Sis. Murdock gave our lesson this Sunday compiled from 2 talks - The Power of Deliverance - Elder L. Tom Perry & Thanks Be To God - Elder Russell M. Nelson
She shared a story from Elder Nelson talk about an aquarium:
Recently, Sister Nelson and I enjoyed the beauty of tropical fish in a small private aquarium. Fish with vivid colors and of a variety of shapes and sizes darted back and forth. I asked the attendant nearby, “Who provides food for these beautiful fish?”
She responded, “I do.”
Then I asked, “Have they ever thanked you?”
She replied, “Not yet!”
I thought of some people I know who are just as oblivious to their Creator and their true “bread of life.”1 They live from day to day without an awareness of God and His goodness unto them.
How much better it would be if all could be more aware of God’s providence and love and express that gratitude to Him. Ammon taught, “Let us give thanks to [God], for he doth work righteousness forever.”2 Our degree of gratitude is a measure of our love for Him.
She focused the remainder of her talk about 3 gifts.
1. Physical - She ask Molly and Autumn come in and sing - I am a Child of God. She asked us to think of the words to that song - he sent us here, gave us parents, knows our needs our great, etc. You don't need a perfect body to make it back to heaven with live with our Heavenly Father.
There was another story shared from Elder L. Tom Perry's talk about his friend Scott. You can read it here but he didn't let his physical limitations stop him from helping the work progress forward.
2. Spiritual - our gifts are strengthened as communicate with Heavenly Father. Our return to Him is not based on what we wore and how cute our hairstyle was...It's about love, virtue, integrity, service to others, etc.
Sis. Murdock shared a neat comparison of cell phones to our scriptures:
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Scriptures like we treat our cell phones?
What if we carried them around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to get them if we forgot them?
What if we flipped through them several times a day?
What if we used them to receive messages?
What if we treated them like we couldn't live without them?
What if we gave them to kids as gifts?
What if we used them as we traveled?
What if we used them in case of an emergency?
This is something to make you go hmm... where are my Scriptures?
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't ever have to worry about our Scriptures being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!
What if we carried them around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to get them if we forgot them?
What if we flipped through them several times a day?
What if we used them to receive messages?
What if we treated them like we couldn't live without them?
What if we gave them to kids as gifts?
What if we used them as we traveled?
What if we used them in case of an emergency?
This is something to make you go hmm... where are my Scriptures?
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't ever have to worry about our Scriptures being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!
3. Gospel - Many of the stories in the Book of Mormon are about deliverance. Can we only find deliverance in the scriptures? What about church magazines and music too?
She shared a story of the pioneers who crossed the plains and a particular food shortage situation. The saints didn't pray for their circumstances to change or for a different type of food to cross their path. They prayed that their stomachs would adapt to the food they had. They prayed for strength in their circumstance.
Elder Nelson summed up the lesson perfectly:
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, but we are not. Each day, ours is the challenge to access the power of the Atonement so that we can truly change, become more Christlike, and qualify for the gift of exaltation and live eternally with God, Jesus Christ, and our families. For these powers, privileges, and gospel gifts, thanks be to God!
- Sis. Pyrah