Sister Kirksey gave our lesson from chapter 1 of the George Albert Smith manual.
She went over his personal creed of 11 things that he wrote at age 34 - 11 ideals that he committed to live by:
“I would be a friend to the friendless and find joy in ministering to the needs of the poor.
“I would visit the sick and afflicted and inspire in them a desire for faith to be healed.
“I would teach the truth to the understanding and blessing of all mankind.
“I would seek out the erring one and try to win him back to a righteous and a happy life.
“I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals but rather love them into doing the thing that is right.
“I would live with the masses and help to solve their problems that their earth life may be happy.
“I would avoid the publicity of high positions and discourage the flattery of thoughtless friends.
“I would not knowingly wound the feelings of any, not even one who may have wronged me, but would seek to do him good and make him my friend.
“I would overcome the tendency to selfishness and jealousy and rejoice in the successes of all the children of my Heavenly Father.
“I would not be an enemy to any living soul.
“Knowing that the Redeemer of mankind has offered to the world the only plan that will fully develop us and make us really happy here and hereafter, I feel it not only a duty but also a blessed privilege to disseminate this truth.”
The manual shares 2 stories on page 2 that show how he lived up to his creed. They are worth the read and will even make you chuckle a bit.
Another observer wrote of George Albert Smith: “His religion is not doctrine in cold storage. It is not theory. It means more to him than a beautiful plan to be admired. It is more than a philosophy of life. To one of his practical turn of mind, religion is the spirit in which a man lives, in which he does things, if it be only to say a kind word or give a cup of cold water. His religion must find expression in deeds. It must carry over into the details of daily life.”
What a fine thing it is to feel that we belong to a church that is or should be composed of saints. It is not sufficient that we have our names upon the records. It is important that we live the lives that entitle us to be called Saints, and if you will do that, you will be happy. …
Sister Kirksey asked us what it means to each of us to be a Latter day Saint?
There were several comments including -
"Happy, family, gives me a purpose, connection, strive to be better, teachings of love, example of light, etc.
The manual says - Let us do better than we have ever done before. Let us renew our determination to be real Latter-day Saints, and not just make-believe. … I do not know anybody who can not do a little better than he has been doing, if he makes up his mind.
It goes on to say that Heavenly Father expects us to prepare for and live worthy of His promised blessings. It gives the example from Matthew 22 of the man who came the wedding feast unprepared and was cast into outer darkness.
The manual says - ...if there ever was a time when we should examine ourselves, to find out if we are doing what the Lord would have us do, it is today; if there ever was a time when we should be sure that we are in the pathway of eternal life, it is now.
Sister Kirksey wrapped up her lesson with a darling handout that had 12 spaces on it. She challenged us to write down 12 things we could do to draw closer to the Savior in 2012. They didn't have to be big things - just little things.
Thank you Sister Kirksey for bringing to life this lesson and making it personal for each sister.