April- Unity

The principle that we will be studying and applying in our lives this month is Unity.    It seems that all gospel teaching and living is aimed at this  goal: to be one, unified and equal among God’s children.  Enoc’s people were lifted up to heaven “Because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.” (Moses 7:18) And then we see that after the Savior’s ministry in among the Nephites, they were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another. And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.”(4 Ne 1:2-3)  And finally, as Christ prepares to atone for the sins of mankind, he meets with his apostles for the last supper.  He prayed that they might be one with him as he was one with the Father.  He prayed not for them alone, “but for them also which should believe on him through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21)

Unity is made possible by and strengthened through service.  Unity is weakened through disputation and contention.  Lets find ways this week to service and avoid disputations and contention. 

Scripture:  choose one of the three scriptures above to memorize

Poem:  Often poems are put to music in the hymn book.  Pick a hymn to memorize that reminds you of this principle.

Required:

Read this story about unity: https://www.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/children/resources/topics/unity/Chopsticks-1996-06-friend.pdf

Watch:

They Gave Up their Christmas

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qzjvE0ehnEI

Pepe's Garden

http://media2.ldscdn.org/assets/welfare/welfare-media-library/2011-05-35-pepes-garden-360p-eng.mp4?download=true

Choose your inspirement(s):

1. Read this story about sacrifice and service and choose to sacrifice something this Easter season to bring you closer to the Savior.

https://bible.org/illustration/rich-family-our-church

2.  Study in the scriptures how Christ responded to those who contended with him or disagreed with him.  Decide on one way to unify your family more and help to avoid contention

3.  Do a word study on Atonement (at-one-ment).  Learn how the atonement brings unity.

4.  Watch conference and write down what you learn about unity or becoming one. 

5.  Watch these two (Easter) videos on Christ life and mission and reflect on how he was one with the father and how you can be one with Christ and the Father.  Decide on one thing to improve on in life to do this.

 http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/to-this-end-was-i-born

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/my-kingdom-is-not-of-this-world 

6.  (For those with a little more time) Watch these series of bible videos about the last week of Christ’s life.  Reflect on the Savior’s example of service, unity, and avoiding contention.

Day 1- Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/the-lords-triumphal-entry-into-jerusalem

Day 2- Christ cleanses the temple and then teaches and heals in it. http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/jesus-cleanses-the-temple

Day 3- Christ is questioned by many Jewish leaders.  He responds to them and teaches in parables

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/christs-authority-is-questioned

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/the-ten-virgins

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/the-parable-of-the-talents

Day 4- Christ rests in Bethany.  No events are recorded

Day 5- The last supper, Gethsemane, Christ’s betrayal

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/the-last-supper

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/jesus-warns-peter-and-offers-the-intercessory-prayer

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/the-savior-suffers-in-gethsemane

Day 6- Christ’s trial and Crucifixion

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/jesus-is-tried-by-caiaphas-peter-denies-knowing-him

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/jesus-is-condemned-before-pilate

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/jesus-is-scourged-and-crucified-2

Day 7- Christ’s visit to the Spirit world

Day 8- Christ’s Resurrection

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/jesus-is-resurrected-1

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/the-risen-lord-appears-to-the-apostles

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/bible-videos/blessed-are-they-that-have-not-seen-and-yet-have-believed

(For parents- you may want to save these links for the future if you want to watch them the week leading up to Easter.  We do activities all week to remind us of what is happening each day leading up to the Resurrection.  It surely makes Sunday (Easter) more meaningful.)

March - Humility

This month we will be exploring the principle of Humility and it's antonym Pride. In the early Christian churches there was a list called the 7 deadly sins. Essentially no matter what other sins might be on the list Pride was always number one and it was said that it led to all of the other sins.

On the church website there is a great definition of Humility -

To be humble is to recognize gratefully our dependence on the Lord—to understand that we have constant need for His support. Humility is an acknowledgment that our talents and abilities are gifts from God. It is not a sign of weakness, timidity, or fear; it is an indication that we know where our true strength lies. We can be both humble and fearless. We can be both humble and courageous.

Jesus Christ is our greatest example of humility. During His mortal ministry, He always acknowledged that His strength came because of His dependence on His Father. He said: “I can of mine own self do nothing. . . . I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30).The Lord will strengthen us as we humble ourselves before Him. James taught: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. . . . Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:6, 10).

So often people believe that to be Humble is to be self abasing but that doesn't sound like what the church has said about it. It is about knowing where your talents come from - not saying you don't have any.

The scripture this month is all about how being humble will strengthen us. Here it is -

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness.  I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Ether 12:27

The poem is a very famous one that American school children used to all memorize in the 5th Reader.

Ozymandias

BY PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY

I met a traveller from an antique land,

Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;

And on the pedestal, these words appear:

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

Building the Tower of Babel was, for Dante, an example of pride. Painting by Pieter Brueghel the Elder

Pride is identified as believing that one is essentially better than others, failing to acknowledge the accomplishments of others, and excessive admiration of the personal self (especially holding self out of proper position toward God). Dante's definition was "love of self perverted to hatred and contempt for one's neighbour". In perhaps the best-known example, the story of Lucifer, pride (his desire to compete with God) was what caused his fall from Heaven, and his resultant transformation into Satan. In Dante's Divine Comedy, the penitents are burdened with stone slabs on their necks which force them to keep their heads bowed.

Let's find out more about Humility and how it can help us, not only here on earth but in the eternities as well.

Inspirements For Everyone

Read or listen to President Benson’s talk - Beware of Pride

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride?lang=eng

Please pick out 5 things about pride and humility that you learned from this talk.  WRITE them down and bring them.

Listen to this hymn, https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/truth-reflects-upon-our-senses?lang=eng.  Read all the verses, but pay special attention to verses 3, 4 & 5

Inspirement - Choose one to do to share with the rest of us

Think of a movie or book you have recently seen or read.  Is there a character with pride issues?  What are they? Did they feel like they were better than other people, fail to acknowledge others accomplishments, or have an excessive admiration of themselves by any chance?  Do they match up with President Benson’s talk?  How?

Read this article on The Art of Manliness website - http://www.artofmanliness.com/2014/07/07/the-myth-of-the-alpha-male/  Are you an Alpha Male or a Beta Male or is it all just a myth?  

Read this list on The Elegant Woman website and explore the website - http://www.elegantwoman.org/how-to-be-a-lady-2.html  

What did you agree with or like on the website

Read this article from the Harvard Review - https://hbr.org/2009/09/humility-as-a-leadership-trait/.  Think of a leader you admire - do they fit this description?

Do a word study on Humility, Meekness, Modesty and Pride.  How does the 1828 Dictionary differ from a current dictionary?  http://webstersdictionary1828.com/  and http://dictionary.reference.com/

January! Work

January - Work

This is the principle that many, many, many people think is hard to think of as being good for us.  It seems that most people spend their lives working so that they can then retire and not work any more.  My father is 79 and he is still working because he loves to work.  He found his life’s mission for work (researching integrated circuit design) while in college.  But his habits of working hard were already part of him as he worked on the familly ranch growing up and spent hours hiking and being a boy scout as a youth.  He has inspired countless students at the university where he taught, Young Men that he led as a scout master, and missionaires as a mission president.  And he started out as a farm boy in Bear Lake who walked to 5 miles to school and milked cows, he worked hard and played hard.

Whenever people become converted to the gospel they become very hard working.  This month’s scripture is about the people of Ammon who completely changed after becoming converted to the Lord.  So to were the Mormon pioneers and converts today all seek to better themselves, whether in their work, their studies or their talents.

So as we try to become more like our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ we too will find our talents, our gifts and our missions in life and working will become what we want to do.

For everyone to do -

Go to this website - https://www.lds.org/family/work?lang=eng, watch the video, read the quotes, CHOOSE one of the quotes and click on read more.  Read or listen to the talk of your choice.

Read the section in your copy of For the Strength of the Youth on Work and Self-Reliance OR read it here https://www.lds.org/youth/for-the-strength-of-youth/work-and-self-reliance?lang=eng.  Make sure you click on show more.

Watch this video with one of the most famous coaches of all time talking about success - http://www.ted.com/talks/john_wooden_on_the_difference_between_winning_and_success?language=en#t-448996  Write, draw, paint,  compose what you think success is.  

Watch Gifted Hands https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s33R7JhFO6s When do you think the turning point was for Dr. Carson?  In your opinion, what was the most important thing that happened to him to lead him to be able to help so many people?

We will be discussing all of these plus you’ll get to share what you’ve learned from the choice inspirements - but it won’t be a show and tell,  go around the room thing.  Be prepared to make connections! Also DO NOT wear Sunday clothes as we will be having a challenge activity.

Choose at least one of the following

Watch this extremely amusing TED talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgBikgcWnY . Start to learn something new.

Read  the attached sections of “Created for Work” by Bob Schultz

Spend 1 day working as hard as you can all day and keep track of what you did during each hour from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.

Read or listen to Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell - read it here http://www.onereads.org/outliers-gladwell-malcolm?page=0,0

or listen to it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=596wT4mRq8w

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/T-Chart.pdf

Make a T-chart of things Dr. Carson worked at.

Choose a leader whom you admire, this could be someone still alive or not, in an official position of leadership or not, do some research on them in regards to work.  Where, when and especially HOW have the worked?  Make a presentation about it - T-chart, Prezi, Power Point, or Poster.  Examples - Church, Humanitarian causes, Science, Business, Sports, almost anything.  

Do a word study of Work on lds.org and in the 1828 Dictionary - http://webstersdictionary1828.com/

Collect 5 quotes on Work and bring a copy for everyone.  Don't be shy about using LDS leaders' quotes.  They have great ones.  Be careful not to choose ones that disparage working!

It Couldn’t Be Done

           BY EDGAR ALBERT GUEST

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done

    But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,”but he would be one

    Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

    On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

    That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

    At least no one ever has done it;”

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat

    And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

    Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

    That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

    There are thousands to prophesy failure,

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

    The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

    Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing

    That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

• 
  

• And they began to be a very industrious people; yea, and they were friendly with the Nephites; therefore, they did open a correspondence with them, and the curse of God did no more follow them.  Alma 23:18

• • And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil:

    Mormon 3:2
• 
  

November - Steadfast

Steadfast - November 2014

Scripture : “Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all” (Mosiah 5:15)

Good Timber

by Douglas Malloch

The tree that never had to fight

For sun and sky and air and light,

But stood out in the open plain

And always got its share of rain,

Never became a forest king

But lived and died a scrubby thing.

The man who never had to toil

To gain and farm his patch of soil,

Who never had to win his share

Of sun and sky and light and air,

Never became a manly man

But lived and died as he began.

Good timber does not grow with ease:

The stronger wind, the stronger trees;

The further sky, the greater length;

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In trees and men good timbers grow.

Where thickest lies the forest growth,

We find the patriarchs of both.

And they hold counsel with the stars

Whose broken branches show the scars

Of many winds and much of strife.

This is the common law of life.

Steadfast – What does it mean to be Steadfast?  What can you be steadfast in? 

Read or Listen -  to this article about being steadfast in being Disciples of Christ- https://www.lds.org/new-era/2008/01/steadfast-and-immovable-always-abounding-in-good-works?lang=eng

Discuss - Have your parents or grandparents been steadfast in their lives?  Talk to them about what this means to them and if they had even a small example of them standing for what is right.

Gather -  5 or more quotes about being Steadfast or Persistent - Bring us all a copy of them (20 copies).  Here are some possible starting places for you to check for quotes you really like.

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/steadfast.html  http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/steadfast/

https://www.lds.org/search?q=steadfast&lang=eng&domains=general-conference

http://www.openbible.info/topics/being_steadfast

Choose at least 1 inspirement to do and share with us:

Study someone who has been steadfast in the face of trials.  You must read something – not just tell what you remember from your mom telling you the story.   Plan to share their story through telling it, powerpoint, art or anything else.  Some possibilities are:

Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego

Queen Esther

Joseph of Egypt

Nephi

Mother Theresa

Stonewall Jackson

Abraham Lincoln

Charles Goodyear

Thomas Edison  ....

Listen to one of these programs and retell us the story - Enduring It Well   You could also paint a picture or make something to remember it and bring it and show it to us.

Set a goal that is difficult for you to keep – Keep it all week and tell us about the battles you had to fight to keep that goal.  This could be physical, spiritual, educational or emotional.

Do a word study on one or more of these words – Steadfast,  Persistent, Perseverance, Patience, Endurance

Watch this video on Nick Vujicic .  Then watch at least one other video on him.  Plan to teach us how this has impacted you in your life. How do you think differently now?

Listen to or watch this talk Endure It Well or this one BYU Speech by Elder Maxwell.  Teach us what you learned from it.

Watch this video from BYUI’s Power 2 Be conference Amy Antonelli and this video Spencer Taggert What is your vision of yourself?

Listen to Elder Christofferson's talk from conference Free Forever to Act for Themselves or Elder Oak's Loving Others and Living with Differences.  What is going on today that they reference and how can we be steadfast?

Read or listen to “An Old Fashioned Girl” by Louisa May Alcott.  PDF  or Librivox  Check these quotes - Goodreads Quotes  Do you remember them?  Which is your favorite? Why?  How was Polly steadfast?