Women of Virtue OR Gospel Principles Lesson 39: The Law of Chastity

I want to start this off by saying I'm not going to be talking about Chastity.......
Ok, let me give you a little background: An awesome lady in the ward came up to me almost 2 months ago and asked if I would teach this lesson even though it wasn't the one I would be teaching. I said yes (which just so happens to be my immediate reaction to most things, I should probably work on that) and she proceeded to tell me that I could have a lot of freedom with the actual lesson and teach on what I felt was good to teach. The first thing I did was go to the thesaurus and type in "chastity." I got some great words, but the one that really really stuck out to me was virtue.

Virtue.

So, my lesson went from focusing solely on chastity to being women of virtue. The following is my outline.
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“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” –Proverbs 31:10

"Virtue brings peace, strength of character, and happiness in this life." -Elaine S. Dalton 

Dictionary definition of virtue: moral excellence, goodness, righteousness. Chastity. Any of the cardinal values (prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance) or theological virtues (faith, hope, charity) Virtue “is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards” (Preach My Gospel [2004], 118).

“Virtue is a word we don’t hear often in today’s society, but the Latin root word virtus means strength. Virtuous women and men possess a quiet dignity and inner strength. They are confident because they are worthy to receive and be guided by the Holy Ghost.” Elaine S. Dalton

Bishop David. H Burton gave a talk titled “Cultivate Virtuous Traits” where he spoke about personal traits that we call virtues. Some of the traits he listed were: humility, charity, spirituality, accountability, civility, fidelity. These are all personal traits of virtue. He continues on to say:

Bishop David H. Burton

“We need only look around us to see what is taking place in our communities to realize that personal traits of virtue are in a steep decline. Reflect on the behavior of drivers on crowded highways; road rage happens all too often. Civility is all but absent in our political discourse. As countries around the world face financial and economic challenges, fidelity and honesty seem to have been replaced with greed and graft. A visit to a high school will often subject you to crude language and immodest dress. Some athletes display poor sportsmanship and seldom show humility unless publicly exposed for legal or moral infidelities. A large segment of our population feel little personal responsibility for their own temporal well-being. Some in financial distress blame bankers and lenders for loaning sums to satisfy insatiable wants rather than affordable needs. On occasion our generosity in support of good causes wanes as our appetite to acquire more than we need prevails.”

 And another quote:

“Could it be that we have been slowly desensitized into thinking that high moral standards are old-fashioned and not relevant or important in today’s society? Lehonti in the Book of Mormon was well positioned on the top of a mountain. He and those he led were “fixed in their minds with a determined resolution” that they would not come down from the mount. It only took the deceitful Amalickiah four tries, each one more bold than the previous, to get Lehonti to “come down off from the mount.” ⁸ And then having embraced Amalickiah’s false promises, Lehonti was “poison[ed] by degrees” ⁹ until he died. Not just poisoned, but “by degrees.” Could it be that this may be happening today? Could it be that first we tolerate, then accept, and eventually embrace the vice that surrounds us? ¹⁰ Could it be that we have been deceived by false role models and persuasive media messages that cause us to forget our divine identity? Are we too being poisoned by degrees? What could be more deceptive than to entice the youth of this noble generation to do nothing or to be busy ever-texting but never coming to a knowledge of the truths contained in a book that was written for you and your day by prophets of God—the Book of Mormon? What could be more deceptive than to entice women, young and old, you and me, to be so involved in ourselves, our looks, our clothes, our body shape and size that we lose sight of our divine identity and our ability to change the world through our virtuous influence?”-Elaine S. Dalton

Because of this, we as Latter Day Saint women need to be examples of virtue. We need to stand in holy places, stand tall and firmly fixed.

Elaine S. Dalton said: “Virtue begins in the heart and in the mind. It is nurtured in the home. It is the accumulation of thousands of small decisions and actions.”

She goes on to say we must return to virtue. But how do we begin? The course is unique for each of us, but she derived her own plan.

“Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly.” ^(d&c 121:45)

“Cleave unto [your] covenants.” (d&c 25:13)

 “Stand … in holy places.”^{( d&c 45:32)}

“Lay aside the things of [the] world.” (d&c 25:10)

“Believe that ye must repent.” (Mosiah 4:10)

“Always remember him and keep his commandments.” ^{(d&c 20:77)}

 
And “if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, … seek after these things.” ^{(13th article of faith)}

Of course, there are promised blessings that will come to us if we are virtuous:

D&C 25:2 : “If thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion.”

We already read this one: D&C 121:45 : “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God.”

President James E. Faust: “The Prophet Joseph Smith … said, ‘If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.’ … Hold your soul very still, and listen to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. Follow the noble, intuitive feelings planted deep within your souls by Deity in the previous world” (Ensign, May 1998)

(after I read this one in class, I said "isn't that cool! Angels cannot be restrained from being your associates! We're like Angel Magnets!!!......it got some laughs, but I did feel like a 10 year old girl immediately after I said it.....)

Returning to Virtue isn’t going to happen in a day. It’s not going to be simple or easy, because nothing good ever is. To that, I’d like to share a quote from Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley:

President Gordon B. Hinckley

 

President Gordon B. Hinckley: “I feel to invite women everywhere to rise to the great potential within you. I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity. I hope you will not nag yourselves with thoughts of failure. … I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 696).

Margaret D. Nadauld

Margaret D. Nadauld, Young Women General President: “The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough popularity; we need more purity. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue.” (“The Joy of Womanhood,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 15).

I love that last quote.

I challenge you all to try to return to virtue. To let virtue garnish your thoughts, to cleave to your covenants, to stand in holy places, to lay aside the things of the world. Remember, if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things

Missionary Work- Gospel Principles Lesson 33

Yesterday was my day to teach at Church. I'm LDS (aka Mormon....by the way, I heard "The Book Of Mormon" musical by the SouthPark guys did great at the Tony Awards last night!) and I teach the 2nd Sunday of every month in Relief Society, the woman's organization of the church. Below is my rough outline from my lesson. This month it was on missionary work. I had a lot of good participation, I wish I could share all that everyone said! (The headings in bold are the headings directly from the Gospel Principles Manual)
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On the board I wrote a scripture and a quote:
“Proclaim my gospel from land to land, and from city to city. … Bear testimony in every place, unto every people” Doctrine and Covenants 66:5,7

"Missionary work is not just one of the 88 keys on a piano that is occasionally played; it is a major chord in a compelling melody that needs to be played continuously throughout our lives if we are to remain in harmony with our commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ." -Elder Quentin L. Cook

The Lord's Church is a Missionary Church
what does this mean?  Maybe that we are responsible for sharing the Gospel everyday of our lives, that we are in charge of making sure everyone knows of the truthfulness of the Gospel. I had quite a few good answers to that question.

•   Missionary work has been present since the beginning of the earth. In Moses chapter 5:58 it says “the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning.” The Lord first revealed his plan to Adam, the first man on the earth, the Gospel has been preached ever since that day, what a long time!

• What is the missionary message? In Matthew 28:19-20 it says that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Savior. That the gospel has been restored to the earth through a prophet of God. And that my friends, is the message of missionaries

The Gospel Will Be Preached To All the World

Latter-day revelation tells us we must take the restored gospel to every nation and people (D&C 133:37) This hasn’t happened yet

• which countries are we not allowed to go into? The countries where we do not have any missionaries as of 2007: Middle East countries
  All African countries except for Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Ethiopia, and South Africa (we do have missions in those countries). Mainland China, Cuba, North Korea
  We do have humanitarian couple missionaries in some of those countries, but we don't have proselyting missionaries.)

• But in 1 Nephi 3:7 we learn that the Lord never gives us a commandment without preparing a way for us to accomplish it. In other words, if the Lord said we should preach the Gospel throughout the entire world, it will happen....someday.....

• The Lord is “inspiring the minds of great people to create inventions that further the work of the Lord in ways this world has never known” (Russell M. Nelson, Ensign 1988 April pg 73) What a great thing! In the manual it says that we who have the fullness of the gospel  need to use these inventions to fulfill the Lord’s commandment.

• What are these inventions that are helping us be missionaries? Newspapers, magazines, television, radio, satellites, computers, the internet, chat with missionaries on mormon.org, etc. Can you imagine what else there is to come?! How is technology an effective way of teaching?

 Missionary Work is Important

President Ezra Taft Benson said:

“ this is our first interest as a Church- to save and exalt the souls of the children of men.”

It may be important but it’s not really all that easy!

 Two great quotes here:

"Missionary work is difficult. It taxes one’s energies, it strains one’s capacity, it demands one’s best effort—frequently a second effort. No other labor requires longer hours or greater devotion or such sacrifice and fervent prayer."       -Thomas S. Monson from the talk "That All May Hear"

and:

 “I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him?”    -Jeffrey R. Holland as quoted in the talk "Be A Missionary All Your Life" by Quentin L. Cook.

We Should All Be Missionaries
Some questions to ponder:

How can we look for ways to share our own faith? How can we make personal connections with people? How can we show love and respect for those who do not share our faith? In what ways do women add to the work of spreading the Gospel? How does the Spirit Influence your personal sharing of testimony? 

 
One of the ways in which I personally find missionary work to be particularly challenging is that it seems difficult to assert that you have the truth and others don’t (or that they’re in spiritual darkness) without conveying an attitude of spiritual arrogance or superiority. How do you express a conviction that the gospel is an important and vital message without sounding like you think you’re better than others? 

In D&C 88:81 It says “It becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor”-We have been taught by Spencer W. Kimball that we should show our neighbors that we love them before we warn them. They need to experience our friendship and fellowship.
I love this! My husband is not a member of the church and I completely understand the need for love and friendship as part of missionary work.


The Lord Promises Us Blessings for doing Missionary Work

• D&C 62:3 “Ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you.”  

 I concluded with a great story by Thomas S. Monson:

Many years ago I boarded a plane in San Francisco en route to Los Angeles. As I sat down, the seat next to mine was empty. Soon, however, there occupied that seat a most lovely young lady. 

As the plane became airborne, I noticed that she was reading a book. I glanced at the title: A Marvelous Work and a Wonder. I mustered up my courage and said to her, “You must be a Mormon.”

She replied, “Oh no. Why would you ask?”

I said, “Well, you’re reading a book written by LeGrand Richards, a very prominent leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

She responded, “Is that right? A friend gave this book to me, but I don’t know much about it. However, it has aroused my curiosity.”

I wondered silently, Should I be forward and say more about the Church? The words of the Apostle Peter crossed my mind, “Be ready always to give an answer to every [one] that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15). I decided that now was the time for me to share my testimony with her. I told her that it had been my privilege years before to assist Elder Richards in printing this book.

I mentioned the great missionary spirit of this man and told her of the many thousands of people who had embraced the truth after reading that which he had prepared. Then it was my privilege, during the remainder of the flight, to answer her questions relative to the Church—intelligent questions which came from her heart, which I perceived was seeking the truth.

I asked if I might have the opportunity to have the missionaries call upon her. I asked if she would like to attend one of our wards in San Francisco, where she lived. Her answers were affirmative. She gave me her name—Yvonne Ramirez—and indicated that she was a flight attendant on her way to an assignment.

Upon returning home, I wrote to the mission president and the stake president, advising them of my conversation and that I had written to her and sent along some suggested reading.

Several months passed by. Then I received a telephone call from the stake president, who asked, “Brother Monson, do you remember sitting next to a flight attendant on a trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles early this fall?” I answered affirmatively. He continued, “I thought you would like to know that Yvonne Ramirez has just become the most recently baptized and confirmed member of the Church. She would like to speak with you.”

A sweet voice came on the line: “Brother Monson, thank you for sharing with me your testimony. I am the happiest person in all the world.”

As tears filled my eyes and gratitude to God enlarged my soul, I thanked her and commended her on her search for truth and, having found it, her decision to enter those waters which cleanse and purify and provide entrance to eternal life.

I sat silently for a few minutes after replacing the telephone receiver. The words of our Savior coursed through my mind: 

“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88).

Such is the promise to all of us when we pursue our missionary opportunities and follow the counsel and obey the commandments of Jesus of Nazareth, our Savior and King.


Thanks for taking the time to read this very long and wordy lesson outline. I hope you found it inspiring or interesting or maybe you're even preparing to teach on the subject and could use something I wrote about. Have a great day!
 

Honesty (Gospel Principles Lesson 31)

I teach the 2nd second of every month in Relief Society, the Women's Organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka, Mormons). The following is an outline of what I will be teaching tomorrow. The subject is Honesty and the lesson can be found here. P.s., this is really wordy.......it isn't really meant to be read, more heard =)

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Some may regard the quality of character known as honesty to be a most ordinary subject. But I believe it to be the very essence of the gospel. Without honesty, our lives and the fabric of our society will disintegrate into ugliness and chaos. –Gordon B. Hinckley

1. We all need to know what it means to be honest. Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving –James E. Faust

            

 A.  So, what is honesty? 

Elder F. Sheldon Tanner said: Honesty and integrity are not old-fashioned principles. They are just as viable in today’s world. We have been taught in the Church that:

                     When we say we will do something, we do it.

                          When we make a commitment, we honor it.

                              When we are given a calling, we fulfill it.

                                  When we borrow something, we return it.

                                     When we have a financial obligation, we pay it.

                                         When we enter into an agreement, we keep it.

  This is something that I am reminded of on a constant basis. My awesome hubby is not a member of the LDS church (or any church for that matter) and he frequently brings up the fact that the LDS people he knows follow these teachings and he is grateful to see someone practicing what they preach. I am grateful he notices =)

B. Complete honesty is necessary for our salvation. 

“If we accept salvation on the terms it is offered to us, we have got to be honest in every thought, in our reflections, in our meditations, in our private circles, in our deals, in our declarations, and in every act of our lives”                 -President Brigham Young

2. Forms of dishonesty: Lying, stealing and cheating. The manual goes over these, but I’d rather not focus on the ways we can be dishonest or the pain and discomfort it can bring us and others. 
               I’d rather focus on what it means to be honest and why it is so important. 
      
A. Honesty is a moral compass to guide us in our lives.
**At this point, I'd like to share a story I read by James E. Faust about a medical student who was about to take his first exam. The test was given on the honor system, no one would be in the room to make sure there was no cheating. As soon as the instructor had left the room and the medical students were to begin taking their test, this medical student noticed other students pulling out cheat sheets. He promptly stood in front of the room and stated he had left his hometown and put his wife and 3 babies in an apartment so he could be here and had worked very hard and that he would turn in the first person who cheated. They believed him and the cheat sheets went away. It's a great story, you can read it here. (The story starts about 1/3 of the way into the talk)

B. In reality, we are only in competition with ourselves. (That's a pretty great statement if you think about it!)  

            Others can challenge and motivate us, but we must reach down deep into our souls             and call forth our God-given intelligence and capabilities. We cannot do this when             we depend on the efforts of someone else.

C. Honesty is a principle, and we have our moral agency to determine how we will apply this principle. We have the agency to make choices, but ultimately we will be accountable for each choice we make. 
             Making the right choice, to be honest, is always the best choice....even if it’s hard.

**I have a personal story I am going to share here, about being honest and how it was really hard (and scary) for me to do so. 

**Here's another story (stories are a great way to teach!) about a boy who was participating in a gym class challenge. His goal was to beat the record of the fastest time to climb the rope. He had trained for years. He was so fast. It's a great story about a boy named Bobby and his honesty and how it affected others. This story can also be found here (the same talk I referenced above, about 2/3 of the way down).

D. Honesty is at the heart of at least four of the ten commandments—do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not lie, do not covet. Which would mean it’s pretty important right?

I love this: Honesty allows us to be unashamed before anyone. The honest are blessed with peace of mind and merit God’s love and care.

3. It is our responsibility to teach honesty to our children

       A. Many of our youth have either lost the knowledge of what is right and what is     wrong or were never taught these basic values. President Harold B. Lee’s classic statement that 

“the most important of the Lord’s work that you will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home” 

is most certainly true today.

**2 more stories: One by James E. Faust and one by Joseph B. Wirthlin. Both can be found here (Titles of the stories:  "On My Honor" and "Two Inches Away")


I liked this quote about the rewards of being a person of honesty and integrity:

“The rewards of integrity are immeasurable. One is the indescribable inner peace that comes from knowing we are doing what is right; another is an absence of the guilt and anxiety that accompany sin. Another reward of integrity is the confidence it can give us in approaching God. … The consummate reward of integrity is the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. … Let us live true to the trust the Lord has placed in us.” -Joseph B. Wirthlin

In closing, President Gordon B. Hinckley summed it up best: 

I am confident the Lord will continue to bless us as we remain honest, faithful, and true to ourselves...We cannot be less than honest, we cannot be less than true, we cannot be less than virtuous if we are to keep sacred the trust given us.

Those who are living the principle of honesty know that the Lord does bless them. Theirs is the precious right to hold their heads in the sunlight of truth, unashamed before any man. On the other hand, if there be need for reformation in any member of this Church, let it begin where we now stand.

The Lord requires his people to be honest. May we desire with all our hearts to be honest in all our relationships and in all the things that we do. God will help us if we seek the strength that comes from him. Sweet then will be our peace of mind and our lives. Blessed will be those with whom we live and associate. And God will bless and guide us with his loving care.

Thanks for reading. I hope you learned something or were inspired by something or found something that you can use for a lesson you may be teaching =)
(Happy Mothers Day!!!!)

The Lord's Law of Health

 I teach the 2nd Sunday of every month at Church. This month, the lesson is on The Lord's Law of Health (also known as The Word of Wisdom). The following is my outline for the class I will be teaching. I always enjoy seeing how people interpret different things, so this is my interpretation. Comments are always welcome!
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Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

(1 Corinthians 3:16)

The choices we make about the use of our physical "temples" will effect us throughout all eternity. 

• Our bodies are holy
• Because our bodies are so important, Heavenly Father wants us to take good care of them, no GREAT care of them :)
• Heavenly Father knows we can be happier, healthier people if we take care of our bodies.

So, what is the Lord's Law of Health and why do we need it?
-The Lord's Law of Health is revelation given in the scriptures. The Lord knows there are temptations all around us to treat our bodies unwisely or to take harmful things into them. So for this reason, He has told us which things are good for our health and which things are bad. Much of this info can be found in Doctrine and Covenants section 89.
-The Lord's Law of Health isn't just for our physical health, it is for our spiritual and mental health too.

There is no question that the health of the body affects the spirit, or the Lord would never have revealed the Word of Wisdom.….To a great extent, we are physically what we eat. Most of us are acquainted with some of the prohibitions of the Word of Wisdom, such as no tea, coffee, tobacco, or alcohol. But what needs additional emphasis are the positive aspects—the need for vegetables, fruits, and grain, particularly wheat. We need a generation of people who eat in a healthier manner.     

–Ezra Taft Benson

 

I thought this story, by President Brigham Young, about how the Word of Wisdom came to be was pretty interesting:

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“The first school of the prophets [a special school for the early leaders of the Church] was held in a small room situated over the prophet Joseph’s kitchen. … [This was the room where] the prophet received revelations and in which he instructed his brethren. The brethren came to that place for hundreds of miles to attend school in a little room probably no larger than eleven by fourteen [feet]. When they assembled together in this room after breakfast, the first [thing] they did was to light their pipes, and, while smoking, talk about the great things of the kingdom, and spit all over the room; and as soon as the pipe was out of their mouths, a large chew of tobacco would then be taken. Often when the prophet entered the room to give the school instructions he would find himself in a cloud of tobacco smoke. This, and the complaints of his wife at having to clean so filthy a floor, made the prophet think upon the matter, and he inquired of the Lord relating to the conduct of the elders in using tobacco, and the revelation known as the Word of Wisdom was the result of his inquiry” (in Deseret News [Weekly], 26 Feb. 1868, 18).

I thought that story was pretty great. Why? Because it shows how much of an influence a woman can have on some pretty important things :)

So, we are commanded not to take certain things into our body, what are they?

• Wine
• Strong drink (meaning drinks that contain alcohol)
• tobacco
• hot drinks (according to Church leaders this is in reference to coffee and tea)
• Drugs, unless necessary as medicine
• We should avoid anything that we know is harmful to our bodies
• We should not use any substance that is habit forming
• We should also avoid overeating.

The Word of Wisdom doesn't tell us every little thing to avoid, but it does give us a great guideline. The Word of Wisdom is a very valuable temporal law but it is also a very valuable spiritual law. By living the Word of Wisdom, we become stronger spiritually (awesome!)

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“Our physical body is the instrument of our spirit. In that marvelous revelation the Word of Wisdom, we are told how to keep our bodies free from impurities which might dull, even destroy, those delicate physical senses which have to do with spiritual communication. The Word of Wisdom is a key to individual revelation” (President Boyd K. Packer in Conference Report, Oct. 1989, 16; or Ensign, Nov. 1989, 14).

-What are some things that are not specifically mentioned in the WoW (Word of Wisdom) that we should avoid?

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The Word of Wisdom is one of the recognized and distinctive practices of members of the Church. Generally, others not of our faith acknowledge that members in good standing abstain from tobacco, coffee, tea, and all alcoholic beverages. Scientific studies have confirmed that Latter-day Saints have less incidence of heart problems, all forms of cancer, and other diseases because of their adherence to the Word of Wisdom. These studies have demonstrated that not only will one live a longer life, but also that the quality of one’s life will be better. 

-President Ezra Taft Benson

-The WoW teaches that certain things are good for our bodies, what are they?

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Wholesome herbs
• The flesh of birds and animals
• Meat should be eaten sparingly
• Fish
• Grains, especially wheat

How has the use of the things blessed you?  I know in my attempt to have a healthier and longer life I have stopped drinking soda and eating fast food. I have noticed a huge difference in my energy level and just the overall way that I feel....I just feel cleaner, if that makes sense.

-Work rest and exercise are also part of the Lord's Law of Health. Why?

source

 A latter-day prophet has told us that we should keep our bodies healthy. He counseled, “Nutritious meals, regular exercise, and appropriate sleep are necessary for a strong body, just as consistent scripture study and prayer strengthen the mind and spirit” (Thomas S. Monson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1990, 60; or Ensign, Nov. 1990, 46).

-What are the blessings we can receive from keeping the Lord's Law of Health?

Physically we have been promised good health. As a result of this good health we “shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint” (D&C 89:20). This is a great blessing, but the spiritual blessings He has promised us are even greater than the physical ones.

The Lord promises us that we “shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures” (D&C 89:19). (What are “hidden treasures”? The most sacred and deep things of God) We will be taught important truths by the Holy Ghost through revelation.

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President Spencer W. Kimball said, “For observing the Word of Wisdom the reward is life, not only prolonged mortal life but life eternal” (The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 211).

What a great quote! Love it.

I personally know how great I feel when I live my life in accordance with this wonderful revelation known as the Word of Wisdom. The part of the Word of Wisdom that has always been difficult for me, is overeating. I have made an extremely conscious effort in my life as of late to put things in my body that help me be a better wife and mother, things that fuel my body to be the best I can be not just stuff that looks good and is full of sugar and other wonderful things :) 

The Word of Wisdom was given to Joseph Smith in the form of a revelation in 1833 (that's a whole lot of years before the world of science caught on and started recommending the things learned in the WoW as a good practice for everyday living).

President Ezra Taft Benson told this story, which I found pretty neat:

Several years ago an investigator gave this testimonial about Joseph Smith. He said that the Word of Wisdom was the revelation that most attracted him to investigate the Church. “There is no possible way,” he said, “that Joseph Smith could have known what we now know in the medical world about the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, tea, and coffee. Yet this has all been substantiated by medical science.”

He said that this was the beginning of his earnest investigation of the gospel, for he reasoned that if Joseph Smith could be so accurate on a matter that medical science validated over a hundred years later, the rest of the teachings of the Church deserved investigation. He did so and is now a member of the Church.

Isn't that a great story?

I'm grateful for the Word of Wisdom. I am grateful for the guidelines it gives us. I am grateful for the blessings that I have received and that can be received by following the guidelines. I know these guidelines were given to us to help us live better, fuller lives. And how can anything that does that be considered bad? It can't.......end of story :)


I would love to hear your comments!
Thanks for stopping by!

Work and Personal Responsiblity

I teach in Relief Society at Church (I'm LDS) the 2nd Sunday of every month. This month the lesson I am teaching is on Work and Personal Responsibility. I know when I am doing research for my lessons, it always helps to read how someone else interpreted the material so I thought I would share my lessons every month. (keep in mind, this is more of an outline....)
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"Work is always a spiritual necessity even if, for some, work is not an economic necessity"- Neal A. Maxwell.


Work is an eternal principle. What does that mean? It means work is something we carry with us forever, eternally, which means it is really important! We are actually commanded to work.

“Work brings happiness, self-esteem, and prosperity. It is the means of all accomplishment; it is the opposite of idleness. We are commanded to work. Attempts to obtain our temporal, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being by means of a dole violate the divine mandate that we should work for what we receive. Work should be the ruling principle in the lives of our Church membership.” -Spencer W. Kimball

But what if we aren't physically capable of working? Good news! "Work" doesn't just mean physical labor, work is anything that we do mentally, spiritually or physically. In the Gospel Principle Manual (lesson 27) it says "there is no real division between spiritual, mental and physical work."

“As with any other commandment, there is joy in its keeping. To work—honestly and productively—brings contentment and a sense of self-worth. Having done all we can to be self-reliant, to provide for our own needs and those of our family, we can turn to the Lord in confidence to ask for what we might yet lack.” –Bishop H. David Burton

Family Responsibility:  
Parents should work together to provide for the physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being of their family. Creating a home where principles of the gospel are taught daily and where love and order abound is as important as providing the basic necessities of food and clothing.  What can we do as mothers, sisters, daughters and wives to teach work and personal responsibility in our homes? It is also our job to show the enjoyment that comes from working....

Enjoying our work:
There is a story by Kathleen Lubeck in the 1980 Ensign that I found inspiring. You can really tell this woman enjoys her work! She starts off by explaining she is single with no children and works in kind of like an advertisement setting with a whole bunch of men around her most of the time. This is a snippet from her story:

Part of my work entails writing, and one of the joys it brings is cool, fresh paper, smooth and clean, no bent edges. I like to touch it, smell it even. I like it in pastels, in pure whites, in boudoir blue; I like it onion-skin thin, solidly heavy, textured or slick. I like it in reams or in tiny slivers of small intent. I like to see it waiting to be written on. But most of all I like the feeding that happens when I touch a fountain pen to the paper, and watch the thin stream of black ink weaving across it. Creation! Thoughts sliding across a page, somehow becoming tangible even though they can be physically touched no other way. It’s a minor miracle bestowed upon mankind, and I can participate, and hope to all my life, married or single, half-dead or alive, when I’m 96 and raising plants.

(can you tell this woman enjoys her work?! How great would it be if we could all describe our work with this much joy!)
 She continues on:

What more can I say? Honest work is soul satisfying. I thirst to meet the creative challenges of my work now, just as I anticipate that same drive to meet the creative challenges of my own home and family, when my life plays into that stage. I find the most important challenge is to keep growing and learning and progressing, vision fixed to the example of the Savior in all that I do. To settle for anything less would be sleeping on the job.

I love how she describes work as a creative challenge. I think if we all looked at our work, whether it be selling something or changing diapers, as a creative challenge we would all find more joy in the work we're doing. 


God condemns idleness:

The Lord is not pleased with those who are lazy or idle. In Doctrine & Covenants 75:29 He said, “The idler shall not have place in the church, except he repent and mend his ways” 

When I read this I thought: well what about “me” time? What about relaxing time?  But then I realized, what I’m asking for isn’t idleness, what I’m asking for is “leisure” time...

“Leisure is not idleness. The Lord condemns idleness. He said, ‘Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent’ (D&C 60:13). Idleness in any form produces boredom, conflict, and unhappiness. It creates a vacancy of worth, a seedbed for mischief and evil. It is the enemy of progress and salvation” J. Richard Clarke

Reading that quote took me to another quote by President Brigham Young:

 “Recreation and diversion are as necessary to our well-being as the more serious pursuits of life. There is not a man in the world but what, if kept at any one branch of business or study, will become like a machine. Our pursuits should be so diversified as to develop every trait of character and diversity of talent”

Now that we can see the difference between idleness (bad) and leisure time (good!) how do we keep from being idle? Why is it important to keep a balance in life between work, recreation/leisure, and rest? What can we do to keep this balance and to teach our children?

The blessings of work:

“Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). Work is a key to full joy in the plan of God. If we are righteous, we will return to live with our Heavenly Father, and we will have work to do. As we become like Him, our work will become like His work. His work is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). 

“Work builds and refines character, creates beauty, and is the instrument of our service to one another and to God.” D. Todd Christofferson 

What are some blessings that come from honest work?

When it comes right down to it, God seems to change us from the inside out. He asks us to do things that are hard for us, then as we struggle with these tasks, He gives us greater insight and strength so that we are capable of meeting the goal.  Work is a perfect example of this. The harder the work is, the stronger we get. God is helping mold us to be more like him and we get these blessings through the change that comes to us as we follow His principles. (found this on The Exponent website)