Sis. Amy Pressler gave the lesson on Sunday - Search Me, O God, and know My Heart"
Sis Pressler said as women we judge ourselves harshly. But we have a loving Heavenly Father and older Brother and we are judge on our hearts not on our clean house, our hair do or our waist size.
If we have established a proper character, we can confidently invite God to search our hearts.
We read from the manual, "In cases where a stranger applies for employment, or an office of trust,
it is often required that he produce papers attesting his worthiness,
from reliable parties, letters of recommendation and of introduction
which are exceedingly useful in their way, assisting in obtaining favors
and privileges which otherwise would be difficult to secure. It is,
however, comparatively easy to obtain a written character, as it is
termed, a character that one can put in his pocket; and, indeed,
according to my observation it is not infrequently the case that people
are the bearers of written characters which their real and true
character fails to attest."
Sis Pressler asked, "What if we wrote letters of recommendation for ourselves? What it would look like/say coming from us vs. coming from someone else? Contrast that with a letter of recommendation written from Jesus Christ...Would we live differently?
Think about writing such a letter. It could be a way to recognize your own gifts and talents and you've been given these things to help and bless others. Think about your qualities outside of those associated with your profession.
The manual goes on to say, "We must be true men and true women; we must have faith largely developed, and we must be worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost
to aid us in the work of righteousness all the day long, to enable us
to sacrifice our own will to the will of the Father, to battle against
our fallen nature, and to do right for the love of doing right, keeping
our eye single to the honor and glory of God....we must be constantly en rapport [in harmony] with the Spirit of the Lord."
She asked us, What does it mean to be TRUE men and women?
These are several accounts in the scriptures that can teach us to improve our character. As we exercise faith and repent of our wrongdoings righteous character traits develop within us gradually.
In Ether 12 we are told that we are shown our weaknesses so that we can become strong.
How can we allow ourselves to see our short comings without getting discouraged?
Pres. Snow reminds us, "Our
character, as Latter-day Saints, should be preserved inviolate, at
whatever cost or sacrifice. Character, approved of God is worth
securing, even at the expense of a life-time of constant self-denial. While
thus living we may look forward … , with full assurance that … we shall
be crowned with the sons and daughters of God, and possess the wealth
and glory of a Celestial kingdom."