Outline
A. Introduction and Learner Readiness
BY ROSEMARY M. WIXOM
Primary General President
SAY: We are covenant-making women of all ages walking the path of mortality back to His presence.
SAY: Be thinking about your favorite scriptures that help you understand and keep your covenants. I will be asking you to share your favorite scripture later in the lesson.
SAY: Let's start with one of my favorite scriptures. I was reading the book of Moroni last week. As I was reading chapter 7 verse 45, I gave myself a test. My grade was lower than I expected. Here's the test. Answer the following question yes or no. You can use sometimes if you want to soften the blow.
- Am I long suffering?
- Am I kind?
- Do I have envy for others?
- Am I puffed up? Do I think I am better than others?
- Am I easily provoked?
- Do I think evil? Do I think evil of others?
- Do I rejoice in iniquity?
- Do I rejoice in the truth?
- Do I bear all things?
- Do I believe all things?
- Do I have a hope of a glorious resurrection?
- Do I endure all things?
- Am I happy?
47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure.
Q: What does this introspective test have to do with covenant keeping?
SAY: Are not these the attributes we take with us when we die?
SAY: There must be covenants we make associated with changing our inner self, developing Christ-like attributes.Q: What covenant to we make most closely ties to charity?
Q: Any ideas?
C. Learner Involvement
SAY: We are going to read some of Sister Wixom's talk. Since it was addressed to young women of the church you will need to substitute the words "women" and "daughters" to "men" and "sons".
READ A
A - Tonight we gather together all over the world as His disciples, with a desire to defend and sustain the kingdom of God. We are daughters of our Heavenly Father. We are covenant-making women of all ages walking the path of mortality back to His presence. Keeping covenants protects us, prepares us, and empowers us.
Q: How does covenant keeping protect us?
Q: How does keeping covenants prepare us?
Q: How does covenant keeping empower us?
Q: What is the first covenant we make with our Heavenly Father? [Baptism]
Q: Who can explain the covenant of baptism?
Q: What is the Father's side of the covenant? [Give of the Holy Ghost, Saved in the Kingdom of God]
READ B
B - [Robert D Hales] also explained that “when we understand our baptismal covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will change our lives and will establish our total allegiance to the kingdom of God. When temptations come our way, if we will listen, the Holy Ghost will remind us that we have promised to remember our Savior and obey the commandments of God."
Q: What has the Lord given us to remember baptismal covenant (and all our covenants)?
READ C
Q: Is it possible to keep all our covenants in this life?
Q: Why would something like being unforgiving be not in keeping with our baptismal covenant?
Q: Who is forgiveness for?
Q: What are we doing when we forgive?
Q: If we are easily provoked are we breaking a covenant?
READ D
Temple ordinances lead to the greatest blessings available through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. They are those ordinances necessary for our exaltation in the celestial kingdom. As we strive to keep our covenants, our feelings of inadequacy and imperfection begin to fade, while the ordinances and the covenants of the temple come alive. Everyone is welcome to walk that path to eternal life.
Q: Why do or feelings of inadequacy and imperfection fade away as we strive to keep our covenants?
Q: Where do go to learn about the covenants we make in the temple?
Q: Do you have any favorite scriptures that help you understand, remember and keep your baptismal and temple covenants?
3 Nephi 9:19-20 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.
20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost,
Alma 1:19-24 But it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church of God began to persecute those that did belong to the church of God, and had taken upon them the name of Christ.
20 Yea, they did persecute them, and afflict them with all manner of words, and this because of their humility; because they were not proud in their own eyes, and because they did impart the word of God, one with another, withoutmoney and without price.
21 Now there was a strict law among the people of the church, that there should not any man, belonging to the church, arise and persecute those that did not belong to the church, and that there should be no persecution among themselves.
22 Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be proud, and began to contend warmly with their adversaries, even unto blows; yea, they would smite one another with their fists.
23 Now this was in the second year of the reign of Alma, and it was a cause of much affliction to the church; yea, it was the cause of much trial with the church.
24 For the hearts of many were hardened, and their names were blotted out, that they were remembered no more among the people of God. And also many withdrewthemselves from among them.
Mosiah 18:9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of thefirst resurrection, that ye may have eternal life
2 Nephi 11:5 And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death.
D&C 121:45-46 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. 46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.
Alma 1:27-30 And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely.
28 And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding all their persecutions.
29 And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever they stood in need—an abundance of flocks and herds, and fatlings of every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things, and abundance of silk and fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth.
30 And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need.
READ E
E - A single woman I know values the weekly ordinance of the sacrament and its sacred promise “that [she] may always have his Spirit to be with [her].”That constant companionship is a promise that softens the waves of her loneliness. It gives her strength to immerse herself in developing her talents and a desire to serve the Lord. She has discovered great joy in adoring all the children in her life, and when she seeks serene peace, you will find her in the temple.
READ F
F - Lastly, an elderly woman in her 90s has watched her children and grandchildren grow up and her great-grandchildren come into the world. Like many of us, she has had a life filled with sorrows, afflictions, and incomprehensible joy. She confesses that if she were rewriting her life story, she would not choose to include some of the chapters that have been written. Yet, with a smile, she says, “I just must live a little longer and see how it all turns out!” She continues to hold fast to the covenants on the path.
E. Conclusion
As Sister Wixom teaches, As we strive to keep our covenants, our feelings of inadequacy and imperfection begin to fade, while the ordinances and the covenants of the temple come alive. The way back becomes easier and our burdens become light.
Amen.
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