Ponder the Path of Thy Feet

This week's lesson was based on the conference talk by President Monson called "Ponder the Path of Thy Feet" and Shelly did a great job teaching it! If you haven't already, you should give the talk a read. It's a great option of something to study this Sunday afternoon.

During the lesson, we talked about how we are here on Earth to prove ourselves and to use our agency to get back to Heavenly Father. He has given us tools to help us find our way back, including the perfect example of His son, Jesus Christ. We may not be able to walk exactly where he walked (in Jerusalem, Galilee, etc.) but we can all chose to walk how he walked, by following his example.

Some paths that the Savior walked that we will too because we're all human:
- Disappointment
- Temptation
- Pian

Some paths that the Savior walked that we can choose to walk:
- Obedience
- Service
- Prayer

I love this quote from President Monson's talk:

There is no higher end than this, that we should choose to accept His discipline and become His disciples and do His work throughout our lives. Nothing else, no other choice we make, can make of us what He can.

I have definitely seen the Savior's hand in my life as I have tried my best to walk as he walked. He has molded me, guided me, and assisted me, and I would not be where I am right now without His help. He matches my good intentions in every aspect of my life, and fills in where I fall short. Every single time.  :)

Hope you all have an amazing Sunday! I never review all the material from the lesson so feel free to add your comments below if there was something you learned or especially appreciated today.

-Lisa

Love the Lord

This past Sunday's lesson was taught by Kelsey and she did an amazing job. The lesson was on "The Great Commandment of the Lord," Chapter 1 of the Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson book that we are reading this year.

The lesson focused on the first and great commandment, which is to love the Lord. We talked about ways we can show our love for the Lord. The various ways mostly revolved around personal scripture study, following the commandments, prayer, and serving those around us.

One of my favorite points made during the lesson was that we need to love God, not because he is in need of our love, but because loving him will change us. God did not command us to love him out of selfishness and pride. He commanded us to love him because some of the ways we can show our love for him are by giving service to those around us, reading the scriptures, praying, and following the commandments. In a way, his commandment for us to love him is also a commandment to become better, more spiritual individuals, and to become more like him by knowing and loving him. It is a commandment to improve ourselves.

The first commandment is one of the many ways that the Lord shows his unselfish and unconditional love for us, his children. It shows that he cares for us and really just wants us to improve and be successful in returning back to live with him.

Just some food for thought! I love the Lord and I'm so grateful to know him as I do (from experiences of having prayers answered, and through service, following commandments, and reading the scriptures).

Here is an amazing song that got stuck in my head as I was writing this.

Improving Personal Study

Shelly Myers gave the Relief Society lesson today, I always love Shelly's lessons! We talked about how this year we are going to be learning more about President Ezra Taft Benson, and then spent a big chunk of the lesson talking about ways we can improve our personal scripture study habits.

Here are a few of the ways we came up with:

1. Mark your scriptures up
2. Use a study/spiritual promptings journal
3. Do personal prayer
4. Pray before and after studying your scriptures
5. Pray to know an answer to a question before studying
6. Study with a question in mind
7. Look up the meaning of things in the Bible Dictionary
8. Write in the margins of scriptures
9. Discuss what was read after family scripture study
10. Memorize scriptures

I realized during the lesson that I need to use the paper copy of my scriptures more. I have all these notes in the margins that supplement my reading and it is just not the same on a tablet. Plus with the paper copy I can add more notes and continually build a little treasure trove of spiritual knowledge. Yay for new year's resolutions!

Anyways, feel free to add your thoughts on the lesson in the comments! I know there are some things I missed, it was a great lesson though.

-Lisa

Lessons from the Sacred Grove

This Sunday's lesson was given by Melany Lingam and she did a fantastic job! It was based on the article from the December Ensign called "Lessons From the Sacred Grove."

During the lesson, we related 4 lessons learned from trees to our own personal spiritual experiences. The 4 lessons were:

1. Trees always grow towards the light (people grow towards spiritual light)
2. Trees require opposition to become stronger (we require opposition to grow stronger too)
3. Trees grow best in forests (surround yourself with people who will help you grow)
4. Trees draw strength from nutrients provided by trees before them (you can draw strength and guidance from advice and traditions passed down from older family members, mentors, and friends)

Trees always grow towards the light: We talked about how the spirit of Christ gives off spiritual light, and when you have sinned or even if you are suffering from a mental illness such as depression, you feel like you are in a spiritually dark place. 

The key is to rely on Jesus Christ to help you move forward when you feel like you can't carry on by yourself any more. When you have sinned, repent and sin no more. Christ will lift that burden of guilt off your shoulders and fill the darkness in your life with light. If you are depressed, lean on Him and even if the depression doesn't go away, you will hopefully feel His presence and know that He is right there with you. Because of the atonement, He knows exactly what you are going through.

Trees require opposition to become stronger: This is one of my favorite things. Weird to say, I know, but let me explain. I love the perspective that comes from thinking this way during a hard trial. Instead of being bitter towards the Lord and asking "why would you do this to me??" It makes me think "what do I need to learn from this experience?" and it makes me wonder what experiences I will have in the future where I will need to draw from the added inner strength that comes from going through a trial. 

Jeff and I actually tried for almost 2 years before getting pregnant (I know this is not long at all for some of you, but it seemed like forever to me - my heart goes out to those of you who are struggling with infertility, it's hard). I am grateful now that it took so long because I don't think I would have been fully mentally prepared if we would have gotten pregnant any earlier, and the timing is going to work out perfectly with Jeff's graduation. It was really hard but the experience taught me to just trust in God's timing. Even if we ended up adopting instead of having our own child, it would have been for the best because God knows exactly what experiences we need, and what things will make us most happy.

Plus, now when our baby is crying at 3 AM or when she poops her pants just before we head out the door, I will be less likely to get frustrated because I will always remember what a miracle she is and how blessed I am to have her.

Trees grow best in forests: Families, visiting teaching, church wards and stakes, groups of friends. We all have support groups that help us make it through life. If you feel lonely at church, stop waiting for someone to talk to you and go talk to someone else who looks lonely! I'm sure they will appreciate it and you both will not be lonely any more.

Trees draw strength from nutrients provided by trees before them: Parents can help their children grow. We as young adults should be listening to the words of our own parents, as well as prophets and apostles. Another great way to learn from those who have come before us is to read the scriptures.

Anyways, have a great week everyone!

-Lisa