Applying the Principles to Life
Yep, I am starting off with a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. SnackPack as completed another Decade and is ready to start the next. I hope your day was AWESOME!!! The Queen stopped me for doing too much to embarrass you. I am sure you will thank her later.
I hope this weeks post finds you all healthy, vibrant, and well! I am doing my best to be the same.
This week's pondering comes from Alma 40:11-12. I am grateful for this reminder, especially as we approach the Easter Season. In addition to these verses, I also prepared a couple lessons this week. One was for Gospel Principles. We were studying Jesus Christ, Our CHOSEN Leader and Savior. It fit perfectly with my pondering. It is because of Jesus Christ that we our spirits are able to find the mentioned state of happiness, peace, and rest.
I also love the reminder from these verses that God still communicates with man. He sends angels. He whispers through the Holy Ghost. He reveals to our hearts and minds His will and desires for us. I truly believe this. I have seen His hand in my life. Having the gospel in my life is such a blessing.
As I have been preparing lessons at varied levels. I have had the opportunity to bounce idea of Grandpa G and the Queen. Implementing them has been a wonderful experience.
I wanted to share the object lessons with you, just in case you wanted to use them in the future.
1 - We started the class off by handing out a couple bottles of water or glasses of water. Ask the class member to hold it out in front of them through out the class. In my lesson today, we talked about why it was important that we leave the presence of God the Father? It was a good discussion. I then causally asked how much they thought the bottle/glass of water weighed. We then started talking about Christ's role in the Plan of Salvation. How what He proposed differed from Satan's desired role. After sharing some real life examples of how this life also represents the same growth process that our Heavenly Father wanted us to learn from coming to earth. At this point the bottle was getting heavy. Grandpa G said that in his class, that some members of the class were reaching out with their free hand and giving support to those next to them holding the bottle/glass. In my class, I actually went over and placed my hand under theirs. We then talked about it. Did the glass get lighter? Did the burden disappear? How is that similar to Christ's role? Was I the Savior? Or was I a member or priesthood holder representing Him? Together we lighten the burden. Sometimes we are able to take the burden, as Christ does through His Atonement. In my class, I had a late comer. As soon as he walked in I handed him a bottle/glass and asked him to hold it out in front of him. Within minutes, he was switching hands so he could text better. I didn't say anything at first, but towards the end of the lesson as we were talking about how Satan continues to influences us, I asked the brother who had been holding his bottle/glass for the entire lesson in one hand, how he felt about it. What were his thoughts? He admitted that he thought the other brother was cheating. We talked about how that thought, if stewed upon could lead to some pretty bad feelings, behaviors, and more. This is the way Satan wants us to think. Instead of encouraging us to lighten each others loads or asking if it was OK to switch, we stew. There are many directions this lesson could go. It opened to great discussion.
2 - My second lesson was around Sister Eubank's talk from conference. Her talking points were:
Being Righteous
Articulating our Beliefs
Being Different
Being Distinct
Doing all of the above Happily
In my lesson I talked about how the evening before, we had decided to bake some cookies. I talked about how we looked at the recipe and had to decide how much of it to make. I talked about how our distinctness or differences were involved. I liked chocolate chips, someone else wanted peanut butter chips, some liked the idea of both. I talked about how putting the dough on the cookie sheet was unique as well. Some cookies come out round, some are all misshaped, but just as good. I talked about how the aroma of the cookies filled the house and everyone that came into the house could smell it. Then we sat down and enjoyed warm cookies fresh from the oven. It was a great experience.
I related that to how I just wanted to share the joy of a RIGHTEOUS(cookie) experience. I felt that I had articulated it well. But did anyone in the class have the same experience? Did they want to have that experience? Did they want to the same joy that I had? Are we living Righteously enough that those around us want it as well? Do we articulate our beliefs with such power?
We had a good discussion. One brother mentioned that he may not like cookies, but hamburgers instead. I was glad that we had been able to go out to lunch the day before with Songbird. I articulated our joy from the burgers we had eaten.
Then I shared a cookie with each member of the class. Suddenly their experience and vision of my joy changed. It was more real. How often are we letting other taste the joy we have?
But what happens tomorrow? What happens when they go home and talk about what they experienced in class? Do their family member get the same experience?
So I shared the recipe. Now they can share it with those around them. Every time they want to have the same joy, they can make the cookies for themselves.
We need to do the same. The Plan of Salvation is the recipe. Are we baking it often? Are we enjoying it on a daily basis? Are we helping others want to do the same?
Make it your own.
On with our week -
It has been a good week. The Queen was off on her adventures for most of the week. She came home late Thursday evening, rested on Friday for some of the day and caught up on things she felt needed to be done.
The Professor did her best to gear up for returning to the classroom. She had several homework assignments that were due and rounded her week off with some errands before going back to the school.
Tall Man and Ehl-Bo finished another performance and started rehearsing for the next. Both have been a little under the weather, but joined us for dinner and let us see their new/used vehicle. They are excited to have transportation again.
We did not or hear much from Puddin and Lady Hawkins. They were getting back into the swing of being students again.
On Saturday, we had the opportunity to catch up with Songbird. It was a wonderful afternoon. She is busy wrapping up the school year and trying not to get stressed about the next year to come. Hopefully we were able to calm some of the nerves from our own experiences.
Love you all.
Cheerios
I hope this weeks post finds you all healthy, vibrant, and well! I am doing my best to be the same.
This week's pondering comes from Alma 40:11-12. I am grateful for this reminder, especially as we approach the Easter Season. In addition to these verses, I also prepared a couple lessons this week. One was for Gospel Principles. We were studying Jesus Christ, Our CHOSEN Leader and Savior. It fit perfectly with my pondering. It is because of Jesus Christ that we our spirits are able to find the mentioned state of happiness, peace, and rest.
I also love the reminder from these verses that God still communicates with man. He sends angels. He whispers through the Holy Ghost. He reveals to our hearts and minds His will and desires for us. I truly believe this. I have seen His hand in my life. Having the gospel in my life is such a blessing.
As I have been preparing lessons at varied levels. I have had the opportunity to bounce idea of Grandpa G and the Queen. Implementing them has been a wonderful experience.
I wanted to share the object lessons with you, just in case you wanted to use them in the future.
1 - We started the class off by handing out a couple bottles of water or glasses of water. Ask the class member to hold it out in front of them through out the class. In my lesson today, we talked about why it was important that we leave the presence of God the Father? It was a good discussion. I then causally asked how much they thought the bottle/glass of water weighed. We then started talking about Christ's role in the Plan of Salvation. How what He proposed differed from Satan's desired role. After sharing some real life examples of how this life also represents the same growth process that our Heavenly Father wanted us to learn from coming to earth. At this point the bottle was getting heavy. Grandpa G said that in his class, that some members of the class were reaching out with their free hand and giving support to those next to them holding the bottle/glass. In my class, I actually went over and placed my hand under theirs. We then talked about it. Did the glass get lighter? Did the burden disappear? How is that similar to Christ's role? Was I the Savior? Or was I a member or priesthood holder representing Him? Together we lighten the burden. Sometimes we are able to take the burden, as Christ does through His Atonement. In my class, I had a late comer. As soon as he walked in I handed him a bottle/glass and asked him to hold it out in front of him. Within minutes, he was switching hands so he could text better. I didn't say anything at first, but towards the end of the lesson as we were talking about how Satan continues to influences us, I asked the brother who had been holding his bottle/glass for the entire lesson in one hand, how he felt about it. What were his thoughts? He admitted that he thought the other brother was cheating. We talked about how that thought, if stewed upon could lead to some pretty bad feelings, behaviors, and more. This is the way Satan wants us to think. Instead of encouraging us to lighten each others loads or asking if it was OK to switch, we stew. There are many directions this lesson could go. It opened to great discussion.
2 - My second lesson was around Sister Eubank's talk from conference. Her talking points were:
Being Righteous
Articulating our Beliefs
Being Different
Being Distinct
Doing all of the above Happily
In my lesson I talked about how the evening before, we had decided to bake some cookies. I talked about how we looked at the recipe and had to decide how much of it to make. I talked about how our distinctness or differences were involved. I liked chocolate chips, someone else wanted peanut butter chips, some liked the idea of both. I talked about how putting the dough on the cookie sheet was unique as well. Some cookies come out round, some are all misshaped, but just as good. I talked about how the aroma of the cookies filled the house and everyone that came into the house could smell it. Then we sat down and enjoyed warm cookies fresh from the oven. It was a great experience.
I related that to how I just wanted to share the joy of a RIGHTEOUS(cookie) experience. I felt that I had articulated it well. But did anyone in the class have the same experience? Did they want to have that experience? Did they want to the same joy that I had? Are we living Righteously enough that those around us want it as well? Do we articulate our beliefs with such power?
We had a good discussion. One brother mentioned that he may not like cookies, but hamburgers instead. I was glad that we had been able to go out to lunch the day before with Songbird. I articulated our joy from the burgers we had eaten.
Then I shared a cookie with each member of the class. Suddenly their experience and vision of my joy changed. It was more real. How often are we letting other taste the joy we have?
But what happens tomorrow? What happens when they go home and talk about what they experienced in class? Do their family member get the same experience?
So I shared the recipe. Now they can share it with those around them. Every time they want to have the same joy, they can make the cookies for themselves.
We need to do the same. The Plan of Salvation is the recipe. Are we baking it often? Are we enjoying it on a daily basis? Are we helping others want to do the same?
Make it your own.
On with our week -
It has been a good week. The Queen was off on her adventures for most of the week. She came home late Thursday evening, rested on Friday for some of the day and caught up on things she felt needed to be done.
The Professor did her best to gear up for returning to the classroom. She had several homework assignments that were due and rounded her week off with some errands before going back to the school.
Tall Man and Ehl-Bo finished another performance and started rehearsing for the next. Both have been a little under the weather, but joined us for dinner and let us see their new/used vehicle. They are excited to have transportation again.
We did not or hear much from Puddin and Lady Hawkins. They were getting back into the swing of being students again.
On Saturday, we had the opportunity to catch up with Songbird. It was a wonderful afternoon. She is busy wrapping up the school year and trying not to get stressed about the next year to come. Hopefully we were able to calm some of the nerves from our own experiences.
Love you all.
Cheerios
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