Sunday, June 19th, 2022: Happy Father's Day! Dr. Knippers & missionaries, Sunday School, Father's Day meal and pie, Facetime w/ J, K, Ch, ...

 

Manaus, Brazil

138th operating temple

Dedicated: 10 June 2012

By: Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Jesus Christ, Second Coming

Matthew 16:27

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according ot his works.

Book of Mormon

Alma 18:24-19:11

19:35 - And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which are in God.

"Come Follow Me"

Review 1 Samuel 8-10; 13; 15-18 "The Battle Is the Lord's"

I also read 1 Samuel 25 the story of Abigail.

AprGenCon

"Love, Share, Invite"

Elder Gary E. Stevenson

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Interestingly, it wasn't only the Apostles who took Jesus's words to share the gospel to heart. Members of the early Church, from the newest to the most seasoned, took part in the Savior's great commission, sharing the good news of the gospel with those they met and knew. The determination to share their testimony of Jesus Christ helped His newly established Church grow expansively.

We too, as Christ's disciples, are invited to heed His commission today, as if we were there on that mountain in Galilee when He first proclaimed it. This commission began again in 1830, when Joseph Smith set apart his brother Samuel as an early missionary of the church of Jesus Christ. Since that time, more than 1.5 million missionaries have traveled throughout the world teaching all nations and baptizing those who embrace the glad tidings of the restored gospel. This is our doctrine. Our fond desire.

James's Father's Day card turned out to be a Happy Birthday card. James says he is "losing it". I guess I am too. I tackily crossed out Birthday so the card now says Happy Father's Day. I wrote a sweet note which will hopefully make up for such a silly mistake.

At sacrament meeting today I noticed again that Pierce was not here. Maybe he is spending Father's Day with another one of his kids.

The high councilman who was supposed to speak to us today could not be here. Dr. Knippers, who is the doctor who did my cataract surgery, spoke to us. Before he spoke the elders, Elder McPhee and Elder Goodwin bore their testimonies. Here are some notes that I took:

Elder McPhee - The gospel can really bring peace and comfort. A change of heart is not an event; it takes faith, repentance, and spiritual work to happen. The Holy Ghost is so important. I love the gospel so very much!

Elder Goodwin - Vernon is my favorite place to serve. I am grateful for my Father in Heaven. Because of the gospel of Jesus Christ I have experienced a might change of heart. We make our life harder when we don't accept God's will.

Brother Knippers from the stake high council - Moroni 5:16 ...the Spirit of Christ is given to every man...25 years ago I served a mission in Kyiv, Ukraine. Elder Holland came to speak to the missionaries. I don't remember anything he said except, "I love you and the Savior loves you." Elder Cook in 2013 ask, "What is the source of your peace?"  Alma 17 Alma and the sons of Mosiah unite. They had fasted, prayed, and followed the promptings of the Spirit, even when it didn't make sense, and this caused them to be successful missionaries. Repentance, change and turning to the Lord can bring us peace and joy in our lives. In Mark 2 a man in Capernum was lowered through a roof to see Jesus. The Savior said to him, "Thy sins are forgiven thee." What do we want the Savior to say to us?

Brother Knippers quoted the words to the song, "There Is Peace in Christ." We become peacemakers by following our Savior Jesus Christ. A Peacemaker is one who follows the gospel and proclaims the gospel. 

"Peacemakers are not passive, they are persuasive in the Savior's way." - Elder Neil L. Andersen, April 2022

2 Nephi 25:26 - And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

Alma 17:11 Go forth among the Lamanites and be patient in your afflictions.

Brother Knippers told about re-learning to ski, this time without the use of his legs. He continued to fall until the instructor told him to focus on where he wanted to be...at the bottom of the hill. 

We need to focus on where we want to be. We need to focus on the Temple, the temple will teach and inspire us in our lives.

Sunday School

The main focus of Sunday School today was the story of David and Goliath and how we can overcome the Goliath's in our lives. The following is taken from an Instagram post by Emily Belle Freeman:

To my Goliath.

To the battles that rage in my own life.

There are five lessons in this story that I want to remember.

1. When the lion or the bear shows up don't play dead. Don't run. Go after it. Fight. The Lord your God is with you.

2. In the moment that requires greatest courage, lean into your strength.

3. Often, what makes us battle ready is the memory of what we have previously overcome.

4. "I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel . . . the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands."

5. Don't play small. God created the champion in you. Go, and the Lord be with thee.

Although we did not talk about her in Sunday School, I can't help but include Abigail in this set of scriptures. Her story is found in 1 Samuel 25.

The lessons of Abigail

A Type and Shadow of Christ

"On me be the sin." She took Nabal's sin on her own head, and in that act she resembled the Savior. 

"Forgive the trespass of thine handmaid."

The Lord doesn't need forgiveness at all. The act of taking others' sins upon himself did not make him sinful. Willingness to assume another's sins is actually an expression of sinlessness.

Abigail asked for forgiveness not because she needed to be forgiven but because David needed to forgive."

Abigails message was that forgiveness was for the one who was forgiving, not the one who was being forgiven.

Many people in our ward did not have

electricity this morning while getting

ready for church. I was back on by the

time they got home.

I made lunch for James and I. Shaved steak, cheese, and caramelized onions on a thin bun with mustard and tomato, baked potatoes, and asparagus. After lunch we took a nap and then I got up and made James his favorite dessert, an Eagle Brand pie. 

This evening we Facetimed with Jared. Palmer, Autumn, and Scarlett are staying at their home right now. Jared was wondering if his dad could come out and remodel their bathroom. We would love to do that, around Charlie's birthday. I hope it can happen but I am not sure. Of course Jared wished his dad a happy father's day. I think Jared had a good day too. They had ribs, homemade beans and potato salad. 

Sheri and the boys have started on their adventure to Italy. She posted that their flight from London to Rome was postponed. She was upset but Alex is there to calm her down. I am looking forward to the pictures she will be posting. 

The Church's one hundred and seventy third temple was dedicated today by Elder Neil L. Andersen.