Can Ye Feel So Now?
Some in the Church believe they can’t answer Alma’s question with
a resounding yes. They do not “feel so now.”
Introduction
[if you want: a short history of myself]
Say: To start the lesson, I would like to read a scripture
Read Alma 5:26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye
have experienced a change of
heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of
redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel
so now?
Elder Quentin L. Cook uses this verse as the title of his talk in
October 2012 General Conference. His caption at the beginning of his talk
is"
Some in the Church believe they can’t answer Alma’s question with
a resounding yes. They do not “feel so now.”
SAY: During the course of this lesson I hope to be able to answer
the question, why some can't answer the question with a 'resounding yes', as
well as what we can do remember how the change of heart felt when we received
it, bringing to our current memories of times when we have felt to sing the
song of redeeming love.
SAY: A few verses earlier, Alma asks this question:
Read Alma 5:19:
19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure
heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God
engraven upon your countenances?
Say: From the questions Alma is asking, he appears to want his
brethren to do an internal assessment whether they still have access to the
change of heart they felt in the past or have they lost it. Are they
enjoying a spiritual connection with God or have they lost the connection.
Learner Involvement
Q: What is it to have felt to sing the song of redeeming love?
Q: What does it mean to you to have the image of God engraven upon
our countenances?
Q: Why is it important to remember?
Q: Is it hard to keep our relationship with diety, the Holy Spirit
intact?
Q: Do we lose it sometimes?
Elder Cook says the following about being able to feel so now.
Read A:
Quotation A
This question, “Can ye feel so now?” rings across the centuries.
With all that we have received in this dispensation—including the Restoration
of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the outpouring of spiritual gifts, and the indisputable blessings
of heaven—Alma’s challenge has never been more important.
Q: Is feeling so now related to the fulness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the outpouring of spiritual gifts and receiving blessing of heaven
(which are indisputable, if we are receiving them)?
Say: ...Debate on YouTube...
- Tanner vs. Wallace, Pastor of the Pres. church in SLC.
- He picks at little things, Tanner responds admiralble.
- I made me wonder, what make us different than the average
evangelical christian out there.
- What is the inner life of a latter day saint? What is the
inner life the evangelical christian?
- Is there a difference? Assuming we are good people, is
there a difference?
Q: What is the difference? [we believe in grace and doing, we
believe in being saved from our sins upon the conditions of repentance, those
who are exerting themselves enjoy the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost,
gifts of the Spirit, spiritual progression and blessings and miracles.
Q: What brings about this change of heart?
Application
Read B
Quotation B
Local leaders across the world report that when viewed as a whole,
Church members, especially our youth, have never been stronger. But they almost
always raise two concerns: first, the challenge of increased unrighteousness in
the world and, second, the apathy and lack of commitment of some members. They
seek counsel about how to help members to follow the Savior and achieve a deep
and lasting conversion.
Q: What is the cure for these two concerns?
READ C
Quotation C
Soon after Ezra Taft Benson was called as an Apostle in 1943,
President George Albert Smith counseled,
“Your mission … is to … warn the people … in as kind a way as possible
that repentance will be the only panacea for the ills of this world.” When this statement was made, we were
in the midst of the conflagration of World War II.
Q: What was Elder Benson's counsel?
READ D
Quotation D
Many who are in a spiritual drought and lack commitment have not
necessarily been involved in major sins or transgressions, but they have made
unwise choices. Some are casual in their observance of sacred covenants. Others
spend most of their time giving first-class devotion to lesser
causes. Some allow intense cultural or political views to
weaken their allegiance to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some have immersed
themselves in Internet materials that magnify, exaggerate, and, in some cases,
invent shortcomings of early Church leaders. Then they draw incorrect
conclusions that can affect testimony. Any who have made these choices can
repent and be spiritually renewed.
Say: Elder Cook speaks on unwise choices that need to be
repented of, so we can be spiritual renewed. His first mentions casual
observance of sacred covenants. Q: How do we repent of casual observance?
[Exert ourselves]
2. Spending most of our time giving first class devotion to lesser
causes.
3. Allowing intense cultural or political views to weaken our
allegiance to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
4. Drawing incorrect conclusions about early Church leaders that
can affect testimony.
READ E
Quotation E
Immersion in the scriptures is essential for spiritual
nourishment. The word of God inspires commitment and acts as a healing
balm for hurt feelings, anger, or disillusionment. When our commitment is
diminished for any reason, part of the solution is repentance. Commitment
and repentance are closely intertwined.
READ F
Quotation F
C. S. Lewis, the striving, pragmatic Christian writer, poignantly
framed the issue. He asserted that Christianity tells people to repent and
promises them forgiveness;
but until people know and feel they need forgiveness,
Christianity does not speak to them. He stated, “When you know you are sick,
you will listen to the doctor.”
Q: Are we sometimes sick, and not know it?
READ G
Quotation G
The Prophet Joseph pointed out that before your baptism, you could be
on neutral ground between good and evil. But “when you joined this Church you
enlisted to serve God. When you did that you left the neutral ground, and you
never can [go] back.” His counsel was that we must never forsake the Master.
Q: Why is this counsel important in our day? [lots of diversions
that tempt us to stop enduring to the end.]
READ H
Quotation H
Alma emphasizes that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, “the
arms of mercy are extended” to those who repent. He then asks penetrating
and ultimate questions, such as: Are we prepared to meet God? Are we keeping
ourselves blameless? We should all contemplate these questions. Alma’s own
experience in failing to follow his faithful father and then coming to a dramatic
understanding of how much he needed forgiveness and
what it meant to sing the song of redeeming love is powerful and compelling.
Q: What have you learned from this lesson?
Conclusion
My sincere prayer is that each of us will take any necessary
action to feel the Spirit now so we can sing the song of redeeming love with
all our hearts. I testify of the power of the Savior’s Atonement, in the name
of Jesus Christ, amen.
Some in the Church believe they can’t answer Alma’s question with
a resounding yes. They do not “feel so now.”
Introduction
[if you want: a short history of myself]
Say: To start the lesson, I would like to read a scripture
Read Alma 5:26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye
have experienced a change of
heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of
redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel
so now?
Elder Quentin L. Cook uses this verse as the title of his talk in
October 2012 General Conference. His caption at the beginning of his talk
is"
Some in the Church believe they can’t answer Alma’s question with
a resounding yes. They do not “feel so now.”
SAY: During the course of this lesson I hope to be able to answer
the question, why some can't answer the question with a 'resounding yes', as
well as what we can do remember how the change of heart felt when we received
it, bringing to our current memories of times when we have felt to sing the
song of redeeming love.
SAY: A few verses earlier, Alma asks this question:
Read Alma 5:19:
19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure
heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God
engraven upon your countenances?
Say: From the questions Alma is asking, he appears to want his
brethren to do an internal assessment whether they still have access to the
change of heart they felt in the past or have they lost it. Are they
enjoying a spiritual connection with God or have they lost the connection.
Learner Involvement
Q: What is it to have felt to sing the song of redeeming love?
Q: What does it mean to you to have the image of God engraven upon
our countenances?
Q: Why is it important to remember?
Q: Is it hard to keep our relationship with diety, the Holy Spirit
intact?
Q: Do we lose it sometimes?
Elder Cook says the following about being able to feel so now.
Read A:
Quotation A
This question, “Can ye feel so now?” rings across the centuries.
With all that we have received in this dispensation—including the Restoration
of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the outpouring of spiritual gifts, and the indisputable blessings
of heaven—Alma’s challenge has never been more important.
Q: Is feeling so now related to the fulness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the outpouring of spiritual gifts and receiving blessing of heaven
(which are indisputable, if we are receiving them)?
Say: ...Debate on YouTube...
- Tanner vs. Wallace, Pastor of the Pres. church in SLC.
- He picks at little things, Tanner responds admiralble.
- I made me wonder, what make us different than the average
evangelical christian out there.
- What is the inner life of a latter day saint? What is the
inner life the evangelical christian?
- Is there a difference? Assuming we are good people, is
there a difference?
Q: What is the difference? [we believe in grace and doing, we
believe in being saved from our sins upon the conditions of repentance, those
who are exerting themselves enjoy the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost,
gifts of the Spirit, spiritual progression and blessings and miracles.
Q: What brings about this change of heart?
Application
Read B
Quotation B
Local leaders across the world report that when viewed as a whole,
Church members, especially our youth, have never been stronger. But they almost
always raise two concerns: first, the challenge of increased unrighteousness in
the world and, second, the apathy and lack of commitment of some members. They
seek counsel about how to help members to follow the Savior and achieve a deep
and lasting conversion.
Q: What is the cure for these two concerns?
READ C
Quotation C
Soon after Ezra Taft Benson was called as an Apostle in 1943,
President George Albert Smith counseled,
“Your mission … is to … warn the people … in as kind a way as possible
that repentance will be the only panacea for the ills of this world.” When this statement was made, we were
in the midst of the conflagration of World War II.
Q: What was Elder Benson's counsel?
READ D
Quotation D
Many who are in a spiritual drought and lack commitment have not
necessarily been involved in major sins or transgressions, but they have made
unwise choices. Some are casual in their observance of sacred covenants. Others
spend most of their time giving first-class devotion to lesser
causes. Some allow intense cultural or political views to
weaken their allegiance to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some have immersed
themselves in Internet materials that magnify, exaggerate, and, in some cases,
invent shortcomings of early Church leaders. Then they draw incorrect
conclusions that can affect testimony. Any who have made these choices can
repent and be spiritually renewed.
Say: Elder Cook speaks on unwise choices that need to be
repented of, so we can be spiritual renewed. His first mentions casual
observance of sacred covenants. Q: How do we repent of casual observance?
[Exert ourselves]
2. Spending most of our time giving first class devotion to lesser
causes.
3. Allowing intense cultural or political views to weaken our
allegiance to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
4. Drawing incorrect conclusions about early Church leaders that
can affect testimony.
READ E
Quotation E
Immersion in the scriptures is essential for spiritual
nourishment. The word of God inspires commitment and acts as a healing
balm for hurt feelings, anger, or disillusionment. When our commitment is
diminished for any reason, part of the solution is repentance. Commitment
and repentance are closely intertwined.
READ F
Quotation F
C. S. Lewis, the striving, pragmatic Christian writer, poignantly
framed the issue. He asserted that Christianity tells people to repent and
promises them forgiveness;
but until people know and feel they need forgiveness,
Christianity does not speak to them. He stated, “When you know you are sick,
you will listen to the doctor.”
Q: Are we sometimes sick, and not know it?
READ G
Quotation G
The Prophet Joseph pointed out that before your baptism, you could be
on neutral ground between good and evil. But “when you joined this Church you
enlisted to serve God. When you did that you left the neutral ground, and you
never can [go] back.” His counsel was that we must never forsake the Master.
Q: Why is this counsel important in our day? [lots of diversions
that tempt us to stop enduring to the end.]
READ H
Quotation H
Alma emphasizes that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, “the
arms of mercy are extended” to those who repent. He then asks penetrating
and ultimate questions, such as: Are we prepared to meet God? Are we keeping
ourselves blameless? We should all contemplate these questions. Alma’s own
experience in failing to follow his faithful father and then coming to a dramatic
understanding of how much he needed forgiveness and
what it meant to sing the song of redeeming love is powerful and compelling.
Q: What have you learned from this lesson?
Conclusion
My sincere prayer is that each of us will take any necessary
action to feel the Spirit now so we can sing the song of redeeming love with
all our hearts. I testify of the power of the Savior’s Atonement, in the name
of Jesus Christ, amen.
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