Category Ward

ORANGE – Restriction Level

Under the direction of the First Presidency and our Stake Presidency, Sacrament Meeting will resume on a limited basis, as per Bishop Harwood’s emails on June 1st & 5th.

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We have created a special page for the Phase:1 Back to Church phase, as there is a good amount of information. Please click the link below for further instructions!

Brothers and Sisters, I hope you have had a good week this past week and that you and your family are feeling well and staying safe during this difficult time. With all that has been happening, I was excited to hear the news that monthly Sacrament meetings will be resuming later this month! The Come Follow Me Lesson for this Sunday is Alma 8-12. I love the title of this lesson that our beloved Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would come to atone for our sins.

In Alma 8, we learn that our efforts to share the Gospel may require persistence and patience. While in High School, I had the missionary lessons taught to at least three of my friends but sadly not one of them chose to be baptized although one came close to doing so. Those of us who have served missions have learned this first hand. Missionary work involves a lot of rejection but it only makes our missionary successes and baptisms that much sweeter. As I have sought to share the Gospel with family members who are less active I have struggled to know what to say to try to share it in a way that they don’t feel judged or offended. Even Alma, who was the leader of the Lord’s Church in his time, experienced this rejection when he tried to preach the Gospel to the people of the wicked city of Ammonihah but the Lord sent an Angel to comfort him and tell him to return to the city where he met Amulek. The Angel told him that the people of Ammonihah were studying how to destroy the liberty of the Nephites, just as we have been warned in Ether 8:22-25 that secret combinations are doing in our own land today, and that if they did not repent of their sins they would be destroyed. Alma and Amulek were then given power to break their bands in prison and to prophesy unto the people with great power and authority from God.

Alma 8-9 teaches us the importance of our responsibility to do everything we can to help the full-time missionaries with referrals to teach our friends, family members and neighbors so that they can enjoy the same blessings that we do as active members of the Lord’s restored Church here on Earth. With all the restrictions on proselyting due to the pandemic, I believe they need our help now more than ever. We don’t need to be called as full-time or ward missionaries to do missionary work. We can do so as member-missionaries. Sometimes it takes courage to take a stand and defend the Gospel from others who might ridicule our Church, Church leaders and Church teachings, particularly those relating to morality and the family, and persecute us for believing in the absolute truths which the Savior taught during his sojourn here on Earth. On this matter, Elder Holland has counseled, “Friends, especially my young friends, take heart. Pure Christlike love flowing from true righteousness can change the world…Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. Defend your beliefs with courtesy and compassion but defend them.” We have been especially proud of our daughters who have refused to cave to peer pressure and have chosen to reject the counterfeit moral teachings of the world even when most of their friends have accepted them, in opposition to Church teachings.

Alma 9 teaches that God judges His children according to the light and knowledge he has blessed us with. Alma 9:18-30 talks about how the Nephites would be cursed to destruction if they did not repent of their sins because of all the blessings the Lord had given them. Nevertheless, we are taught that salvation is an individual matter and regardless of the fate of our respective countries which are to be cleansed of most of the wicked before the Lord’s Second Coming, if we are righteous the Lord will ensure our deliverance if not in this life than in the Eternities. This teaches the importance of always guarding against personal apostasy to ensure that we do not lose the Lord’s blessings of spiritual and physical protection for ourselves and our families.

Alma 11-12 teaches us about God’s plan of redemption for His spirit children here on Earth. Jesus taught that only the penitent reap the full blessings of his Atonement and for those who reject Him and refuse to repent it is as if no Atonement had been made and they will have to suffer in Spirit Prison for their sins. In Alma 11: 39-40, it says that the Lord “shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name…Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made except it be the loosing of the bands of death.” Though the Atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind receives the gift of immortality and resurrection and all but a few who live on this earth will be redeemed to a Heavenly Kingdom of Glory after Judgment Day. In Alma 11, we learn that when we are resurrected we will be resurrected to the same spirit we had in this life whether wicked or righteous to be judged according to our works.

I love the story of Zeezrom, who like Alma the Younger was a wicked man and an enemy of God early in life, but then in Alma 15 (in the next lesson) repented of his sins and served a full-time missionary with Alma. Their stories cause me to rejoice in the tender mercies of the Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement. They help me increase in my faith and truth in the Lord that all of us and our family members who might be less active and not keeping the commandments at this time might also be redeemed and forgiven of their sins if they but turn back to the Lord once more and repent of their sins.

In Alma 11, Alma teaches Zeezrom that there is only one God. The scriptures teach that the members of the Godhead, Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, are “one God” while still being separate beings because they are one and united in purpose. Similarly, the Lord has commanded us as members of our families and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to be one and united in purpose. Over the past couple of weeks, our nation has been racked by violent riots, sparked by racial strife and division, whose most extreme perpetrators have sought to burn down our cities, overthrow law and order, allow violent criminals to go unpunished, incite civil war and ultimately to overthrow our God-given constitutional republic. The following Church video teaches the importance of emphasizing our unity and common divine heritage as sons and daughters of a loving God:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxS89yZtAmM

Our beloved Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, recently provided a beautifully-worded statement in condemnation of all racism and prejudice as well as all acts of violence and unrest. The Prophet has called for unity and peace and an end to racial division in the realization that, regardless of skin color, we are all spiritual brothers and sisters of equal worth before God. The Church has taught that each of us have been blessed with the divine potential to become like our Heavenly Parents, regardless of our racial origins. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-nelson-shares-social-post-encouraging-understanding-and-civility

The Second Article of Faith states “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.” Here we learn that we are not guilty of crimes or offenses that may or may not have been committed by our ancestors from generations past, but rather will be held responsible before God solely for the individual acts of good and evil which we commit. I believe that is why racial prejudice and hating or resenting people because of their race, skin color or national origin has always been so wrong and so offensive to God because it is contrary to the Plan of Salvation and helps enable the Adversary to deceive us into denying our individual responsibility for our own sins and mistakes. At this time of increased racial division, hatred and strife, may we fast and pray that we may be filled with God’s love, increased compassion and greater understanding for others, particularly those of other races as the Prophet has urged us to do. As we strive to implement the Lord’s commandment to “love thy neighbor as thyself” by loving and serving others, may we be filled with increased happiness and joy and find more fulfillment while the Lord helps our individual trials and tribulations to be lightened and our sufferings to be eased.

In this life, as in the pre-existence, God has blessed us with the freedom to choose good from evil and thus it is we who get to choose our own eternal outcome in terms of what Heavenly Kingdom of Glory we inherit. As President Monson stated, our “decisions determine (our) destiny.” Then as now, we have the choice to follow and serve God or Satan by faithfully keeping the Lord’s commandments or rebelling against them. If we choose the right, we are promised the blessing of enjoying the tender mercies of the Lord’s Atonement and receiving forgiveness for our sins but, if we do not then we are taught that we will be exposed to the demands of God’s justice and the mercies of the Lord’s Atonement will have no claim upon us.

In Alma 12:9-14, we learn that if we do not harden our hearts we can receive more of the word of God. As we strive to be diligent in keeping the Lord’s commandments and studying the Holy Scriptures, the Lord will bless us with greater understanding of Church doctrine and spiritual truths as he has done in the past with Church leaders past and present. We have been taught that the unrighteous choices of those who have apostatized from His Church cause them to lose the Spirit of discernment and enable the Adversary to cause them to forget the plain and precious Gospel truths that they once understood. The more we choose the right, the more of the Spirit of the Lord can abide with us and give us increased light and truth. If we choose wickedness the more blinded we become to the importance of God’s laws particularly those concerning the importance of morality and keeping ourselves virtuous and pure in our thoughts, words and actions, which are key to enabling us to increase in our individual faith and spiritual power.

As Church members we strive for a greater Celestial inheritance and have the hope and faith of one day being sealed to our families throughout all eternities and inheriting all that our Heavenly Parents have. While we have been warned of the extremely trying and difficult times to come as the Lord commences to pour out His righteous judgments upon the wicked, we can rejoice in the fact that we have been told by Church leaders that we are living at a time when most of us will live to witness the glorious Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and live to see the Earth transformed into its Millennial glory in the flesh. We have been promised that the Millennium will be a time of unparalleled peace without temptation or sin where all of our mental and physical disabilities, sicknesses and sufferings, which we have previously experienced, will be done away. With all my heart, I look forward to that blessed day!

I am so grateful to have been blessed not to have been born into the Church but to have been raised in the Church from a young age so that I might know the commandments of the Lord so I can keep them. I am especially grateful for being blessed with the knowledge of my Temple Covenants so I could keep them. I love the Book of Mormon and I know that it was written for us in our time to help guide us to follow the Savior and be obedient to His commandments. I pray that we might be inspired in the coming weeks to know who to share the Gospel with so that they might have this great knowledge and blessings in their lives as well.

Brother Pyne

Hello friends and neighbors,

It is good to have this opportunity to share a brief message with you.   In the readings for this week (Alma 5-7), Alma the Younger declares a powerful testimony throughout the land of Jesus Christ and the power of repentance and change.  

In Alma 5:14, Alma utters some simple yet profound questions to his people, questions that are every bit as important today for each of us to think about.  He asks “And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?”

In a 2009 general conference address, Elder Dale G. Renlund, a former cardiologist, talked about a change of heart (a heart transplant) that has been performed many times since the first successful operation in 1967.  This amazing physical process can “prolong life for years for people who would otherwise die from heart failure.”[i]  However, Elder Renlund explained that as incredible as this procedure is, there is another “ultimate operation” on the heart.  “The ultimate operation is not a physical but a spiritual “mighty change” of heart (i.e. the change that Alma inquired about of his people and to each of us).   Elder Renlund goes on to say “Through the Atonement of Christ and by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel, we undergo this ultimate operation, this spiritual change of heart. As a result of our transgressions, our spiritual hearts have become diseased and hardened, making us subject to spiritual death and separation from our Heavenly Father. The Lord explained the operation that we all need: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”

Brothers and sisters, I challenge each of us, if we haven’t already done so, to ponder Alma’s questions in our own mind and hearts this upcoming week.  While our transgression may seem small and may even seem insignificant, without a change through the cleansing power of repentance we cannot be as close to our Heavenly Father, His Son, and the Holy Ghost as we would like.  We all need to continually make the necessary adjustments of heart that will lead us closer to and eventually back to our heavenly home.

Have a wonderful week and hopefully we see you soon.

Brother Mark Stewart

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[i] Preserving the Heart’s Mighty Change”  Elder Dale G. Renlund.  October 2009 General Conference.

HOURS – Tuesday – Saturday 9:00a – 5:00p

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To schedule a drop-off appointment, or find out about other locations, please visit the link below.

Brothers and Sisters, I hope you have had a good week this past week and that you and your family are continuing to do well at this trying time for our country and the world. The Come Follow Me Lesson for this Sunday is Mosiah 29-Alma 4. A couple weeks ago I was feeling down and prayed for ideas for ways I could better serve others through Christlike service at this time. I invite you all to pray and think of ways and opportunities that you can serve both loved ones and those you may not know who may be in need during the coming week.

The story of Captain Gideon, who led a rebellion to liberate his people against wicked King Noah, served as righteous King Limhi’s Chief Captain and then subsequently used the word of God to refute the teachings of an anti-Christ whose name was Nehor in Alma 1:2-9 has always been inspiring to me. Nehor sought to destroy the Church teaching that men and women had no need to repent of their sins but that they would all be saved and have eternal life much as other churches that our founded on worldly teachings and values rather than on the plain and precious truths of the Gospel as taught in the Holy Scriptures, teach today. Nehor’s motivation was the glory of men whereas Gideon’s motivation was the glory of God. Gideon subsequently gave his life in defense of the Gospel, being slain by Nehor. Similarly, as members of the Lord’s Restored Church on Earth we should be willing to consecrate our lives in defense of the Lord’s Church and to do everything we can to establish His Kingdom here on Earth.

In our day, as in times of old, there are many voices inspired by the Adversary, counseling us that the Church, its leaders and its teachings are somehow ‘outdated’ and ‘outmoded’ and must be changed and modified to account for the ever-changing ‘values’ of the world. They teach that we must not merely accept, but praise and take pride in the sins of others and that we must never judge or be critical of those who engage in immoral lifestyle choices no matter how much they are in opposition to Church teachings and no matter how much they set at naught the commandments of the Lord. Others teach that criminal acts of violence and mayhem are justified in furtherance of so-called ‘social justice’ and that the killing of tens of millions of innocent babies in our own country is to be celebrated as an expression of ‘the right to choose.’ Many churches teach that as long as we are ‘born again’ we will automatically be forgiven of all of our sins, no matter how great, that we may commit after we accept Jesus as our personal Savior and that we are saved by grace, not by works. Others teach that there is no Hell and no Devil. This is one of the main tactics the Adversary uses to deceive men and women into committing sin that he doesn’t exist and thus we can all sin with impunity as no one will ever be punished for their crimes against the laws of God, denying the necessity of the Atonement of our beloved Savior Jesus Christ in the process.

What happens when the people choose wickedness? In Mosiah 29:27, it warns “And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.” Can anyone of us say that the majority of our people and the people of the world have not chosen wickedness? Church leaders have taught that the righteous judgments of a just God will be poured out upon our nation if our citizens do not repent. The best protection we have as individuals and families against the coming travails prophesied by both ancient and modern-day Prophets is to more strictly abide by the commandments of the Lord and seek to more diligently do His will every day of our lives. We can also find great protection, both spiritual and physical, in keeping the sacred covenants we made with Heavenly Father both when we were baptized, which we renew when we partake of the Sacrament, and in the Holy Temple.

In Alma 2:1-7, it talks about a wicked man named Amlici who led a rebellion against the Nephite government, which was led by righteous leaders committed to the cause of freedom, in an attempt to replace their republican form of government with a monarchy led by him. The scriptures say that Amlici sought to be King to accomplish the desires of Satan to deprive the people of their rights of worship and destroy the Church of God which had been established by Alma the Elder. Thankfully, the majority of the Nephite people voted to preserve their free republic which was then led by the President of the Church, Alma the Younger, support righteous laws and oppose Amlici’s bid to overturn their free system of government.

In Alma 2, we read about how after Amlici was rejected by the people, he was appointed king by his wicked followers and conspired with the Lamanites to join with their armies in an attempt to overthrow the freedom of the land. In Alma 3, it says the Amlicites marked their foreheads with a red mark to distinguish themselves from the righteous Nephites. Here we learn that every person is responsible for his or her individual sins and brings upon them their own punishment if they do not repent and avail themselves of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and that everyone is judged based upon their individual life choices be they good or evil, rather than being held responsible for the sins and transgressors of their ancestors. As the leader of both the Church and government, Alma the Younger led the Nephites in battle and the Lord strengthened the Nephites in answer to their prayers to defeat the much numerically superior combined Lamanite-Amlicite armies. Similarly, even when our life struggles, trials and tribulations seem unsurmountable, if we exercise our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in humble prayer, the Lord will bless us to overcome our trials and tribulations and ease or remove our suffering.

While we do not currently enjoy the blessing of living in a country led by our beloved Prophet today as the Nephites did at that time, we have been instructed by the Lord and modern-day Prophets in D&C 98:10 that we should seek to elect leaders who are “honest, honorable and wise” just as the Nephites did in their time. It reads, “Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil.” In a time of such great wickedness in our own land and the world, the importance of us doing so cannot be overstated. For those of you who might be interested in reading more about the Church’s teachings in this matter, I have attached a copy of a recent talk (included in an email to you) I was asked by the Bishop to give on “Patriotism and the Constitution” last summer.

In Alma 1:19-30 and 4:6-15 we learn that the sin of pride can cause us to fail in our spiritual progress. These scriptures teach us that all men and women are alike and equal before God and that none of us are better than others in His eyes no matter what race, creed or religion and no matter how lowly or impoverished they may be. This is a sacred truth that I believe that it is very important for each and every one of us to understand to see every other person on Earth as a son and daughter of God with equal claim to his tender mercies if they but keep His commandments. No matter how far others may have fallen from keeping God’s laws, they can repent in this life and be cleansed of all sin through the miraculous and incomprehensible power of the Savior’s Atonement. We have also been taught by President Oaks that “some repentance is possible in the Spirit World” enabling those in Spirit Prison to be taught and accept the Gospel and be liberated to go to Paradise and live alongside those who lived righteously here on Earth. As we think of family members who rejected the Gospel in this life and died in their sins, we may exercise hope and faith in Christ that they will repent and accept the Gospel in the Eternal World, perhaps being taught the Gospel by righteous family members. This is further evidence of the boundless and endless mercies of God towards his spirit children in this life and the next.

It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to study the Scriptures and the words of Church leaders so that we might be blessed with the power to discern false teachings and defend the Lord’s Church and His anointed leaders against them just as Captain Gideon did in his time. By so doing, we can strengthen ourselves and our family members against the ever-present threat of personal apostasy which often begins when we are critical of Church leaders or when we choose which of their inspired counsel to accept and reject, pridefully believing that we know better than they do and that we know more than God does and that they are leading us astray on one or more issues or points of doctrine.

We have been repeatedly promised by modern-day Prophets that God will never allow the President of the Church to lead us astray and thus to the extent that we disagree with his counsel we may have a perfect knowledge that it is we who are mistaken and not the Prophet of the Lord. We have been taught by President Ezra Taft Benson and other modern day Prophets that we must become humble and meek before the Lord and abandon all pride so that we may not be deceived. Elder Uchtdorf likened pride to a switch which turns off our spiritual and Priesthood power and our ability to have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us. Without the Holy Spirit, it can be difficult for us to ascertain false doctrine and we can be left more susceptible to being deceived by the Devil into committing sin.

One way that the Adversary tries to lead us astray is by causing us to be offended out of his Church often to pride because of some imagined slight against us by local Church leaders or ward members. If we are not prideful, then we will not be offended by the words or actions of others. We should remember that the organization of the Church is perfect but Church leaders and members are not and that individuals in the Church sometimes make mistakes. The Lord restored His Church to the Earth so that we can perfect ourselves over the course of our lives, one commandment at a time.

As we strive to apply the teachings of this important Book of Mormon lesson into our lives, let us think of ways that we may become more humble, more meek, more Christlike and less prideful in our lives so that we can avoid taking offense and avoid contention and promote peace in our own lives. During the coming week, as we think prayerfully of loved ones, friends and acquaintances to share the Gospel with, let us think of ways we can share our testimonies of the Gospel without appearing judgmental. We can do so by showing our love and compassion for those we share the Gospel with to help ensure they are not offended. I pray that we might do so humbly in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Brother Pyne

Good Morning Friends,

I hope that all of you are safe and well.  It was the highlight of a very difficult week to know that we are getting closer to being able to meet together again.  As I read Mosiah 25:10, I thought of “the immediate goodness of God” that has been present in my life during this pandemic.  I am so grateful for the safety of my family and friends and to have been able to see the hand of God in our lives.  I can’t wait to be able to join with all of you in raising our voices together to give thanks to God for our many blessings.  I guarantee, tears will be shed. 

In Mosiah 26:22, it reads, “For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance.  And whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive.”  The concept of Believing in Christ and being Freely Forgiven is precious.    In business terms, we know that nothing is ever free.  There is always a cost associated with an item.  In verse 23, we read, “For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world.”  We know that the price for our sin was paid by Jesus Christ.  It is believing in what Jesus Christ did for us that allows us to redeem forgiveness.  The thoughts that kept running through my mind were, Why is hard for me to freely forgive?  Why am I resistant to believe that people have changed?  Why is it hard for me to forget what others have done to me, when the Lord can forget what I have done to him?

As I read this week, I kept thinking of a talk by Elder Holland, “The Other Prodigal”.  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2002/04/the-other-prodigal?lang= I relate the parable of the Prodigal Son to sin.  I can relate the father in the story to many parents but especially to Alma the Elder and ultimately, our Father in Heaven.  When the Son (all of us) came to himself (an awareness of our transgressions) he returned to the father (plea for repentance).  The father reacted with joy by killing the fatted calf (offering a sacrifice to God in appreciation).  Alma the Elder “rejoiced” (Mosiah 27:20) when Alma the younger was struck dumb.   We know from the scriptures that Heavenly Father is also pleased and weeps when his children return.  The bond between the Father and the Son in my interpretation of the parable is intimate and sacred as the Father (Heavenly Father) knows what the Son (all of us) has done.  He had already sent his son, Jesus Christ, to pay the debts incurred by his Son (all of us).  The Son (all of us), knows what the Father (Heavenly Father) has done to cover his debts and knows he will never be able to repay the Father (Heavenly Father).  The Father (Heavenly Father) knows the heart of the Son (all of us) and freely forgives the Son (all of us).   

Sin isn’t without consequence.  One of those consequences is the effect it has on other people.  I believe this is why we sometimes find it hard to forgive others.  We feel wronged.  We sometimes act like the other brother in the parable.  My favorite passage in the talk by Elder Holland referring to the other brother is this: “This son is not so much angry that the other has come home as he is angry that his parents are so happy about it. Feeling unappreciated and perhaps more than a little self-pity, this dutiful son—and he is wonderfully dutiful—forgets for a moment that he has never had to know filth or despair, fear or self-loathing. He forgets for a moment that every calf on the ranch is already his and so are all the robes in the closet and every ring in the drawer. He forgets for a moment that his faithfulness has been and always will be rewarded.

No, he who has virtually everything, and who has in his
hardworking, wonderful way earned it, lacks the one thing that might make him
the complete man of the Lord he nearly is. He has yet to come to the compassion
and mercy, the charitable breadth of vision to see that this is not a rival
returning. It is his brother. As his father pled with him to see, it is one who
was dead and now is alive. It is one who was lost and now is found.”

It is important for us to remember when we feel that we have been wronged by someone, that we too have things that we need forgiveness for.  In that wrongful situation, we may not be the offender but we can have compassion as God does with us.  We can have mercy on the person who has known “filth or despair, fear or self-loathing”.  We can freely forgive so that we can find peace.  This process is how both the offender and the person who has been offended can grow and move on in their own personal journey. 

In Elder Uchtdorf’s talk from this
past general conference, he says: “Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died so that
our mistakes might not condemn us and forever halt our progress. Because of
Him, we can repent, and our mistakes can become stepping-stones to greater
glory.”  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/54uchtdorf?lang=eng

I am sure that there were times as
Alma the Younger and the Sons of Mosiah went around preaching the gospel that
people remembered them for their past mistakes. 
However, through the Spirit they were able to prove their changed hearts
and convince the people of the truth of their words.  We too may have people in our lives that have
led a different life but are trying to change. 
We can help them by allowing them to grow and progress without our
judgement.  I truly believe that some of
the strongest testimony of truth comes from those who have struggled with a
particular trial.  In Mosiah 27:37, we
read about Alma the Younger and the Sons of Mosiah after their conversion, “And
how blessed are they!  For they did
publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and the did declare unto
the people that the Lord reigneth.”  Not
too bad for a group of young men who had been called the “vilest” of sinners. 

I am so grateful for the Book of
Mormon.  I am so grateful for my Savior,
Jesus Christ and the gift of being Freely Forgiven. 

I hope that you have a wonderful
week.  Keep up with your reading of the
Book of Mormon.  Alma is filled with
great stories to act out as a family, Mighty Super Heroes, a wealth of
Doctrine, and some fantastic battles.  I
can’t wait!!

Sister Rooley

Brothers and Sisters, I hope you have had a good week this past week and that you and your family are feeling well and staying safe! The Come Follow Me Lesson for this Sunday is Mosiah 18-24. This lesson is about the importance of us honoring and keeping sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father. Our beloved Prophet Russell M. Nelson has focused his ministry on helping the Saints understand the importance of making and keeping sacred covenants and keeping on the covenant path. We have been taught that we make sacred covenants when we are baptized, when we partake of the Sacrament and when are endowed with Priesthood power in the Holy Temple and are sealed to our families as part of the New and Everlasting Covenant.

In Mosiah 18, we learn of the account of Alma the Elder and his people. As discussed in a previous lesson, Alma was one of the priests of Noah who was converted unto the Lord by the preachings of the Prophet Abinadi and was subsequently forced to flee for his life after he begged King Noah to spare Abinadi’s life before he began converting others. One wonders whether Abinadi knew that his labors in the vineyard of the Lord would bear fruit and result in the conversion of a future Prophet of the Lord and the restoration of the full organization of the Lord’s Church to the Nephites or whether he died wondering if his labors had been in vain. I believe as a prophet of the Lord, he was shown before he died that his labors would bear great fruit even though like some missionaries who have served, he did not live to see any of those he taught baptized to the Lord.

It appears that Alma the Elder was chosen by the Lord to restore the full organization of His Church in the promised land of the Americas even though the plain and precious truths of the Gospel continued to be taught by King Benjamin and other Nephite leaders who continued to possess the Melchizedek Priesthood in an unbroken line from the time of Nephi. While we are told that Alma was appointed by the wicked King Noah because he was lifted up in the pride of his heart, we have no reason to believe he partook in the same serious sins as did the other priests of Noah as had he done so the Lord would not likely have entrusted him with so great a task as to fully restore and lead His Church on the Earth. On this matter, the Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith taught, “We should take into consideration in the study of the Book of Mormon the fact that it is an abridgment taken from the records or history that had been kept by the prophets among the Nephites. Therefore, many of the details are lacking. While the detail is lacking, the evidence is very clear that the Melchizedek Priesthood was possessed by the Nephites. In the case of Alma and his priesthood, we are left to surmise that he legally and divinely received it before the days of King Noah. We read that Zeniff, the father of Noah, was a righteous man. Alma evidently received the priesthood in the days of Zeniff, and at no time did he fully accept the teachings nor with full purpose follow the counsels and procedure of Noah and his wicked priests…Just at what time Alma received the priesthood is not clearly stated, but we may presume that it occurred before Noah came to the throne. Moreover, we must also conclude that Alma at no time truly entered into the wickedness of this wicked king.” It appears that there were a couple of decades between Alma having to flee into the wilderness when he was still a fairly young man and the time that his people were led back to the land of Zarahemla. It was likely during this period that Alma was fully converted to the Lord and prepared to serve as the first High Priest over the Church in the land of Helam and later over the Church in Zarahemla.

In Mosiah 18:8-10, it says when the people of Alma were baptized unto the Lord, they made a covenant with God to “serve Him and keep his commandments” just as all of us did when we were baptized into the Church. As members of the Lord’s Church we also covenant to stand as witnesses of God. This means that we covenant to live righteously, share the Gospel with others and defend and uphold the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who attempt to disparage the Lord’s Church, His anointed leaders including both general officers and local leaders and Church doctrine and policies as revealed to us by Church leaders. The Lord Jesus Christ taught us that one of the best ways we can serve God is by helping and serving others and thereby blessing their lives and serving as instruments of God in helping to answer their prayers. We can also comfort others help bear and lighten one another’s burdens, trials and tribulations. If we do so and endure to the end in righteousness, the Lord promises us in verse 9 that we will be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection and that we will have eternal life, which is the greatest of all gifts that can be bestowed upon His children. He also promises that He will pour out His Spirit more abundantly upon us in verse 10.

I am sure that during your lives and perhaps even during the past two months of the pandemic we can all think of experiences where the Lord has answered our prayers through others or helped them bear our burdens as we have strived to keep the Lord’s commandments and kept our sacred covenants. I have been humbled and amazed at how frequently and how quickly the Lord has answered my prayers to bless members of my family over the past several weeks as we have been in need of His blessings and I am so grateful for those blessings as I know the Savior is the author of all good and that no blessing comes to us save by Him. Every time the Lord answers our prayers and we grow stronger in righteousness, the Lord increases our faith in Him, which is a gift to the faithful, and thereby increases our ability to have our prayers answered in the future. In Doctrine and Covenants 20:37, it says that we make ourselves worthy to be baptized by humbling ourselves before god and demonstrating that we have broken hearts and contrite spirits, repented of all our sins, with a willingness to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ having a determination to serve him until the end of our lives. Once baptized and becoming members of the Lord’s Church, we renew our sacred covenants of baptism by partaking worthily of the Sacrament and thereby receiving a new a remission of our sins.

In Mosiah 18:17-31, it describes the commandments the Lord gave His people through the Prophet Alma to help them become united as members of His Church. We are taught that Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are united and one in purpose and the Lord has commanded us to be united as one in purpose as well. One of the best ways we can be united is to avoid contention especially in our families and in our homes. My daughter Kathryn who returned from serving her mission in Santiago Chile recently told me that she has been amazed by the spirit of peace and complete lack of contention which she has observed in her homes since she returned from her mission. This has been one of the great blessings which our family has enjoyed since the pandemic began as have turned to the Lord for comfort and relief and sought to more fully yield ourselves unto Him and His holy will. In addition to ministering spiritually to those in need, we can also bless others by striving to be more generous in our fast offerings which ward leaders used to provide assistance to ward members in need.

In Mosiah 21 it talks about the people of King Limhi and, later in Mosiah 23 the people of Alma, being in bondage to the Lamanites and how they knew there was no way they could be delivered except by divine intervention. As they humbled themselves before the Lord in prayer, the Lord made their burdens light until He eventually, in Mosiah Chapters 22 and 24, delivered both peoples from bondage and led them to reunite with their brethren in the land of Zarahemla. In like fashion, many of us have been in spiritual bondage to sin and have been unable to break our chains of sin without sincere repentance which is only possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ forgiving us and though the Savior strengthening us to overcome our sins. Here we learn that often, the Lord often blesses us on His own timetable and not on our own as a test of our faith and to enable us to expend more effort to grow spiritually.

In these chapters, we learn about how God can help and bless us in the midst of our trials and deliver us from tribulation. Please think of ways the Lord has eased your burdens in your lives and helped you overcome afflictions and share them and your testimonies with your family members along with the gratitude you have felt to God during Home Church this Sunday. We have been taught that that Lord Jesus Christ not only bore all of our sins but had all of our tribulations that we have experienced in our lives heaped upon his shoulders that He would better know how to succor us in our tribulations. I testify that I know through personal experience that the Lord will lighten our burdens and answer our prayers in this time of trouble if we but ask our Heavenly Father and exercise our faith that He will answer our prayers.

In preparation for next week’s lesson as you read Mosiah 25-28, I urge you to think about family members or those close to you who may have strayed from the Gospel and then pray for insights how you might help those friends and family members to return to full fellowship in the Church. Many claim they are “spiritual, but not religious” and reject the need for participation in the Church claiming that they have a personal relationship with God and do not need to attend Church. Yet as Elder Christofferson has taught the Lord Jesus Christ founded His Church on Earth and has taught us the need for the Church and Priesthood Authority to provide us with the saving ordinances without which we would be unable to return to live with our Heavenly Parents.

As we continue to struggle with being unable to gather and attend Church or attend the Temple regularly, I am so very grateful for the privilege and opportunity to share my testimony and spiritual insights with you as a Gospel Doctrine teacher and pray that the Lord will continue to bless you and your families in all that you do and answer your prayers for relief.

Brother Pyne

Good Morning Brothers and Sisters!  I hope that you have enjoyed your readings this week.   

As I thought of what to write this morning, I couldn’t help but draw a correlation between Mothers (Yes, it is Mother’s Day, even in Quarantine) and Abinadi.  Prophets are sent to warn people of their sins.  Mothers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Sisters, Aunts, Grandmas, Neighbors, all women) are sent to help nurture their children and guide them to the correct paths of life.   Abinadi and Mothers have to say harsh things to their audience at times and it is often not well received.  Abinadi and Mothers teach of Jesus Christ.  Abinadi and Mothers know the scriptures and have the doctrine written in their hearts.  We should all be grateful for the “Mothers” that have been a part of our lives, who have helped, and are continuing to help us become who we should be.  

I wish that we could discuss these scripture passages together.  I would love to hear the insight that you have gained from your life experience.  I have listed some of my favorite topics and my notes from this week’s lesson.  I hope that you had some great discussions in your families this week.  

Mosiah 12:19-37. Mosiah 13:11 – Practice what you Preach.  Why is it so hard for us as mortals to do what we know and have been taught?  As a child and a parent, this is one of the hardest, most gut wrenching, soul searching, joyful topics that I have ever experienced.  I know that as a child of a wonderful mother, it has been hard for my mom to watch me make choices that she knew were against what I knew to be right.  I know that as a parent, I have spent many tearful hours, days, months, years praying for my children to have a change of heart.  We teach the doctrine in our homes but how do we make sure that we follow the doctrine ourselves and subsequently get our children to follow the doctrine?  Mosiah 12:27 teaches, “Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise.”  Mosiah 13:11, “And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts”. 

Mosiah 14 – Jesus Christ – Characteristics.  Abinadi uses references found in Isaiah to teach about Jesus Christ.  The priests should have been familiar with these scriptures.  Verse 3, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”  Verse 5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Verse 12, “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”   

Mosiah 15:8-9, Mosiah 16:6-15 – Intercession – Justice – Mercy.  Intercession means the action of intervening on behalf of another.  The lesson recommended this video from a talk from Elder Holland and it makes me cry every time I watch it.  “Where Justice Love and Mercy Meet”   

https://mediasrv.churchofjesuschrist.org/media-services/GA/size/5279626962001/720/404/997181

I cannot tell you how many times I have jumped from my figurative mountain ledges only to find the Savior there, holding me and keeping me from falling.  “We may not know we cannot tell what pains he had to bear, but we believe it was for us he hung and suffered there.”  There is a Green Hill Far Away, 194 

Mosiah 17: 2,4 – Alma was a descendant of Nephi.  Alma wrote the words of Abinadi.  “Abinadi’s willingness to die for his testimony of the Savior was a result of his willingness to live for it.”  The story of Abinadi is sung in Primary and is highlighted by Abinadi’s death for the cause of righteousness.  However, my favorite part of this story is Alma.  Alma should have been taught the words of Nephi.  Somewhere down the family line or maybe it was in Alma’s own life choices, Alma strayed from correct teachings.  However, God knew Alma.  God knew where Alma was.  God placed people in Alma’s life that would help him remember the truth.  I look at the things that Alma had to overcome and change in his life, the strength of his own personal testimony, the lessons of his past, the unique gifts he had in education and writing, the contacts that he had acquired, and marvel that God took all of these things and used it for a great good.  Alma became a strong spiritual leader who was perfectly suited for his time and his family.   

There is also a great lesson in journal keeping found in the story of Abinadi.  If it were not for Alma writing down the words of Abinadi, we would have never known of this great prophet. 

Sister Melissa Rooley

Our ward has created over 300 masks!!