The Power of Everyday Missionaries by Clayton M. Christensen

Points that stood out to me...

"Many blessings and friendships have come into our lives from our trying to share the gospel.  But this blessing has been one of the best: Having the missionaries regularly help us as a family teach the gospel to new and old friends through the power of the Holy Ghost has profoundly affected the faith of our five children and brought the Spirit of God into our home."

"We found that the Doctrine and Covenants, as the instruction that God gave us for building the kingdom of God in the latter days, is filled with remarkable promises that God has offered to those who accept His call to share the Gospel.  Far from putting the kingdom out of balance, if our ward and stake leaders were to focus on leading their members to share the gospel, many of the other problems that fester in our hearts and homes and in our wards and stakes would resolve themselves through the blessings that come from accepting the call that God has given each of us to be missionaries.

Promises of power and strength you will receive as you share the gospel:
-None shall stay you.  (D&C 1:5)
-You shall receive strength such as is not known among men. (24:12)
-He Himself will go with you and be in your midst.  Nothing shall prevail against you. (32:3)
-Power shall rest upon you.  He will be with you and go before your face. (39:12)
-Your enemies will not have power over you. (44:5)
-The Lord will stand by you. (68:6)
-No weapon formed against you shall prosper.  (71:9)
-He will uphold you.  (93:51)
-The gates of hell shall not prevail against you. (17:8)
-You shall have power to declare His word. (99:2)
-Your tongue shall be loosed, and you will have the power of God unto the convincing of men.  (11:21)
-Your mouth shall be filled and you shall become even as Nephi of old.  (33:8)
-You will not be confounded.  It shall be given you in the very hour that prtion that shall be meted unto every man.  (84:85; 100:5)
-Your words shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, and shall be the voice of the Lord and the power of God unto salvation.  (68:4)
-Your arm will be God's arm.  He will be your shield and buckler; He will gird up your loins and put your enemies under your feet.  (35:14)

Other blessings the Lord has promised to those who share the gospel relate to personal purity and increased faith:
-You shall stand blameless before God.  (4:2)
-You shall be lifted up at the last day.  (17:8)
-You will be given a testimony of the words of the prophets.  (21:9)
-You shall have revelations.  (28:8)
-Your sins will be forgiven.  (31:5; 36:1; 60:7; 62:3; 84:61)
-You shall have great faith.  (39:12)
-You will be able to keep God's laws.  (44:5)

Consider the blessings that pertain to happiness, health and prosperity:
-You shall have blessings greater than the treasures of earth.  (19:37-38)
-He will take care of your flocks (88:72), and your back shall be laden with sheaves.  (31:5; 33:9)
-You shall not be weary in mind, body, limb, or joint and you shall not go hungry or thirsty.  A hair from your head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed.  (84:80, 116)
-Your joy shall be great.  (18:14-15)

And perhaps most extraordinary of all, He has promised to fill us and our work with the Holy Ghost, to make us into better men and women:
-He will send upon you the Comforter, which shall teach you the truth and they way whither you shall go.  (79:2)
-The Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record of all things, whatsoever ye shall say.  (100:8)
-He will go before your face.  He will be on your right hand and on your left; His Spirit shall be in your hearts, and His angels round about you, to bear you up.  (84:88)
-He will bear you up as on eagle's wings; and you shall beget glory and honor to yourself and unto the Lord's name.  (124:18)
-He will make you holy.  (60:7)

We share the gospel because we know it will help others become better, happier people.  But the blessings for us are priceless."


"Sharing the gospel doesn't just require that we have the power of God unto the convincing of men.  It gives us this power."


"To build some portion of the kingdom of God, we must know what we need to do and we must know how to do it.  Often the "what" of a calling is conveyed reasonably clearly.  But teaching us how to do it is sometimes neglected. ... The Savior, as leader and teacher, was a master at the "what" and the "how."  He has told us what to do, by giving us commandments.  And He has told us how to do it, by giving us stories and parables. The brother of Jared, the good Samaritan, the prodigal son are role models for how He taught. Their actions illustrate principles that we can draw upon when we know what we must do but don't know how to do it."  STRUCTURE AND ROLE MODELS


"We don't need to transform our relationships into friendships as a prerequisite to inviting others to learn about the gospel.  Whether our platform with people is as neighbors, classmates, work associates, store clerks, or those riding on the same bus, there is no requirement to change that platform before we can invite them.  Indeed, we need not and should not alter our relationships with others in order to invite them.  Full-time missionaries don't wait to become friends with their contacts. ... A relationship of trust is built when they have the chance to teach."

"We must be honest, loving and direct.  These are God's ways."

"Most of us fear failure.  Once we have realized that we succeed as member missionaries when we invite people to learn and accept the truth, much of the fear that kept us from sharing the gospel vanishes.  We give them the opportunity to exercise their free agency.  Some will use that agency to accept the gospel.  Others will not and that's fine.  We succeed when we invite.  God can actually help you find someone to hear the missionary discussions, if you will just do your part and invite."

Use religious words in my day-to-day conversations.  "Using these words in conversation opens a door for people to ask, "Oh--so you're a Mormon?"  I respond, "I am, and it is a wonderful church.  Why do you ask?"  I have found it helpful to ask, "Why do you ask?" rather than telling them information that they do not care about."

"What we're interested in isn't what they are interested in.  In 1975 the Church did an extensive survey of new converts to determine what it was about the Church that had initially interested them.  (see L.F.Anderson, "What are Nonmembers Interested In?" Ensign, October 1977.)  These were the results, in order of frequency mentioned:
1.  The feeling of closeness to God that they wanted to experience because they could see this closeness in the lives of Mormons they knew.
2.  Happiness and a sense of peace, which they wanted and which they saw in the lives of Mormons they knew.
3.  They wanted a better sense of purposefulness and direction in their lives.  They tended to see this in Mormons they knew.
Only 9 percent of new converts said that doctrine was the main thing that attracted them to the Church.  For all who are baptized and remain active, doctrine becomes much of the glue that cements them in the Church.  But it typically isn't what they were looking for at the outset.
What this means is that when someone gives us a chance to tell them about us, as a general rule we ought not to tell them what we like about our own church--about the doctrine that we love so much.  Rather, when I respond with a question like "It's a great church.  Why do you ask?" if they don't have anything specific in mind, then I answer with something relating to the three reasons noted above."


"The salient difference between other churches and the LDS Church is the depth and breadth of understanding of God's plan for us."


pg. 36 Great Story of shifting your approach from "You need the church, to The Church needs YOU."  Invite others to join us with serving in the church.  They feel needed, they realize we have a lot in common and can feel the spirit.


There are two fundamentally different ways to be a missionary: through word and through deed.


**Most teachers give their students a step-by-step checklist of what needs to be done.  Good teachers often then illustrate the instructions with stories.  Use metaphors, stories and parables to illustrate key points, to help visualize what to do.

**TEACH WITH LOVE


Forgiveness: pg 62-63


In the equation that determines whether we can find people for the missionaries to teach, God's role is a constant, not a variable.  He always keeps His promises.  The only variable is whether we have the faith that we will be blessed with miracles if we make commitments to God and then obediently do what we said we would do.


When investigators repeatedly fail to keep commitments, we and the missionaries are prone to conclude that the investigators really are not interested.  But often investigators don't do these things because they don't know how. ... They've never done it before.  Our default assumption should be that they don't know how.


**Prayer and How God Speaks to Us (Amazing!) pg. 96-97  He does not use mechanical/electrical waves...the spirit speaks to your spirit--feelings, thoughts.


If God cannot trust the members of the Church to invite these people to learn His gospel, why would He put them in our path?  And if God can't trust us to make His children feel loved and needed after they join the church, why would God guide these people there in the first place?

If He can't trust us, then He must use other means to answer the prayers of others.

**Love and care for His children.  Wrap them into your arms and make them feel welcome the minute they come in to church.  (**Lift where you stand.  Open your mouth and your arms.)  John 13:35

D&C 58:26-29

D&C 84:88

Matthew 6:33  "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

"Increase in Learning" by Elder David A Bednar

PREFACE
Spiritual learning is activated by faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.  Essential to our spiritual learning is the principle of acting as agents and not being acted upon as objects.

Read, study, ponder, search, ask, knock, record thoughts and feelings, link, connect, revise, rethink, ask again, start again and most important, act.

Faith in Jesus Christ + Willingness to Act = Will invite the Holy Ghost to help you more fully understand basic gospel truths


CHAPTER 1:  AN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN

Heavenly Father's plan is to enable us to learn.  Our moral agency through the atonement of Jesus Christ is divinely designed to facilitate our learning through our actions without being condemned by that experience.  (Bruce C. Hafen)

Teaching Children to Understand the Doctrine:

-Treat children as an agent, not an object.
-Ask questions to help the child act in the learning process for himself.
-Encourage them to see for themselves.
-Teach and nurture appropriately so the Holy Ghost can be the master teacher, confirming the truth in their heart.
-Only through spiritual understanding will they retain the truth and then apply it.


HOW WE LEARN: We learn through acting and not being acted upon.  By desiring to know, asking, seeking, knocking and being diligent, persistent "doers of the word" we are put in possession of the Holy Ghost.  By our faith, the Holy Ghost will give greater insights and knowledge.  (pg. 4 & 13)

As we hearken, we learn wisdom. We learn Line upon Line according to our Faith and Diligence.  The Law of the Harvest.


It is vital and essential that I constantly strive for the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  I must act in accordance to appropriately inviting the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in all I do.  The Book of Mormon is the primary source in gaining help in learning how to invite the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.   APPLY *Recognize impressions when they come to me AND recognize the influences or events that cause me to withdraw myself from the Holy Ghost.  Strive to always have the spirit with you.

We Must Act in Righteousness always to have the Holy Ghost:
Faith.  Diligence.  Heed. Virtue in thoughts, actions & language.  Meaningful Prayer.  Feast on the Words of Christ.  Exact Obedience.  Honor Covenants.  Humility.  Service.  Weekly Sacrament.  Worship at home, the Temple and church. Remember the Lord daily.  (pg. 44)

Fundamentally, all gospel teachings and activities are centered on coming unto Christ by receiving the Holy Ghost in our lives.

When the Holy Ghost is with me He fuels a great desire for constant learning and I can learn effectively through Him.  As I continue to learn, this knowledge will give me power to understand and apply truths I learn.

The Spirit of the Lord whispers peace and joy to my soul.  My whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the kingdom of God.  (pg. 51)  The spirit of the Lord can be our guide and bless us with direction, instruction and spiritual protection.

Spiritual Gifts:   APPLY *It is vitally important to seek and increase in the gift of being "Quick to Observe."  It is an antecedent to and is linked with the spiritual gift of discernment.  Discernment is a light of protection and direction in a world that grows increasingly dark, having a clear sense of spiritual direction.  When we are quick to observe, we promptly look or notice and obey.  Pray for spiritual eyes to see those who have a need.  Notice impressions you may receive about someone and promptly respond to it and obey.  (pg. 55)

The gift of discernment operates in four major ways:
1.  It helps us detect hidden error and evil in others.
2.  It helps us detect hidden error and evil in ourselves.  It helps us discern things as they really are in us as well as others.
3.  It help us find and bring forth the good that may be concealed in others.
4.  It helps us find and bring forth the good that may be concealed in us.

Discernment also helps us distinguish the relevant from the irrelevant, the important from the unimportant, the necessary from that which is merely nice.  It is seeing with spiritual eyes and feeling with the heart.  It is hearing with spiritual ears and feeling with the heart.  "If all you know is what you see with your natural eyes and hear with your natural ears, then you will not know very much." -Boyd K. Packer  (pg. 60)


CHAPTER 2:  KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING AND INTELLIGENCE

There is a hierarchy of importance about things we should learn.  Gospel truths are essential for us to understand and live if we are to become what our Heavenly Father yearns for us to become.

Knowledge: Facts, information, abilities obtained through experience of education.  Knowledge is the principle of salvation, given through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Without sufficient knowledge, one will be condemned.  Knowledge is necessary to life and godliness.  It is power of God unto salvation, Knowledge is revelation.  Knowledge does away with darkness, suspense, doubt... in knowledge there is power.  "Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were and as they are to come."  D&C 93:24

A correct knowledge of the things of God is the vital cornerstone upon which the additional blessings of understanding and intelligence are built.

Understanding: It is commonly described in the scriptures in relation to the heart.  We must apply our hearts, in seeking for understanding.  Reason and "the arm of flesh" are not sufficient to engender true understanding.  When the Holy Ghost confirms in our hearts as true what we know in our minds, understanding occurs.  It is a process of revelation, producing an illumination, a comprehension, a perspective, and a depth of desire and commitment not obtainable through reason alone.  We experience a mighty change of heart as testimony and conviction move from our heads to our hearts.  It is a spiritual gift.

1.  Apply our hearts to understand what we have learned (Mosiah 12:27)
2.  Receive confirming revelations, feel the truthfulness of the words
3.  Gain understanding  (pg. 68)

In our families and in our homes we are most receptive to learning, revelation and the witnessing power of the Holy Ghost.

D&C 68:25-26  "Inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents."

APPLY  *We as parents must create a home that is a house of learning wherein the Holy Ghost can reside and teach.  (pg. 69) In such a home the Holy Ghost brings conviction to the heart and teaches both children and parents to understand.  Parents have important and vital roles to play as they

1. Create an appropriate spiritual environment and atmosphere in the home.
2.  Invite the spirit.
3.  Facilitate and assist the spiritual learning of children by explaining gospel truths, bearing pure testimony, asking and answering questions, and helping children to find answers to their questions and solutions to their challenges.

Parents should become guides who help young people learn how to find answers for themselves.  Youth need to act as agents and properly exercise their agency in order to obtain and retain strong testimonies and to become converted.

The role of a teacher is to invite a learner to act in accordance with the truth taught by the Savior.  We bring the message of truth unto the heart.  Ultimately a learner needs to exercise agency in righteousness and thereby invite the truth into the heart--and thereby seek to obtain the spiritual gift of understanding. (pg. 70)

Understanding is the keystone that is erected upon the cornerstone of knowledge and precedes intelligence.

The teacher is the Holy Ghost, and it is teaching by the witness of the Spirit that produce understanding.

Parents & Leaders should become guides who help young people learn how to find answers for themselves.  Youth need to act as agents and properly exercise their agency in order to obtain and retain strong testimonies and to become converted—instead of primarily depending spiritually depending upon someone else.

INTELLIGENCE

Intelligence is the righteous application of knowledge and understanding in action and judgment.  One consistently does the right things, is true to the gospel, is consistently working to apply the principles of the gospel in their life.  Intelligence is living in such a way that the doctrines of the church are active in us—an active and integral part of who we are, and what we are, and what we do, and what we think.  Pg. 75

It is the capstone that is constructed upon the cornerstone of knowledge and made stable by the keystone of understanding.  Intelligence is always linked to righteousness.

D&C 130:18-19  Knowledge is associated with diligence.  Through persistent, effective, diligent work a person can accumulate knowledge.  Intelligence, however, can only be gained through obedience.  Thus knowledge is a prerequisite to and foundation for true spiritual intelligence. (pg. 72)

D&C 88:188  Knowledge is obtained through diligent study.  Intelligence is gained through faithful obedience.

We are to use our moral agency to obtain and act in accordance with truth.  Ultimately, the Savior in interested not just in what we know, but in spiritual intelligence—how we apply what we know for righteous purposes.   Pg. 73

Faith: act and thus receive power from the Holy Ghost

“But he that doeth truth cometh to the light…”  John 3:19-21

“Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye…”  3 Nephi 27:20-22

WHAT MAKES THE LDS CHURCH A LIVING CHURCH:  It is a living Savior, the gift of the Holy Ghost and the attendant spiritual blessings and gifts, and the authority and power of the priesthood that make His Church both true and living.

Appropriately seeking for knowledge, understanding and intelligence is essential for each of us to become a living member of the Savior’s Church.

PATTERN:  Gain Knowledge + Receive Understanding through the Holy Ghost = leads to Righteous Action & Intelligence

Know what we need to know, Live as we know we should live, 

Become what the Master would have us become.

Simple and ordinary experiences in family life often provide the most important learning opportunities we ever have.

*One of the principle purposes of our mortal existence is to be spiritually changed and transformed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  “Come unto Christ and be perfected in Him.”  Moroni 10:32  The essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through our reliance upon the Holy Messiah.  As we choose to follow the Master, we choose to be changed—to be spiritually reborn. Pg. 80  We Come Unto Christ through sacred covenants.

Process of being born again:

Exercise Faith

Repent

Be baptized

Walk with a newness of Life:

Continually immerse ourselves in the truth and light of the gospel

Fidelity & Honor covenants

Constancy of commitment

Offer our whole soul unto God

Feast upon the words of Christ

Pray unto the Father with all energy of Heart

Serve God with all our heart, might, mind and strength

YIELD OUR HEARTS UNTO GOD, fast and pray oft, wax in humility, firm in the faith = filling their souls with joy and consolation, purifying and sanctification of their hearts.  Helaman 3:35

Repentance = a turning of the heart and will to God and a renunciation of sin.

We become sanctified as we yield our hearts unto God.  Helaman 3:35

The mighty change of heart  “to have no more the disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” is the consequence of a fundamental change in our desires, our motives, and our natures made possible through the Atonement of Christ the Lord.  Our spiritual purpose is to overcome both sin and the desire to sin.  Pg. 89

Dual Requirements:

1.     Avoid and overcome Bad – put off the natural man and overcome sin and evil influences in our lives through the Savior’s atonement.  (Clean Hands)

2.     Do good and become Better – by receiving the strengthening power of the Atonement our hearts are purified.  (Pure Heart)

*The Power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ provides both a cleansing and redeeming power that helps us to overcome sin and a sanctifying and strengthening power that helps us to become better than we ever could be relying only upon our own strength.  The infinite Atonement is for both the sinner and for the saint in each of us. pg 90

APPLY  *SPIRITUAL EARLY WARNING SYSTEM. (pg 94) This will help parents in Zion to be watchful and discerning concerning their children.  

       1.  Read and talk about the Book of Mormon with your children.  

       2.  Be vigilant  and spiritually attentive to bear testimony of gospel truth spontaneously with your children and also eager to listen intently to them.

       3.  Invite children to be gospel learners by acting in accordance to correct principles and not merely by being acted upon.  Have them learn by doing and by faith.  

Parents who do these things faithfully will be blessed to recognize early signals of spiritual growth in or challenges with their children and be better prepared to receive inspiration to strengthen and help those children through the conversations that are shared, the questions the child asks, the observations a child shares, etc.

 Questions to Ponder:  
Am I helping my children become agents who act and seek learning by study and by faith?
Am I consistently helping them to act, to learn for themselves and to stand steadfast and immovable?
Am I helping my children become anxiously engaged in asking, seeking and knocking?

Our children must be diligent, study and act to obtain personal knowledge.  Only in this way can our children be prepared spiritually for the challenges of mortality.

CHAPTER 3:  PRAYERFUL INQUIRY: ASKING, SEEKING, KNOCKING

"Visions of Glory" as told to John Pontius

Overall Theme:  To be able to progress on our personal journey we must learn to trust God and sacrifice our worldly possessions in obedience to God's will for us.  (pg. 24)

CHAPTER 1
AWAKENED BY DEATH

"I could understand limitless amounts of knowledge and focus upon an infinite number of matters, giving each my absolute attention." (pg 7)

OUR LIFE REHEARSAL

We will see all the good we do, all the love we give, the service and kindness--but also all of the sorrow and pain we cause.  We will see all of the mistakes we make and how they affect everyone.  Some mistakes not only affect one person, but their children and their children, on and on.  I saw every act ripple through time until its power was dissipated. (pg. 10)

RELATIONSHIPS ARE FROM GOD

Relationships are not just serendipitous happenings or coincidences.  All of these events happen for divine purposes.  God truly blesses the details of our lives.  These interactions and relationships, which might seem random in the moment, are ordained to bless and perfect our lives.  All things and relationships have a divine impact.

Ask: Where is the divine purpose of this moment, this event, this relationship or this person coming into my life?  What am I to learn from these interactions, from this person's entry or exit on the stage of my experience?
Pray that God will reveal these things to you and that HE will guide you to bless these people.  "Let me be your voice, let me be your hands, let me be knowingly involved so that I can be inspired to do thy work in their lives."  (pg 16)

OUR LIVES MATTER

God really does count every moment of our lives, and if we let Him guide us, those moments become eternally significant.  Everything we do matters--nothing is just trivial.  It is all profoundly significant, and life is meaningful and full of purpose.  Everything we do is of eternal worth.  (pg 17)

There truly is a return and report system.  Get used to doing this in our daily and family prayers and in our relationships, that we practice returning and reporting.  "This is what you asked me to do today, this is what I did, and this is what happened"--and then plead for eternal intervention in the details. (pg 18)

God's hand is directing our lives and His voice is constantly directing us.

ANGELS AMONG US

Once you are born your spirit takes the shape of the body it is born into and honors that shape because it was given to you by God.  Even though they can change shape or appearance if God desires it, they always return to their natural shape, which is the shape of their former bodies.  Evil spirits can change their shape to morph into some other shape if they desire.  Spirits who have never been mortal have no definite spiritual shape.   They can choose their shape, just as Satan did in the Garden of Eden by appearing in the shape of a snake.  They can appear any way they choose to help them deceive or to fulfill their assignments. (pg 23)

Evil spirits try to create fear, confusion and distress... anything that keeps the mortal from hearing the messages from the angels of light who are there also.  They speak to afflict mortals and laugh and mock them and delight in their pain and fear.  They are evil beyond any definition of evil I had understood before. (pg 23)

Some spirits who have died hang around the earth refusing to move on into their next part of their own journey because they have never learned to trust God and sacrifice their worldly possessions in obedience to God's will for them.  (pg 24)

THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS

As departed spirits, their first responsibility is to family and to serve as ministering angels.  To heal, teach, minister to, protect and preserve the family connections and covenantal relationships in the spirit realm and in the mortal world.  Teaching the gospel to past generations in the world of departed spirits come from righteous souls who acquired it during their lives.  You must acquire the gospel here on earth before you can be a missionary and minister to those who departed before you who, for whatever reason, did not embrace the gospel during their mortal lives.  Some of the earlier generations have been waiting a long time for a descendant of theirs to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ and are excited for us to receive the gospel ordinances and authority so when we return we can teach them and bring gospel blessings to them on that side of the veil.  Every ordinance we attempt to bestow here has a corresponding ordinance on that side of the veil... it is almost a mirror image there of everything we do here.  (pg 27)

Most blessings given to mortals also come from their righteous dead.  When we pray for a great blessing, need or healing, Jesus Christ sends our righteous progenitors as ministering angels to deliver the blessing.  If we have no righteous forebearers, then the blessings must be attended to by other righteous workers of whom there is a short supply.  Angels first work with their own families and then go on to bless others. They are busy working to establish relationships and to protect and bless them. (pg 27)

THE POWER OF THE FALL

In the body we are handicapped by spiritual blindness and moral weakness, and blinded by the screaming demands of the flesh.  "I was full of questions, uncertainty, pride, corruption, self will and desires for evil.  This disparity was all a result of the Fall of man and that I had to overcome those things by obedience to Christ's gospel and laws."  (pg 29)

There is a distinct preparation for my body.  I thought "I" was my body, and I was growing through my experiences.  I learned that "I" am my spirit self, who already has a godly nature, (my spirit is eternal, intelligent, perceptive and powerful, I was pure, complete and knowledgeable) and rather than overcoming my body, as in beating it into submission, my struggles were engineered to elevate my body to the stature of my spirit.  (pg 30)

THE PURPOSE OF THINGS

Life is so much more intricate than we can imagine.  God has provided a complex and inspired system to exalt us.  A big part of it is to give us the opportunity to be in a body, a body that desires almost everything contrary to God's plan.  Jesus Christ exposes us via the Holy Spirit to all that is true, speaking to our spirit every time we must choose between good and evil.  Then when we sin, we can repent and obey His laws to let the Atonement work for us.  All of this process is designed by God to bring our spirit with our body into compliance with the laws of God and to return body and soul, inseparably connected, back to the presence of God to be judged--to report back.  (pg 32)

OUR PREMORTAL GLORY

Our spirits came to this earth in an almost godlike state.  It was my body that was the slave of mortality, desiring things which were contrary to God's plan for me.  We are cut off from God because of the Fall, thereby being forced to learn to listen to the voice of Christ and to overcome our body's mortal pull.  In the same process, we are also learning to perfect it, to teach it perfect obedience to the will of Christ, and in so doing, to overcome the world--and the Fall.  (pg. 33)

A tremendous impediment to our growth is that we seldom see other humans as they are--potential gods.  We do not see the worth of every soul.  We are all gods in infancy. (pg 34)

CHAPTER 2
PARADISE LOST

"We need to learn to see ourself as God sees us and know ourself as God knows us--not the other way around.  He already knows all about us."  (pg 40)

WE ARE NEVER ALONE

Angels are always present--both good and evil.  By my behavior, mood or thoughts I am in control of who is in the room with me.  Feeling negative feelings or emotions and being overpowered by them is because you are dealing with dark spirits who overwhelm you when you give them permission by your emotions.  I am in control.  When I am positive and loving, I invite divine beings into my life who uplift me and those around me.

Our agency is honored so much that we have to invite the intervention of angels around us.  The good angels are subject to Gods command and limited or empowered by our faith. (pg 41)


THE INTERCESSORY PRAYER

It is through suffering that mortals learn compassion and endurance and faithfulness--but there has to also be a great willingness to suffer, to be purified and uplifted in this way.  (pg 52)

You don't have to be an Apostle or a prophet for the Lord to refine you and purify you into your greatest self.  (pg 56)

CHAPTER 3
VISION OF THE SAVIOR

HOW FAR MAN HAS FALLEN

The Fall isn't just about Adam and Eve, it is even more about mankind and how powerfully the Fall darkened all of our senses.  We lost our memory, not only of God, but even more sadly of ourselves.  We don't understand our own worth.  We are spiritually disabled in every possible way. (pg 61)

HEALING THE CHILDREN

We each experience trials and cruel experiences, but if we come unto Christ and let Him heal us, then we can reach out and bring others to Christ for their own healing.  It is a gift to do so, but we must pass through our own sorrows so that we can serve Christ in His name.  (pg 64)

LAYERS OF MEANING

When Christ speaks to a mortal it is so weighty with meaning that mere words cannot convey the fulness of the truths given.  The message is layered.  First are the words He speaks, and then there is a vastly larger body of truth you receive spiritually, layer upon layer, more truth than you can understand for years afterward.  This is the reason the scriptures are so powerful, because they contain the words spoken by Christ, and this layered truth is still there, spiritually interwoven with those words.  It takes a lifetime of spiritual growth and obedience to be able to receive the deeper layers.  They contain the great mysteries and greater truths He desires that we acquire and enjoy in our lifetime.  (pg 65)

CHAPTER 4
DEEPENING TRIALS

AN APOSTLE'S ADVICE

"You need to learn to be content with what the Lord has allotted you."

Quit plotting a course for your life and just trust the Lord to bring you to those things your faith is telling you you will do.  We need to quit fighting against the process that the Lord has engineered to bring us where we need to be.  Stop insisting on arriving on your own terms and pathway.

We were prepared from before the foundation of the earth for our life's mission.  Keep our thinking aright, align our feet with the true path of our life.  Keep our expectations bright!

CHAPTER 5
CAVES, KEYS & CALLINGS

CAVES AND BARS

"Only individuals like you, who have been willing to undergo similar pain and abuses as these people have, will they ever listen to and trust.  You must continue to drink of this bitter cup and not become bitter yourself.  This will give you the experience and knowledge you need so that when you are called to work with these people, they will trust you and recognize in you that you are a fellow sufferer and refugee from persecution.  These sufferings and your personal triumph over them will be written on your very soul and into the sinews of your body and they will recognize it and trust you.  They will see that you also belong to the "Fellowship of the Suffering of Christ.""

THE KEY/MEANING OF SYMBOLS

The pointed end was emerald green.  The shank was blood red.  The handle was vivid blue.

Red/Sacrifice:  The condescension and Atonement of Christ, but also a willingness to likewise sacrifice as Christ has, to be prepared for this mission.  Sacrifice your will, earthly possessions, health if called upon or even their lives if need be, to follow the path God ordained to prepare that person with charity, faith, doctrinal purity, sound understanding, and, most of all, perfect obedience to God's will.  This is the course Christ had submitted Himself to.  This lesser suffering we go through is to prepare an individual for their specific mission.  This is the reason the angel called it "The Fellowship of the Suffering of Christ."

Blue/Royal Bloodline:  The Latter-day Priesthood.  Blue represented: 1. The receipt and righteous magnification of the present priesthood.  2. The receipt of the "fulness" of that same priesthood when worthiness and the timetable of God called it forth.  3.  A foreordination to this very mission to release these people.  Only that specifically ordained officer of the priesthood could manipulate the key.  The handle is how it is gripped and operated.

Emerald Green:  Renewal and recreation of life.  It signifies the full outcome of the red and blue, sacrifice and priesthood, which as described in the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood, brings about a renewal of the body.

Every latter-day builder of Zion will obtain for their specific mission a key like represented here.  They will go through the same process of sacrifice, priesthood, renewal.  We receive the key in the ordained way, by becoming a member of the "Fellowship of the Suffering of Christ" and by doing it freely, willingly, even joyfully.

It is a personal journey of great consequence.  Only with all three of these elements can we claim the blessings and the honor of serving in any great cause.  When we do this, we are serving Jesus Christ directly and doing the Father's work of preparing the world for the end of time and the return of Christ. (pg 86)

All of ones life has been engaged in this process of preparing one to meet the qualifications and attributes of one who will be handed a key to a portion of the latter-day work of building Zion.  In this mighty work we will free people from their self-imposed prisons, whether real or figurative, and bring them to Zion.  It is a process of acquiring personal purity and sanctification that qualifies the recipient to serve in this great work.  We should seek to complete our qualifications and finish the work the Lord shows us to do.

Don't give up because these things need to be sealed into your heart and mind.  These are the things you promised God you would do--so don't give up.  Have courage to go forward and strive to accomplish these things.  We have to pay the price to prepare and qualify for what we will do.

MEADOW AND LAKE

Everything praises God and loves God.  It communicates by its spirit and everything knew, reverenced and respected him.  Everything was pleased with its existence and was content to be what it was.

CHAPTER SIX

ANGELS AND DEVILS

EVIL SPIRITS AND TEMPTATION

When the man started doing something bad, eight spirits entered the room.  Four were spirits who had been mortal, who had addictions that followed them into the spirit world.  Their addiction was unending, painful and impossible to satisfy.  It haunted them.  They were desperate to try to satisfy it endlessly.  They wanted to experience his passion.  The four spirits of Satan's minions only wanted to trap him and to entice him on.  They only wanted to control him and keep him "under their spell" as long as possible.  They focused on keeping him focused on his own body and his own thrills so effectively that he could not feel his relationship to Christ, the Holy Spirit or remember his family.  All he could think of was himself and the guaranteed gratification that was just a click away.

Addictions are purely selfish.  They guarantee the instant gratification of the flesh.  Relationships are not guaranteed, and the gratification, the positive payback of the relationship, must be carefully maintained and worked at.  This is the reason that people turn to addictions, because they are instant, require little work, and the results are guaranteed.  It is also the reason evil uses them and promotes them so carefully, because addictions push the user away from all meaningful relationships, especially those with the divine. (pg 105)

The disembodied spirits couldn't get rid of their addictions because they did not turn to Jesus Christ, who could have healed them even after their mortal lives ended.  Without His grace they couldn't satisfy the powerful need of the addiction.

The light the man possessed dimmed as he sat there.  Satan's minions had great glee in the fact that he was breaking his covenants, that he was a good man.  Their triumph was greater, their conquest sweeter and their control over him was more precious due to the fact he had covenanted to avoid such things.  They delighted in the pain this would cause his wife and family and they relished the opportunity to eventually afflict his wife with all the dark emotions she would feel that would separate her from the Holy Spirit.

These spirits offered him a sense of false relationship, giving him the sense of being fulfilled and satisfied by this experience.  He was beginning to accept these unseen visitors as his companions, and he was starting to enjoy having them, welcoming their influence in helping him to decide to partake once again in his secret world of filth. (pg. 107)

IN THE BAR

The evil spirits wanted to spiritually destroy their targets so that they could obtain permanent control over them and cared nothing for the experience of the mortals.  The disembodied delighted in the physical sensations of the mortals but had no desire to dominate, only to prolong the experience.  Having a mortal yield to the evil spirits temptations gave them power over the mortal.  They were over dominion of the soul and eventually, lifelong control.  They knew that if they could tempt with enough cleverness and deception that the human responded--they would gain a little more control.  This was their method, but their real goal was to gain enough control that they could keep the Holy Spirit from having any influence in the person's life at all.  They weren't just trying to control their behavior; they were trying to ensnare these people in the chains of hell.

People who had already been entrapped by the evil spirits could hardly hear their own thoughts.  The voice of the evil ones had become even more powerful than their own mind.  They would do anything their evil controllers said even while thinking it was their own idea or their own wishes they were fulfilling.  Once these evil spirit had total control, they then desired that the mortal should quickly depart mortality, so that their possession became permanent.  They therefore urged them to risky behavior, acts of violence and even suicide to hasten the day of their mortal death. (pg. 109)

AT THE HORSE RACE

This still created a distraction by urging the people involved to high passions, desires and fears, with soaring highs and crushing defeats, keeping them far removed from the Holy Spirit of God.

A thought of God, a prayer, a request, an intention to do good, an act of regret or kindness brought good angels.  They could then surround the person, protecting them from the evil ones for as long as that attitude persisted. (pg 110)  Then the angels would encourage them to leave and do what was right.  Then it was up to the mortal to act.  If they followed the prompting, the minions of Satan moved on to someone else and light began to grow brighter around the person.  They had a chance to think clearly and to escape.

ENTERTAINMENT

Movies, TV, amusement parks, casinos, sporting events, music, parties, hanging out with friends...These are all of the ways that people unknowingly move themselves away from the Spirit of the Lord.  These people weren't doing something evil, but they were so involved in the entertainment that they weren't listening to the Holy Spirit, which was what the evil spirit labored so hard to accomplish in others, yet these were willingly isolating themselves.

People were obsessed with eating, not eating, dieting, acting, dancing or performing, fashion or beauty, sports, dating, shool--they were just too focused upon these things that the voice of the Holy Spirit was pushed far away.

Mortal life is only a dim reality.  The angels live in an eternal realm, which is the brightest and truest reality.  Mortal life will end; their lives will not.  They know how incredibly important this little time of mortality is, and because they love us and are in the service of their God, they labor to get our attention and to lead us into a life that will end in glory.  (pg 112)

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

We choose good gifts when we obey the Holy Spirit.  These are gifts of love, joy, peace, faith, healings, prophecy, and many other gifts.  When we repeatedly choose obedience to what is good, we create a spiritual link with Jesus Christ.  He changes us into His spiritual likeness, and we grow brighter and brighter in this process until we become children of light, and we receive our wages from our Savior.

We can also do the opposite by obeying temptations of evil spirits which couples us to darkness and Satan.

There are many people who are governed by the voice of Jesus Christ, who are like lanterns being carried through darkness.  They push the darkness away by their approach, and the dark angels must depart.  Evil beings are powerless to penetrate it and are compelled to depart.  (The same is true of people who are ruled by evil, in the opposite way.)

THE CHAINS OF HELL

The "chains of hell" are when a person is in so much darkness they can no longer even hear the still, small voice of the angels.  They can no longer tell the difference between good and evil.  The only "good" they acknowledge is whatever brings them the fastest satisfaction of their lusts and addictions and no price seems to high.

THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS

There are angels of light who are assigned to us.  They are real.  They have direct access to Christ's guidance and are anxiously engaged in our lives.  They remain with us throughout our lives unless we choose darkness by our thoughts, acts or words.  Their ability to direct, influence, and guide us is completely controlled by our choices.

There are also more powerful angels of light who bless us in times of need.  They deliver the blessings Jesus Christ desires us to have. (pg 113)  We invite them to help us by rejecting temptation and by calling upon the name of God and doing what is right with a mind single to the glory of God.

Our relationships began long ago before we were born, before the creation.  We have loved one another a long time and have served one another in unending ways.

Everything God does is according to law and according to agency.  God does not gift us with things we have not qualified for in some way.  This is also true of angels.  Some angels have greater abilities because of their greater diligence and because of greater righteousness while they were mortals.  

These spiritual gifts and strengths become the heritage of our grandchildren, because when they choose the light, we are there waiting anxiously to pour out the gifts we ourselves obtained in mortality.

Darkness infests mortality through evil "angels" and light is amplified in our lives through obedience to God and the ministry of angels of light.

LIGHT, DARKNESS AND THE EARTH

CHAPTER 9

THE MILLENNIAL DAY

SPIRITUAL TECHNOLOGY

They knew they had dominion over the earth.  They prayerfully and gently molded things in to the shape they desired.  They would ask it to yield to their stewardship and cooperate.  It was a terrestrial use of God's creative power, the same power He used to form the earth and the heavens.  They were asking in faith for God to allow them to step into that creative role and change something that already existed. pg. 223

The point in the beginning was to bring us to flawless obedience, perfect trust and spiritual purity.  Once accomplished, the purpose of everything we received was to enable us to serve God, and to beautify and enrich our lives.  pg 225

TRANSLATED VERSUS MILLENNIAL

Millenial souls were assigned to this earth to do there work.  They bore and reaised children and labored to change the entire world into Zion.  These were the people of the promise, those who had "inherited the earth" those whose children "grew up without sin unto salvation."  When they reached the age of a tree they were resurrected and their labors on earth came to an end, but extended to the vastness of God's creation.  The earth ceased to be their home and a place was ready for them in the presence of God.

Translated people did not have children and they were not earth bound.  Their labors were for a specific purpose, the building of Zion and establishment of the Kingdom of God.  Sometimes their work included other places, even other plantes and other people.  When there ministry was accomplished they prayed to God and ended their translated ministry.  They were instantly resurrected and joined with all other such beings in the service of God.  To be translated was a greater gift than any other course in and through mortality.  Their joy was greater, and because of their long service to God, their rewards were the greatest a mortal may enjoy.  pg 227

THE MILLENNIAL DAY

These times were the culmination of all of the promises that had been given since the beginning of time.  Every gift of God was made manifest before us and was used every day.  The earth was changing back in to the Garden of Eden.  The most profound and beautiful changes occurred in mankind.  We have more capacity than any human mind can imagine.  Everyone was perfect in body and attribute.  Only purity, power, beauty and tremendous wisdom remained.  The people of Zion listened only to the voice of the Lord.  There was not dissenting or angry word, no selfishness, laziness, greed or self-promotion.  No arrogance, false pride or superiority.  We were all remade into the image of our God, equal in our worth, beauty and refinements. pg 229

THE 144,000

These were the elect of God gathered in, translated and gained the seer stones.  It was the result of a lifetime of spiritual evolution.  These people knew by the power of God what they needed to do.  They were sent on assignments to help bring people to Zion.  Everything depended upon agency and our diligence in learning how to use our gifts.  We grow as our agency and inspiration guide us until we truly come to a "measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." pg 232  Every day was a Sabbath to use, and we communed with God and renewed our covenants with every breath we took.  We served without end and we rejoiced in it.

Ones experience can be hampered by their lack of faith.  pg 236

"The Time-Starved Family" by DeAnne Flynn

-BUSY KIDS DO NOT EQUAL GOOD MOM- 

A mother does not need to plan her child's whole social life.  Parents put their children on a scheduled treadmill that just keeps turning up the speed...  This handicaps the kids for the future.  Our kids expect to be entertained, and they don't need to be self-starters so they don't.

-SIMPLE IS BETTER-

Focus on what I can control.  I have the reigns on our family schedule and activities.  Much of the stress we have is self-imposed.  Accept the fact that parenting was never meant to be easy.

Am I teaching my kids LIFE skills?

-ATTITUDE DETERMINES ALTITUDE-

CHOOSE to thrive and not just survive.  Thriving is far less about circumstances and situations and more about attitude and outlook.

-PRIORITIZE TIME-

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God."

Family Dinners, Prayer, Scripture Study, FHE

Ask, "Will this matter at the judgement day?"

Imagine the Savior asking:

Did you use your time on earth wisely?

How was your attitude in the face of your trials?

Did you keep my commandments?

Whom did you serve?

When too much of our focus, our energy, our time and our means are going to the many branches of life instead of our spiritual roots, our efforts could actually cause the antithesis of our eternal goals--an overabundance and preoccupation with things and activities can rob us of the very spiritual vitality, peace and joy we are seeking to achieve in our lives and families.  -R Scott Strong

When we keep our goals and vision eternal it becomes much easier not to get overly distracted by earthly things.

-ENJOY THE NOW-

You can't do it all... and do it all well.

OR 

You can do it all... just not all at the same time.

The world says run faster.  The spirit says slow down.

When I want to start a new activity ask myself, "What do I want to give or gain by undertaking this activity or passion?"

Daily Rituals:

1.  Nourish my spirit

2.  Think positive thoughts--be grounded in gratitude

3.  Nourish my marriage--take time for my spouse every day


-UNDERSTAND THAT WINNING ISN'T THE ONLY THING-

"As caring parents, we naturally desire triumphant, positive experiences for our family members.  We want them to feel competent, confident and well rounded--and it's usually because of these worthy desire that we start to become over scheduled in the first place.  However, we need to be very careful that our quest for world achievement and success doesn't overshadow the things that matter most in our lives."

"We cannot buy priceless time spent together or the memories we make together."

In reality, a healthy self-image comes from competence and looking outward--not from awards or recognition.  

Competition is a fact of life, it is inevitable.  But we don't have to contend with the Jone's family or selfishly battle for earthly position, prestige, prominence or power.  The real "winning" families are those who keep their eyes on the prize--and that's being together forever.


-LESS IS ACTUALLY MORE-

Make wise choices.  Choose with care.


ACTIVITY:
"If I were to tell you that your earth life would end exactly three months from today, what would you change about your current schedule?"
Ask yourself,
"What does Heavenly Father expect of me?  What will be the thing of most worth to me?"

Do we have time for family scripture study, family home evening, dinner together, quite time to pray & ponder and relax together?

"For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God."  Alma 34:32

Our end goal is to meet God and have eternal life... so what do we need to do at the beginning to achieve that goal?  We need to wisely use the 24 hrs we have been given each day to prove ourselves.

How to Prioritize:
Sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil.  Use your calendar and your scriptures.  Take some time to prayerfully analyze your goals.  Then analyze your current schedule.  Are they in harmony with each other?  What can be put on hold or possibly even eliminated from your life to simplify and improve your daily routine?

Be a parent, not a push-over.

Remember that no one is perfect, so don't expect your family to be.

Find Balance like a Fruit Tree
Pruning the branches is prioritizing--cutting the unnecessary so the truly essential can emerge.
Essential: absolutely necessary; indispensable; vital.

Be soft enough to listen to your heart, and strong enough to follow it.

"Mothers who know do less.  They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally.  They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home.  Mothers who know are willing to live om less and consume less of the world's goods in order to spend more time with their children--more time eating together, working together, reading together, talking, laughing, singing and exemplifying.  These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all.  Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world.  Their goal is to prepare future fathers and mothers who will be builders of the Lord's kingdom for the next 50 years.  That is influence, that is power."  Jule B. Beck

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"True self-esteem in not an independent commodity we can obtain.  It occurs as a by-product, a natural consequence of living with a different kind of esteem: esteem for others.  As odd as it sounds in a society obsessed with nourishment of the self, our feelings of self-esteem, self-worth, self-respect, grow only as quickly, deeply and securely as does our esteem for those around us.  It is founded upon a love of God and a knowledge of God's love for us--a double gift bestowed upon those who serve their fellow beings.  Only self-worth based upon God's knowledge of who we are and what we can become is perfect and unfailing.  Perhaps we should stop arranging experiences in the spotlight for our children and start arranging time to make a difference in someone else's life, with the kids along!"  -Cheri Loveless

In other words, by teaching our kids to look outward instead of inward, we can help them begin their own journey toward developing genuine esteem for others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-ALLOW AUTONOMY-

We can help children best by: Leading, Loving and Listening, instead of controlling, pushing and hovering.  "Our parental privilege is to love them, to lead them and to let them go."  Russell M. Nelson

Show our children we love them even when they fall short of OUR hopes and dreams for them.  ALWAYS provide unconditional love and SUPPORT and help them come to their own conclusions on things.

Gods way of parenting:  Teach correct principles and let them govern themselves.

Have my home be a place to relax, a place of comfort and a place of peace.  

-TEACH KIDS TO WORK-

Work is a blessing and a privilege.  Have the kids have outside jobs by 14 yrs old.

Work builds character, skill, endurance and togetherness in families.

"It's unwise to do for your children what they can do for themselves."The more opportunities you give your kids to work, the more skills and abilities they develop and the more self-reliant and confident they'll become.

-Teach them how to do the job

-Praise their contribution, attitude and effort

-Clearly define what you expect of them

-Point out the "why", the benefits

-Don't overload them, it shouldn't be stressful and full of pressure

- Maximize Motivation  (provide rewards, IF you...)(Saturday morning job lists kids pick a list when they wake up)

-Be Consistent, stick to your guns

*Don't let them get away with a poor job or lack of follow through.  It only teaches them that getting out of work is much easier than doing it.

Teach them how to:  cook, clean, do laundry, shop, budget, save, tithing

-TEACH PATIENCE AND CHARITY-

"One of the most important things we can teach our children is to deny themselves.  Instant gratification makes weak people."  Joe J. Christensen

Teach them while they are young, that we don't get everything we want in life!

Have the kids work and earn what they get.

Find ways to serve others together.

Focus on the gifts we already have--GRATITUDE.   Have a gratitude journal.

Downplay materialism--seek for things of a better world.  Things don't satisfy.

Say no to unimportant things so you can say yes to important things.

Shift from the Spotlight to Selfless Service:

Have the children ask themselves "How is the world a better place because I am in it?"  Journal daily contributions they make to help others.

It is better to serve than be served.  It brings JOY!

Take Service Vacations - Service Birthday Parties - Service during the Holidays

Blessings of Family Dinner

-Promotes positive communication

-Eat healthier

-Children increase academics and language skills

-Fosters healthy child development

Have kids do kitchen duty for a week.

Have a set time to eat between 5-5:30.

Share "highs & lows" of the day. 

Share what good they did through the day.

Have a special plate for birthdays, or to give tribute for a job well done or special occasions.