Sis. Snow gave the lesson today. She started off by sharing her enthusiasm for the hint of Fall that is in the air and the fact that it's September now so her favorite season - FALL - must be on it's way!
This also signals a time of year for change in our lives too. With back to school schedules and more "structure and organization" in our days.
Sis. Snow had a backpack and from it she pulled an empty jar and a bag of beans. The jar represents our day and the beans all the fill that up our day. She poured the beans into the jar as we mentioned things like - cooking, cleaning, carpool, visiting friends, running errands, catching a favorite TV show, etc.
The jar became full to the top. Then she put a ping pong ball on top and said it represented Scripture Study and Prayer. If we wait and let all the other things of the day "fill up" our schedule there isn't always time leftover for this. Hence the lid won't go on. BUT if you put it first, everything needful thing will be done.
She shared a wonderful quote -
"If you are too busy to pray and read your scriptures, you are busier than God ever intended you to be."
She said we all have time to do what we want to do. People make time for what want.
So - Where is our Commitment?
Where are our priorities? How do we feel about the gospel?
Guilt is a tool that Satan uses so don't let him use that on you. Just work towards being more committed each day.
She pulled a few other items from the backpack all relating to what is really important and emphasizing our Commitment to do the work of the Lord.
Sis. Snow shared a powerful story by Bishop H. Burke Peterson. You can read it here about a return ticket.
Sheri Dew has said, " ...in the days ahead a casual commitment to Christ will not pull us through." She has also been quoted as saying, "Mortality is a test, but an open book test. We have access to the text and the author."
Sis Snow wrapped up her lesson with a handout - a box of new crayons for each of us - with a return ticket attached that said this:
Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing - D&C 88:119
Identify at least one thing you can do to come out of the world and come closer to Christ. This is a call to action - a call to "arise and shine forth" D&C 115:5 - a call to live as women of God so that we and our families may return safely home.
Today I will commit to:___________________
Thank you Sis. Snow. May we all earn our return tickets home and reach out to those around us and help them as well.
-Sis. Pyrah