BY PRESIDENT HENRY B. EYRING
Introduction
Learner Readiness (can you feel so now)
SAY: The path … we must take on our journey back to our Heavenly Father … is marked by sacred covenants with God.
SAY: Before we start into the President Eyring's conference talk let's review the fundamentals about covenants.
Q: What does the word covenant mean?
Q: What is the purpose of God covenanting with man and man with God?
Q: What are our covenants designed to do?
Q: Is there a progression in the covenants we make?
Q: What happens when we fully keep one of our covenants?
Q: What are some of the covenants that we make and what are the blessings associated with each covenant?
SAY: Let's read a quotation from President Eyring's talk.
SAY: Before we start into the President Eyring's conference talk let's review the fundamentals about covenants.
Q: What does the word covenant mean?
Q: What is the purpose of God covenanting with man and man with God?
Q: What are our covenants designed to do?
Q: Is there a progression in the covenants we make?
Q: What happens when we fully keep one of our covenants?
Q: What are some of the covenants that we make and what are the blessings associated with each covenant?
SAY: Let's read a quotation from President Eyring's talk.
READ A - Daughters in the Covenant
A - I will speak tonight about the path—which in such beautiful ways has been described today—that we must take on our journey back to our Heavenly Father. That path is marked by sacred covenants with God. I will talk with you about the joy of making and keeping those covenants and helping others keep them.
Q: Why is there joy of making and keeping covenants? Isn't it a burden to keep on having to do better?
Q: Why is there joy of making and keeping covenants? Isn't it a burden to keep on having to do better?
READ B - Daughters in the Covenant
B - No two of us will have the same memories of the day when we made that sacred baptismal covenant and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. But we each felt God’s approval. And we felt a desire to forgive and to be forgiven and an increased determination to do right... How deeply those feelings went down into your heart was determined largely by the way you were prepared by loving people.
Q: Why does President Eyring tie one's baptism to desires and feelings?
Q: Where can we renew these desires and feelings? (sacrament, temple, attending baptisms, fasting and prayer)
Q: Why does President Eyring tie one's baptism to desires and feelings?
Q: Where can we renew these desires and feelings? (sacrament, temple, attending baptisms, fasting and prayer)
C - 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?
Q: Why is it important to feel so now?
Q: What is relationship between keeping our covenants and feeling the joy the gospel brings?
Q: Can any of you describe this joy?
Q: What keeps these feelings of alive within us?
Leaner Involvement (what stops us from feeling so now)
SAY: While reading last month's conference addresses I was impressed by the talk given by Elder Ballard. Let's read and excerpt.
READ D
D - Elder M. Russell Ballard, Stay on the Boat and Hold On!
D - Elder M. Russell Ballard, Stay on the Boat and Hold On!
Given the challenges we all face today, how do we stay on the Old Ship Zion?
Here is how. We need to experience a continuing conversion by increasing our faith in Jesus Christ and our faithfulness to His gospel throughout our lives—not just once but regularly.
Here is how. We need to experience a continuing conversion by increasing our faith in Jesus Christ and our faithfulness to His gospel throughout our lives—not just once but regularly.
Q: What does experiencing a continuing conversion mean?
Q: How does a continuing conversion relate to feeling to sing the song of redeeming love?
Q: Regarding the covenants we all have made, what can happen if we don't experience a continuing conversion by increasing our faith?
Q: What stops us from feeling so now?
Q: If we are in a place where our testimonies aren't so bright, what could we do?
READ E
E - Elder M. Russell Ballard, Stay on the Boat and Hold On!
E - Elder M. Russell Ballard, Stay on the Boat and Hold On!
The important questions focus on what matters most—Heavenly Father’s plan and the Savior’s Atonement. Our search should lead us to become kind, gentle, loving, forgiving, patient, and dedicated disciples.
Q: Why does focus on our Heavenly Father;s plan and the Savior's atonement matter the most?
Q: How doe we know that our search has been fruitful?
Learner Application (what can we do to feel stay connected
What behavior do we exhibit when we are all filled with the love of God?
SAY: President Eyring uses this passage of scripture to describe a group of people who felt that joy and desired to covenant with their God
READ F - Mosiah 18:8–11.
READ F - Mosiah 18:8–11.
F - Mosiah 18:8–11. Quotation by President Eyring, Daughters in the Covenant
“And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
“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 the first resurrection that ye may have eternal life—
“Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
“And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.”
SAY: This is an introspective question: Are these the desires or our heart? If they have been in our memories in the past, can you feel so now?
READ G - Elder M. Russell Ballard, Stay on the Boat and Hold On!
“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 the first resurrection that ye may have eternal life—
“Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
“And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.”
SAY: This is an introspective question: Are these the desires or our heart? If they have been in our memories in the past, can you feel so now?
READ G - Elder M. Russell Ballard, Stay on the Boat and Hold On!
G - Elder M. Russell Ballard, Stay on the Boat and Hold On!
To bear another’s burdens includes helping, supporting, and understanding everyone, including the sick, the infirm, the poor in spirit and body, the seeker and the troubled, and also other member-disciples—including Church leaders who have been called by the Lord to serve for a season.
To bear another’s burdens includes helping, supporting, and understanding everyone, including the sick, the infirm, the poor in spirit and body, the seeker and the troubled, and also other member-disciples—including Church leaders who have been called by the Lord to serve for a season.
Q: Anything pop out that you previously hadn't though of?
Q: How do we bear another's burden who is seeking at this time or trouble at this time?
Q: Do we get defense or angry?
Conclusion
As President Eyring said, making and keeping covenant should be a joyful process. As Elder Ballard says, We need to experience a continuing conversion by increasing our faith in Jesus Christ and our faithfulness to His gospel throughout our lives—not just once but regularly.
I testify that these things are true.
Elder M. Russell Ballard, Stay on the Boat and Hold On!
We need to become like the sons of Mosiah, who “waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth.” We can become men and women “of a sound understanding.” This can be accomplished only by our “search[ing] the scriptures diligently, that [we] might know the word of God.”7
In searching the scriptures and the words of past and current apostles and prophets, we should focus on studying, living, and loving the doctrine of Christ.
Q: How do we bear another's burden who is seeking at this time or trouble at this time?
Q: Do we get defense or angry?
Conclusion
As President Eyring said, making and keeping covenant should be a joyful process. As Elder Ballard says, We need to experience a continuing conversion by increasing our faith in Jesus Christ and our faithfulness to His gospel throughout our lives—not just once but regularly.
I testify that these things are true.
Elder Ballard says this:
We need to become like the sons of Mosiah, who “waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth.” We can become men and women “of a sound understanding.” This can be accomplished only by our “search[ing] the scriptures diligently, that [we] might know the word of God.”7
In searching the scriptures and the words of past and current apostles and prophets, we should focus on studying, living, and loving the doctrine of Christ.
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