THOUGHT: “The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on
personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired I
this life.... It requires a conscious effort to diminish distractions, but
having the spirit of revelation makes it possible to prevail over opposition
and persist in faith through difficult days and essential routine tasks...When
we have done our very best, we may still experience disappointments, but we
will not be disappointed in ourselves. We can feel certain that the Lord is
pleased when we feel the Spirit working through us.”
Julie B. Bec
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Family Preparedness: Please take a few
moments with you family during a FHE and re-read the information on
Disaster Preparedness in the Preparedness Binders (also found on the RS Blog).
Talk about it and make plans. We never known when a disaster will occur.
- Wonder Ovens – Thursday,
the 14th at 7 pm at Lupe's home. In case of a disaster, a
wonder oven can be a life saving devise for cooking.
- Mommy Mingle – June 19th
at 11:00 behind Kohler's. Have fun visiting while your children play.
- June 21st, Kristi Attaway will be
teaching us some great Summer meals. Put it on your calendar.
- Saturday, July 14th
– 6 pm
Val Vista Park, Our Super Sensational Supper Ward activity.
- SINGLE ADULT CONFERENCE, 31 yrs and over
“Be of Good Comfort, Thy Faith Hath Made Thee
Whole.” June 26 – July 1. Including
presentations by Elder Jay E Jensen, Jeffrey and
Silvia H Allred, Chad Hymas, I. Edward
Brown, Jeffrey and Heidi Swinton, Mark H.
Willes, Vickey Pahnke Taylor, Ron Hammond,
Kaye Hanson, Joset Richardson Hulley, Valerie
Ackley. Join us for this and many other
activities including a concert from the group Imagine
and dinner with David Osmond. There
BBQ that you can bring your children to. Go online
to multistakesingles.org to
register or see Karen Beesley for a registration
form
Our lesson today was from the manual, lesson 11
“Revelation from God to His Children” taught by Tiffany Weight.
Today we will be more involved in the manual. As
I have reflected on the past lessons, I have noticed how all the lesson topics
could be clump together to help us arrive to this one. All the lessons are a
means of drawing us closer to God.
President George Albert Smith begins by sharing
n experience with us.
To teach about the importance of revelation
to guide the Church, George Albert Smith told of an experience he had on an airplane flight from Los Angeles, California,
to Salt Lake City, Utah:
“Near Milford, Utah, we suddenly flew into
one of the worst fogs I have ever seen. I tried to look out of the window of
the plane but could not see anything through the fog. Not a thing could be seen
in any direction outside the plane.
“I knew that we were approaching the
mountains at the approximate rate of three miles a minute, that we were
compelled to pass over them to get into the Salt Lake Valley. I was worried and
asked myself, ‘How can the pilot find the way when he cannot see
a thing?’ He had his compass but the plane might drift off its course. He had
instruments indicating our distance above sea level but he had no way of
knowing how far we were from the ground. I thought he might fly high enough to
clear the mountains between us and the Salt Lake Valley and try to find the
landing field by the flash of the beacons if we got close enough, but I chilled
when I thought of the danger of losing our way and missing the beacons and the
airport.
“In my anxiety I went up into the space
that was occupied by the pilot and the co-pilot to see how they knew where we
were going. I could not tell whether we were a hundred feet, a thousand feet or
ten thousand feet above the ground and I did not know how they could tell,
except approximately. I noticed that the pilot had a little device over his ear
like operators in telephone offices use to receive with. I inquired of the
co-pilot how they could tell whether we were flying in the right direction or
know if we were off course. He replied, ‘When we cannot see we are guided by
the radio beam.’
“‘What is that?’ I asked. He explained that the beam might
be likened to an electric highway between two points, and in our case the
points were Milford and Salt Lake City. He said that the device over the
pilot’s ear operated so that when the plane was in the beam a low, purring
sound continued to be heard, but if the plane goes to the right or left the
sound changes and the pilot is warned by clicking as of a telegraph key. If he
… pulls back to the beam or highway, on to the path of safety, the clicking
ceases and the purring resumes. If we continue on the beam we will arrive at our
destination in safety.
I too have found
myself in the same situation. Wondering how would the pilot know where we are
if they can't see anything.
“I returned
to my seat greatly comforted to know that notwithstanding we were enveloped in
fog and darkness and could neither see nor feel where we were, the pilot was
receiving information constantly that we were on the highway and he knew that
we would soon arrive at our destination. A few minutes later I felt the plane
descending. We had passed over the mountain tops and were nearing the airport.
When we were nearly down we could see the powerful lights of the field
indicating where to land and the plane with its precious cargo touched the
ground gently as a seagull lights on water, slowly came to a stop and we stepped
from our conveyance to the ground, happy to be at home again.
I thought about how applicable that was each of
us, to have the Holy Ghost to guide us constantly. To have that constant
direction.
“If we are
living as we know that we should we are entitled to the whispering of a still
small voice calling attention to danger, saying this is the pathway of safety,
walk ye in it. … If we have erred in our conduct the voice will whisper to us
‘turn back, you have made a mistake; you have disregarded the advice of your
Heavenly Father.’ Turn from the error of your way while there is yet time, for
if you go too far from the right path you will not hear the voice and you may
be hopelessly lost. …
“My advice to you is to get the Spirit of
God and keep it and the only way we will retain it is by living near him, by
keeping his commandments. … Listen to the still small voice that will always
direct you if you are worthy of it in a path that means eternal happiness.”
I want to allow you a few minutes to search our
own experience. Think of when the Lord warned you , protected you.
Martha: When I was on my Mission, my companion and I
were out tracking at 7:30 pm. We each got a bad feeling that we were not in a
right place. We prayed to see if we were in danger. Then a Policeman came and
grab our arms and asked us if we were LDS missionaries and we said yes. He told
us that this was not a good area and put us on a bus. This was a clear warning
and we moved into another area.
New convert visitor: I was in Salt Lake for
General Conference and had visited with John and Dia and John told me to pray
for protection from the adversary because he would do all he could to stop me
from joining the church. When I was in the airport, I prayed that He would keep
me safe. When I got on the plane, it was a very full flight and there was a
child seating behind me who kept kicking my seat. There were about 6 empty
seats around me and so I decided to move over one seat. Just as we were told to
shut off our cells, etc. there came 6 missionaries and they sat all around me.
That certaintly was a clear answer to prayer to Heavenly Father to protect me.
Billie W: My daughter called me last week and she was
somewhat upset. That morning she had been talking to her daughters at breakfast
and told them to listen to the spirit. They went outside to play near a
construction site. One of the friends suggested that they go play on the mount
of dirt and they could slide down into the hole. The oldest daughter felt the
spirit that she suld not be playing there and she started walking away. When
she was half way home, she remembered that her sister was still there in the
hole and turned back, but the sister would not go home with her. The police did
come, got them out of the hole and escorted them home. My daughter was so
impressed that the oldest daughter follow her counsel.
… I learned
when I was a boy that this is the work of the Lord. I learned that there were
prophets living upon the earth. I learned that the inspiration of the Almighty
would influence those who lived to enjoy it, so we are not dependent upon one
or two or a half dozen individuals. There are thousands of members of this
Church who know—it is not a question of imagination at all—they know that God
lives and that Jesus is the Christ and that we are the children of God.
Sharon H: One time I was riding with my dad in his truck
and I just had my head down when all of a sudden I just said: Stop, stop right
now. He stopped the truck and got out and then he saw this black cow in the
middle of the road in the middle of the night. There was no way he could have
seen the cow and he would have hit it and we cold have gotten hurt.
Jami's mother: Three years ago we were returning home and came
to a four way stop. I was driving and it was quite rainy. When I come to a stop
sign I usually do a quick glace and move on, but this time, I stopped and
stayed there. My husband asked me what was I doing? At that time, from the
right (where I couldn't see because of a curve) a red sport car came driving at
about 90 mph through the intersection. We both just sat there and looked at
each other. We both said, “He would have killed us. Guess we have more to do on
this earth.” Sometimes it's not a voice, it may just be a stupor of thought.
President Boyd K Packard says that most often
it's a feeling. As we are being directed by the Holy Ghost. Sometimes, he says,
we have these grand experiences, but most often it's something that pierces our
soul.
Karen M: It's an action that causes you to do something.
I remember that I had taken my children with me to got to the store. I left
them in the car while I went in and got some milk. I came out and got in the
car and started driving off. For some reason, I looked on the rear view mirror,
which I never did. I saw my 4 year old sitting in the middle of the street. It
took me a while to really register in my mind that it was my child. Instantaneously,
I got to her before any cars came and was so grateful that the spirit caused me
to act.
Amy S: I recognize that sometimes experiences come as
small details. As a missionary, we were working a large area on foot and buses.
I kept thinking of this recent convert, that we should stop and see her. She
lived so far, that I kept putting it off. She was 18 years old, the only member
in her family with opposition from her family. The family would let us come
though. She would travel 40 minutes by bus to get to church. She had a returned
missionary as her boyfriend and he was wanting her to go do baptisms at the
temple. When we finally got to visit her, she asked us in and then started to
ask us so many questions about the temple that she could only ask the sister
missionaries. She had heard so many different opinions abut the baptisms from
other people and so her need to talk to us. I felt so humbled that the Lord had
used us. Those promptings to visit her were thoughts and that is how the spirit
works. He sends thoughts. My husband also served in that mission and I learned
that he had taught her the gospel.
Ashley P: We had gone camping with my husband's family,
but we had to come back early on Sunday for church. We had a pop up trailer
where when it is put down, you have maybe 2 feet space inside. The kids were
playing and the rest of the family was on another site. We got everything ready
and got in the car. I had a feeling that we needed to check the door in the
trailer and make sure it was locked. My husband has a four year old nephew who
tends to be a little mischievous; and I had heard a voice. In fact, my husband
had already moved the car forward about three or four inches. It was hot that
day, close to 100 degrees. We could hearing yelling and my husband checked the
door and discovered that the child was there. All the things that could have
happened. We would have just left the trailer in the garage until maybe after
church or later. Sometimes it's just the tiny actions, like checking to see if
the door was locked.
The Lord does interest himself in our affairs.
What a privilege
it is to live in an age of the world when we know that God lives, when we know
that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and our
Redeemer, and when we know that the Lord continues to manifest himself to his
children who have prepared themselves to receive his blessings! I am looking
into the faces of a great audience this morning [at a session of general
conference], most of whom enjoy the inspiration of the Almighty, and when they
pray, they pray to their Father in heaven knowing that their prayers will be
answered in blessings upon their heads. … We know there is a God in heaven,
that he is our Father, that he does interest himself in our affairs, and he has
done that ever since the world began, when his first children were placed upon
the earth.
Many of you have shared and bore testimony of a
thought or a stupor of thought, because you are doing what your are doing. The
Lord is mindful of us.
We do not believe
that the heavens are sealed over our heads, but that the same Father who loved
and cherished the children of Israel loves and cherishes us. We believe that we
are as much in need of the assistance of our Heavenly Father in the directing
of our lives as they were. We know that in the day and age in which we live the
seal has been broken, and God has again spoken from the heavens
How would you respond to someone who says the
revelations in the scriptures are sufficient for our day?
Savannah: I thing of first Nephi and how Laman and
Lamuel saw an angel and still they deny. How can they deny? It's the same now.
We know what is true and how could we deny?
Shanel: We have Jehovah's Witness come to our door and
they don't believe you can receive revelation, only their leaders can. I bear
testimony to them, share the blessings of the spirit in my life. I know I have
received personal revelation, and then I allow the spirit to bear witness to
them.
Amy W: We can all read the words in the scriptures
that say that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. That means that he
still gives revelation as needed without respect as to age, circumstances. The
Children of Israel, Adam, Moses all needed new revelation. If we do too, he'll
give it to us. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Shanae: Sometimes as I read the scriptures, something
just makes such an impression as I am reading it and it means so much at the
moment, and then sometimes when I go back and read it again it doesn't seem as
strong.
Martha: Amos 3:7 says “Surely the Lord God will do
nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” There
is a pattern here, we have living prophets who receives revelation. We hear him
in General Conference. It is for our time. It's all about the restoration of
all things. It's a blessing to me so that I won't be led astray.
The thought came to my mind that we received
counsel and communication before our temporal birth and it is still available
to us here through the Holy Ghost. We can still keep that communication, be in
tune with the Holy Ghost.
The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized by direct commandment from our
Heavenly Father. Upon the rock of revelation this Church was founded and by
revelation it has been guided.
It is unique these days to belong to a church,
wherein those who are members believe that the Lord speaks through their
leaders. When we are instructed by the President of this Church, we believe he
tells us what the Lord would have us do. To us it is something more than just
the advice of man. We believe that, and it searches our souls, and we are
prompted to renew our determination to be what God would have us be.
How have you come to know for yourself? How did
you gain a testimony from the Lord?
Ashley: Conference reassures me, when the prophet speaks
I get this witness of what he is saying.
Christy S: You hear something and you know the words were
meant for you. It can be very specific at times, it what I needed to hear.
Shanae: When I was on my mission, we had an
investigator. One day we shared something with her from an Ensign and we just
happened to leave there at her home. Next time we saw her she was so excited.
She said, “I know that that man is a prophet. I just did really pay any
attention to the magazine, but when I glanced at the picture of the prophet on
the cover, I knew that he was a man of God and that I would follow his counsel.
I remember as a young child President Kimball
and I would feel such love for him in knowing that he was a prophet, and I
loved him. Each time that we we sustain a new prophet, I gain a testimony of
who the Lord would have at that time. He had guided me through modern
revelation. When 'The Family, a proclamation to the World was given to us, I
was so excited. We do have prophets, seers and revelators today. We have
revelatlion to guide us today.
I believe in you,
my brethren and sisters. … You are entitled to the same knowledge that he is
who presides over the Church. You are entitled to the same inspiration that
flows to those whom God has caused to be ordained as His leaders. You are
entitled to the inspiration of the Spirit, and the knowledge that He is your
Father, and when I say “you” I speak of all those who have obeyed the
commandments of our Father, and have partaken of the sweet influence of the
Spirit of the Lord in the Church of Christ. …
I thought that was a powerful testimony. We are
entitled to the same opportunities in our own spheres of responsibility. God is
no respecter of persons.
When the
disciples of the Savior were with him they admired him not knowing how great he
really was, but not until the power of the Holy Ghost came upon them, not until
they had the baptism of fire were
they able to face the problems and endure the persecutions that almost made
life unendurable. When the inspiration of the Almighty gave them understanding
they knew they were living [an] eternal life, and if they proved faithful they
knew that when they laid their bodies down in death they would be raised from
the tomb to glory and immortality.
That was the result of the inspiration of the
Spirit of God that came upon them, the inspiration of the Almighty that gave
them understanding. …
That is powerful testimony. Personal revelation
is a gift and power of the Holy Ghost, it makes us want to become disciples of
Jesus Christ and to have guidance constantly in our daily life.
When life’s labor
is complete may we find that we have listened to the whispering of that still,
small voice that always guides us in the path of righteousness, and know that
it has meant for us the opening of the door to the Celestial kingdom, for
ourselves and those we love, to go forward throughout the ages, … happy
eternally.
That is my prayer as well. If we do what is
right and true, we will have the Holy Ghost to protect us. I am so glad that
the heavens are not closed.
Next week's lesson will be number 12 An
Enthusiastic Desire to Share the Gospel”
Sisters, There is an opportunity to be a host
family to the Rookie league affiliate to the Anaheim Angels, The Orem Owlz
players and two of their couches. If you are interested in doing so, you can
contact Lynette Anderson or Rick Miller 801-787-7790 rick@chateauclassics.com
The role of the host families is to provide a
place for the ball players to sleep. (they cannot share a bed room with a
child, but can share with another player). Also they will need transportation
to and from the field. Occasionally the boy's wake up in time for breakfast.
(rarely) The best part of hosting is going to the ball park to watch these
boy's live out their dream on the field. Host families are provided with great
season tickets (2 per player hosted). Knowing that you can help someone chase
their dream and making a lifetime friend is well worth it.
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