And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ... 2 Nephi 25:26

Sunday 18 May 2014

Announcements & Lesson - 18 May 2014

Announcements:

On Wed 28th May we have our RS Meeting at 7.30pm - it will be the next in our series of evenings led by Kim Spencer on food storage / preparation.  As always it will be a fantastic evening with lots of yummy goodies to try!!!

 
 
Also please keep in your minds the invitation from the Area Presidency and Bishopric to make June our month for invitation.  Start thinking now who you know who might like to join with us in June to come a little closer to their Saviour.  Make it a matter of prayer and encourage your family to work with you on this.
 
Also just a note about the Read family - as many of you know Norman has been in and out of hospital this year and they have had some real challenges.  Norman is back in the hospital but hopefully being allowed home soon - please continue to keep them in your prayers and I am sure they would appreciate a little hello card or call.
 
Lesson:
 

Todays lesson was taught by Sister Yvonne Holmes and was taken from Chapter 10 of Teaching of the Prophets - Our Search For Truth.

An interesting comment from Pres Smith was this:  'Everyone should learn something new every day'.  Think about that for a moment - do we do that?  What new thing have you learnt today?  Yesterday?  And how often do we ensure those new things we learn are of worth.  We encouraged to increase in knowledge and learning and to educate ourselves, but we must remember that not all learning has the same value.  "The most important knowledge in the world is gospel knowledge.  It is a knowledge of God and his laws, of those things that men must do to work out their salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord."

We discussed in detail how we learn and particularly the importance of scripture study.  Louise, our RS President, shared an example from her own life of how she learned the importance of study and the blessings that come to us when we put the Lord first.  She spoke of when she was working towards her A level exams and was struggling very much with the subject of maths.  She explained how she would constantly give it everything she had and still was not able to pass and get good results.  So in the end fed up of failing and with her self-worth continuing to plummet she gave up - she didn't study, she accepted she had failed.

All through this time the one thing she had kept going was seminary, the daily class of gospel study and as the exams drew closer the promise the Lord makes the youth, that if only they would put the Lord first and be diligent in their seminary, then He would bless them with help and success in their school studies.  So Louise tried Him at His word - she felt able to go to Him and say look I have tried and I have kept going to seminary, please help me. 

The blessings were immense and Louise said from that moment on the subject began to make more sense to her.  She was able to understand concepts she couldn't before - so much so that she passed her exam.  The Lord keeps Him promises, when we put Him first and study and live the gospel, then the blessings come pouring in.

So how are we doing with studying the gospel?  Is it a priority in our own lives?

Here is a challenge to think on this week from President Smith:

"We sometimes hear the complaint, I haven't time.  But we ALL have time to ready and study which is our solemn duty.  Can we not arrange to find at least fifteen minutes in each day to devote to systematic reading and reflection?  This would be but a trifling amount of time yet it would be one hour and forty five minutes in a week, seven and one half hours in a month of thirty days and ninety one hours and a quarter in a year..."

Sisters are you getting YOUR fifteen minutes a day (at least)?  If not - what can you do to make that change?

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