Story:
Toward the end of World War II, my father was drafted into the German army and sent to the western front, leaving my mother alone to care for our family. Though I was only three years old, I can still remember this time of fear and hunger. We lived in Czechoslovakia, and with every passing day, the war came nearer and the danger grew greater.
Finally, during the cold winter of 1944, my mother decided to flee to Germany, where her parents were living. She bundled us up and somehow managed to get us on one of the last refugee trains heading west. Traveling during that time was dangerous. Everywhere we went, the sound of explosions, the stressed faces, and ever-present hunger reminded us that we were in a war zone.
Along the way the train stopped occasionally to get supplies. One night during one of these stops, my mother hurried out of the train to search for some food for her four children. When she returned, to her great horror, the train and her children were gone!
She was weighed down with worry; desperate prayers filled her heart. She frantically searched the large and dark train station, urgently crisscrossing the numerous tracks while hoping against hope that the train had not already departed.
Perhaps I will never know all that went through my mother’s heart and mind on that black night as she searched through a grim railroad station for her lost children. That she was terrified, I have no doubt. I am certain it crossed her mind that if she did not find this train, she might never see her children again. I know with certainty: her faith overcame her fear, and her hope overcame her despair. She was not a woman who would sit and bemoan tragedy. She moved. She put her faith and hope into action.
And so she ran from track to track and from train to train until she finally found our train. It had been moved to a remote area of the station. There, at last, she found her children again.
I have often thought about that night and what my mother must have endured. If I could go back in time and sit by her side, I would ask her how she managed to go on in the face of her fears. I would ask about faith and hope and how she overcame despair.
While that is impossible, perhaps today I could sit by your side and by the side of any who might feel discouraged, worried, or lonely. Today I would like to speak with you about the infinite power of hope.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, ―The Infinite Power of Hope,‖ Liahona, Nov 2008
Back
Applying Peace in my Family
Scriptures:
Doctrine and
Covenants 121:7-8
Ephesians 2:13-14
Question:
Why should we strive to
be better peacemakers in
our families?
“The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)
Applying Peace in my Family
Song:
Kenneth Cope, “Going Home”
Question:
What specific thing will we all do this coming week so that there is more peace in our families?
Back
Applying Charity with My
Friends
Scriptures:
Moroni 7:45-48
1 Corinthians 13:1-
13
Question:
Why is it important
for our friends to
know that we love
them?
Quote:
―Let us understand
the tenderness of
God’s love‖
Mother Teresa Quote
from book
Applying Charity with My
Friends
Song:
―I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus‖ –Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Question:
Why do our friends need to know we are ―trying to be like Jesus‖?
Back
Applying Kindness with My
Friends
Scriptures:
Ephesians 4:32
3 Nephi 22:6-10 and
Isaiah 54:6-10
Question:
What does kindness
mean to you?
Quote:
Jesus, our Savior, was the epitome of kindness and compassion. He healed the sick. He spent much of His time ministering to the one or many. He spoke compassionately to the Samaritan woman who was looked down upon by many. He instructed His disciples to allow the little children to come unto Him. He was kind to all who had sinned, condemning only the sin, not the sinner. He kindly allowed thousands of Nephites to come forward and feel the nail prints in His hands and feet. Yet His greatest act of kindness was found in His atoning sacrifice, thus freeing all from the effects of death, and all from the effects of sin, on conditions of repentance.
Joseph B. Wirthlin, ―The Virtue of Kindness,‖ Ensign, May 2005
Applying Kindness with My
Friends Activity: Each person in your
group needs a piece of paper and a pen.
Think of a friend that has done something kind for you recently or has lifted you when you felt down.
Think about how specifically they have made you life better by being in it.
Take 5 minutes to quietly write them a note to express gratitude for the blessing that they are in your life.
Commit to yourself to give that note to them the next time you see them.
Back
Applying Prayer with My
Friends
Scriptures:
2 Nephi 32:8-9
2 Kings 6:15-17
Question:
How can we make
sure that our prayers
for others are
meaningful?
Quote:
Joseph’s questions focused not just on what he needed to
know but also on what was to be done! His prayer was not
simply, ―Which church is right?‖ His question was, ―Which
church should I join?‖ Joseph went to the grove to ask in
faith, and he was determined to act.
True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and
always leads to righteous action. The Prophet Joseph Smith
taught that ―faith [is] the first principle in revealed religion, and
the foundation of all righteousness‖ and that it is also ―the
principle of action in all intelligent beings‖ (Lectures on Faith
[1985], 1). Action alone is not faith in the Savior, but acting in
accordance with correct principles is a central component of
faith. Thus, ―faith without works is dead‖ (James 2:20).
The Prophet Joseph further explained that ―faith is not only the
principle of action, but of power also, in all intelligent
beings, whether in heaven or on earth‖ (Lectures on Faith, 3).
Thus, faith in Christ leads to righteous action, which increases
our spiritual capacity and power. Understanding that faith is a
principle of action and of power inspires us to exercise our
moral agency in compliance with gospel truth, invites the
redeeming and strengthening powers of the Savior’s
Atonement into our lives, and enlarges the power within us
whereby we are agents unto ourselves (see D&C 58:28).
I long have been impressed with the truth that meaningful
prayer requires both holy communication and consecrated
work. Blessings require some effort on our part before we can
obtain them, and prayer, as ―a form of work, … is an appointed
means for obtaining the highest of all blessings‖ (Bible
Dictionary, ―Prayer,‖ 753). We press forward and persevere in
the consecrated work of prayer, after we say ―amen,‖ by acting
upon the things we have expressed to Heavenly Father.
David A. Bednar, ―Ask in Faith,‖ Ensign, May 2008
Applying Prayer with My
Friends
Hypothetical
You have several friends that are not member of the Church.
You want to share the gospel with those friends, but want to know who you should share the gospel with and how you can help them know what you know.
In your group, come up with 4 specific ways (with details) you can use prayer to help solve this problem that you will share with everyone else.
Back
Conclusion
―However Long it Takes‖
Story by Brad Wilcox
Young Priest Blessing the Sacrament
REMEMBER:
Know the Plan of Salvation
Learn how to succeed
Know that we love you