Leading in the Lord's Way

I gave my Relief Society lesson today.  It was Chapter 24 Leading in the Lord's Way.  The lesson spent quite a bit of time on Zion's Camp.  It was so good.  I had not realized it but 9 of the 12 apostles and all of the Seventy had served in Zion's Camp.  It was quite a training ground for the leadership of the church.  

There had also be quite a bit of murmuring and complaining going on during Zion's Camp.  One line from the lesson keeps playing over and over in my head.  "Even a dog could not bark at some men without their murmuring to Joseph."  I wonder what dog bark we murmur about.  Here are a few that I have heard and sorry to say a few that I have said.  Worse yet I have thought many of them.

"Don't answer the phone.  It will just be someone telling me they won't be at church today to teach their primary class."

"I don't know why we even go to this house to get fast offerings.  They never pay."

"I'm a teacher, why do I have to do fast offerings?  Why aren't the deacons doing it?"

To a 15 year old teacher who had been preparing to pass the sacrament until a 12 year old deacon came into the room.  "You lucked out this time."

"Do I have to go visiting teaching to that house?"

"Her as a companion? Oh no!"

"Thank goodness the blue and gold is only once a year!"

"I just don't have time to go visiting teaching."

"You want me to take a meal to someone tonight?"

What kind of message do I send when I murmur?  If I can't be faithful over the small things how will I ever be faithful over the big things.  I want to be like the group who "...were always ready and willing to do as our leader desired."  

Perfect Sunday

It has been one of those Sunday's that you hear so many good things that while you would like to remember them all you know you will only remember part.

Reed taught our Sunday School lesson on "The Spirit of Revelation."  We learned how to receive personal revelation.  One of the best ideas was to turn off the TV so that Satan is not jamming our airways with junk.  

Our Relief Society Lesson came from a talk by Clyde J Williams in the Jan 1996 Ensign titled "A Shield Against Evil.  Wow that was good.  Satan has set snares and we need to use the scriptures to avoid those snares.  

Here are the snares Satan has set.

1.  Relying on Worldly Wisdom

2.  Anger and Contention

3.  Seeking Happiness in Sin

4.  Ignorance of Evil

5.  Spiritual Apathy

6.  Rationalization

7.  Vain and Worldly Things

Avoid those snares by:

1.  Realizing that Satan will not support his own.

2.  Shake off Spiritual Lethargy.

3.  Watch and Pray

4.  Hold to the Rod

5.  We are Free to Choose our own course in Life

6.  We can Bind Satan

If you want to read a good article check this one out.