Lesson Summary

January 30th --
Sister Gaby Young taught "Two Lines of Communication," by Elder Oaks. We discussed the personal line to our Heavenly Father and also communication via the priesthood. Our personal line can come from other people, personal prayer, pondering, and scripture study. Prayers are essential in our relationship with Heavenly Father, knowing He lives, loves us, and directs our families. He will never tire of our struggles and will repeatedly comfort us. Our responsibility is to remain worthy to receive and act upon His answers. Our spiritual leaders are divinely called and, dependent upon their worthiness, also, will never lead us astray. These also include our husbands, the patriarchs of our homes. Both personal and priesthood lines of communication with our Father are essential in maintaining proper balance. One may suffer without the other and our testimonies may falter in their progression.



January 23rd --
The stake taught us the importance of missionary work and testifying of our Savior to all we come in contact with. We cannot procrastinate bearing our testimony to our family members and whenever we may be prompted to, even to those we may not know. As we cultivate our love for the Savior, His love will overwhelm us so much so that we cannot and will not be able to keep it to ourselves. The Lord directs and blesses those involved in His work. He will combat our fear and hesitancy. He will plant the words and spirit that His children need to hear. It can take place in any naturally-occurring conversation if we have a Christ-centered life. No one can argue or discredit your testimony and thus there is not threat to testifying of those spiritual experiences our Savior and Father in heaven have blessed us with. Thank you to Sister VanLeeuwen and President McQuinn for teaching us!


January 16th --
Sister Trudy Cropper taught "Fasting," We can prepare for Fast Sunday physically, spiritually, and mentally. Without a purpose in our fast, we are just starving ourselves. Fasting with a purpose can be for others, to overcome weaknesses, internal struggles, increased faith and testimonies, gratitude, humility, and many others. As we develop a good attitude towards fasting and keep obedience in mind, we can give a greater purpose to fasting and influence our children's attitudes toward fasting also. Fasting can teach our children to overcome temptation later in life as it increases testimony, self-control, and allows opportunity to commit to self-improvement. Let us open our fast with a prayer, continue to pray while fasting, and close with a prayer. It will keep our fast focused on the Lord and keep our hearts close to him and pure for revelations we are in need of.


January 9th --
Sister Megan Christesen taught "The Sabbath Day." We discussed the difference between Sunday and the Sabbath. We make our Sabbath day however holy and contain as much or as little of the Savior as we choose. We do have our free agency and how we use it on this day will aid in our testimonies, progressively or digressively. The Sabbath is an opportunity to take time to renew or regroup ourselves and focus on our Savior. He gives us six other days for ourselves, in which we already become so busy. If we take one day to remind ourselves what should always be in the forefront of our thoughts, we will be refreshed to encounter the week ahead with the Savior by our side. It is a time for inner reflection and a teime for teaching our families all the Father and His Son have given us. What we do on the Sabbath can and will determine the rest of our week.


January 2nd --
Sister Stefanie Mausser taught "Fulfilling our callings in the Church and especially in Relief Society." We discussed the focus of charity and using that as a motivation to fulfill our callings to the best we can with our Lord's will in mind. He knows our potential better than we do and what we need to become and who He needs us to become. He has a plan for His Church and for us. He needs us to not only obey His will as we accept callings, but follow His guidance as He grants us promptings to help those who need just what we have to offer. There is strength in numbers as we gather to help and serve in His Church. There is also, however, so much we can offer as individuals with our talents, gifts, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and testimonies to reach those hearts that need something only we may be able to offer as our goal remains to bring each other closer to our Savior's love.


December 28th --
Sister Simone Bowers taught "Trust in God, Then Go & Do" by President Eyring. As we come to know God, we will trust Him more. That trust can provide us the power to do anything. Our potential is limited only by our faith and implementing and acting upon that faith. As we come to know our Savior more, we will know ourselves and the Heavenly relationships will grow and be that much more dependable in our times of crisis. Trust also comes from our willingness to obey our leaders, the commandments, and promptings God grants us. As we embark on the New Year, let us earnestly strive towards repentance and then progression. Obedience and trust will bless us when we most need it. May our mortal minds let go of doubt and fear and whole-heartedly trust in His plan for us.